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Analysis reveals high token costs for MCP server tool lists

By PulseAugur Editorial · [1 sources] ·

A recent analysis of 34,374 tool lists from MCP servers revealed significant cost implications due to token usage. While the median server uses only 8 tools, the mean is 18.5, with a few servers listing hundreds of tools and definitions that can consume thousands of tokens each. This extensive token usage, which rides along with every model request, can lead to substantial costs, especially for clients with multiple servers. Strategies like prompt caching, on-demand definition loading, and optimizing definition size can help mitigate these expenses. AI

IMPACT High token usage in tool lists can increase operational costs for AI applications, prompting developers to optimize definitions and caching strategies.

RANK_REASON Analysis of token costs for MCP server tool lists. [lever_c_demoted from research: ic=1 ai=0.7]

Read on dev.to — MCP tag →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 1 sources. How we write summaries →

Analysis reveals high token costs for MCP server tool lists

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21 / 100
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Tool
Analysis of token costs for MCP server tool lists. [lever_c_demoted from research: ic=1 ai=0.7]
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infra, product
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High
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Breaking (< 6h)
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COVERAGE [1]

  1. dev.to — MCP tag TIER_1 English(EN) · Alex ·

    What an MCP server's tool list costs: we counted the tokens of 34,374 of them

    <p>Under our survey of 12,915 MCP servers, a reader did the arithmetic we had not: 182,157 tool definitions over 7,656 servers is about 24 tools each, and a client resends every one of them with each model request. Count the tokens of a typical list, the comment said, and that be…

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