Introduction

gmail-mcp-server

Self-hosted MCP server for Gmail, built on the official Gmail API.

Why

Most “Gmail for AI” integrations are either a paid SaaS connector or require handing a third party your inbox. This is neither: it’s a small server you run yourself, talking directly to Google’s API with your own OAuth client.

ChatGPT’s Gmail connector costs ₹2000/month. This alternative is free, open-source, and yours to control.

What It Does

• Search messages with Gmail’s query syntax (from:, is:unread, after:, …)
• Read full messages with headers, body, and attachment metadata
• Browse threads to see full conversations
• Create drafts (never sends—you approve in Gmail first)
• List labels with message/thread counts

Security First

• Only requests gmail.readonly and gmail.compose—nothing broader
• Your OAuth token and email data stay on your machine
• No third-party relay or data leaving your infrastructure
• No send, modify, or delete capability—drafts are inert until you send them
• Single-tenant: authenticates as one Gmail account (yours)

How It Works

Works with any MCP-compatible client:

• Claude Code over local stdio (no network exposure)
• ChatGPT via HTTP with built-in OAuth 2.1 server
• Other MCP clients (Cursor, other editors, etc.)

Pick your setup: local for privacy, hosted for ChatGPT integration.