Claude Desktop vs Cursor for MCP servers
Claude Desktop and Cursor differ in 6 of 10 facts: publisher, kind, runs on, headers for remote servers, server config, servers that work in it.
| Fact | Claude Desktop | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Anthropic | Anysphere |
| Kind | Desktop app | Code editor, Terminal, Web app |
| Runs on | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux, Web |
| Price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Licence | Not stated | Not stated |
| Connects to | Local (stdio), Remote (HTTP), Remote (SSE) | Local (stdio), Remote (HTTP), Remote (SSE) |
| Headers for remote servers | No | Yes |
| Server config | claude_desktop_config.json (Settings › Developer › Edit Config) | ~/.cursor/mcp.json |
| Servers that work in it | 119,761 | 123,011 |
| What we checked | Matches the official docs | Matches the official docs |
| Add a server | In Claude Desktop | In Cursor |
From each client's own documentation and site, as linked on its page. The server counts are today's install configs that work in each.