Locus product guide · Updated November 10, 2026

MCP server directories compared: Registry, Glama, Smithery

Use the official MCP Registry to check who publishes a server, since it verifies namespaces, but it is in preview and holds metadata only. Glama is the largest searchable directory, with 118,530 servers and license, quality and maintenance grades. Smithery shut down its hosted URLs, API, CLI and accounts on October 31, 2026 and now lists 214 servers as part of Arcade. To install, start with your host's own marketplace: Claude, Cursor, or the ChatGPT and Codex plugin directory.

Where can you find MCP servers?

Each directory answers a different question: who publishes this, is it maintained, and can I install it in one click. Figures checked November 10, 2026.

Where can you find MCP servers?
Directory	What it is	Size	Trust signal	Best for
Official MCP Registry	Metadata registry from the MCP project, in preview	No total on its about page	Namespace tied to a verified GitHub account or domain	Checking who publishes a server
GitHub MCP Registry	Curated list at github.com/mcp	Curated; total not checked	Picked by GitHub; an official registry listing alone does not get a server in	VS Code and Copilot users
Docker MCP Catalog	Servers packaged as container images	More than 300	Signed images	Running local servers in containers
Glama	Searchable directory	118,530 servers	License, quality and maintenance grades	Broad search and comparing options
Smithery	Directory now run by Arcade; hosting closed October 31, 2026	214 servers	Verified servers show the vendor's direct MCP URL	Finding a vendor's official URL
mcp.so	Community directory with submit and review	Not checked	Submissions are reviewed; the site sells advertising	Browsing new community servers
awesome-mcp-servers	Community list on GitHub	About 4,600 entries, 97,546 stars	A medal icon marks official servers	Scanning servers by category
PulseMCP	Directory that helps back the official registry	Page did not load for us	Listed as a registry backer	Not assessed here
Host marketplaces	Claude, Cursor and ChatGPT or Codex stores	Claude plugins page: 530	Cursor reviews its listings by hand; OpenAI reviews published plugins	One-click install in your tool

What happened to Smithery?

Smithery shut down its connection services on October 31, 2026. Server URLs on run.tools and server.smithery.ai, the Smithery API, Connect, Toolbox, accounts, API keys, and the CLI and SDKs all stopped. Smithery is now part of Arcade.

smithery.ai stays up as a public directory that does not proxy traffic. For a curated set of verified servers, the page shows the vendor's direct MCP URL, such as mcp.linear.app/mcp. If your config still points at a Smithery URL, replace it with the official URL from that server's page.

Should you use the official MCP Registry to pick servers?

Use it to check identity, not quality. Names follow reverse DNS, like io.github.user/server or com.example/server, and only the owner of that GitHub account or domain can publish under it. Apollo, for example, is listed as io.github.apolloio/apollo-mcp, and Locus as com.paywithlocus/locus.

The registry is in preview, so data can reset before general availability. It stores server.json metadata and does not scan server code. It is meant for directories and marketplaces to pull from, not for hosts to read directly. Anthropic, GitHub, PulseMCP and Microsoft back it.

How do the host marketplaces differ?

Claude Code adds Anthropic's official plugin marketplace on first run. Its file listed 317 plugins on November 10, 2026, and the claude.com plugin page showed 530. Anthropic does not review third-party marketplaces.

The Cursor Marketplace holds plugins that Cursor reviews by hand, and Cursor points to cursor.directory for community plugins. ChatGPT and Codex share one plugin directory, and OpenAI reviews published plugins as they change. Any other remote server can still be added by URL in each host.

How do you check an MCP server before you install it?

Directories list almost anything, so do a quick check of your own. It takes a few minutes and avoids look-alike servers.

Find the publisher. A server under the vendor's own domain or GitHub account in the official registry is a good sign.
Start from the vendor's docs. If the vendor documents its own MCP URL, use that one.
Check upkeep. Glama grades maintenance, and the GitHub repo shows the last commit and open issues.
Prefer remote servers with OAuth. Local servers run code on your machine with your permissions.
Watch for copied names. Search results often show several servers with the same name from different owners.

Do you need a separate MCP server for every paid API?

No. Locus Pro is one MCP server for many paid APIs, listed in the official registry as com.paywithlocus/locus. Your agent searches the catalog, sees each price, and calls the API from one prepaid credit balance, with no account or key at each vendor. Search, describe and balance checks are free.

1,000 credits equal $1, and the table shows live catalog prices. Prices checked November 10, 2026.

Free servers such as Context7, Playwright and GitHub stay best direct.
MCP URL: https://api.paywithlocus.com/api/credits/mcp

Do you need a separate MCP server for every paid API?
Job	Locus endpoint	Credits per call	Dollars
Web search	firecrawl/search	1.7 fixed	$0.0017
Find people at a company	apollo/people-search	2 fixed	$0.002
Google results for a keyword	dataforseo/serp-google-organic	2 to 14,140, usually 2	Usually $0.002
Stock quote	alphavantage/global-quote	5.1 fixed	$0.0051

Which MCP directory should you use?

Use two: one to find options and one to confirm the publisher.

Installing in Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT or Codex: the host's own marketplace first.
Searching widely: Glama, then confirm in the official registry.
Running local servers safely: the Docker MCP Catalog.
Migrating off Smithery URLs: the server page on smithery.ai for the direct URL.
A short list to start from: our list of the best MCP servers by job.

Best MCP servers by job

Frequently asked questions

What should I use instead of Smithery hosted servers?

The vendor's own MCP URL. Smithery's hosted URLs stopped working on October 31, 2026. Its directory page for each verified server shows the direct URL, such as mcp.linear.app/mcp for Linear.

How many MCP servers are there?

It depends on who counts. Glama listed 118,530 on November 10, 2026. The awesome-mcp-servers list on GitHub had about 4,600 entries, and the Docker MCP Catalog had more than 300 packaged servers.

How do I publish my own server to the official MCP Registry?

Write a server.json file with its name, location and run details, verify your namespace through GitHub, DNS or an HTTP challenge, and publish with the official mcp-publisher tool.

Is a server listed in a directory safe to use?

Not by default. The official registry checks who publishes a server but does not scan its code, and community directories accept many submissions. Check the publisher and read the code of any local server.

Implementation references

Use these first-party references for current request contracts and account requirements. Tool availability, prices, and negotiated terms can change.

Sources

Third-party details were checked on November 10, 2026. Vendors change pricing and features often, so confirm on their site before you decide.