FMP hosted MCP vs `fmp-mcp` (this package)

FMP ships a hosted MCP server on their infrastructure. This package ships fmp-mcp, a local stdio server over our typed Python client. They are different products that both talk to the same REST API and the same API key.

This page records the posture from #230 (2026-08-12): docs + coverage matrix only. There is no runtime helper, no FastMCP dependency, and no CI smoke against their URL.

Always say FMP hosted MCP vs fmp-mcp (this package). Do not write "FMP MCP" unqualified.

When to use which

Need	Use
Zero-install agent in Claude Connectors, Cursor, or Cloudflare Workers AI	FMP hosted MCP
Small tool list (one tool per dataset, ~28 tools)	FMP hosted MCP
Typed Python models, offline/local process, manifests, LangChain	`fmp-mcp` / this client
Broad catalog (current counts in tools.md) and method-shaped arguments	`fmp-mcp`
Bulk CSV, cache backends, validation modes, rate limits	this Python client (not either MCP)

They are complementary. Hosted MCP is the "plug the URL into an agent" path. fmp-mcp is the "full catalog, local, typed" path. We are not deprecating fmp-mcp and we are not proxying our tool names onto theirs.

Comparison

	`fmp-mcp` (this package)	FMP hosted MCP
Where it runs	Local process (`fmp-mcp` CLI, stdio)	`https://financialmodelingprep.com/mcp`
Auth	`FMP_API_KEY` in env / config	API key in the query string (`?apikey=`)
Tool surface	One tool per endpoint; current catalog/default counts in tools.md	28 dataset tools (live 2026-08-12; changelog 2026-03-27 said 27)
How a call is shaped	Python method args (`symbol`, `from_date`, …)	`endpoint` enum + shared params (`symbol`, `from_date`, …)
Data path	Our client + Pydantic models	Their server → their REST (opaque)
Billing	Caller's FMP key / plan	Same
Transport	stdio	Remote MCP (JSON-RPC after `initialize`; `mcp-session-id` header)

Their Python example (from their docs):

import asyncio
import os
from fastmcp import Client


async def main() -> None:
    url = "https://financialmodelingprep.com/mcp?apikey=" + os.environ["FMP_API_KEY"]
    async with Client(url) as client:
        print(await client.list_tools())
        print(await client.call_tool("quote", {"endpoint": "quote", "symbol": "AAPL"}))


asyncio.run(main())

fastmcp is their snippet, not a dependency of this package. Their published example omits endpoint and pastes a literal key; the live inputSchema requires endpoint, and a key in the query string will appear in proxy and access logs and in any connector config that stores the URL. Prefer env interpolation. Do not commit the keyed URL.

Decision (#230)

Recorded 2026-08-12:

A — docs-only positioning. This page + the README / docs/mcp/index.md pointers.
D — coverage matrix. The table below is from a live tools/list on 2026-08-12 (redacted; no key stored). Refresh it when FMP's changelog notes another MCP consolidation.
Not B. No fmp_data.mcp.remote helper. A supported snippet would imply we own their session/auth story.
Not C. No proxy that maps our names onto their 28 tools.
Not E. fmp-mcp stays. Their catalog is smaller and dataset-shaped; ours is typed and endpoint-shaped.

Deferred: runtime dependency on their URL, dual CI, header-only auth (their docs only show ?apikey=).

Live probe (2026-08-12)

POST /mcp?apikey=… initialize → 200, serverInfo.name = "FMP MCP Server", protocol 2025-03-26.
Subsequent tools/list needs the mcp-session-id response header. A bare GET without a session is rejected (as their docs warn).
28 tools, not 27. The extra relative to the 2026-03-27 changelog note is tipranks (a paid add-on, not part of any FMP plan).
Each tool takes a required endpoint enum that selects the underlying REST path. One hosted tool covers many of our client methods.

Coverage matrix

Closest fmp-mcp / client surface for each hosted tool. "Closest" is the module or default tools that answer the same questions — not a 1:1 rename. Hosted endpoint values are FMP path slugs, not our client.method specs.

Hosted tool	Hosted `endpoint` count	Closest here	Notes
`quote`	16	`company.quote`, `company.simple_quote`, aftermarket + `batch.*_quotes`	Hosted also folds exchange/ETF/crypto/forex/index full-market quotes into this one tool
`search`	7	`market.search`, `market.search_name`, screener, CIK/ISIN/CUSIP search	Hosted `search-company-screener` is our `market.get_company_screener`
`company`	17	`company.*` (profile, executives, float, M&A, peers, …)	Includes `delisted-companies` (wired in #233 / PR #234)
`chart`	10	`company.historical_prices`, `company.intraday_prices`	Hosted splits EOD variants (`full` / `light` / dividend / non-split) as separate endpoints
`statements`	27	`fundamental.*` + revenue segmentation	Broadest hosted tool; includes as-reported and TTM variants
`analyst`	8	`intelligence.grades`, `company.price_target_`, `company.analyst_estimates`
`calendar`	9	`intelligence` earnings/dividends/splits/IPO calendars
`news`	10	`intelligence` news / press-release tools
`senate`	6	`intelligence` senate/house trade tools	This client also ships trades-by-id, profiles, positions, and net-worth (#323–#325)
`directory`	11	`market` lists / `company.symbol_changes`
`discountedCashFlow`	4	`fundamental.discounted_cash_flow`, levered + custom DCF
`economics`	4	`economics.*`
`commitmentOfTraders`	3	`economics.commitment_of_traders_*`	Hosted marks Premium+
`ESG`	3	`intelligence` ESG tools	Hosted marks Ultimate/Enterprise
`Fundraisers`	6	`intelligence` crowdfunding / equity-offering tools
`form13F`	8	`institutional.form_13f*` / holdings-by-quarter	Hosted marks Ultimate/Enterprise
`insiderTrades`	6	`institutional` insider tools
`secFilings`	12	`sec` / `intelligence` filings tools
`earningsTranscript`	4	`transcripts.*` (`latest_transcripts`, `transcript`, `transcript_dates`, `transcript_symbols`)	4 catalog / 0 default — large payloads, load via manifest. Hosted marks Ultimate/Enterprise
`etfAndMutualFunds`	9	`investment.*`
`indexes`	15	`index.*` + historical constituents
`marketPerformance`	11	`market` gainers/losers/actives, sector/industry performance
`marketHours`	3	`market` hours / holidays
`technicalIndicators`	9	`technical.*`	Hosted marks Starter+
`commodity`	9	`alternative.commodity_*` + `batch.commodity_quotes`
`crypto`	9	`alternative.crypto_*` + `batch.crypto_quotes`
`forex`	9	`alternative.forex_*` + `batch.forex_quotes`
`tipranks`	7	none	Paid TipRanks add-on. Not in this client.

What hosted MCP does not replace

Bulk CSV (profile-bulk, rating-bulk, …) lives on our batch client and is intentionally 0 default MCP tools (large payloads).
Typed models, FMP_VALIDATION_MODE, cache, rate limits exist only on this client.
Manifests / FMP_MCP_TOOL_NAME_STYLE exist only on fmp-mcp.

What we do not ship that they do

tipranks (paid add-on).
A single dataset tool that internally multiplexes dozens of REST paths. Our tools stay one-endpoint-each so LangChain / MCP argument schemas stay honest.

Refreshing the matrix

When FMP's changelog mentions MCP again, call tools/list on their URL (key in env, never committed) and update the table. Do not add a live CI job: it needs a session, burns quota, and their 27→28 drift already shows the set moves.

FMP hosted MCP vs fmp-mcp (this package)