The MCP servers everyone recommends, priced by what they actually cost you
Ten of the most-used Claude Code MCP servers, filterable by category and sortable by estimated token cost per session - because a feature list never tells you what installing one costs.
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Ranked by what installing them actually costs
Most "best MCP servers" roundups rank by features alone and never mention the bill. This directory prices the same ten servers this project's own scanner already catalogs, and the spread is bigger than feature lists suggest: GitHub's official server exposes about 70 tools for roughly 14,120 tokens/session with full schemas loaded, while Exa's 2-tool server runs about 740 - almost 19x apart, before either one answers a single prompt. See the context window calculator for what that looks like against your actual budget.
The deferred-loading toggle mirrors a real Claude Code setting: turning tool search on hides full schemas behind on-demand loading, but every tool name still lands in context, so the directory shows both numbers instead of treating deferral as a free win. Once you know which servers are worth their cost, run the MCP Server Token Cost Checker against your own config, or read how to find and disable the MCP servers you're not actually using for the servers already sitting in your setup unused.
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About this ranking
Are these token costs exact?
No - they're the same curated, labeled estimates this project's own scanner uses for these ten servers: an instructions-block size plus a full-schema size, not Anthropic's actual tokenizer output. A server's real cost shifts as its maintainers add or change tools, so treat the ranking as directional, not a guarantee.
Why does GitHub's server cost so much more than Exa's?
Tool count, mostly. GitHub's official server exposes about 70 tools, which is roughly 14,120 tokens/session with full schemas loaded; Exa exposes 2 tools for about 740. That's the same pattern behind most of this list - a server built to cover an entire platform costs more up front than one built to do one narrow job well.
Does turning on deferred loading fix the expensive ones?
It helps a lot but doesn't zero anything out. With deferred loading on, GitHub drops from about 14,120 tokens/session to about 680, because full schemas get replaced by just tool names - but every tool's name and a small wrapper still land in context. See the MCP Server Token Cost Checker for what that toggle does to your own exact server list.
A server I use isn't in this directory - what do I do?
This directory sticks to ten servers this project has real, tested cost figures for. Paste your full mcpServers config into the MCP Server Token Cost Checker instead - it prices anything outside this list with a conservative generic profile so you still get a number, just not a curated one.
Questions, answered
Is UsageCut really free?
Yes. The scan and every fix are free - no card, no subscription, no signup. You only give an email if you want the optimization plan and one-command undo sent to your inbox.
Is my code safe? Does UsageCut upload anything?
The scan runs entirely on your machine. It never uploads your code, never reads your API key, and never sends your prompts or conversations anywhere. Only anonymous summary counts leave, and only if you choose to share them.
How does it reduce Claude Code token usage?
It reads your local setup and session history to find waste - idle MCP servers loaded into every session, an oversized CLAUDE.md re-sent on every request, duplicate file reads, and bloated tool output - then trims it losslessly, so each session carries less context and you hit your limit far less often.
What is ClockedCode?
ClockedCode is the curated, conflict-free Claude Code setup from the same maker. UsageCut makes your current setup leaner; ClockedCode makes it genuinely better - a set of hand-picked tools, specialist agents, and a tuned CLAUDE.md, installed in one paste.
Who is ClockedCode for?
Developers who use Claude Code daily and want a setup that is powerful out of the box instead of spending hours researching and wiring up plugins, agents, and MCP servers themselves.
What's included in ClockedCode?
A vetted, conflict-free bundle of hand-picked tools, specialist agents, and a tuned CLAUDE.md - everything installed together in one paste, with no setup archaeology.
Is ClockedCode a one-time payment?
Yes. ClockedCode is a one-time purchase with an instant download - no subscription and no recurring fees.
Does ClockedCode work with my existing setup?
Yes. It installs alongside what you already have and is fully reversible. Run UsageCut first to clean your current setup, then add ClockedCode to level it up.