// MCP TOKEN COST

The Ghl MCP server costs 28,481 tokens before the first call.

Every request your agent makes carries every tool definition this server exposes — context your code, documents and conversation can't use, mostly for tools the agent never calls. You don't need them all in the window, and you don't have to pay for them.

QUICK ANSWER The Ghl MCP server's 253 tool definitions consume 28,481 tokens — 14% of a 200k context window, and 13× the median MCP server (2,145 tokens). A scoped grant exposing only the tools you use cuts that roughly in proportion.

MEASURED FROM SCHEMAS tiktoken o200k_base · rank #50 of 5,253 measured servers · refreshed every build Method →

// CONTEXT WINDOW SHARE

What that costs before your agent starts working.

Tool definitions are overhead: they occupy context on every request and compete with your code, documents and conversation history for the same window.

200K WINDOW 14%

1M WINDOW 2.8%

Corpus context: Ghl ranks #50 of 5,253 measured MCP servers by definition cost. The median is 2,145 tokens, p90 is 11,440, and the heaviest (UnClick) is 147,411 — 74% of a 200k window on its own. New to this? See MCP token cost and context window in the glossary.

Token cost is one axis. See the risk picture across your whole stack →

// PER-TOOL BREAKDOWN

Where the 28,481 tokens go.

Each row is one tool definition as a tools/list entry — name, description and input schema — counted with o200k_base. Average: 113 tokens per tool.

Tool	Category	Tokens	% of server
ghl_create_custom_field	Write	508	1.8%
add_inbound_message	Write	387	1.4%
create_blog_post	Write	373	1.3%
update_coupon	Write	358	1.3%
create_coupon	Write	353	1.2%
create_location	Write	307	1.1%
ghl_update_custom_field	Write	304	1.1%
update_blog_post	Write	304	1.1%
create_appointment	Write	301	1.1%
create_object_schema	Write	288	1.0%
list_transactions	Read	286	1.0%
create_social_post	Write	274	1.0%
create_calendar	Write	273	1.0%
get_media_files	Read	270	0.9%
list_orders	Read	250	0.9%
list_subscriptions	Read	248	0.9%
create_order_fulfillment	Write	240	0.8%
ghl_get_available_shipping_rates	Read	238	0.8%
search_social_posts	Read	214	0.8%
send_email	Write	211	0.7%
create_calendar_notifications	Write	209	0.7%
ghl_get_survey_submissions	Read	204	0.7%
create_object_record	Write	204	0.7%
update_calendar_notification	Write	204	0.7%
ghl_update_shipping_zone	Write	203	0.7%
add_outbound_call	Write	197	0.7%
upload_media_file	Write	197	0.7%
create_whitelabel_integration_provider	Financial	196	0.7%
ghl_create_association	Write	195	0.7%
update_location	Write	195	0.7%
search_opportunities	Read	194	0.7%
search_location_tasks	Read	193	0.7%
create_block_slot	Write	191	0.7%
search_object_records	Read	186	0.7%
update_appointment	Write	186	0.7%
get_blog_posts	Read	181	0.6%
upsert_opportunity	Write	181	0.6%
update_object_schema	Write	179	0.6%
ghl_create_shipping_zone	Write	178	0.6%
update_object_record	Write	170	0.6%
create_custom_provider_config	Write	168	0.6%
create_opportunity	Write	168	0.6%
ghl_create_price	Write	168	0.6%
get_calendar_events	Read	164	0.6%
update_opportunity	Write	163	0.6%
get_location_templates	Read	162	0.6%
update_message_status	Write	162	0.6%
create_location_custom_field	Write	161	0.6%
update_calendar	Write	160	0.6%
ghl_create_product	Write	159	0.6%
ghl_create_relation	Write	157	0.6%
ghl_create_store_setting	Write	157	0.6%
ghl_update_product	Write	155	0.5%
ghl_get_relations_by_record	Read	154	0.5%
list_coupons	Read	152	0.5%
search_conversations	Read	152	0.5%
get_free_slots	Read	150	0.5%
ghl_create_shipping_carrier	Write	150	0.5%
search_locations	Read	149	0.5%
ghl_create_shipping_rate	Write	149	0.5%
update_calendar_resource_equipment	Write	148	0.5%
ghl_get_surveys	Read	146	0.5%
ghl_list_products	Read	146	0.5%
update_calendar_resource_room	Write	146	0.5%
create_custom_provider_integration	Write	144	0.5%
get_conversation	Read	140	0.5%
list_estimates	Read	139	0.5%
upsert_contact	Write	139	0.5%
update_block_slot	Write	137	0.5%
set_csv_accounts	Write	135	0.5%
verify_email	Financial	132	0.5%
create_calendar_resource_equipment	Write	132	0.5%
update_contact_task	Write	131	0.5%
create_calendar_resource_room	Write	130	0.5%
ghl_create_product_collection	Write	127	0.4%
list_invoice_templates	Read	126	0.4%
bulk_update_contact_tags	Write	122	0.4%
create_contact	Write	121	0.4%
create_contact_task	Write	121	0.4%
create_invoice_template	Write	121	0.4%
list_invoices	Read	118	0.4%
create_invoice	Write	118	0.4%
get_object_schema	Read	117	0.4%
list_whitelabel_integration_providers	Read	117	0.4%
ghl_create_custom_field_folder	Write	117	0.4%
update_contact	Write	116	0.4%
get_blocked_slots	Read	115	0.4%
update_social_post	Write	115	0.4%
start_social_oauth	Execute	112	0.4%
get_order_by_id	Read	112	0.4%
get_transaction_by_id	Read	112	0.4%
ghl_get_custom_fields_by_object_key	Read	112	0.4%
get_email_campaigns	Read	111	0.4%
update_location_custom_field	Write	111	0.4%
get_blog_sites	Read	110	0.4%
ghl_get_all_associations	Read	110	0.4%
ghl_list_shipping_zones	Read	109	0.4%
create_estimate	Write	108	0.4%
send_sms	Write	106	0.4%
list_invoice_schedules	Read	105	0.4%
delete_media_file	Destructive	104	0.4%
ghl_list_prices	Read	103	0.4%
ghl_update_association	Write	102	0.4%
update_conversation	Write	100	0.4%
ghl_get_shipping_rate	Read	99	0.3%
ghl_list_inventory	Read	99	0.3%
ghl_get_shipping_zone	Read	98	0.3%
create_invoice_schedule	Write	98	0.3%
ghl_update_shipping_rate	Write	98	0.3%
ghl_list_product_collections	Read	97	0.3%
ghl_delete_shipping_rate	Destructive	96	0.3%
get_calendar_notifications	Read	96	0.3%
send_estimate	Write	96	0.3%
send_invoice	Financial	95	0.3%
ghl_get_association_by_object_key	Read	95	0.3%
update_location_custom_value	Write	95	0.3%
get_subscription_by_id	Read	94	0.3%
ghl_update_custom_field_folder	Write	94	0.3%
get_coupon	Read	93	0.3%
live_chat_typing	Execute	93	0.3%
get_blog_authors	Read	92	0.3%
update_invoice_template	Write	92	0.3%
check_url_slug	Read	91	0.3%
get_blog_categories	Read	91	0.3%
create_calendar_group	Write	91	0.3%
list_order_fulfillments	Read	90	0.3%
update_appointment_note	Write	90	0.3%
update_contact_note	Write	90	0.3%
update_email_template	Write	90	0.3%
ghl_get_association_by_key	Read	89	0.3%
get_csv_upload_status	Read	88	0.3%
get_recent_messages	Read	88	0.3%
create_email_template	Write	88	0.3%
update_calendar_group	Write	88	0.3%
get_contacts_by_business	Read	87	0.3%
create_invoice_from_estimate	Write	87	0.3%
update_opportunity_status	Write	87	0.3%
search_contacts	Read	86	0.3%
get_location_custom_fields	Read	85	0.3%
ghl_delete_custom_field_folder	Destructive	83	0.3%
get_appointment_notes	Read	83	0.3%
get_platform_accounts	Read	83	0.3%
add_opportunity_followers	Write	82	0.3%
delete_location	Destructive	81	0.3%
ghl_delete_shipping_zone	Destructive	81	0.3%
create_location_custom_value	Write	81	0.3%
remove_contact_from_workflow	Destructive	80	0.3%
add_contact_to_workflow	Execute	80	0.3%
update_location_tag	Write	80	0.3%
upload_message_attachments	Write	80	0.3%
ghl_get_shipping_carrier	Read	79	0.3%
remove_opportunity_followers	Write	78	0.3%
ghl_get_workflows	Read	78	0.3%
ghl_list_shipping_rates	Read	78	0.3%
ghl_update_shipping_carrier	Write	78	0.3%
delete_coupon	Destructive	76	0.3%
ghl_delete_shipping_carrier	Destructive	76	0.3%
ghl_delete_relation	Destructive	75	0.3%
bulk_update_contact_business	Write	75	0.3%
create_appointment_note	Write	75	0.3%
create_contact_note	Write	75	0.3%
get_object_record	Read	73	0.3%
delete_social_account	Destructive	72	0.3%
get_calendars	Read	72	0.3%
get_social_categories	Read	72	0.3%
get_social_tags	Read	72	0.3%
disable_calendar_group	Write	72	0.3%
update_task_completion	Write	72	0.3%
remove_contact_followers	Write	71	0.2%
get_email_templates	Read	71	0.2%
ghl_get_product	Read	71	0.2%
add_contact_followers	Write	71	0.2%
delete_object_record	Destructive	70	0.2%
ghl_delete_product	Destructive	70	0.2%
delete_location_custom_field	Destructive	69	0.2%
delete_location_custom_value	Destructive	69	0.2%
get_location_custom_field	Read	69	0.2%
get_location_custom_value	Read	69	0.2%
create_location_tag	Write	68	0.2%
disconnect_custom_provider_config	Write	68	0.2%
bulk_delete_social_posts	Destructive	67	0.2%
ghl_get_custom_field_by_id	Read	67	0.2%
remove_contact_tags	Write	65	0.2%
get_location_tag	Read	65	0.2%
add_contact_tags	Write	65	0.2%
delete_location_template	Destructive	64	0.2%
ghl_get_association_by_id	Read	64	0.2%
get_all_objects	Read	63	0.2%
delete_location_tag	Destructive	62	0.2%
ghl_delete_association	Destructive	61	0.2%
remove_contact_from_campaign	Destructive	61	0.2%
get_calendar_resources_equipments	Read	61	0.2%
get_contact_note	Read	61	0.2%
get_contact_task	Read	61	0.2%
add_contact_to_campaign	Write	61	0.2%
delete_contact_note	Destructive	60	0.2%
delete_contact_task	Destructive	60	0.2%
ghl_delete_custom_field	Destructive	60	0.2%
delete_appointment_note	Destructive	59	0.2%
get_calendar_resources_rooms	Read	59	0.2%
get_calendar_notification	Read	58	0.2%
validate_group_slug	Read	58	0.2%
delete_calendar_notification	Destructive	57	0.2%
get_duplicate_contact	Read	57	0.2%
get_social_tags_by_ids	Read	57	0.2%
cancel_scheduled_email	Destructive	56	0.2%
get_email_message	Read	56	0.2%
get_invoice_schedule	Read	56	0.2%
get_invoice_template	Read	56	0.2%
delete_invoice_template	Destructive	55	0.2%
get_message_recording	Read	55	0.2%
get_message_transcription	Read	55	0.2%
get_opportunity	Read	55	0.2%
cancel_scheduled_message	Destructive	54	0.2%
delete_opportunity	Destructive	54	0.2%
download_transcription	Read	54	0.2%
get_invoice	Read	54	0.2%
get_location	Read	54	0.2%
get_appointment	Read	53	0.2%
ghl_list_shipping_carriers	Read	53	0.2%
create_conversation	Write	53	0.2%
delete_appointment	Destructive	52	0.2%
delete_email_template	Destructive	52	0.2%
get_calendar	Read	52	0.2%
upload_social_csv	Write	52	0.2%
delete_calendar	Destructive	50	0.2%
get_location_tags	Read	50	0.2%
get_message	Read	50	0.2%
ghl_get_store_setting	Read	49	0.2%
delete_conversation	Destructive	48	0.2%
get_social_post	Read	48	0.2%
delete_custom_provider_integration	Destructive	47	0.2%
delete_social_post	Destructive	47	0.2%
get_location_custom_values	Read	47	0.2%
remove_contact_from_all_campaigns	Destructive	46	0.2%
get_calendar_resource_equipment	Read	46	0.2%
get_custom_provider_config	Read	46	0.2%
get_social_category	Read	46	0.2%
delete_calendar_resource_equipment	Destructive	45	0.2%
get_calendar_resource_room	Read	45	0.2%
get_contact_appointments	Read	45	0.2%
delete_calendar_resource_room	Destructive	44	0.2%
delete_contact	Destructive	44	0.2%
get_contact	Read	44	0.2%
get_contact_notes	Read	44	0.2%
get_contact_tasks	Read	44	0.2%
delete_calendar_group	Destructive	43	0.2%
get_timezones	Read	40	0.1%
generate_estimate_number	Write	38	0.1%
generate_invoice_number	Write	37	0.1%
get_social_accounts	Read	34	0.1%
get_calendar_groups	Read	32	0.1%
get_pipelines	Read	31	0.1%

// CUT THE COST

Your agent uses a handful of these tools. It pays for all 253.

You don't need all 253 of those definitions in the window. PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway that sits in front of Ghl: only the tools you grant are exposed to the agent, the rest never load. A smaller window means a sharper agent — less noise when it picks a tool — and every request costs less:

Grant scope	Definition cost	Reduction
All 253 tools (no gateway)	28,481 tokens	—
3 granted tools	~338 tokens	−99%
5 granted tools	~563 tokens	−98%
10 granted tools	~1,126 tokens	−96%

The risk dividend: 42 of these 253 tools are critical-risk (destructive or financial) and cost 2,873 tokens (10% of the definition load). Block them — the recommended starter policy — and you reclaim that context before tuning anything else.

Create a free account and register Ghl — nothing to install.
Grant only the tools you use — ungranted definitions never enter the context window.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

CUT GHL TOKEN COST →

Instant setup, no code required.

Model your own stack in the token-cost calculator, or see the Ghl policy for what a sensible grant looks like.

//FAQ

Ghl token-cost questions.

How many tokens does the Ghl MCP server use?+

Its 253 tool definitions total 28,481 tokens — 14% of a 200k context window — measured with tiktoken o200k_base over the serialised tools/list payload. Exact counts vary slightly by client and model.

Why does Ghl consume tokens before I send a message?+

MCP clients load every connected server's tool definitions — name, description, and input schema — into the model's context so it knows what it can call. That payload is charged against your context window on every request, whether or not a tool is used.

How do I reduce Ghl's token usage?+

Expose fewer tools. A PolicyLayer grant scopes Ghl to only the tools you allow — ungranted definitions are filtered out of the tool list, so they never enter the context window. A grant of 3 typical tools costs roughly 338 tokens, a 99% reduction.

Does deferred tool loading fix this?+

Partially, in some clients. Claude Code defers MCP tool schemas behind a tool-search step by default, and VS Code has experimental grouping — but you still pay tokens per search and reload, and Cursor, Windsurf and Gemini CLI load definitions upfront. Reducing the exposed tool set cuts the cost in every client.

// METHOD & REVIEW

How these numbers were measured.

01

Serialisation

Each tool is serialised as a tools/list entry — name, description, input schema — from the schemas in the PolicyLayer scan database. Clients differ slightly in framing, so treat counts as close estimates.

02

Tokeniser

tiktoken o200k_base (GPT-4o/o-series). Anthropic's current tokeniser isn't published, so Claude's exact counts will differ; for English text and JSON schemas the totals are close enough to treat these as estimates.

03

Deferred loading

Some clients now defer schema loading (Claude Code's tool search; VS Code experimental grouping). You still pay per search and reload — and Cursor, Windsurf and Gemini CLI load everything upfront.

Computed 15-07-2026 from the PolicyLayer scan database over all 253 catalogued Ghl tools. Counts refresh with every site build.