GitHub MCPdraft data · stage 0
Repositories, issues, PRs, code - remote and local server. · github/github-mcp-server
free keyheavy token tax
Key / pricing
PAT or OAuth · free (~5,000 requests/hour)
Free tier
Unlimited API (~5K req/h)
Paid entry
-
Schema token overhead
14.4K → 55K
remote default → full set (93 tools) · PolicyLayer measurement
Connection cost · API billing · 3,000 req/mo · no cache
| Haiku 4.5 | Sonnet 5 | Opus 4.8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| remote (14.4K), no cache | $43 | $86 | $216 |
| full set (55K) | $165 | $330 | $825 |
| with cache (~0.1×) | ~$4-17 | ~$9-33 | ~$22-83 |
On a subscription (Pro/Cursor): $0 marginal - but it burns your context limits.
Verdict. The key is free, but enabling the full GitHub MCP on Opus without a --toolsets filter is the most expensive beginner mistake ($825/mo). Use a trimmed toolset or Haiku/Sonnet.
proof: GitHub API rate limits (2026-07-10) · PolicyLayer tools/list measurement
Machine access
These passports as JSON - for agents and scripts.
/mcp-servers/api.json · CC BY 4.0