Brave Search (official)
Score = points from 5 automated checks. Not a quality or security rating. Methodology
- Install20/20
- Handshake5/30
- Maintenance25/25
- Docs15/15
- License10/10
Score 75/100 · Tools — · Token cost — · Compare · Last tested 2026-10-23 · Version tested 2.1.4 · Package @brave/brave-search-mcp-server · Repo brave/brave-search-mcp-server
Summary: Brave Search (official) requires credentials or a backing service before it will list tools.
Evidence summary
- Handshake
- auth-gated
- Tools listed
- —
- Token cost
- —
- API key
- Needs a key
- Tested
- 2026-10-23
Test results
| Test | Result | Points | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| install | pass | 20 | npm install @brave/brave-search-mcp-server (Node 20, Linux) succeeded in 2s. |
| handshake | auth-gated | 5 | Auth-gated: without credentials the server only printed a missing-credential message and did not list tools ("Error: A Brave API key is required via --brave-api-key, BRAVE_API_KEY, --brave-api"). Not tested with real credentials; not counted as working. |
| maintenance | pass | 25 | Repo pushed 0 days before test; 1,521 GitHub stars. |
| docs | pass | 15 | README over 3,000 chars; install instructions present; mcpServers config example present. Automated check of the package's own README (README shipped in npm package). |
| license | pass | 10 | MIT (OSI-approved). |
Local-model readiness
Not yet tested (no tools/list response without credentials).
What we tested and what we didn't
Tested on 2026-10-23
- Install from the registry
- MCP handshake (
initialize+tools/list) with no credentials - Maintenance signals (last push, archived/deprecated status)
- Docs (README length, install and config example)
- License (OSI-approved or not)
Not tested
- Security: not audited (no code review, no permission or data-flow analysis)
- Real tasks (no functional task runs yet)
- Behaviour with real credentials or a real account
- Performance, rate limits or load
- Correctness of results beyond the listed tasks
Methodology: how we test. A high score means it installs and responds, not that it is safe to give it access to your data.
Raw test record (JSON)
{
"name": "@brave/brave-search-mcp-server",
"version": "2.1.4",
"registry": "npm",
"status": "auth-gated",
"tested": "2026-10-23",
"tools_count": null,
"tools_schema_tokens_est": null,
"deprecated": false,
"archived": false,
"tests": {
"install": [
"pass",
20,
"`npm install @brave/brave-search-mcp-server` (Node 20, Linux) succeeded in 2s."
],
"handshake": [
"auth-gated",
5,
"Auth-gated: without credentials the server only printed a missing-credential message and did not list tools (\"Error: A Brave API key is required via --brave-api-key, BRAVE_API_KEY, --brave-api\"). Not tested with real credentials; not counted as working."
],
"maintenance": [
"pass",
25,
"Repo pushed 0 days before test; 1,521 GitHub stars."
],
"docs": [
"pass",
15,
"README over 3,000 chars; install instructions present; `mcpServers` config example present. Automated check of the package's own README (README shipped in npm package)."
],
"license": [
"pass",
10,
"MIT (OSI-approved)."
]
}
}Install
npx -y @brave/brave-search-mcp-server
Tools listed
Not available (handshake did not complete without credentials).
Quick config
{
"mcpServers": {
"brave-search-official": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@brave/brave-search-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"BRAVE_API_KEY": "<your key>"
}
}
}
}API key: set BRAVE_API_KEY in env (replace <your key>). Our handshake ran without it; real use needs it.
Add to config Opens the config generator with this server selected.
Setup
Without credentials it said (verbatim): Error: A Brave API key is required via --brave-api-key, BRAVE_API_KEY, --brave-api
Env var required for real use (per its README): BRAVE_API_KEY
- Install. Run
npm install @brave/brave-search-mcp-server(Node 20). This is the exact command we ran on 2026-10-23. - Configure. Add the mcpServers entry below to your MCP client config and set BRAVE_API_KEY.
- Verify. Restart the client and check that tools/list returns tools. In our test it did not list tools without credentials.
{
"mcpServers": {
"brave-search-official": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@brave/brave-search-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"BRAVE_API_KEY": "<your key>"
}
}
}
}Untested We have not tested this with real credentials.
Test history
No dated events yet.
Related: Best web search MCP servers · MCP servers that need an API key · How to secure AI API keys
FAQ
Is Brave Search (official) deprecated?
No. @brave/brave-search-mcp-server was not deprecated or archived when we last tested it on 2026-10-23.
What replaces Brave Search (official)?
Nothing; Brave Search (official) is not deprecated as of 2026-10-23.
Does Brave Search (official) need an API key?
Yes. Without credentials it only printed a missing-credential message and did not list tools (auth-gated).
Paid re-test
Same methodology as free tests. Payment only moves this server up the re-test queue; it never changes the score. Full refund if we miss the 48h or 24h window.
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