Open-source Google Sheets MCP servers
Search GitHub for a Google Sheets MCP server and you will find several. They work — but every one of them asks you for the same thing first: a Google Cloud project. Here is the trade-off, stated plainly.
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What is on GitHub?
Several open-source Google Sheets MCP servers exist, mostly written in Python or TypeScript. They are genuinely useful, they are free, and if you want full control — including writing back to the sheet — they are the right answer.
The cost is setup. Because they call Google's API directly, each one needs a Google Cloud project, an OAuth client or service-account JSON, the Sheets API enabled, and a process you keep running. That is an afternoon the first time, and a thing to maintain thereafter.
What PasteSheet does differently
PasteSheet is hosted, and it reads published sheets rather than authenticating into your Google account. That removes the entire credential step: no Cloud project, no service account, no consent screen. You paste a share URL and get an MCP endpoint.
The docs, config examples, and this server's manifest are open on GitHub, and the server is listed in the official MCP Registry as com.pastesheet/google-sheets.
Self-hosted vs hosted
| Community server (GitHub) | PasteSheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (plus your infra) | Free tier, paid plans above it |
| Google Cloud project | Required | Not required |
| Service account / OAuth | Required | Not required |
| You run the process | Yes | No |
| Writes to the sheet | Usually | No — read-only |
| Caching built in | Rarely | Yes |
| Best when | You want control, writes, and can host | You want it working in five minutes |
Pick honestly
If you need write access, or you have strict data-residency rules, self-host. Those are good reasons and PasteSheet cannot serve them. If what you want is an agent that can read a spreadsheet, and you would rather not maintain a Cloud project to get it, use the hosted one. See the fuller comparison.
What it costs
MCP is included on the Free plan. Connect any public endpoint over MCP with no Google Cloud project and no credit card. Private endpoints and the account-wide workspace server need a paid plan (from Starter ($9/mo)) for the keys and OAuth they authenticate with.
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Frequently asked questions
Are the open-source Google Sheets MCP servers any good?
Yes. They are real, working projects and they support writing back to the sheet, which PasteSheet deliberately does not. The trade-off is that every one of them needs a Google Cloud project and a process you keep running.
Is PasteSheet open source?
The product itself is a hosted service, but its MCP docs, client config examples, and registry manifest are public on GitHub, and the server is listed in the official MCP Registry as com.pastesheet/google-sheets.
Can I self-host PasteSheet?
No — it is a hosted service. If self-hosting is a hard requirement, a community server from GitHub is the right choice, and you should budget for the Google Cloud setup that comes with it.
Why does a hosted server not need a Google Cloud project?
Because it reads a published sheet through its share link rather than authenticating into your Google account. There is no Google API credential in the loop, so there is nothing to provision.
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