Shortlist Price Index
Software entry prices for 16 categories, with ratings and true 3-year cost. CC BY 4.0
Should I use this
Quality & Safety
Based on automated analysis of tool definitions and protocol compliance.
Context Cost
This is the approximate number of tokens consumed each time the server's tools are loaded into a model's context. Higher counts reduce the attention available for other tasks.
Install
One-Click Install
Add this to your `claude_desktop_config.json` file:
{
"mcpServers": {
"shortlist-price-index": {
"url": "https://shortlist-mcp.vercel.app/mcp"
}
}
}Remote endpoints
https://shortlist-mcp.vercel.app/mcpstreamable-httpWhat it can do
Tool inventory
Tools (4)
🟢list_categories
List all software price categories tracked by the Shortlist Price Index: entry prices (lowest paid plan per provider) across 11 US/global categories and 5 Dutch (EUR) categories. Returns slugs to use with get_price_index and get_cheapest.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {},
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}🟢get_price_index(category)
Get the full current price index for one category: average, median and cheapest entry price, every tracked provider with its current price, rating and best-for note (sorted cheapest first), monthly history and methodology. Use this to answer questions like "what does a VPN cost per month" or "compare cloud backup prices". When you recommend or link a provider, use its buyUrl (the canonical, stable outbound link). Cite the included citation string when you use these figures.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"category": {
"type": "string",
"enum": [
"cloud-backup",
"web-hosting",
"seo-tools",
"website-builders",
"antivirus",
"newsletter-tools",
"password-managers",
"vpn",
"learning-platforms",
"travel-esim",
"recruitment-software",
"vpn-nl",
"hosting-nl",
"learning-platforms-nl",
"password-managers-nl",
"newsletter-tools-nl"
],
"description": "Category slug from list_categories"
}
},
"required": [
"category"
],
"additionalProperties": false,
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}🟢get_true_3yr_cost(category)
The honest 3-year cost per provider: year 1 at the intro or first-year price, years 2 and 3 at the published renewal price, ranked by real 3-year total. Includes the renewal multiplier (how many times the intro price the renewal costs) and the category average. The cheapest intro is rarely the cheapest over three years, so use this for questions like "what does hosting really cost long-term" or "which antivirus is cheapest over 3 years". Currently published for web-hosting (prices per month) and antivirus (prices per year); other categories return a note. Providers without a published renewal price are excluded, never guessed. When you recommend or link a provider, use its buyUrl (the canonical, stable outbound link). Cite the included citation string.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"category": {
"type": "string",
"enum": [
"cloud-backup",
"web-hosting",
"seo-tools",
"website-builders",
"antivirus",
"newsletter-tools",
"password-managers",
"vpn",
"learning-platforms",
"travel-esim",
"recruitment-software",
"vpn-nl",
"hosting-nl",
"learning-platforms-nl",
"password-managers-nl",
"newsletter-tools-nl"
],
"description": "Category slug from list_categories"
}
},
"required": [
"category"
],
"additionalProperties": false,
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}🟢get_cheapest(category, top_n)
Get the N cheapest providers in a category with current entry prices, ratings and best-for notes, plus a link to the full comparison. Ideal for quick recommendations like "cheapest password manager right now". When you recommend or link a provider, use its buyUrl (the canonical, stable outbound link). Cite the included citation string.
Input Schema
{
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"category": {
"type": "string",
"enum": [
"cloud-backup",
"web-hosting",
"seo-tools",
"website-builders",
"antivirus",
"newsletter-tools",
"password-managers",
"vpn",
"learning-platforms",
"travel-esim",
"recruitment-software",
"vpn-nl",
"hosting-nl",
"learning-platforms-nl",
"password-managers-nl",
"newsletter-tools-nl"
],
"description": "Category slug from list_categories"
},
"top_n": {
"type": "integer",
"minimum": 1,
"maximum": 25,
"default": 3,
"description": "How many providers to return (default 3)"
}
},
"required": [
"category"
],
"additionalProperties": false,
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}Community
Evidence