Brave Search MCP
About This Server
Brave's official MCP server uses the Brave Search API to give agents privacy-focused real-time web search — web, news, image, video and local business results from an independent index that avoids Big Tech tracking.
Installation
npx -y @brave/brave-search-mcp-serverOfficial README installation guide
Usage with Claude Desktop
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:
Docker
{
"mcpServers": {
"brave-search": {
"command": "docker",
"args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "-e", "BRAVE_API_KEY", "docker.io/mcp/brave-search"],
"env": {
"BRAVE_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}NPX
{
"mcpServers": {
"brave-search": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@brave/brave-search-mcp-server", "--transport", "http"],
"env": {
"BRAVE_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}Usage with VS Code
For quick installation, use the one-click installation buttons below:
 
 
For manual installation, add the following to your User Settings (JSON) or .vscode/mcp.json:
Docker
{
"inputs": [
{
"password": true,
"id": "brave-api-key",
"type": "promptString",
"description": "Brave Search API Key",
}
],
"servers": {
"brave-search": {
"command": "docker",
"args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "-e", "BRAVE_API_KEY", "mcp/brave-search"],
"env": {
"BRAVE_API_KEY": "${input:brave-api-key}"
}
}
}
}NPX
{
"inputs": [
{
"password": true,
"id": "brave-api-key",
"type": "promptString",
"description": "Brave Search API Key",
}
],
"servers": {
"brave-search-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@brave/brave-search-mcp-server", "--transport", "stdio"],
"env": {
"BRAVE_API_KEY": "${input:brave-api-key}"
}
}
}
}Frequently Asked Questions
How is Brave Search MCP different from Exa MCP?
Brave offers privacy-focused general search (web, news, images, video, local businesses) from its own independent index without tracking users; Exa leans toward AI-optimized neural search that returns LLM-ready page content. Pick Brave for general search and privacy, Exa for structured research results — they complement each other.
How do I install Brave Search MCP? Do I need an API key?
Run npx -y @brave/brave-search-mcp-server and set BRAVE_API_KEY as an environment variable. Get the key by signing up on the Brave Search API site; the free tier includes a monthly allowance sufficient for personal and light integrations.
Is Brave Search MCP free?
The MCP server is open source and free (MIT); the search is powered by the Brave Search API, which has a free tier (monthly allowance included) and pay-as-you-go beyond it. Personal and small-scale integrations usually stay within the free tier.