ESP32 MCP servers compared
HardwareMCP lists 16 MCP servers that work with ESP32. This page puts them side by side: what each one is, how it connects, GitHub stars, last push date and the install command from its README.
9 run over stdio, 5 on the device itself and 2 over HTTP. The most-starred is xiaozhi-esp32 (32,475). The most recent push was Nov 1, 2026.
HardwareMCP has not bench-tested any of these. Everything here comes from each project's README and GitHub, refreshed weekly (page built 2026-11-04). Review the code before you run a server that can control your hardware.
| Server | Hardware | Transport | Stars | Last push | Install (from README) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xiaozhi-esp32FIRMWARE 78 · An MCP-based chatbot firmware for ESP32 | ESP32 | on-device | 32,475 | 2026-11-01 | Flash the prebuilt firmware using the Beginner's Firmware Flashing Guide linked in the README |
| ha-mcp-for-xiaozhiINTEGRATION c1pher-cn · Home Assistant integration that makes Home Assistant itself an MCP server for XiaoZhi AI, connecting straight to the official XiaoZhi server over WebSocket with no proxy | Home Assistant, ESP32 | WebSocket (to the XiaoZhi server) | 282 | 2026-10-17 | Install from HACS: search for xiaozhi or ha-mcp-for-xiaozhi, download it, then restart Home Assistant |
| Embedded-AI-HarnessWORKFLOW SensorsIot · AI closed-loop programming: the AI writes, flashes and tests firmware | ESP32, Arduino | stdio | 277 | 2026-10-09 | git clone https://github.com/SensorsIot/Embedded-AI-Harness.git |
| embedded-debugger-mcp Adancurusul · Embedded debugging via probe-rs or OpenOCD: ARM Cortex-M, RISC-V and Xtensa (ESP32) | ARM Cortex-M, RP2040, ESP32 | stdio | 212 | 2026-07-16 | git clone https://github.com/adancurusul/embedded-debugger-mcp.git |
| stackchan-mcp kisaragi-mochi · MCP gateway for StackChan (xiaozhi-esp32): CoreS3 + servo + camera | ESP32 | on-device | 171 | 2026-10-29 | uv tool install stackchan-mcp |
| esp-mcp horw · Centralizes ESP32 commands (ESP-IDF build/flash) for LLM-driven workflows | ESP32 | stdio | 156 | 2025-12-27 | git clone git@github.com:horw/esp-mcp.git |
| Anan iPhone UseFIRMWARE ananhq · ESP32 MCP firmware for iPhone USB input, built for M5Stack StopWatch with guided board adaptation | ESP32 | HTTP (on-device) | 146 | 2026-10-15 | git clone https://github.com/ananhq/anan-iphone-use.git |
| xiaozhi-mcp-haINTEGRATION mac8005 · HACS integration connecting the Xiaozhi ESP32 AI chatbot to Home Assistant via MCP | Home Assistant, ESP32 | stdio | 112 | 2026-10-21 | Requires the Home Assistant MCP Server integration and HACS |
| choturobo vishalmysore · Integrate Arduino-based robotics (NodeMCU ESP32 or Arduino Nano) with AI via MCP | Arduino, ESP32 | stdio | 79 | 2025-04-20 | The MCP server is TypeScript (MCP SDK + Johnny-Five) on your computer, talking to an Arduino Nano over USB or a NodeMCU ESP32 over Wi-Fi |
| platformio-mcp jl-codes · PlatformIO MCP server (PIO Agent) | Arduino, ESP32, RP2040 | stdio | 54 | 2026-10-13 | npx platformio-mcp install --claude |
| ESPHome-MCP loryanstrant · MCP server for the ESPHome 2026.6+ Device Builder dashboard | ESPHome, ESP32 | streamable HTTP (stdio also) | 36 | 2026-10-27 | cp .env.example .env |
| ESP32-CAM MCP Server rzeldent · Firmware that turns an ESP32-CAM into an MCP server on your network: take photos, drive the LED, flash and GPIO, and read WiFi and system status | ESP32 | HTTP (on-device) | 29 | 2026-09-29 | git clone https://github.com/rzeldent/esp32-cam-ai.git |
| esphome-mcp saihgupr · MCP server for managing ESPHome devices directly from AI | ESPHome, ESP32 | stdio | 17 | 2026-08-12 | git clone https://github.com/saihgupr/esphome-mcp.git |
| mcp-micropython-bridge SWITCHSCIENCE · MCP bridge server for MicroPython (ESP32, RP2040, etc.) via USB serial | ESP32, RP2040, MicroPython | stdio | 9 | 2026-04-15 | uv sync |
| platformio.mcp powerdragonfire · Lets AI coding agents drive PlatformIO: build, flash, serial monitor, test | Arduino, ESP32, RP2040 | stdio | 6 | 2026-10-30 | uvx platformio.mcp install --claude-code |
| mcpdSDK quantumnic · MCP Server SDK for microcontrollers: expose ESP32/RP2040 hardware as AI tools | ESP32, RP2040 | on-device | 3 | 2026-10-24 | See server page |
Which one to pick
- Most GitHub stars: xiaozhi-esp32 with 32,475, then ha-mcp-for-xiaozhi (282) and Embedded-AI-Harness (277).
- Most recently pushed: xiaozhi-esp32 (Nov 1, 2026).
- Covers the most boards: embedded-debugger-mcp (ARM Cortex-M, RP2040, ESP32), platformio-mcp (Arduino, ESP32, RP2040), mcp-micropython-bridge (ESP32, RP2040, MicroPython) and platformio.mcp (Arduino, ESP32, RP2040).
- One-line install from a package manager: stackchan-mcp, platformio-mcp and platformio.mcp.
- Runs on the device itself: xiaozhi-esp32, stackchan-mcp, Anan iPhone Use, ESP32-CAM MCP Server and mcpd. The rest run on your computer or server.
- No push in the last 6 months: esp-mcp, choturobo and mcp-micropython-bridge. Check the issues before you rely on them.
Derived from catalog data (GitHub stars, push dates, transport and README text). Not a test result.
Runs on the ESP32 itself · 5
xiaozhi-esp32 78
32,475 stars · pushed Nov 1, 2026 · on-device
From the README:
- Wi-Fi, wired Ethernet, USB RNDIS, and ML307/EC801E or NT26 Cat.1 4G networking; supported boards can switch between Wi-Fi and 4G
- Offline voice wake-up with ESP-SR, including customizable wake words
- Two communication transports: WebSocket and MQTT + UDP
stackchan-mcp kisaragi-mochi
171 stars · pushed Oct 29, 2026 · on-device
From the README:
- Move StackChan servos
- Use the camera
- Talk to the robot from any MCP client
Anan iPhone Use ananhq
146 stars · pushed Oct 15, 2026 · HTTP (on-device)
From the README:
- Tap, double-tap and long-press at normalized screen coordinates
- Drag, swipe or draw a stroke, and scroll a region
- Press keyboard, editing and system keys; type ASCII text into the focused field
ESP32-CAM MCP Server rzeldent
29 stars · pushed Sep 29, 2026 · HTTP (on-device)
From the README:
- Capture a photo, with optional flash (QVGA, kept under about 4 KB base64)
- Turn the built-in LED on or off and fire the flash for 5-100 ms
- Read and write GPIO pins (digital and analog) not used by the camera
mcpd quantumnic
3 stars · pushed Oct 24, 2026 · on-device
From the README:
- Run an MCP server on the chip itself
- Expose GPIO and sensors as tools
Runs on your computer and talks to the board · 11
ha-mcp-for-xiaozhi c1pher-cn
282 stars · pushed Oct 17, 2026 · WebSocket (to the XiaoZhi server)
From the README:
- Expose Home Assistant's built-in Assist API to XiaoZhi AI as MCP tools
- Proxy other MCP servers you have connected in Home Assistant to XiaoZhi from the same entity
- Configure several entities at once
Embedded-AI-Harness SensorsIot
277 stars · pushed Oct 9, 2026 · stdio
From the README:
- Write, flash and test firmware in a loop
- Read serial output
embedded-debugger-mcp Adancurusul
212 stars · pushed Jul 16, 2026 · stdio
From the README:
- Set breakpoints and read memory
- Flash and debug ARM Cortex-M, RISC-V and ESP32 targets
- Read RTT output and run crash diagnosis
esp-mcp horw
156 stars · pushed Dec 27, 2025 · stdio
From the README:
- Build ESP-IDF projects
- Flash firmware
- Fix build errors with an agent
xiaozhi-mcp-ha mac8005
112 stars · pushed Oct 21, 2026 · stdio
From the README:
- Connect Xiaozhi ESP32 devices to Home Assistant
- Full MCP (Model Context Protocol) support for AI-powered home automation
- Control Home Assistant entities through natural language
choturobo vishalmysore
79 stars · pushed Apr 20, 2025 · stdio
From the README:
- Drive a small robot from an LLM
- Control LEDs, buzzers, motors and servos
platformio-mcp jl-codes
54 stars · pushed Oct 13, 2026 · stdio
From the README:
- Project readiness validation (agent_validate_project)
- Rich build diagnostics with structured error taxonomy (agent_build_diagnose)
- Board-aware GPIO safety audits (agent_safe_pin_audit)
ESPHome-MCP loryanstrant
36 stars · pushed Oct 27, 2026 · streamable HTTP (stdio also)
From the README:
- List devices and check status and deployed version
- Read, edit and validate device YAML
- Compile and OTA flash firmware
esphome-mcp saihgupr
17 stars · pushed Aug 12, 2026 · stdio
From the README:
- esphome_list_devices: Lists all registered ESPHome devices, IP addresses, online statuses, board architectures, and YAML filenames.
- esphome_get_config: Retrieves full YAML configuration for any device (e.g. esp32-shelf.yaml).
- esphome_update_config: Saves updated YAML configurations directly to the ESPHome instance.
mcp-micropython-bridge SWITCHSCIENCE
9 stars · pushed Apr 15, 2026 · stdio
From the README:
- Run MicroPython code on a board
- Read/write files on device
- Use the REPL from an agent
platformio.mcp powerdragonfire
6 stars · pushed Oct 30, 2026 · stdio
From the README:
- Build and flash
- Run unit tests
- Monitor serial output
FAQ
What is the most popular ESP32 MCP server?
By GitHub stars, xiaozhi-esp32 by 78 leads with 32,475, followed by ha-mcp-for-xiaozhi (282). Stars are a rough signal, so check the feature list on each server page against your setup.
Which ESP32 MCP servers are still maintained?
10 of these servers had a GitHub push in the last 30 days, based on the catalog refresh. The most recent: xiaozhi-esp32 (Nov 1, 2026), platformio.mcp (Oct 30, 2026) and stackchan-mcp (Oct 29, 2026).
Has HardwareMCP tested these ESP32 MCP servers?
No. None of the 16 have been bench-tested by HardwareMCP. Install steps are copied from each README, so review the code first.
Can my AI agent pick a ESP32 MCP server for me?
Yes. Add the HardwareMCP MCP server at https://hardwaremcp.khanex.ai/mcp to your client and ask it to compare ESP32 MCP servers. It can call search_servers and get_server to return install steps and client config.
Related
New hardware MCP servers, notable releases and setup notes. One email, Mondays.