Iris vs MCP Image
A side-by-side look at the Iris and MCP Image MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Iris for multimedia process work as a local process; choose MCP Image for multimedia process as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Iris when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Multimedia Process domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
read_image, image_probe, crop_region.
Choose MCP Image when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Multimedia Process domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
GEMINI_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY, ARK_API_KEY, IMAGE_PROVIDER, IMAGE_OUTPUT_DIR, IMAGE_QUALITY, SKIP_PROMPT_ENHANCEMENT.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Multimedia Process | Multimedia Process |
| Quality signal | 40/100 · Fair | 53/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | API key required |
| Pricing | Not declared | BYOK (pay the provider) |
| Required env vars | None listed | GEMINI_API_KEYOPENAI_API_KEYARK_API_KEYIMAGE_PROVIDERIMAGE_OUTPUT_DIRIMAGE_QUALITYSKIP_PROMPT_ENHANCEMENT |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 2 | 181 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 4 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Iris | View MCP Image |
Tools & capabilities
Iris tools 4
read_imageOne local image. Geometry and metadata. OCR only when requested. An optional `region` crops inside this read.image_probeFormat, dimensions, pixel count, and source hash. No OCR and no crop.crop_regionOne citeable region: bounds and hash. Set `include_region_image` for PNG bytes. No OCR.compare_imagesChanged pixels between two images of equal dimensions. No OCR.
MCP Image tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Iris
{
"mcpServers": {
"iris-2": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@sylphx/anymd"
]
}
}
}
MCP Image
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-image": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-image"
],
"env": {
"GEMINI_API_KEY": "YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY_HERE",
"OPENAI_API_KEY": "YOUR_OPENAI_API_KEY_HERE",
"ARK_API_KEY": "YOUR_ARK_API_KEY_HERE",
"IMAGE_PROVIDER": "YOUR_IMAGE_PROVIDER_HERE",
"IMAGE_OUTPUT_DIR": "YOUR_IMAGE_OUTPUT_DIR_HERE",
"IMAGE_QUALITY": "YOUR_IMAGE_QUALITY_HERE",
"SKIP_PROMPT_ENHANCEMENT": "YOUR_SKIP_PROMPT_ENHANCEMENT_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Iris is categorized under Multimedia Process and uses a local stdio subprocess. MCP Image belongs to Multimedia Process and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Iris for multimedia process work and MCP Image for multimedia process.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Iris has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. MCP Image is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add iris-2 and mcp-image as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Iris has a quality signal of 40/100 (Fair) with 0 views, 0 installs and 2 GitHub stars. MCP Image has 53/100 (Good) with 2 views, 0 installs and 181 GitHub stars.