Best MCP Directories 2026: Skiln vs Smithery vs Glama vs PulseMCP
Seven MCP directories ranked. Skiln has 75,000+ listings, Smithery has the smoothest install flow, Glama has the cleanest UI, PulseMCP has the best newsletter. Compared on coverage, UX, and pricing.
TL;DR — Best MCP Directories for 2026
There are seven MCP directories worth knowing in 2026, and they aren't interchangeable. Skiln is the most comprehensive (75,000+ entries federated from every other registry). Smithery has the slickest install flow. Glama has the cleanest UI. PulseMCP publishes the best weekly newsletter. mcp.directory is the lightest catalog with the fastest search. LobeHub mixes MCPs with chat templates and icon assets. mcpservers.com is the smallest but curated. Most power users browse 2-3 in parallel.
Compared head-to-head · Updated June 2026
Table of Contents
- What Is an MCP Directory?
- Why the Directory You Use Matters
- The 7 Best MCP Directories for 2026
- Quick Comparison Table
- How to Pick the Right Directory
- Directory vs Registry vs Hub: What's the Difference?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is an MCP Directory?
An MCP directory is a searchable index of Model Context Protocol servers. The Model Context Protocol, introduced by Anthropic in late 2024, is the open standard that lets desktop AI clients like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf plug into external tools — databases, file systems, browsers, third-party APIs. By 2026 the ecosystem has grown past 75,000 entries, which is far too many to discover by scrolling GitHub.
Directories solve three problems at once:
- Discovery. You can search by capability ("postgres", "browser automation", "slack") instead of guessing repo names.
- Trust. Good directories surface GitHub stars, last commit date, and download counts so you can tell which MCPs are actively maintained and which are abandoned.
- Install. The best directories generate ready-to-paste config blocks for every major client, so adoption takes 30 seconds instead of 10 minutes.
Each directory makes different trade-offs in coverage, UI, and editorial curation. Picking the right one matters more than most developers realise.
Why the Directory You Use Matters
Three reasons the choice isn't neutral.
Coverage gaps. No single source registry holds every MCP. Some authors publish only to Smithery, others only to the official Anthropic registry, others only to their own GitHub. A directory that pulls from one source will miss half the ecosystem. Directories that federate from multiple sources — like Skiln, which indexes 10+ registries — give you the widest pool to search.
Maintenance signals. A directory with no filter for abandoned MCPs will recommend a beautifully documented server whose last commit was in early 2025 and whose dependencies no longer build. Look for directories that show last-commit dates and GitHub stars on every listing, and ideally rank or filter by activity.
Install ergonomics. Some directories give you a copy-paste JSON snippet for the exact MCP client you use. Others link you to the upstream README and leave you to figure out the config syntax yourself. The first option saves five minutes per install; the second turns "try an MCP" into a 30-minute project.
The 7 Best MCP Directories for 2026
1. Skiln
The most comprehensive MCP directory in 2026. Skiln federates listings from the official Anthropic MCP registry, Smithery, Glama, PulseMCP, LobeHub, mcp.directory, mcpservers.com, and 5+ other sources into a single searchable catalog of 75,000+ entries.
What stands out: Skiln is the only directory that covers all four MCP-ecosystem categories under one roof — MCP servers, Claude skills, agents/sub-agents, and hooks/commands. It also auto-discovers new MCP sources daily through a custom scraper and surfaces install commands generated for Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and Zed simultaneously.
Best for: Power users who want the widest possible pool to search, teams standardising on a single internal directory, and anyone setting up a new machine who wants to install 10+ MCPs from one place using the Config Generator.
Pricing: Free for browsing, search, and install commands. Pro tier (planned) for analytics and bulk operations.
2. Smithery
The most developer-friendly directory if you're building or shipping new MCPs. Smithery indexes around 8,000 MCP servers and pairs each listing with a one-click install flow that scaffolds the right TypeScript config for your client. They also host MCP servers in their own infrastructure, so you can try a server in-browser without local install.
What stands out: The Smithery CLI (npx @smithery/cli) installs MCPs into your Claude Desktop config without you having to edit JSON by hand. Massive time-saver. They also publish CLI templates for shipping your own MCP servers.
Best for: Developers who ship MCP servers, anyone who prefers a CLI install flow over manual config editing, and teams who want a hosted execution option. Read our full Smithery MCP Guide for setup details.
Pricing: Free tier covers personal use. Paid plans start at $19/month for team workspaces and higher rate limits.
3. Glama
The cleanest UI in the MCP directory space. Glama indexes around 4,000 MCP servers with rich category filtering, screenshots, and per-server installation walkthroughs. They also offer a hosted MCP-as-a-service tier where they run popular servers on your behalf.
What stands out: Glama's chat playground lets you try an MCP server live without any local setup. Click a server, chat with Claude using only that server's tools, see exactly what it can do before you commit to installing.
Best for: Visual learners, teams evaluating MCPs before committing to a stack, and developers who want to test-drive an MCP without touching their config files. Compare it to PulseMCP in our MCP Clients comparison.
Pricing: Free for directory browsing. Hosted MCP execution starts at $10/month.
4. PulseMCP
The most journalistic MCP directory. PulseMCP indexes around 3,500 MCP servers and pairs the directory with a weekly newsletter that covers ecosystem news, new server launches, and notable updates to existing ones. The team also publishes deeper write-ups on flagship MCPs.
What stands out: The PulseMCP newsletter is the single best way to stay current on MCP releases without doom-scrolling GitHub. The directory itself ranks each server by a composite "Pulse Score" combining stars, install volume, and update frequency.
Best for: Anyone who wants curated discovery over exhaustive coverage, developers who follow the MCP ecosystem closely, and teams that want a weekly TL;DR delivered by email. We featured PulseMCP in our roundup of the best MCP newsletters in 2026.
Pricing: Free. Newsletter and directory are entirely free.
5. mcp.directory
The lightest catalog with the fastest search. mcp.directory indexes around 2,000 MCP servers with minimal UI chrome and instant fuzzy search. No accounts, no ads, no install walkthroughs — just a clean list of MCPs you can filter by tag.
What stands out: Search is genuinely fast. Type three characters, get ranked results. No JavaScript-heavy framework slowing the page. If you know what you're looking for, this is the fastest path from intent to install command.
Best for: Developers who already know which MCP they want and just need the install command quickly, minimalists, and anyone who values speed over breadth.
Pricing: Free. No paid tier.
6. LobeHub
A hybrid directory that mixes MCP servers with chat templates, model icons, prompt libraries, and Claude skills. LobeHub indexes around 5,000 MCP-adjacent assets across all those categories, which makes it useful as a general "AI tooling" reference even when you're not specifically looking for an MCP.
What stands out: The icon library (Anthropic logo, OpenAI logo, model brand assets) is the most complete free collection on the web. Useful for slide decks, documentation, and marketing pages. Many designers use LobeHub for icons even when they're not in the MCP ecosystem.
Best for: Designers building AI-related visuals, prompt engineers who want chat templates alongside MCPs, and anyone who wants one tab for both MCPs and Claude skills.
Pricing: Free for browsing. Paid Pro plan for LobeHub's own chat application.
7. mcpservers.com
The smallest of the major directories — around 500 hand-curated MCP servers. mcpservers.com favours quality over coverage, and every listing has been manually reviewed by the maintainer.
What stands out: Curation. If a server is on mcpservers.com, it's been vetted for code quality, README clarity, and active maintenance. Lower noise than the federated directories.
Best for: Newcomers who want a recommended-list view instead of an exhaustive catalog, and developers who'd rather pick from 500 known-good options than 75,000 mixed-quality ones.
Pricing: Free.
Quick Comparison Table
How to Pick the Right Directory
Match the directory to the question you're trying to answer.
- "I want to see every MCP that touches Postgres." → Skiln. Federated coverage means you won't miss the obscure ones.
- "I want to install an MCP and not edit JSON by hand." → Smithery. The CLI does the config edit for you.
- "I want to try an MCP before installing it locally." → Glama. Their in-browser playground lets you chat with Claude using only that server's tools.
- "I want to stay current on MCP releases without GitHub doom-scrolling." → PulseMCP. Weekly newsletter, zero effort.
- "I want the fastest possible path to an install command." → mcp.directory. Lean UI, instant search.
- "I want icons or chat templates alongside MCPs." → LobeHub. Their icon library alone is worth the bookmark.
- "I want a curated shortlist of trustworthy MCPs." → mcpservers.com. Hand-reviewed, lower noise.
Most power users browse 2-3 directories in parallel. A common combo is Skiln for breadth + Smithery for install ergonomics + PulseMCP newsletter for ongoing awareness.
Directory vs Registry vs Hub: What's the Difference?
The terms get used interchangeably but they mean slightly different things in the MCP ecosystem.
- Registry — an authoritative source of truth. The official Anthropic MCP registry is the canonical example. Registries are usually maintained by the protocol authors or a central organisation, and they emphasise correctness over breadth.
- Directory — a searchable index built on top of one or more registries. Directories add UX, search, filtering, ranking, and curation. Skiln, Smithery, Glama, PulseMCP, mcp.directory, and mcpservers.com are all directories.
- Hub — usually a directory that also offers execution. LobeHub is a hub because it runs chat workflows that use the MCPs it lists. Smithery is hub-adjacent because they host MCP servers for paid users.
When in doubt, "directory" is the safe default term. It's the most common label for any searchable MCP listing.
Skiln is the only directory that covers MCPs, Claude skills, agents, AND hooks in one place. Browse 75,000+ entries across every major registry.
Browse Now →Frequently Asked Questions
What is an MCP directory?
An MCP directory is a searchable index of Model Context Protocol servers — the tools that AI clients like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Cline can plug into. Good directories list install commands, configuration examples, GitHub stars, recent commit activity, supported clients, and category tags so you can discover the right MCP for your workflow in seconds rather than scrolling through dozens of GitHub repos.
How many MCP servers exist in 2026?
Skiln currently indexes 75,000+ MCP servers, Claude skills, agents, plugins, and hooks across 10+ source registries. Of those, roughly 4,000 are production-grade MCP servers maintained by recognised authors or organisations. The rest are community experiments, forks, and one-off demos.
Which MCP directory is the best?
It depends on what you need. Skiln is the most comprehensive — it federates listings from every other registry. Smithery has the smoothest install flow (one-click TypeScript scaffolding). Glama has the cleanest UI. PulseMCP publishes the best newsletter for staying current. mcp.directory is the lightest catalog with the fastest search. Most power users browse 2-3 of these in parallel.
Are all MCP directories free?
Every directory listed here offers free browsing of MCP servers. Some (Smithery, Glama) have optional paid tiers for hosted MCP execution, team workspaces, or analytics — but those are bonuses, not paywalls. You never pay to discover MCPs.
Can I publish my MCP server to multiple directories?
Yes — and you should. Each directory has slightly different audiences, so cross-listing maximises your install volume. Skiln auto-imports MCPs from the official Anthropic registry, Smithery, and Glama, so publishing to those three alone puts you in front of the largest combined audience.
How do MCP directories decide what to list?
Most directories crawl the official Anthropic MCP registry, the awesome-mcp-servers GitHub list, and popular GitHub topics (mcp-server, model-context-protocol). Some accept manual submissions; others are fully automated. Skiln combines automated discovery from 10 sources with manual moderation to filter out spam and abandoned forks.
Why doesn't search return results on some directories?
MCP directories vary wildly in search quality. Some use simple substring matching (misses 'postgres' when you type 'postgresql'). Others use semantic search (matches intent, not just keywords). If a directory's search is unhelpful, browse by category instead — every major directory tags MCPs by category like 'database', 'communication', 'browser', or 'devops'.
How often are MCP directories updated?
Skiln, Smithery, Glama, and PulseMCP all sync from upstream sources daily. New MCP servers typically appear within 24 hours of being published to the source registry. If you publish a server today, expect to see it indexed across the major directories by tomorrow.
Last updated: June 04, 2026 · Skiln indexes 10+ MCP source registries continuously.