// MCP TOKEN COST

The Livedatalink MCP server costs 68,415 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 Livedatalink MCP server's 284 tool definitions consume 68,415 tokens — 34% of a 200k context window, and 34× the median MCP server (1,990 tokens). A scoped grant exposing only the tools you use cuts that roughly in proportion.

MEASURED FROM SCHEMAS tiktoken o200k_base · rank #11 of 6,595 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 34%

1M WINDOW 6.8%

Corpus context: Livedatalink ranks #11 of 6,595 measured MCP servers by definition cost. The median is 1,990 tokens, p90 is 11,763, and the heaviest (Ainumbers Mcp Apps) is 255,699 — 128% 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 68,415 tokens go.

Each row is one tool definition as a tools/list entry — name, description and input schema — counted with o200k_base. Average: 241 tokens per tool.

Tool	Category	Tokens	% of server
search_available_datasets	Read	525	0.8%
talent_market_brief	Read	513	0.7%
facility_care_quality	Read	485	0.7%
beneficial_owner_screen	Read	476	0.7%
clinical_site_selector	Read	472	0.7%
disaster_recovery_profile	Read	459	0.7%
market_size_estimator	Read	453	0.7%
resolve_entity	Read	440	0.6%
fred_quick_indicator	Read	438	0.6%
prescriber_ties_profile	Read	436	0.6%
corporate_ownership_tree	Read	412	0.6%
census_business	Read	409	0.6%
company_complaint_profile	Read	407	0.6%
cost_of_doing_business_index	Read	404	0.6%
security_exposure	Read	404	0.6%
nrel_pvwatts	Read	399	0.6%
company_trust_check	Read	397	0.6%
tide_predictions	Read	395	0.6%
ok_wells_search	Read	393	0.6%
census_demographics	Read	388	0.6%
census_population	Read	386	0.6%
fred_observations	Read	384	0.6%
census_income_housing	Read	382	0.6%
bounce_scanner	Read	380	0.6%
influence_network_map	Read	380	0.6%
carrier_vetting_score	Read	379	0.6%
census_commute_employment	Read	373	0.5%
college_value_score	Read	370	0.5%
environmental_site_risk	Read	368	0.5%
product_liability_screen	Read	366	0.5%
recall_screen	Read	357	0.5%
grants_search	Read	356	0.5%
supplier_esg_scorecard	Read	352	0.5%
issuer_diligence_dossier	Read	347	0.5%
lei_lookup	Read	344	0.5%
cpsc_recall_search	Read	343	0.5%
lobbying_search	Read	342	0.5%
tx_wells_near	Read	338	0.5%
eia_electricity_state	Read	337	0.5%
epa_facility_search	Read	331	0.5%
nrel_alt_fuel_stations	Read	327	0.5%
water_levels	Read	321	0.5%
cfpb_search_complaints	Read	318	0.5%
bank_health_report	Read	314	0.5%
get_free_api_key	Read	314	0.5%
open_payments_search	Read	313	0.5%
reg_search	Read	312	0.5%
sun_times	Read	312	0.5%
fda_drug_adverse_events	Read	311	0.5%
location_risk_report	Read	311	0.5%
counterparty_risk_score	Read	308	0.5%
paper_search	Read	307	0.4%
worldbank_indicator	Read	306	0.4%
caselaw_search	Read	304	0.4%
spending_search_awards	Read	303	0.4%
local_search	Read	301	0.4%
book_search	Read	300	0.4%
eia_oil_supply	Read	298	0.4%
eia_renewable_generation	Read	296	0.4%
property_lookup	Read	295	0.4%
crypto_price	Read	294	0.4%
trials_search	Read	293	0.4%
lei_hierarchy	Read	291	0.4%
usgs_earthquake_search	Read	290	0.4%
fec_candidate_search	Read	289	0.4%
parcel_search	Read	289	0.4%
sanctions_screen_entity	Read	285	0.4%
stock_history	Read	285	0.4%
eia_gasoline_prices	Read	284	0.4%
org_funding_profile	Read	283	0.4%
geocode_address	Read	280	0.4%
eia_series_lookup	Read	279	0.4%
cfpb_complaint_trends	Read	276	0.4%
open_payments_ownership	Read	276	0.4%
open_payments_top	Read	276	0.4%
iv_analytics	Read	275	0.4%
sanctions_screen_batch	Read	273	0.4%
entity_dossier	Read	271	0.4%
bls_indicator	Read	270	0.4%
fda_drug_recalls	Read	270	0.4%
open_payments_research	Read	270	0.4%
eia_energy_consumption	Read	269	0.4%
paper_fulltext_search	Read	269	0.4%
sanctions_search_alias	Read	269	0.4%
fec_committee_search	Read	268	0.4%
cdc_dataset_query	Execute	266	0.4%
fda_device_510k	Read	266	0.4%
congress_bill_details	Read	264	0.4%
eia_natural_gas	Read	264	0.4%
congress_search_bills	Read	261	0.4%
fdic_search_institutions	Read	261	0.4%
earthquake_recent	Read	260	0.4%
sanctions_screen_address	Read	259	0.4%
energy_market_snapshot	Read	258	0.4%
disaster_declarations	Read	255	0.4%
paper_get_text	Read	255	0.4%
college_search	Read	254	0.4%
fda_food_recalls	Read	254	0.4%
property_search_area	Read	254	0.4%
chemical_hazards	Read	253	0.4%
reg_cfr_section	Read	252	0.4%
congress_bill_cosponsors	Read	251	0.4%
fec_independent_expenditures	Read	251	0.4%
patent_search	Read	251	0.4%
usgs_water_realtime	Read	250	0.4%
congress_bill_actions	Read	249	0.4%
edgar_full_text_search	Read	249	0.4%
fda_device_recalls	Read	249	0.4%
fred_search	Read	249	0.4%
edgar_recent_filings	Read	248	0.4%
fmcsa_carrier_compare	Read	248	0.4%
vehicle_recalls	Read	248	0.4%
book_fulltext_search	Read	246	0.4%
cdc_weekly_deaths_by_state	Read	243	0.4%
recreation_search_facilities	Read	243	0.4%
court_case_search	Read	242	0.4%
fmcsa_safety_scores	Read	242	0.4%
options_chain	Read	239	0.3%
stock_compare	Read	239	0.3%
edgar_filing_content	Read	237	0.3%
edgar_filings_by_form_type	Read	237	0.3%
edgar_company_facts	Read	236	0.3%
options_history_chain	Read	236	0.3%
fred_compare	Read	235	0.3%
chemical_lookup	Read	234	0.3%
paper_details	Read	233	0.3%
price_to_rent_ratio	Read	232	0.3%
entity_resolve	Read	232	0.3%
crypto_compare	Read	231	0.3%
cve_search_by_vendor	Read	231	0.3%
fmcsa_carrier_lookup	Read	231	0.3%
property_value_history	Read	228	0.3%
cms_hospital_search	Read	227	0.3%
nonprofit_search_name	Read	227	0.3%
property_search_owner	Read	227	0.3%
reg_cfr_search	Read	227	0.3%
census_geography_lookup	Read	226	0.3%
epa_water_or_air_violations	Read	226	0.3%
options_history_contract	Read	224	0.3%
book_get_text	Read	223	0.3%
college_trends	Read	223	0.3%
options_history_atm_iv	Read	223	0.3%
stock_quote_batch	Read	223	0.3%
usgs_earthquake_feed	Read	223	0.3%
vin_decode	Read	222	0.3%
weather_forecast	Read	221	0.3%
fec_candidate_financials	Read	220	0.3%
npi_search_provider	Read	220	0.3%
weather_current	Read	220	0.3%
nonprofit_search_location	Read	219	0.3%
fdic_failures	Read	218	0.3%
npi_search_specialty	Read	218	0.3%
candlestick_signals	Read	217	0.3%
fda_drug_lookup	Read	216	0.3%
realestate_search	Read	216	0.3%
recreation_nearby	Read	216	0.3%
fmcsa_carrier_authority	Read	215	0.3%
recreation_search_recareas	Read	215	0.3%
cdc_drug_overdose_deaths	Read	214	0.3%
worldbank_compare	Read	214	0.3%
list_tool_groups	Read	213	0.3%
realestate_trend	Read	213	0.3%
sanctions_get_changes	Read	213	0.3%
congress_search_members	Read	211	0.3%
company_info	Read	210	0.3%
nfip_flood_claims	Read	210	0.3%
cdc_leading_causes_of_death	Read	209	0.3%
parcel_details	Read	209	0.3%
cdc_outbreak_reports	Read	208	0.3%
fmcsa_carrier_search	Read	208	0.3%
nws_active_alerts	Read	208	0.3%
package_track	Read	208	0.3%
stock_quote	Read	208	0.3%
caselaw_opinion_text	Read	206	0.3%
fred_category_series	Read	205	0.3%
air_quality	Read	203	0.3%
fred_releases	Read	203	0.3%
nrel_solar_resource	Read	203	0.3%
nrel_utility_rates	Read	203	0.3%
spending_recipient_summary	Read	202	0.3%
cdc_excess_deaths_covid	Read	201	0.3%
cve_recent	Read	201	0.3%
lobbying_contributions	Read	201	0.3%
crypto_info	Read	200	0.3%
options_history_volhist	Read	200	0.3%
bls_series	Read	198	0.3%
epa_facility_compliance	Read	198	0.3%
npi_search_organization	Read	198	0.3%
nonprofit_details	Read	196	0.3%
nonprofit_status	Read	196	0.3%
cpsc_recent_recalls	Read	195	0.3%
congress_recent_laws	Read	194	0.3%
cve_search_by_keyword	Read	193	0.3%
cms_nursing_home_search	Read	192	0.3%
lobbying_lobbyists	Read	192	0.3%
patent_inventor_search	Read	192	0.3%
nonprofit_lookup_ein	Read	191	0.3%
recreation_search_campsites	Read	191	0.3%
treasury_auctions	Read	191	0.3%
treasury_debt	Read	191	0.3%
epa_facility_details	Read	189	0.3%
cms_home_health_search	Read	188	0.3%
edgar_company_lookup	Read	187	0.3%
caselaw_citation_lookup	Read	186	0.3%
cms_hospice_search	Read	186	0.3%
support_resistance_levels	Read	186	0.3%
parcel_sales_history	Read	185	0.3%
cfpb_complaint_aggregations	Read	184	0.3%
fdic_financials	Read	183	0.3%
treasury_exchange_rates	Read	182	0.3%
epa_enforcement_search	Read	181	0.3%
geocode_batch	Read	181	0.3%
grants_get_opportunity	Read	181	0.3%
reg_document	Read	181	0.3%
trials_details	Read	180	0.3%
geocode_coordinates	Read	180	0.3%
patent_assignee_search	Read	180	0.3%
fbi_wanted	Read	179	0.3%
cdc_vaccination_coverage	Read	178	0.3%
disaster_history_summary	Read	178	0.3%
treasury_interest_rates	Read	177	0.3%
cdc_flu_surveillance	Read	175	0.3%
court_docket_lookup	Read	175	0.3%
fred_series_info	Read	175	0.3%
fec_candidate_details	Read	174	0.3%
ip_reputation	Read	174	0.3%
realestate_rents	Read	173	0.3%
realestate_home_values	Read	172	0.3%
usgs_earthquake_detail	Read	172	0.3%
github_repo	Read	170	0.2%
patent_recent	Read	168	0.2%
edgar_insider_transactions	Read	168	0.2%
fdic_deposits	Read	168	0.2%
npm_package	Read	168	0.2%
crypto_trending	Read	166	0.2%
rdap_ip	Read	166	0.2%
cfpb_state_complaints	Read	165	0.2%
patent_details	Read	165	0.2%
spending_award_details	Read	165	0.2%
sanctions_get_entity	Read	164	0.2%
flood_zone_lookup	Read	163	0.2%
rdap_domain	Read	163	0.2%
caselaw_case_details	Read	162	0.2%
court_oral_argument_search	Read	162	0.2%
book_details	Read	161	0.2%
college_metrics	Read	161	0.2%
court_opinion_search	Read	161	0.2%
cve_lookup	Read	161	0.2%
fdic_summary	Read	160	0.2%
congress_member_details	Read	158	0.2%
congress_house_votes	Read	157	0.2%
court_recent_filings	Read	154	0.2%
fdic_history	Read	154	0.2%
npi_lookup	Read	154	0.2%
hurricane_tracker	Read	153	0.2%
lobbying_detail	Read	151	0.2%
open_payments_by_company	Read	151	0.2%
cwe_lookup	Read	150	0.2%
lobbying_registrants	Read	149	0.2%
worldbank_country_profile	Read	148	0.2%
recreation_facility_detail	Read	147	0.2%
college_compare	Read	146	0.2%
college_demographics	Read	146	0.2%
pypi_package	Read	146	0.2%
reg_cfr_titles	Read	146	0.2%
cfpb_suggest_company	Read	145	0.2%
nrel_alt_fuel_station_detail	Read	145	0.2%
court_citation_resolver	Read	144	0.2%
kev_status_check	Read	144	0.2%
epss_score	Read	143	0.2%
college_outcomes_by_program	Read	141	0.2%
cargo_crate	Read	140	0.2%
treasury_cash_balance	Read	140	0.2%
college_accreditation	Read	138	0.2%
court_judge_lookup	Read	138	0.2%
open_payments_by_specialty	Read	138	0.2%
paper_status	Read	137	0.2%
book_status	Read	136	0.2%
cfpb_complaint_detail	Read	135	0.2%
open_payments_state_totals	Read	135	0.2%
realestate_status	Read	131	0.2%
open_payments_national_summary	Read	123	0.2%
parcel_coverage	Read	114	0.2%
sanctions_status_summary	Read	114	0.2%

// CUT THE COST

Your agent uses a handful of these tools. It pays for all 284.

You don't need all 284 of those definitions in the window. PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway that sits in front of Livedatalink: 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 284 tools (no gateway)	68,415 tokens	—
3 granted tools	~723 tokens	−99%
5 granted tools	~1,204 tokens	−98%
10 granted tools	~2,409 tokens	−96%

Create a free account and register Livedatalink — 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 LIVEDATALINK TOKEN COST →

Instant setup, no code required.

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

//FAQ

Livedatalink token-cost questions.

How many tokens does the Livedatalink MCP server use?+

Its 284 tool definitions total 68,415 tokens — 34% 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 Livedatalink 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 Livedatalink's token usage?+

Expose fewer tools. A PolicyLayer grant scopes Livedatalink 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 723 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 08-08-2026 from the PolicyLayer scan database over all 284 catalogued Livedatalink tools. Counts refresh with every site build.