What is the key difference between Search Papers and Semanticscholar?

Search Papers belongs to the Research category with local stdio execution, while Semanticscholar belongs to the Research category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Search Papers or Semanticscholar in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Search Papers and Semanticscholar free or paid?

Search Papers operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Semanticscholar operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Search Papers lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. Semanticscholar lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Search Papers and Semanticscholar together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Search Papers or Semanticscholar in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Search Papers and Semanticscholar free to use, or do they require API keys?

Search Papers is listed under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . Semanticscholar operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Search Papers and Semanticscholar at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both search-papers and semanticscholar as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Search Papers has a Quality Score of 24 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars. Semanticscholar holds a Quality Score of 27 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Search Papers vs Semanticscholar

In-depth architectural comparison of the Search Papers and Semanticscholar MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Search Papers

Research · Local stdio

Quality: 24/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Semanticscholar

Research · Local stdio

Quality: 27/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Search Papers if you need specialized Research tools running via a local process. Choose Semanticscholar if your workspace requires Research integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Search Papers when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Research domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Search Papers Details

Choose Semanticscholar when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Research domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Semanticscholar Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	S Search Papers Research	S Semanticscholar Research
Summary	An MCP server to search papers from arXiv	Search 200M+ papers, authors, citations, and recommendations via Semantic Scholar
Category & Scope	Research	Research
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Search Papers Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Semanticscholar Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Search Papers Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "search-papers": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "search-papers"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Semanticscholar Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "semanticscholar": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "semanticscholar"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Search Papers is categorized under Research and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Semanticscholar belongs to Research using local stdio subprocess. Select Search Papers when you need capabilities focused on research and Semanticscholar when you require tools for research.

More alternatives to Search Papers More alternatives to Semanticscholar Research category hub