How to add an MCP server to n8n

In n8n, the MCP Client Tool node lets an AI Agent call tools on an MCP server, and the MCP Server Trigger node exposes your workflows to other MCP clients.

Local servers: No; no stdio
Hosted servers: Yes; connects by URL
Config: In the app; how servers are added
Picks: 8; ranked

n8n works both ways. To use a server, add it to an AI Agent from the tools panel (the registry signs you in), or use the MCP Client Tool node with the server's endpoint. To expose n8n, add an MCP Server Trigger node and attach tool nodes or the Custom n8n Workflow Tool. n8n has no config file for this, and the Server Trigger does not support stdio.

Good for

n8n builders who want an AI Agent to call tools on Notion, Linear or any MCP server
Teams that want to expose a workflow as an MCP server for Claude or Cursor
People who want one MCP tool call as a plain workflow step
Self-hosters running n8n behind a reverse proxy or in queue mode

Install n8n

n8n

1
Open the AI Agent node and click Tool + to open the tools panel.
2
To use a registry server, search for it (such as Notion or Linear) or open MCP Servers, select it and sign in.
3
For any other server, add the MCP Client Tool node and enter the server endpoint.
4
Pick the authentication method: bearer, header, multiple headers or OAuth2.
5
Set Tools to Include to All, Selected or All Except.

Requires An n8n workflow with an AI Agent node.

You set this up on the canvas. To let other apps call your workflows, add an MCP Server Trigger node instead (see the steps below).

From the vendor's docs. Source.

At a glance

Use a server (agent): MCP Client Tool node, or a registry server from the AI Agent tools panel
Use a server (workflow step): MCP Client node, with Server Transport, MCP Endpoint URL and a Tool picker
Registry: One-click servers in the node panel; sign in and n8n creates the credential
Client authentication: Bearer, generic header, multiple headers or OAuth2
OAuth: OAuth2 credential with Dynamic Client Registration on by default
Tool filter: Tools to Include: All, Selected or All Except
Tool node endpoint field: SSE Endpoint
Expose n8n: MCP Server Trigger node, with a test URL and a production URL
Server Trigger transports: SSE and streamable HTTP; no stdio
Server Trigger authentication: None, bearer or header
Whole instance as a server: Settings > Instance-level MCP; the URL ends in /mcp-server/http
Where to set up: On the canvas, in the AI Agent tools panel or an MCP node

Use MCP servers in n8n and expose your workflows

1
Add a registry server to an AI Agent
Open the Tool + panel on an AI Agent node, search for the service or open MCP Servers, select it and sign in. n8n creates the MCP credential for you. Then set Tools to include.
2
Or add the MCP Client Tool node
Use this for servers not in the registry. Connect the node to your AI Agent, enter the server endpoint, pick Authentication and choose the tools to expose. For OAuth2, leave Use Dynamic Client Registration on unless the server does not support it.
3
Or call a tool as a workflow step
Add the MCP Client node. Set Server Transport and MCP Endpoint URL (for example https://mcp.notion.com/mcp), then pick a Tool and fill the parameters in Manual or JSON input mode.
4
Expose a workflow with the MCP Server Trigger
Add the MCP Server Trigger node, then attach tool nodes or a Custom n8n Workflow Tool. Set Authentication to None, Bearer or Header. Copy the Test URL while you build and the Production URL after you publish.

Connect Claude Desktop to it

Claude Desktop needs a proxy for the SSE address. Add this to its config, with your URL and token:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-remote", "<MCP_URL>", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer ${AUTH_TOKEN}"],
      "env": { "AUTH_TOKEN": "<MCP_BEARER_TOKEN>" }
    }
  }
}

6
Or expose the whole instance
Turn on MCP access in Settings > Instance-level MCP, enable the workflows you want to share, and copy the Server URL from Connect a client. It ends in /mcp-server/http. The Connect a client dialog is in n8n 2.33.0 and later.

Best MCP servers for n8n

Official hosted servers with an approved PlugWiki page, since n8n connects to servers by URL; ordered by GitHub stars, then weekly downloads.

MCP servers that work in n8n

40 · official first, then servers with a page, then by stars

Show all 40

Common errors and fixes

MCP Server Trigger connections drop or events go missing in queue mode
Cause: The trigger needs one server instance for its long connections, and you run several webhook replicas.
Fix: Route all /mcp* requests to one dedicated webhook replica.
n8n Source
MCP endpoint breaks behind nginx
Cause: The proxy buffers or compresses the stream.
Fix: Turn off proxy buffering, gzip and chunked transfer encoding for the MCP location, and set Connection to an empty string.
n8n Source
claude.ai asks to sign in with Authentication set to None
Cause: claude.ai assumes every endpoint on your domain uses n8n user sign-in.
Fix: This is expected for claude.ai; sign in, or use another client.
n8n Source
OAuth fails with a mismatched or invalid redirect URI
Cause: The server's Dynamic Client Registration does not accept n8n's OAuth Redirect URL.
Fix: Allow the exact Redirect URL shown in the credential, or turn off Dynamic Client Registration and enter a client ID and secret.
n8n Source
Test URL stops working
Cause: n8n registers the test URL only while you listen for a test event or execute the workflow.
Fix: Select Listen for Test Event, or publish the workflow and use the Production URL.
n8n Source
A stdio server cannot be exposed
Cause: The MCP Server Trigger does not support stdio.
Fix: Use SSE or streamable HTTP, and add a proxy such as mcp-remote for stdio-only clients.
n8n Source

Verdict

n8n suits people who want an AI Agent to call MCP tools inside a workflow, or who want to publish a workflow as an MCP server. The main limit is that setup is on the canvas, not in a file, and the docs describe the Tool node by its SSE endpoint, so check how your server connects.

Best for

n8n users building agents with outside tools
Teams exposing workflows to Claude or Cursor

Skip it if

You need stdio servers on the n8n side
You want MCP config kept in a file in git

Questions

How do I add an MCP server to n8n?

Open the tools panel on an AI Agent node. Pick a server from the MCP Servers registry and sign in, or add the MCP Client Tool node and enter the server endpoint.

Where is the n8n MCP config file?

You set servers up on the canvas, in the AI Agent tools panel or an MCP node. n8n stores the sign-in as a credential.

What is the difference between the MCP Client Tool and the MCP Client node?

The MCP Client Tool node gives tools to an AI Agent. The MCP Client node runs one MCP tool as a normal workflow step.

Does n8n support OAuth for MCP servers?

Yes. Use the MCP OAuth2 credential. Dynamic Client Registration is on by default, so you do not need to paste a client ID and secret unless the server lacks it.

Does n8n support stdio MCP servers?

The docs for the MCP Server Trigger say stdio is not supported. The MCP Client Tool docs name an SSE endpoint, and the MCP Client node has a Server Transport setting.

How do I make n8n an MCP server?

Add an MCP Server Trigger node and attach tool nodes or a Custom n8n Workflow Tool. To share the whole instance, turn on Settings > Instance-level MCP instead.

What is the n8n MCP server URL?

For the trigger node, copy the Test URL or Production URL from the node panel. For instance-level access, copy the Server URL from Connect a client; it ends in /mcp-server/http.

Can I limit which MCP tools the agent sees in n8n?

Yes. Set Tools to Include to All, Selected or All Except.

Why does claude.ai ask me to sign in to my n8n MCP server?

claude.ai asks you to sign in even when Authentication is set to None. The docs say claude.ai is the only known client that does this.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Transports: SSE, Streamable HTTP
MCP docs: docs.n8n.io

Docs

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 6

MCP Client Tool · docs.n8n.io
MCP servers · docs.n8n.io
MCP Server Trigger · docs.n8n.io
MCP Client · docs.n8n.io
MCP credentials · docs.n8n.io
Connect to n8n MCP server · docs.n8n.io