--- title: "Brave Search MCP: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai" canonical: https://undominated.ai/mcp-servers/brave/ description: "Provides web, news, image, video and place search using the Brave Search API." --- # Brave Search MCP: review, setup & limitations · Undominated.ai > Provides web, news, image, video and place search using the Brave Search API. [← Explore all mcp servers](/mcp-servers/) WEB SEARCH / Brave # Brave Search MCP Provides web, news, image, video and place search using the Brave Search API. See setup guidance ↓Original source ↗ SOURCE REVIEW Reviewed 2026-09-21 Evidence 6 linked sources Publisher Brave Licence MIT ↗ Revision a75d7eff34c2 Read what was—and wasn’t—checked ↓ “This project supports both STDIO and HTTP transports, with STDIO as the default mode.” Brave · upstream description ↗ Our analysis follows below. 01 / THE REASONING ## Why this made the selection. - A publisher-maintained replacement for the archived reference Brave adapter. - Documents transport defaults, tool selection and secret-file support for API credentials. ### A good fit for - Finding recent web/news sources or local-place information inside an assistant workflow. ### Weigh up before choosing - Search queries are sent to Brave and API account limits apply. - The optional HTTP endpoint is unauthenticated and binds to loopback by default; exposing it requires additional access controls. 02 / THE REVIEW RECORD ## What we actually inspected. Source review has boundaries. A clear record is more useful than a “safe” badge. ### Material inspected - README.md (installation, capability and permission sections) - package.json - src/index.ts - src/server.ts - LICENSE - src/protocols/http.ts ### Our findings - The current major version defaults to stdio rather than HTTP. - BRAVE_API_KEY_FILE can supply a mounted secret; the entrypoint selects the requested transport. ### Not established by this review - Server startup, authentication and tool execution were not tested. The review applies to the material and revision named here. A newer upstream release can change its behavior. 03 / PUT IT TO WORK ## Connect a server deliberately. Upstream setup instructions ↗ DOCUMENTED COMMAND npx -y @brave/brave-search-mcp-server --transport stdio Copy command ↗ Copying does not execute this command. It may retrieve a newer version than the reviewed source. - Configure BRAVE_API_KEY or BRAVE_API_KEY_FILE in the client/server environment. - Select the needed tools and retain local stdio unless a controlled HTTP deployment is intended. ### Before you start - Node.js and a Brave Search API account/key. ### Compatibility An MCP client supporting stdio, Streamable HTTP. · Node.js and a Brave Search API account/key. ### Implementation TypeScript ### Transports stdio · Streamable HTTP ### Web search / Configured credentials or local access - Sends search queries and returns external web content; it does not confer access to a local browser session. ### Cost model Brave Search API plan and usage determine cost. 04 / FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE ## The source trail. Our notes are separate from the original resource. Check upstream before adopting a new version. - Official documentation ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/brave/brave-search-mcp-server/blob/a75d7eff34c260c7bba3bdc0163fd6982c34e370/README.md Supports: summary, whySelected, bestFor, limitations, install, access, compatibility, transports - Applicable source licence ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/brave/brave-search-mcp-server/blob/a75d7eff34c260c7bba3bdc0163fd6982c34e370/LICENSE Supports: license - Implementation: package.json ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/brave/brave-search-mcp-server/blob/a75d7eff34c260c7bba3bdc0163fd6982c34e370/package.json Supports: language, review - Implementation: src/index.ts ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/brave/brave-search-mcp-server/blob/a75d7eff34c260c7bba3bdc0163fd6982c34e370/src/index.ts Supports: language, review - Implementation: src/server.ts ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/brave/brave-search-mcp-server/blob/a75d7eff34c260c7bba3bdc0163fd6982c34e370/src/server.ts Supports: language, review - Implementation: src/protocols/http.ts ↗ Checked 2026-09-21 https://github.com/brave/brave-search-mcp-server/blob/a75d7eff34c260c7bba3bdc0163fd6982c34e370/src/protocols/http.ts Supports: review, transports KEEP COMPARING ## Other approaches to consider. Related by category or shared topics. These are alternatives to inspect, not a measured quality order. [### Cloudflare API MCP ↗ Lets an assistant discover Cloudflare API endpoints and execute API calls through code, within the granted Cloudflare permissions.](/mcp-servers/cloudflare-code/)[### Cloudflare Documentation MCP ↗ Searches Cloudflare documentation without granting an assistant access to a Cloudflare account.](/mcp-servers/cloudflare/)[### Docker Hub MCP Server ↗ Searches Docker Hub images and can manage repositories when a Docker Hub token is supplied.](/mcp-servers/dockerhub/) [AI Tools ↗](/tools/)[Skills ↗](/skills/)[Agents ↗](/agents/)[MCP Servers ↗](/mcp-servers/)