// MCP TOKEN COST

The Stable Baseline MCP server costs 35,752 tokens before the first call.

Connect Stable Baseline and its 184 tool definitions are loaded into the model's context on every request — 18% of a 200k window spent before your agent does anything.

QUICK ANSWER The Stable Baseline MCP server's tool definitions consume 35,752 tokens — 19× the median MCP server (1,905 tokens). A scoped grant exposing only the tools you use cuts that roughly in proportion.

MEASURED FROM SCHEMAS 184 tools · 35,752 tokens · 18% of 200k · 3.6% of 1M Method →

// CONTEXT WINDOW SHARE

What that buys 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 18%

1M WINDOW 3.6%

Corpus context: Stable Baseline ranks #20 of 3,213 measured MCP servers by definition cost. The median is 1,905 tokens, p90 is 7,952, and the heaviest (Fusionauth) is 183,337 — 92% of a 200k window on its own.

// PER-TOOL BREAKDOWN

Where the 35,752 tokens go.

Each row is one tool definition as a tools/list entry — name, description and input schema — counted with o200k_base. Average: 194 tokens per tool.

Tool	Category	Tokens	% of server
addWhiteboardElements	Write	3,363	9.4%
updateImprovement	Write	1,377	3.9%
updateTask	Write	1,322	3.7%
createImprovement	Write	1,145	3.2%
updateWhiteboardScene	Write	803	2.2%
listWhiteboardStencils	Read	792	2.2%
createTask	Write	709	2.0%
kg_search	Read	608	1.7%
insertDiagramInDocument	Write	569	1.6%
insertWhiteboardImage	Write	566	1.6%
insertWhiteboardDiagram	Write	483	1.4%
traceImage	Read	475	1.3%
duplicateWhiteboardElements	Execute	455	1.3%
listAssignablePrincipals	Read	441	1.2%
listImprovements	Read	415	1.2%
renderDiagram	Execute	399	1.1%
updateDiagramInDocument	Write	363	1.0%
listArchitectureIcons	Read	355	1.0%
dataToTable	Read	349	1.0%
designWhiteboard	Execute	338	0.9%
editDocument	Write	330	0.9%
insertImageInDocument	Write	325	0.9%
createPlanPhase	Write	323	0.9%
updatePlanPhase	Write	321	0.9%
updateUserPreferences	Write	279	0.8%
startSignup	Execute	265	0.7%
getDiagramImage	Read	256	0.7%
createDocumentIngestSession	Write	250	0.7%
getWhiteboardImage	Read	245	0.7%
listTeams	Read	245	0.7%
listPlans	Read	244	0.7%
createTaskDependency	Write	231	0.6%
inviteMember	Write	230	0.6%
getDocument	Read	226	0.6%
searchInfographicTemplates	Read	223	0.6%
createDocumentFromUpload	Write	221	0.6%
applyTaskDependencyCascade	Write	220	0.6%
upsertResourcePermission	Write	219	0.6%
rebuildPlatformCatalogEmbeddings	Write	214	0.6%
updatePlan	Write	209	0.6%
createDocument	Write	207	0.6%
listDocumentVersions	Read	203	0.6%
getWhiteboard	Read	200	0.6%
getProjectHierarchy	Read	198	0.6%
createPlan	Write	193	0.5%
createWhiteboard	Write	193	0.5%
findAndReplaceTextInDocument	Read	187	0.5%
listDocuments	Read	187	0.5%
createProject	Write	187	0.5%
getFolderHierarchy	Read	183	0.5%
listFolders	Read	183	0.5%
updateImageInDocument	Write	179	0.5%
pollSignupStatus	Read	175	0.5%
previewKgScopeChange	Write	174	0.5%
listTasks	Read	173	0.5%
previewSubscriptionChange	Write	168	0.5%
reorderDocuments	Write	168	0.5%
listProjects	Read	162	0.5%
getEffectivePermission	Read	160	0.4%
reorderFolders	Write	160	0.4%
setResourcePermissionOverride	Write	157	0.4%
listTaskDependencies	Read	156	0.4%
updateProject	Write	156	0.4%
listResourcePermissions	Read	155	0.4%
listWorkspaces	Read	153	0.4%
addImprovementEvidence	Write	153	0.4%
getKgScopeTree	Read	147	0.4%
createOrganisation	Write	147	0.4%
getDiagramInDocument	Read	146	0.4%
listMembers	Read	145	0.4%
listInvitations	Read	144	0.4%
addImprovementActivity	Write	144	0.4%
addPlanActivity	Write	142	0.4%
createImprovementCategory	Write	141	0.4%
updateMemberRole	Write	140	0.4%
kg_evaluate_retrieval	Write	138	0.4%
quoteCreditPackage	Execute	134	0.4%
createTeam	Write	133	0.4%
updateProfile	Write	129	0.4%
getSubscription	Read	127	0.4%
setKgProjectVisibility	Write	126	0.4%
updateOrgSettings	Write	126	0.4%
updateTaskDependency	Write	126	0.4%
removeMember	Destructive	125	0.3%
updateOrganisation	Write	124	0.3%
cancelInvitation	Destructive	123	0.3%
createImageUploadSession	Write	123	0.3%
setKgWorkspaceScope	Write	123	0.3%
listDiagramTypes	Read	121	0.3%
setMemberActive	Write	120	0.3%
updateTeam	Write	120	0.3%
resendInvitation	Execute	118	0.3%
listCreditPurchases	Read	118	0.3%
createWorkspace	Write	117	0.3%
updateOrgFeatureFlags	Write	117	0.3%
addWorkspaceMember	Write	116	0.3%
applySubscriptionChange	Write	116	0.3%
createVegaDataUploadSession	Write	114	0.3%
previewSubscriptionCancellation	Destructive	113	0.3%
getDocumentIngestJob	Read	112	0.3%
getImprovement	Read	108	0.3%
previewTaskDependencyCascade	Execute	107	0.3%
getTeam	Read	107	0.3%
listInvoices	Read	107	0.3%
searchTools	Read	105	0.3%
updateWorkspaceMember	Write	104	0.3%
deleteResourcePermission	Destructive	103	0.3%
updateResourcePermission	Write	103	0.3%
cancelAllKgInScope	Destructive	102	0.3%
updateImprovementComment	Write	101	0.3%
searchImprovements	Read	100	0.3%
previewKgRebuild	Write	100	0.3%
updatePlanComment	Write	99	0.3%
getDiagramTypeGuide	Read	98	0.3%
updateTeamWorkspaceAccess	Write	97	0.3%
getOrganisation	Read	96	0.3%
setKgDocumentScope	Write	96	0.3%
purchaseCreditPackage	Execute	95	0.3%
getWhiteboardGuide	Read	95	0.3%
setKgFolderScope	Write	95	0.3%
setPlanItemParent	Write	95	0.3%
getCurrentPlanEntitlements	Read	94	0.3%
getMember	Read	94	0.3%
grantTeamWorkspaceAccess	Write	94	0.3%
getCreditBalance	Read	93	0.3%
updateWorkspace	Write	93	0.3%
reactivateSubscription	Destructive	91	0.3%
reorderPlanPhases	Write	91	0.3%
acceptTaskDependencyReview	Destructive	90	0.3%
getTask	Read	90	0.3%
listOrganisations	Read	89	0.2%
getOrgSettings	Read	88	0.2%
listPaymentMethods	Read	88	0.2%
reorderImprovementCategories	Write	88	0.2%
getImageInDocument	Read	87	0.2%
resetDocumentInBrain	Destructive	86	0.2%
getCurrentUser	Read	86	0.2%
getPriceForTier	Read	86	0.2%
updateImprovementCategory	Write	86	0.2%
getCustomerPortalLink	Read	85	0.2%
cancelSubscription	Destructive	83	0.2%
getProject	Read	83	0.2%
addTeamMember	Write	81	0.2%
kg_related_documents	Write	78	0.2%
applyKgScopeChange	Write	77	0.2%
updateBillingEmail	Write	76	0.2%
getWorkspace	Read	75	0.2%
removeWorkspaceMember	Destructive	74	0.2%
cancelKgBuildBatch	Destructive	73	0.2%
updateFolder	Write	70	0.2%
revokeTeamWorkspaceAccess	Destructive	69	0.2%
dismissTaskDependencyReview	Destructive	68	0.2%
removeTeamMember	Destructive	68	0.2%
getUserPreferences	Read	68	0.2%
createFolder	Write	68	0.2%
getCreditPackages	Read	67	0.2%
triggerKgRebuild	Execute	66	0.2%
deleteTeam	Destructive	64	0.2%
getPlan	Read	64	0.2%
kg_scope_status	Read	63	0.2%
deleteVegaDataFile	Destructive	62	0.2%
listWhiteboards	Read	59	0.2%
deletePlan	Destructive	57	0.2%
getPlanHierarchy	Read	56	0.2%
getPlanPhase	Read	56	0.2%
deleteImageInDocument	Destructive	55	0.2%
deleteDiagramInDocument	Destructive	54	0.2%
deletePlanPhase	Destructive	54	0.2%
kg_list_communities	Read	53	0.1%
deleteImprovementComment	Destructive	52	0.1%
deletePlanComment	Destructive	50	0.1%
kg_get_wiki_page	Read	49	0.1%
kg_get_entity	Read	48	0.1%
listImprovementCategories	Read	46	0.1%
deleteTaskDependency	Destructive	45	0.1%
deleteWhiteboard	Destructive	45	0.1%
kg_suggest_sample_questions	Write	45	0.1%
deleteImprovement	Destructive	44	0.1%
kg_backlinks	Write	44	0.1%
deleteFolder	Destructive	43	0.1%
deleteImprovementCategory	Destructive	43	0.1%
listPlanPhases	Read	42	0.1%
getCdmdLanguageGuide	Read	40	0.1%
deleteDocument	Destructive	35	0.1%

// SCOPED GRANT

Most agents use a handful of these tools. They pay for all 184.

A PolicyLayer grant exposes only the tools you allow — ungranted definitions are filtered out of the tool list, so they never enter the context window. Estimates below assume typical-weight tools (194 tokens each).

Grant scope	Definition cost	Reduction
All 184 tools (no gateway)	35,752 tokens	—
3 granted tools	~583 tokens	−98%
5 granted tools	~972 tokens	−97%
10 granted tools	~1,943 tokens	−95%

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

//FAQ

Stable Baseline token-cost questions.

How many tokens does the Stable Baseline MCP server use?+

Its 184 tool definitions total 35,752 tokens — 18% 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 Stable Baseline 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 Stable Baseline's token usage?+

Expose fewer tools. A PolicyLayer grant scopes Stable Baseline 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 583 tokens, a 98% 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 07-06-2026 from the PolicyLayer scan database over all 184 catalogued Stable Baseline tools. Counts refresh with every site build.