A side-by-side look at the MCP Cost Optimizer and Claude Prompt Optimizer MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose MCP Cost Optimizer for conversational ai work as a local process; choose Claude Prompt Optimizer for conversational ai as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
CONTROL_PLANE_URL.estimate_llm_cost, analyze_llm_usage, compare_llm_models.Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Conversational AI | Conversational AI |
| Quality signal | 56/100 · Good | 44/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | Not declared |
| Required env vars | CONTROL_PLANE_URL | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 2 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 3 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View MCP Cost Optimizer | View Claude Prompt Optimizer |
estimate_llm_costSingle-request estimateanalyze_llm_usageCosts by model, unpriced models, duplicate opportunitycompare_llm_modelsIndependent migration scenarioNo tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
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.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-cost-optimizer": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-cost-optimizer"
],
"env": {
"CONTROL_PLANE_URL": "YOUR_CONTROL_PLANE_URL_HERE"
}
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"claude-prompt-optimizer": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"pcp-engine"
]
}
}
}