// MCP TOKEN COST

The SpaceMolt MCP server costs 52,003 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 SpaceMolt MCP server's 219 tool definitions consume 52,003 tokens — 26% of a 200k context window, and 27× the median MCP server (1,904 tokens). A scoped grant exposing only the tools you use cuts that roughly in proportion.

MEASURED FROM SCHEMAS tiktoken o200k_base · rank #41 of 8,383 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 26%

1M WINDOW 5.2%

Corpus context: SpaceMolt ranks #41 of 8,383 measured MCP servers by definition cost. The median is 1,904 tokens, p90 is 12,637, and the heaviest (Ainumbers Mcp Apps) is 332,228 — 166% 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 52,003 tokens go.

Each row is one tool definition as a tools/list entry — name, description and input schema — counted with o200k_base. Average: 237 tokens per tool.

Tool	Category	Tokens	% of server
craft	Destructive	2,863	5.5%
shipping	Destructive	2,832	5.4%
facility	Execute	2,308	4.4%
recycle	Destructive	1,112	2.1%
citizenship	Write	1,096	2.1%
send_gift	Write	854	1.6%
battle	Destructive	776	1.5%
station	Write	769	1.5%
faction_post_mission	Write	752	1.4%
attack	Execute	654	1.3%
get_battle_log	Read	581	1.1%
get_action_log	Read	534	1.0%
arena	Destructive	529	1.0%
faction_create_buy_order	Write	520	1.0%
faction_edit	Write	511	1.0%
faction_create_sell_order	Write	507	1.0%
catalog	Execute	490	0.9%
subscribe_observation	Execute	489	0.9%
unload_passenger	Read	484	0.9%
get_chat_history	Read	461	0.9%
jump	Execute	453	0.9%
get_faction_tax_estimate	Read	436	0.8%
view_market	Read	436	0.8%
view_orders	Read	429	0.8%
refuel	Write	425	0.8%
create_buy_order	Write	423	0.8%
pay_bounty	Financial	417	0.8%
fleet	Destructive	402	0.8%
commission_ship	Execute	383	0.7%
scan	Read	368	0.7%
create_sell_order	Write	364	0.7%
withdraw_items	Write	359	0.7%
deposit_items	Write	351	0.7%
get_tax_estimate	Read	344	0.7%
load_passenger	Read	336	0.6%
forum_list	Read	333	0.6%
jettison	Destructive	320	0.6%
treat_personnel	Write	318	0.6%
faction_query_intel	Read	315	0.6%
buy_ship_license	Execute	310	0.6%
loot_wreck	Read	306	0.6%
faction_submit_intel	Write	306	0.6%
faction_query_trade_intel	Read	305	0.6%
build_base	Write	302	0.6%
faction_scan_poi	Read	300	0.6%
forum_create_thread	Write	296	0.6%
faction_withdraw_items	Write	294	0.6%
get_battle_status	Read	289	0.6%
reload	Execute	288	0.6%
register	Write	282	0.5%
build_outpost	Write	277	0.5%
faction_write_room	Write	270	0.5%
trade_offer	Financial	266	0.5%
buy	Financial	258	0.5%
faction_deposit_items	Write	257	0.5%
scrap_ship	Destructive	252	0.5%
commission_status	Read	251	0.5%
claim_prize	Write	251	0.5%
mute_notifications	Write	245	0.5%
service_prize	Read	245	0.5%
find_route	Read	235	0.5%
use_item	Destructive	231	0.4%
modify_order	Write	231	0.4%
place_ship_buy_order	Financial	222	0.4%
refit_ship	Destructive	220	0.4%
inspect	Read	220	0.4%
view_storage	Read	218	0.4%
list_station_passengers	Read	217	0.4%
faction_personnel	Read	210	0.4%
dismantle_outpost	Write	204	0.4%
get_empire_info	Read	203	0.4%
hunt	Execute	202	0.4%
prepay_tax	Read	202	0.4%
recruit_personnel	Read	197	0.4%
sell	Read	197	0.4%
repair	Read	196	0.4%
subscribe_market	Read	195	0.4%
cancel_order	Write	193	0.4%
faction_remove_ally	Destructive	193	0.4%
faction_info	Read	189	0.4%
faction_prepay_tax	Financial	189	0.4%
faction_create_role	Write	185	0.4%
commission_quote	Write	182	0.3%
write_note	Write	181	0.3%
supply_commission	Write	180	0.3%
transfer_personnel	Financial	179	0.3%
get_battle_summary	Read	174	0.3%
list_passengers	Read	173	0.3%
sell_ship_to_order	Financial	173	0.3%
distress_signal	Write	172	0.3%
complete_mission	Write	171	0.3%
set_colors	Write	171	0.3%
petition	Write	170	0.3%
cancel_commission	Destructive	168	0.3%
deploy_drone	Execute	168	0.3%
cloak	Write	168	0.3%
faction_promote	Write	163	0.3%
set_drone_name	Write	162	0.3%
espionage	Read	161	0.3%
get_notifications	Read	160	0.3%
view_faction_storage	Read	159	0.3%
chat	Write	158	0.3%
get_nearby	Read	157	0.3%
uninstall_mod	Destructive	156	0.3%
captains_log_add	Write	155	0.3%
captains_log_delete	Destructive	154	0.3%
forum_get_thread	Read	154	0.3%
scrap_wreck	Read	152	0.3%
browse_ships	Read	151	0.3%
captains_log_list	Read	151	0.3%
upload_drone_script	Execute	150	0.3%
tow_wreck	Execute	149	0.3%
faction_propose_ally	Write	149	0.3%
faction_declare_war	Execute	147	0.3%
get_version	Read	146	0.3%
name_ship	Write	144	0.3%
get_notes	Read	144	0.3%
create_note	Write	144	0.3%
faction_remove_enemy	Write	142	0.3%
travel	Read	142	0.3%
faction_propose_peace	Write	138	0.3%
self_destruct	Destructive	137	0.3%
load_drone	Write	137	0.3%
get_guide	Read	136	0.3%
faction_edit_role	Write	135	0.3%
login_link_poll	Write	135	0.3%
decline_mission	Other	134	0.3%
accept_mission	Write	132	0.3%
install_mod	Write	131	0.3%
faction_accept_ally	Write	129	0.2%
abandon_mission	Write	128	0.2%
faction_submit_trade_intel	Write	126	0.2%
recall_drone	Write	125	0.2%
cancel_ship_buy_order	Destructive	124	0.2%
estimate_purchase	Read	124	0.2%
list_ship_for_sale	Financial	123	0.2%
list_ships	Read	122	0.2%
switch_ship	Write	122	0.2%
login_link	Write	121	0.2%
get_system_agents	Read	120	0.2%
buy_listed_ship	Financial	119	0.2%
faction_accept_peace	Write	118	0.2%
faction_garages	Read	118	0.2%
get_ship	Read	118	0.2%
sell_wreck	Read	118	0.2%
unmute_notifications	Write	118	0.2%
create_faction	Write	117	0.2%
faction_set_enemy	Write	117	0.2%
faction_delete_role	Destructive	113	0.2%
faction_cancel_mission	Write	112	0.2%
set_home_base	Write	112	0.2%
faction_accept_invite	Write	111	0.2%
claim	Write	110	0.2%
forum_upvote	Write	109	0.2%
unload_drone	Write	106	0.2%
survey_system	Write	106	0.2%
set_status	Write	105	0.2%
search_systems	Read	104	0.2%
view_completed_mission	Read	104	0.2%
faction_list	Read	103	0.2%
faction_visit_room	Read	103	0.2%
get_map	Read	103	0.2%
delete_note	Destructive	100	0.2%
faction_rooms	Read	99	0.2%
faction_withdraw_invite	Write	99	0.2%
captains_log_get	Read	99	0.2%
cancel_ship_listing	Write	98	0.2%
help	Read	98	0.2%
get_notification_settings	Read	96	0.2%
forum_reply	Write	95	0.2%
faction_withdraw_credits	Financial	94	0.2%
analyze_market	Read	93	0.2%
get_drone	Read	93	0.2%
faction_deposit_credits	Financial	92	0.2%
faction_delete_room	Destructive	91	0.2%
get_cargo	Read	90	0.2%
faction_kick	Write	86	0.2%
buy_insurance	Financial	85	0.2%
join_faction	Write	85	0.2%
faction_invite	Write	85	0.2%
get_base_cost	Read	83	0.2%
get_commands	Read	83	0.2%
get_missions	Read	83	0.2%
view_ship_buy_orders	Read	81	0.2%
trade_accept	Write	79	0.2%
trade_decline	Write	79	0.2%
faction_decline_invite	Write	79	0.2%
trade_cancel	Write	78	0.1%
get_insurance_quote	Read	78	0.1%
read_note	Read	78	0.1%
forum_delete_reply	Destructive	77	0.1%
forum_delete_thread	Destructive	77	0.1%
faction_list_missions	Read	76	0.1%
get_faction_achievements	Read	73	0.1%
faction_trade_intel_status	Read	72	0.1%
login	Other	72	0.1%
get_drones	Read	71	0.1%
faction_intel_status	Read	70	0.1%
completed_missions	Read	69	0.1%
release_tow	Write	69	0.1%
get_achievements	Read	67	0.1%
get_active_missions	Read	64	0.1%
unsubscribe_observation	Write	59	0.1%
unsubscribe_market	Write	57	0.1%
faction_get_invites	Read	57	0.1%
get_wrecks	Read	52	0.1%
mine	Execute	52	0.1%
get_poi	Read	48	0.1%
claim_insurance	Read	47	0.1%
get_status	Read	47	0.1%
view_insurance	Read	47	0.1%
get_base	Read	46	0.1%
get_skills	Read	46	0.1%
get_system	Read	46	0.1%
get_trades	Read	46	0.1%
logout	Other	46	0.1%
undock	Execute	46	0.1%
leave_faction	Write	45	0.1%
dock	Execute	44	0.1%

// CUT THE COST

Your agent uses a handful of these tools. It pays for all 219.

You don't need all 219 of those definitions in the window. PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway that sits in front of SpaceMolt: 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 219 tools (no gateway)	52,003 tokens	—
3 granted tools	~712 tokens	−99%
5 granted tools	~1,187 tokens	−98%
10 granted tools	~2,375 tokens	−95%

The risk dividend: 33 of these 219 tools are critical-risk (destructive or financial) and cost 13,144 tokens (25% 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 SpaceMolt — 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 SPACEMOLT TOKEN COST →

Instant setup, no code required.

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

//FAQ

SpaceMolt token-cost questions.

How many tokens does the SpaceMolt MCP server use?+

Its 219 tool definitions total 52,003 tokens — 26% 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 SpaceMolt 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 SpaceMolt's token usage?+

Expose fewer tools. A PolicyLayer grant scopes SpaceMolt 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 712 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 07-09-2026 from the PolicyLayer scan database over all 219 catalogued SpaceMolt tools. Counts refresh with every site build.