MCP Server vs Local MCP
A side-by-side look at the MCP Server and Local MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose MCP Server for communication work as a local process; choose Local MCP for communication as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Communication domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
SVN_API_KEY, SVN_API_BASE, SVN_LANG, SVN_POLL_SECONDS. - You want tools like
get_balance, list_countries, list_services.
Choose Local MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Communication domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Communication | Communication |
| Quality signal | 65/100 · Great | 63/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | No auth required |
| Pricing | Not declared | Free |
| Required env vars | SVN_API_KEYSVN_API_BASESVN_LANGSVN_POLL_SECONDS | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 534 | 73 |
| Directory activity | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 7 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 9 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View MCP Server | View Local MCP |
Tools & capabilities
MCP Server tools 9
get_balanceCurrent account balance. Ordering a number needs a funded balance; there is no free tier.list_countriesEvery country the numbers can come from, with its id and operators. Use the id in order_number.list_servicesServices available in a country, best match first. Order the code of the site you are registering with: a number bought for one service does not receive another service's SMS. Search by site name or domain, both work. The codes are arbitrary, so look them up instead of guessing: uk is Airbnb, not the United Kingdom. deliveredPercent is null when the pair has no statistics yet, which is the common case; then judge the pair by how many numbers are online. When the site is not in the catalogue at all, order notInList (ot), which receives SMS from any sender that is not in the list.order_numberOrder a private number for one service in one country. The number is held for 20 minutes and belongs to this activation alone. Money is held now and charged when the code arrives. The service code has to be the one for the site you are registering with, otherwise its SMS goes to a different pool and never reaches you.wait_for_codeWait for the verification code on an ordered number. Polls on its own and returns the code itself, already parsed out of the SMS. Trigger the SMS on the target service first.finish_activationClose an activation after the code was used. Do this on every success: a forgotten activation holds money until it expires.cancel_activationCancel an activation when no code arrived; the money returns to the balance in full. Can be called right after ordering. If the API answers that it is too early, wait a couple of minutes and repeat.request_another_smsAsk for one more code on the same number, for a password reset or a re-send. Works only after a first code has already arrived; before that the API refuses it.totp_codeCompute the authenticator code for an account whose second factor was set up with a shared secret. Runs locally by RFC 6238: the secret never leaves this machine.
Local MCP 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.
MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-server-160": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"sv-number-mcp"
],
"env": {
"SVN_API_KEY": "YOUR_SVN_API_KEY_HERE",
"SVN_API_BASE": "YOUR_SVN_API_BASE_HERE",
"SVN_LANG": "YOUR_SVN_LANG_HERE",
"SVN_POLL_SECONDS": "YOUR_SVN_POLL_SECONDS_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Local MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"lanchuske-local-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"local-mcp@latest"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
MCP Server is categorized under Communication and uses a local stdio subprocess. Local MCP belongs to Communication and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick MCP Server for communication work and Local MCP for communication.
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.
MCP Server has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Local MCP is listed as free. Auth: no auth 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 mcp-server-160 and lanchuske-local-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, MCP Server has a quality signal of 65/100 (Great) with 2 views, 0 installs and 534 GitHub stars. Local MCP has 63/100 (Good) with 7 views, 0 installs and 73 GitHub stars.