Home / Token cost / Trello

The Trello MCP server costs 63,945 tokens before the first call.

Connect Trello and its 200 tool definitions are loaded into the model's context on every request — 32% of a 200k window spent before your agent does anything.

QUICK ANSWER The Trello MCP server's tool definitions consume 63,945 tokens — 59× the median MCP server (1,075 tokens). A scoped grant exposing only the tools you use cuts that roughly in proportion.

MEASURED FROM SCHEMAS 200 tools · 63,945 tokens · 32% of 200k · 6.4% of 1M Method →

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 32%
1M WINDOW 6.4%

Corpus context: Trello ranks #6 of 1,659 measured MCP servers by definition cost. The median is 1,075 tokens, p90 is 6,119, and the heaviest (Fusionauth) is 183,337 — 92% of a 200k window on its own.

Where the 63,945 tokens go.

Each row is one tool definition as a tools/list entry — name, description and input schema — counted with o200k_base. Average: 320 tokens per tool.

ToolCategoryTokens% of server
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 2,607 4.1%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 2,600 4.1%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_BY_ID_ORG Read 1,751 2.7%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS Write 1,593 2.5%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_BY_ID_CARD Read 1,446 2.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_ACTIONS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 1,293 2.0%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_ACTIONS_BY_ID_CARD Read 1,282 2.0%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERS_CARDS_BY_ID_ORG_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 1,234 1.9%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_ACTIONS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 1,205 1.9%
TRELLO_GET_SEARCH Read 1,193 1.9%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BOARDS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 1,188 1.9%
TRELLO_GET_LISTS_CARDS_BY_ID_LIST Read 1,187 1.9%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_BOARDS_BY_ID_ORG Read 1,115 1.7%
TRELLO_GET_LISTS_ACTIONS_BY_ID_LIST Read 1,104 1.7%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_CARDS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 1,090 1.7%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 1,042 1.6%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_ACTIONS_BY_ID_ORG Read 1,004 1.6%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MEMBERS_CARDS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 976 1.5%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_CARDS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_ID_CARD Read 953 1.5%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS Write 865 1.4%
TRELLO_ADD_ORGANIZATIONS Write 816 1.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_CARDS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 746 1.2%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_CARD Read 635 1.0%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_NOTIFICATIONS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 618 1.0%
TRELLO_GET_CHECKLISTS_CARDS_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Read 611 1.0%
TRELLO_GET_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Read 586 0.9%
TRELLO_GET_LISTS_BY_ID_LIST Read 532 0.8%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 483 0.8%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_BY_ID_ACTION Read 474 0.7%
TRELLO_ADD_LISTS_CARDS_BY_ID_LIST Write 474 0.7%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_CARD Write 420 0.7%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_LISTS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 412 0.6%
TRELLO_ADD_LISTS Write 389 0.6%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_STICKERS_BY_ID_CARD Write 352 0.6%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERSHIPS_BY_ID_ORG Read 348 0.5%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_LABELS_BY_ID_CARD Write 346 0.5%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MEMBERS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 344 0.5%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERS_BY_ID_ORG Read 338 0.5%
TRELLO_ADD_CHECKLISTS Write 338 0.5%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_ORGANIZATIONS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 333 0.5%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_ATTACHMENTS_BY_ID_CARD Write 319 0.5%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MEMBERSHIPS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 307 0.5%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MEMBERSHIPS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_ID_MEMBERSHIP Read 300 0.5%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERSHIPS_BY_ID_ORG_BY_ID_MEMBERSHIP Read 296 0.5%
TRELLO_ADD_MEMBERS_SAVED_SEARCHES_BY_ID_MEMBER Write 280 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERS_INVITED_BY_ID_ORG Read 276 0.4%
TRELLO_ADD_MEMBERS_BOARD_BACKGROUNDS_BY_ID_MEMBER Write 272 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_DELTAS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 261 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_ATTACHMENTS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_ATTACHMENT Read 259 0.4%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_CHECKLIST_CHECK_ITEM_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Write 259 0.4%
TRELLO_ADD_TOKENS_WEBHOOKS_BY_TOKEN Write 259 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_STICKERS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_STICKER Read 258 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_MEMBER_CREATOR_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 254 0.4%
TRELLO_ADD_CHECKLISTS_CHECK_ITEMS_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Write 253 0.4%
TRELLO_ADD_LABELS Write 245 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_ORGANIZATION_BY_ID_BOARD Read 243 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_CARD_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 242 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_LABELS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 237 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBER_CUSTOM_EMOJI Read 237 0.4%
TRELLO_CONVERT_CHECKLIST_ITEM_TO_CARD Destructive 235 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBER_CUSTOM_STICKER Read 234 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBER_CUSTOM_BG Read 233 0.4%
TRELLO_ADD_MEMBERS_CUSTOM_BOARD_BACKGROUNDS_BY_ID_MEMBER Write 233 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_MEMBERS_BY_ID_CARD Read 231 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_MEMBERS_VOTED_BY_ID_CARD Read 231 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_BOARD_BY_ID_CARD Read 230 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_MEMBER_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 229 0.4%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS_LISTS_BY_ID_BOARD Write 226 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MEMBERS_INVITED_BY_ID_BOARD Read 225 0.4%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_LABELS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_ID_LABEL Read 218 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_ATTACHMENTS_BY_ID_CARD Read 218 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BOARDS_INVITED_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 218 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_ATTACHMENTS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_ATTACHMENT Destructive 215 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_MEMBER_CREATOR_BY_ID_ACTION Read 211 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_ORGANIZATION_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 211 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_MEMBER_BY_ID_ACTION Read 209 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_LABELS_BOARD_BY_ID_LABEL Read 207 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_MEMBERS_AVATAR_BY_ID_MEMBER Write 207 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_ORGANIZATION_BY_ID_ACTION Read 206 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_CARD_BY_ID_ACTION Read 205 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_LISTS_BOARD_BY_ID_LIST Read 205 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_CHECK_ITEM_STATES_BY_ID_CARD Read 204 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_STICKERS_BY_ID_CARD Read 203 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_BOARD_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 203 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_MEMBERS_BOARD_STARS_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_ID_BOARD_STAR Destructive 202 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_LIST_BY_ID_CARD Read 202 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_DELTAS_BY_ID_ORG Read 202 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_BOARD_BY_ID_ACTION Read 201 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CHECKLISTS_CHECK_ITEMS_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Read 201 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_ID_LABELS_BY_ID_CARD Write 201 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_MEMBERS_VOTED_BY_ID_CARD Write 198 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CHECK_ITEM_BY_ID Read 197 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS_LABELS_BY_ID_BOARD Write 193 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_LABELS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_COLOR Destructive 192 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CHECKLISTS_BOARD_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Read 190 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_BY_ID_ACTION_BY_FIELD Read 189 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_DELTAS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 189 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BOARD_STARS_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_ID_BOARD_STAR Read 188 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_MEMBERS_BOARD_STARS_BY_ID_MEMBER Write 187 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERS_ALL_BY_ID_ORG_BY_ID_MEMBER Destructive 186 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBER_BOARD_BACKGROUND Read 186 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_ORGANIZATIONS_INVITED_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 185 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_BOARDS_POWER_UPS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_POWER_UP Destructive 184 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_MEMBERS_VOTED_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_MEMBER Destructive 184 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_LISTS_MOVE_ALL_CARDS_BY_ID_LIST Destructive 179 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_ACTIONS_COMMENTS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_ACTION Destructive 179 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_LIST_BY_ID_CARD_BY_FIELD Read 178 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_CHECKLIST_BY_FIELD Read 178 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_MEMBERS_CUSTOM_STICKERS_BY_ID_MEMBER Write 178 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_FIELD Read 177 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_CARD_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION_BY_FIELD Read 176 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_ACTIONS_COMMENTS_BY_ID_CARD Write 176 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_BOARD Write 175 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_LIST_BY_ID_ACTION Read 174 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_BATCH Read 174 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_ID_LABELS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_LABEL Destructive 172 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_ORGANIZATION_BY_ID_ACTION_BY_FIELD Read 171 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BOARDS_INVITED_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_FIELD Read 169 0.3%
TRELLO_ADD_CARDS_ID_MEMBERS_BY_ID_CARD Write 169 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_BOARDS_MEMBERS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_ID_MEMBER Destructive 167 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Destructive 167 0.3%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_ID_MEMBERS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_MEMBER Destructive 167 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_CHECKLISTS_BOARD_BY_ID_CHECKLIST_BY_FIELD Read 165 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BOARDS_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_FILTER Read 164 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION_BY_FIELD Read 164 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_LIST_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION_BY_FIELD Read 161 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_LISTS_BOARD_BY_ID_LIST_BY_FIELD Read 160 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_CARDS_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_FILTER Read 160 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_BOARDS_BY_ID_ORG_BY_FILTER Read 160 0.3%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_CARDS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_FILTER Read 159 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_CHECKLISTS_CARDS_BY_ID_CHECKLIST_BY_FILTER Read 159 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERS_BY_ID_ORG_BY_FILTER Read 159 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_BOARD_BY_ID_CARD_BY_FIELD Read 158 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_BY_ID_ORG_BY_FIELD Read 157 0.2%
TRELLO_ADD_MEMBERS_CUSTOM_EMOJI_BY_ID_MEMBER Write 157 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_CHECKLIST_ITEM Destructive 156 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_MEMBER_BOARD_BACKGROUND Destructive 156 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBER_SAVED_SEARCH Read 156 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_FIELD Read 156 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_STICKERS_BY_ID_CARD_BY_ID_STICKER Destructive 155 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BOARD_BACKGROUNDS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 155 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_CUSTOM_STICKERS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 154 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_NOTIFICATIONS_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_FILTER Read 154 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_LABELS_BOARD_BY_ID_LABEL_BY_FIELD Read 153 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_CARD_BY_ID_ACTION_BY_FIELD Read 151 0.2%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS_POWER_UPS_BY_ID_BOARD Write 147 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_BOARD_STARS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 146 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERS_INVITED_BY_ID_ORG_BY_FIELD Read 142 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_ORG_ASSOCIATED_DOMAIN Destructive 141 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_ACTIONS_BY_ID_ACTION Destructive 140 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_BOARD_BY_ID_ACTION_BY_FIELD Read 140 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_LISTS_BY_ID_LIST_BY_FIELD Read 138 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_CUSTOM_BOARD_BACKGROUNDS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 138 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_ORGANIZATIONS_MEMBERS_BY_ID_ORG_BY_ID_MEMBER Destructive 136 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MEMBERS_INVITED_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_FIELD Read 136 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_FIELD Read 133 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_LISTS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_FILTER Read 133 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_LIST_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 133 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_ORGANIZATION_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_FIELD Read 132 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATION_ORG_FIELD Read 132 0.2%
TRELLO_ADD_ORGANIZATIONS_LOGO_BY_ID_ORG Write 132 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_ORGANIZATIONS_LOGO_BY_ID_ORG Destructive 131 0.2%
TRELLO_DISMISS_MEMBER_MESSAGE Read 131 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_LISTS_CARDS_BY_ID_LIST_BY_FILTER Read 130 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_ORGANIZATIONS_PREFS_ORG_INVITE_RESTRICT_BY_ID_ORG Destructive 127 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_LABELS_BY_ID_LABEL Read 126 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_SAVED_SEARCHES_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 126 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_MEMBER_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION_BY_FIELD Read 126 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_ORGANIZATIONS_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_FILTER Read 125 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_TOKENS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 124 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_DISPLAY_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 124 0.2%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS_MARK_AS_VIEWED_BY_ID_BOARD Write 124 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_MEMBER_CREATOR_BY_ID_ACTION_BY_FIELD Read 122 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_ENTITIES_BY_ID_ACTION Read 121 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_ORGANIZATIONS_INVITED_BY_ID_MEMBER_BY_FIELD Read 120 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_LABELS_BY_ID_LABEL Destructive 116 0.2%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS_EMAIL_KEY_GENERATE_BY_ID_BOARD Write 116 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MEMBERS_BY_ID_BOARD_BY_FILTER Read 115 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_CUSTOM_EMOJI_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 115 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_MEMBER_BY_ID_ACTION_BY_FIELD Read 114 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_CARDS_BY_ID_CARD Destructive 113 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_MEMBER_CUSTOM_STICKER Destructive 113 0.2%
TRELLO_ADD_SESSIONS Write 113 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_BOARD_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION_BY_FIELD Read 112 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_DISPLAY_BY_ID_ACTION Read 111 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIFICATIONS_ENTITIES_BY_ID_NOTIFICATION Read 111 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_MEMBER_SAVED_SEARCH Destructive 109 0.2%
TRELLO_ADD_LISTS_ARCHIVE_ALL_CARDS_BY_ID_LIST Write 109 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_WEBHOOKS_BY_ID_WEBHOOK Destructive 106 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_NOTIF_CREATOR_FIELD Read 105 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_CHECKLISTS_BY_ID_CHECKLIST Destructive 102 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_MEMBERS_BOARD_STARS_BY_ID_MEMBER Read 102 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_CARDS_CUSTOM_FIELD_ITEMS_BY_ID_CARD Read 100 0.2%
TRELLO_DELETE_ORGANIZATIONS_BY_ID_ORG Destructive 96 0.2%
TRELLO_GET_BOARDS_MY_PREFS_BY_ID_BOARD Read 95 0.1%
TRELLO_DELETE_TOKENS_WEBHOOKS_BY_TOKEN_BY_ID_WEBHOOK Destructive 94 0.1%
TRELLO_ADD_BOARDS_CALENDAR_KEY_GENERATE_BY_ID_BOARD Write 87 0.1%
TRELLO_GET_ACTIONS_LIST_BY_ID_ACTION_BY_FIELD Read 83 0.1%
TRELLO_DELETE_TOKENS_BY_TOKEN Destructive 63 0.1%
TRELLO_ADD_NOTIFICATIONS_ALL_READ Destructive 50 0.1%

Most agents use a handful of these tools. They pay for all 200.

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 (320 tokens each).

Grant scopeDefinition costReduction
All 200 tools (no gateway) 63,945 tokens
3 granted tools ~959 tokens −99%
5 granted tools ~1,599 tokens −98%
10 granted tools ~3,197 tokens −95%

Trello token-cost questions.

How many tokens does the Trello MCP server use?+

Its 200 tool definitions total 63,945 tokens — 32% 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 Trello 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 Trello's token usage?+

Expose fewer tools. A PolicyLayer grant scopes Trello 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 959 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.

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 05-06-2026 from the PolicyLayer scan database over all 200 catalogued Trello tools. Counts refresh with every site build.

Expose only the tools you use — the rest never enter your context.

A PolicyLayer grant scopes Trello to the tools you actually allow. Ungranted definitions never load, and every call that does run is checked against policy first.

Free to start. No card required.

4,600+ MCP servers and 31,000+ tools scanned and risk-classified.

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