Hosted endpoint or npm install — which should I use?

The hosted endpoint at `mcp.mapbox.com/mcp` is the shortest path — no install, just supply your access token in the OAuth/handshake. The npm server is better if you want to pin a version, run inside a corporate proxy, or audit traffic locally.

What kind of token do I need?

A Mapbox access token from account.mapbox.com. Public tokens (`pk.*`) cover everything except billing-management APIs; for agent use a token scoped to the minimum required APIs is the safe default.

Does it expose static images?

Yes — the Static Images API is wrapped, so an agent can return a map PNG of a route or a region as part of its answer.

Is there a rate limit?

Mapbox enforces per-token rate limits that vary by API (Search ~600/min on free, Directions ~300/min). Tight agent loops can hit them; the server surfaces 429s as tool errors so the model can back off.

Mapbox

Name: Top MCPs — curated MCP directory
Creator: Top MCPs
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Official

Official Mapbox MCP — geocoding, directions, isochrones, search, and tiles across the Mapbox API surface.

Score 84(?)MapboxMIT 345Verified Jun 11, 2026Top MCPs for Maps, Location & Weather →

Install View on GitHub

Quick answer

What it does

Exposes Mapbox geocoding, directions, isochrones, distance matrices, and search-box POI lookup as MCP tools. Hosted remote endpoint plus first-party npm server.

Best for

Geocoding addresses at scale
Driving and walking directions
Isochrones (drive-time polygons)
POI search via Search Box

Not for

Street View imagery
Consumer turn-by-turn navigation UI

Setup recipe

Pick your client, then follow the three steps.

Install

claude_desktop_config.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mapbox": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@mapbox/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Paste under mcpServers. Fully quit and reopen Claude after editing.

CLI or .mcp.jsonshell

# export MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN=pk.your_mapbox_token
claude mcp add mapbox -- npx -y @mapbox/mcp-server

Run from your repo. Commit .mcp.json to share with your team.

.cursor/mcp.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mapbox": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@mapbox/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Global path: ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Reload window after editing.

.vscode/mcp.jsonjsonc

{
  "servers": {
    "mapbox": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@mapbox/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code uses the "servers" key (not "mcpServers").

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mapbox": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@mapbox/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Open via Cascade → hammer icon → Configure.

cline_mcp_settings.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mapbox": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@mapbox/mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Open via the Cline sidebar → MCP Servers → Edit.

~/.continue/config.jsonjson

{
  "experimental": {
    "modelContextProtocolServers": [
      {
        "transport": {
          "type": "stdio",
          "command": "npx",
          "args": [
            "-y",
            "@mapbox/mcp-server"
          ],
          "env": {
            "MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
          }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Continue uses modelContextProtocolServers with a transport block.

~/.codex/config.tomlshell

# ~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.mapbox]
command = "npx"
args = [
  "-y",
  "@mapbox/mcp-server",
]
env = { MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN = "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}" }

Codex uses TOML. Each server is a [mcp_servers.<name>] subtable.

~/.config/zed/settings.jsonjsonc

{
  "context_servers": {
    "mapbox": {
      "command": {
        "path": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "@mapbox/mcp-server"
        ]
      },
      "env": {
        "MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Zed calls them "context_servers". Settings live-reload on save.

ChatGPT → Settings → Connectors (remote URL)json

{
  "name": "Mapbox",
  "transport": "http",
  "url": "https://mcp.mapbox.com/mcp"
}

Paste this into Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector. Requires ChatGPT Pro / Team / Enterprise / Edu with Developer mode enabled. ChatGPT supports remote HTTPS MCP servers only — stdio servers must be hosted on a public HTTPS endpoint first.

2
Set required secrets
Set MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN in your shell environment before launching your MCP client.
3
Try a minimum working prompt
Build a drive-time map for site selection
Using the Mapbox MCP, compute a 20-minute drive-time isochrone around 123 Main St, Brooklyn. Return a static-image URL of the polygon overlaid on a map.
Tested with: Claude Desktop, Cursor.

Tools & permissions

Tools list pending verification. The server exposes tools over MCP; we haven’t yet parsed its capability manifest into this page. Check the GitHub repo for the authoritative list.

Security & scope

Access scope: Network
Sandbox: Authenticates with a Mapbox access token. API access scope matches the token's allowlist of APIs.
Gotchas: Secret tokens (`sk.*`) include billing-management scopes — never hand one to an agent. Use public tokens (`pk.*`) with the minimum scope set.
The Static Images API counts against monthly billable image quota; high-volume agents can rack up bills fast.

Agent prompt pack

— copy into Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT.

Paste into Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT. Edit the [brackets] before sending.

Recommend the best MCP servers for [task: e.g. maps, location & weather work] in [client: Claude].

Constraints:
- Prefer tools that are [official | open-source | read-only] — pick what matters for my use case.
- Exclude MCPs that require [e.g. a paid plan, OAuth-only flows, remote-only transport].
- Return at most 3 picks, ranked.

For each pick include:
1. One-sentence rationale.
2. The ready-to-paste install snippet for my client.
3. Any required secrets I need to create before installing.

Cross-check the top-mcps.com listing: https://top-mcps.com/top-mcps-for-maps-location-weather

Compare Mapbox against a real alternative. Swap the second MCP in [brackets] if you want a different match.

Compare Mapbox MCP vs [Google Maps MCP] for the following job: [describe the job, e.g. "let an agent create GitHub issues on bug triage"].

Judge them on:
- Setup time and complexity (what a new user hits first).
- Auth model (none / API key / OAuth 2.1) and credential risk.
- Transport (stdio / Streamable HTTP / SSE) and where the server runs.
- Required secrets and the blast radius if they leak.
- Operational risk in an unattended agent loop.
- Which one is "good enough" for a weekend prototype vs. production.

End with one sentence: which should I pick for my scenario, which is: [my scenario].

References:
- https://top-mcps.com/mcp/mapbox
- top-mcps.com listing for Google Maps

Asks the agent to install and verify. Works inside Claude Code, Cursor Agent, Codex CLI.

Install the Mapbox MCP server for my [client: Claude] at the default config path for that client.

Use the exact install snippet published at https://top-mcps.com/mcp/mapbox (fetch https://top-mcps.com/mcp/mapbox.json for the canonical server.json if you can read URLs).

Before finishing:
1. Create the required secrets (MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN) and put them in the appropriate env block — do not hard-code them.
2. Restart or reload the client so it picks up the new server.
3. Verify the server is connected (green / running state) and at least one tool is listed.
4. If anything fails, read the client's MCP logs and report the exact error — do not silently retry.

Confirm when done and list the tools the server now exposes.

Frequently asked questions

What changed

— 2 updates tracked.

Jun 11, 2026
Refreshed install snippets and fact sheet; verified for 2026.
Sep 1, 2025
Initial directory listing.

More Maps, Location & Weather MCPs

Other tools in the same category worth evaluating.

Google Maps

Geocoding, place search, directions, and travel times from Google Maps.

mapsgeocodingplacesdirections

5 minLow

OpenWeatherMap

Real-time and forecast weather data via the OpenWeatherMap API.

weatherforecastopenweathermaplifestyle

3 minLow

Time

Current time and IANA timezone conversion — the first-party MCP that tells an agent what time it actually is.

timetimezoneclockiana

2 minLow

Compared with Mapbox

Side-by-side breakdowns for the choices people most often weigh against this MCP.

MapboxvsGoogle Maps MapboxvsOpenWeatherMap MapboxvsFoursquare Places MapboxvsTime

Exploring Top MCPs for Maps, Location & Weather? See all Maps, Location & Weather MCPs →