MCP server
MailCue ships an official Model Context Protocol server, mailcue-mcp, that gives an AI agent its own mailbox.
The agent reads, searches, sends, replies to, and deletes email directly over MCP, managing an inbox the way a person uses a mail client. It is built on the mailcue Node SDK and talks to any MailCue server over the REST API.
Add to Claude Code
claude mcp add mailcue \
--env MAILCUE_BASE_URL=https://mail.example.com \
--env MAILCUE_API_KEY=mc_your_api_key \
-- npx -y mailcue-mcp@latest
Other MCP clients (JSON)
{
"mcpServers": {
"mailcue": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mailcue-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"MAILCUE_BASE_URL": "https://mail.example.com",
"MAILCUE_API_KEY": "mc_your_api_key"
}
}
}
}
Generate an API key from the web UI Profile page (or POST /api/v1/auth/api-keys). The web UI also has a ready-to-copy config under Developer Tools > MCP, with MAILCUE_BASE_URL pre-filled for your server.
Configuration
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
MAILCUE_API_KEY |
yes* | (none) | MailCue X-API-Key (mc_...). |
MAILCUE_BEARER_TOKEN |
yes* | (none) | JWT alternative to the API key. |
MAILCUE_BASE_URL |
no | http://localhost:8088 |
Your MailCue server URL. |
MAILCUE_MAILBOX |
no | (none) | Lock the agent to a single mailbox. |
* Provide either MAILCUE_API_KEY (preferred) or MAILCUE_BEARER_TOKEN.
Single-mailbox lock: when MAILCUE_MAILBOX is set, the server removes the mailbox argument from every tool, forces sends to that address, and hides mailbox discovery, so the agent owns exactly one inbox and cannot reach any other. Leave it unset for a multi-mailbox operator agent.
Tools
The deliverability tools are score_email_deliverability,
run_email_deliverability_checks, get_deliverability_capabilities,
list_deliverability_reports, compare_deliverability_reports,
list_deliverability_runs,
get_deliverability_artifact,
create_deliverability_policy, evaluate_deliverability_policy, and
list_deliverability_alerts. Extended runs can request DNS, reputation, links,
local visuals, seed placement, client previews, or advisory AI analysis. The
tool reports disabled or unconfigured capabilities instead of inventing a
result.
Mailbox tools include list_emails, search_emails, get_email, send_email,
reply_email, delete_email, and mailbox_stats, plus list_mailboxes when
not locked. The server also exposes MCP instructions that orient the agent on
safe mailbox and deliverability workflows.
For full details on the tools and the SDK, see the MCP SDK.
See the main README for the rest of the documentation.