TL;DR
Cursor is a VS Code fork with first-class MCP support. Configure servers at `.cursor/mcp.json` (per project) or `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (global) — same JSON shape as Claude Code. Cursor's visual MCP UI and composer integration make it the easiest graphical client for MCP newcomers.
Best MCPs for Cursor
The AI-first code editor — a VS Code fork with deep Claude/GPT integration and MCP support
Setup: add an MCP server to Cursor
- Download Cursor from cursor.com and install1
- Open a project in Cursor, then create `.cursor/mcp.json` in the project root (or use ~/.cursor/mcp.json for global)2
- Add your MCP server config in the same `mcpServers` JSON shape as Claude Code3
- Open Cursor Settings → MCP and verify the server shows green. Tools appear in the agent's tool picker.4
- Use `@` or the composer's tool menu to invoke MCP tools directly in chat5
.cursor/mcp.json (per project) or ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global)Config example
{
"mcpServers": {
"supabase": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@supabase/mcp-server-supabase@latest"],
"env": {
"SUPABASE_URL": "https://your-project.supabase.co",
"SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY": "sbp_..."
}
},
"github": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
"env": {
"GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_..."
}
}
}
}Real secrets should never be committed — use environment variables or your editor's secrets manager.
Top 10 MCPs for Cursor
GitHub
View MCPCursor's composer + GitHub MCP = full PR lifecycle without leaving the editor. Most popular install.
Supabase
View MCPInspect your Supabase project schema, run queries, and migrate — all from the Cursor agent pane.
Postgres
View MCPFor non-Supabase Postgres users. Cursor's inline preview of query results is great for DB exploration.
Stripe
View MCPQuick billing answers and subscription edits without opening the Stripe dashboard.
Linear
View MCPOpen Linear issues from Cursor, push branch names that reference tickets, close tickets on merge.
Notion
View MCPRead specs and ADRs inline. Cursor's chat UI makes Notion doc lookups feel seamless.
Vercel
View MCPDebug failed deploys from Cursor — fetch logs, compare preview URLs, redeploy.
Sentry
View MCPPaste a stack trace or Sentry issue ID into Cursor; the MCP fetches context so Cursor proposes the fix.
Firecrawl
View MCPScrape docs and third-party APIs directly into Cursor's context window. Game-changer for integrating unfamiliar SDKs.
Playwright
View MCPCursor + Playwright MCP = AI writing and running E2E tests in the same session. Perfect for TDD.
What Cursor does well
- Visual MCP UI — Settings → MCP shows server status, latency, and tool list without needing the terminal
- Per-project `.cursor/mcp.json` makes it trivial to share MCP config with the team via git
- Composer mode can pick and invoke MCP tools automatically based on the task
- Model-agnostic — works with Claude, GPT, Gemini, or your own model via OpenAI-compatible API
- Built-in MCP marketplace (browse community servers without leaving the editor)
Honest limitations
- Some MCP features (like prompts and resources) are still catching up to Claude Code's coverage
- Telemetry defaults to on — privacy-conscious users should disable it in settings
- MCP performance can stutter on Windows with certain stdio servers (known issue, improving)
Frequently asked questions
What's the best MCP for Cursor?
GitHub MCP is the most-installed. After that: Supabase/Postgres for data, Linear for tickets, and Firecrawl for web scraping inside the editor. Start with these four and add more as you need them.
Where is Cursor's MCP config?
Per project: `.cursor/mcp.json` in the repo root. Global: `~/.cursor/mcp.json`. Project config overrides global. Same JSON shape as Claude Code, so you can often copy/paste between them.
Does Cursor support remote MCP servers?
Yes — use `url` instead of `command` in the config entry. Cursor handles SSE and stdio-over-HTTP. Good for team-shared MCPs hosted on your infra.
Can I share MCP config with my team?
Yes — commit `.cursor/mcp.json` to git. Use env vars for secrets (Cursor reads from your shell env or a `.env` in the repo). Team members run Cursor, the config loads automatically.
Does Cursor work with Claude models?
Yes — Cursor supports Claude, GPT, Gemini, and custom models. MCP servers are model-agnostic, so the same MCP works regardless of which model you've selected in Cursor's model picker.
Other clients
Claude Code
Anthropic's terminal-based AI coding agent with native MCP support
Windsurf
Codeium's agentic IDE — a deeply AI-integrated editor with Cascade agent and MCP support
VS Code with GitHub Copilot
Microsoft's flagship editor with Copilot Chat agent mode and native MCP support
Install your first MCP on Cursor
Pick from the top 10 curated above, or browse the full directory of 100+ MCPs.