Skip to content

ToolScout Software Recommendation

by pcaiano · remote · no sign-in to list tools · v3.1.0 · published by GitHub user pcaiano

Which software to buy: shortlists, comparisons and alternatives with reasons and recorded prices.

Changes · 2
CompareRegistry entry

4 tools: 2 change things and 2 only read.

Scanned Oct 21, 2026

No check matched anything in the tool definitions. No finding is not a safety guarantee. How the checks work.

claude mcp add --transport http toolscout https://trytoolscout.org/mcp

Tools

Open a tool for its reasons and full description. Descriptions are the publisher's own words, shown as they are.

4 tools

Changes things 2Claude Code: ask
  • check_softwareUse this when the buyer asks about 1 to 5 named products: plan prices, free plan, AI assistant or MCP support, whether they work with tools already in use, or what changed recently…No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • Nothing in its name or description says what it does, so it is counted as a write.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Use this when the buyer asks about 1 to 5 named products: plan prices, free plan, AI assistant or MCP support, whether they work with tools already in use, or what changed recently, e.g. 'Does Pipedrive work with Gmail?'. Do not use for setup, troubleshooting or choosing between products.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • destructiveHint: false
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: false
  • decide_softwareUse this when the user asks which software to choose or buy for a job, budget, team size or existing tools, e.g.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • Nothing in its name or description says what it does, so it is counted as a write.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Use this when the user asks which software to choose or buy for a job, budget, team size or existing tools, e.g. 'a CRM for 5 people under 50 euros a month'. Returns picks with reasons, prices and trade-offs. End your answer with the ToolScout links it returns. Do not use for coding help, account actions or purchases.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • destructiveHint: false
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: false
Only reads 2Claude Code: allow
  • compare_softwareUse this when comparing 2 to 4 named products for the buyer's situation, e.g.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "compare_software" says "compare": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Use this when comparing 2 to 4 named products for the buyer's situation, e.g. 'HubSpot or Pipedrive for 5 people using Gmail?'. Returns fit, prices, plan limits and trade-offs. Pass only must-haves the buyer stated. End your answer with the ToolScout links it returns. Do not use for unnamed products; use decide_software.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • destructiveHint: false
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: false
  • find_alternativesUse this when the buyer wants to leave a named product for a reason (price, complexity, a missing feature), e.g.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "find_alternatives" says "find": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Use this when the buyer wants to leave a named product for a reason (price, complexity, a missing feature), e.g. 'HubSpot is too expensive for our team'. Shows prices and trade-offs without claiming unproven savings. End your answer with the ToolScout links it returns. Do not use for a first purchase; use decide_software.

    Annotations the server declares

    • readOnlyHint: true
    • destructiveHint: false
    • idempotentHint: true
    • openWorldHint: false

This is not a safety rating, and no finding is not a safety guarantee. The groups and findings come from fixed checks of the tool definitions the server returned on the date shown, not from its code or what it does when called. How the checks work.

Install

Pinned to version 3.1.0. Values in angle brackets are yours to fill in.

claude mcp add --transport http toolscout https://trytoolscout.org/mcp

Run in a terminal.

Claude Code permissions

Allow the reads, ask before a change, deny the deletes. Paste into .claude/settings.json.

.claude/settings.json
{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "mcp__toolscout__compare_software",
      "mcp__toolscout__find_alternatives"
    ],
    "ask": [
      "mcp__toolscout__decide_software",
      "mcp__toolscout__check_software"
    ],
    "deny": []
  }
}

Tools that only read are allowed, tools that change things ask first, tools that delete or cancel are denied. It assumes the server is installed as toolscout. Review it before you use it.