Q: Inquiry Regarding MCP Connection Alternatives in AgenticFlow
Regarding the MCP connection discussed in the recent Office Hours video, it was mentioned that this requires a free subscription to mcp.pipedream.com.
Upon reviewing Pipedream's free plan, I noted its limitations of 300 credits per month and a maximum of 3 active workflows. Given these constraints, I am concerned about potential additional charges if Pipedream cannot adequately support my needs.
Could you please advise if there is an alternative method or a direct MCP connection available within AgenticFlow itself, which would allow us to avoid incurring extra costs for a separate application like Pipedream?
Thank you for your clarification.
SeanP_AgenticFlowAI
Jun 1, 2025A: Hey Amanybusiness!
Great question about MCP connections and Pipedream. Let's clear that up:
1. Pipedream MCP vs. Pipedream Platform:
The mcp.pipedream.com service, which offers access to 2,700+ APIs as MCP tools, is designed to be a free resource for the MCP ecosystem, as stated on their site. This is separate from Pipedream's main workflow automation platform and its associated credit/workflow limits. You should be able to use mcp.pipedream.com to generate MCP Server URLs for many apps without needing a paid Pipedream plan or worrying about those specific platform limits for the MCP connection itself.
2. AgenticFlow & MCP Providers:
AgenticFlow is an official MCP Client (see us here: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/clients#agenticflow). This means we're built to work with any MCP-compliant server.
You're not locked into Pipedream. Other providers like Composio (http://mcp.composio.dev/) also offer free MCP access, and tools like Zapier (https://zapier.com/mcp) and Make (https://developers.make.com/mcp-server) are adding MCP support.
3. Alternatives to Third-Party MCP Hosts:
Self-Hosting MCPs: You can self-host MCP servers (e.g., on Vercel, Cloudflare Workers). We'll even provide open-source boilerplate/tutorials for this.
First-Party MCPs: The trend is for major software companies (like Atlassian, or see demos like: https://blog.cloudflare.com/mcp-demo-day/) to provide their own official MCP servers for their products. As this happens, you'll connect directly to their MCP, just like using an official API, reducing reliance on intermediary MCP hosts.
In short: You don't need a paid Pipedream subscription for their MCP server offering. AgenticFlow works with any MCP provider, and the ecosystem is growing with more free/direct options, including self-hosting and official first-party MCPs. This is the power of MCP as an open protocol!
Hope this helps!
— Sean