Brave Search MCP vs Open Agent Search
A side-by-side look at the Brave Search MCP and Open Agent Search MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Brave Search MCP for search & data extraction work as a local process; choose Open Agent Search for search & data extraction as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Brave Search MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
BRAVE_API_KEY. - You want tools like
query, count.
Choose Open Agent Search when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search & Data Extraction | Search & Data Extraction |
| Quality signal | 59/100 · Good | 45/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | BYOK (pay the provider) | Not declared |
| Required env vars | BRAVE_API_KEY | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 130 | 2 |
| Directory activity | 3 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 2 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Brave Search MCP | View Open Agent Search |
Tools & capabilities
Brave Search MCP tools 2
query(string): The term to search for videoscount(number, optional): The number of videos to return (max 20, default 10)
Open Agent Search 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.
Brave Search MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"mikechao-brave-search-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"brave-search-mcp"
],
"env": {
"BRAVE_API_KEY": "YOUR_BRAVE_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Open Agent Search
{
"mcpServers": {
"open-agent-search": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"--yes",
"open-agent-search@1.0.5"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Brave Search MCP is categorized under Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. Open Agent Search belongs to Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Brave Search MCP for search & data extraction work and Open Agent Search for search & data extraction.
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.
Brave Search MCP is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. Open Agent Search has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. 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 mikechao-brave-search-mcp and open-agent-search as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Brave Search MCP has a quality signal of 59/100 (Good) with 3 views, 0 installs and 130 GitHub stars. Open Agent Search has 45/100 (Fair) with 1 views, 0 installs and 2 GitHub stars.