Connect Claude & Cursor to Chinese AI Models via MCP Server

One SSE endpoint. Six top Chinese LLMs. Zero local setup.

Table of Contents

What is Model Context Protocol (MCP)?

Model Context Protocol is an open standard developed by Anthropic that lets AI assistants like Claude securely connect to external data sources and tools. Think of it as a "USB-C for AI" — one standard interface that works across any client and any server.

With MCP, your AI agent can:

Why Chinese AI Models Matter in 2026

Chinese LLMs have quietly become some of the most capable and cost-effective models available:

Combined, these models offer 40% lower pricing than OpenRouter and 80% lower than direct OpenAI — with comparable or better performance on many benchmarks.

Setup Guide: Claude Desktop

Add TokenEase to your Claude Desktop configuration in under 60 seconds.

Step 1: Get your API key

Register for free — no credit card required. You get $1 credit (1M tokens, 14 days).

Step 2: Edit Claude Desktop config

Open claude_desktop_config.json:

// macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
// Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tokenease": {
      "url": "https://tokenease.io/mcp/sse",
      "headers": {
        "x-api-key": "YOUR_TOKENEASE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Restart Claude Desktop

Look for the hammer icon in the chat input — that's your MCP tools. Ask Claude to "list available tools" to verify the connection.

Tip: If you do not include the x-api-key header, Claude will use a shared demo key with limited quota. For production use, always use your own key.

Setup Guide: Cursor

Cursor supports MCP via its .cursor/mcp.json configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tokenease": {
      "url": "https://tokenease.io/mcp/sse",
      "headers": {
        "x-api-key": "YOUR_TOKENEASE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Cursor and open the Composer (Cmd+I). The TokenEase tools will appear in the tool palette.

Available Tools

ToolDescriptionParameters
tokenease_chatSend chat completion to any modelmodel, messages, temperature
tokenease_list_modelsList all models with pricing and capabilitiesnone

Model Comparison

ModelContextInput $/MOutput $/MBest For
DeepSeek V4128K$0.30$1.20Coding, math, reasoning
Kimi K3256K$0.50$2.00Long documents, legal
GLM-5128K$0.40$0.60Chinese, general purpose
Qwen-Plus128K$0.35$0.50Multilingual, agents
Doubao Pro128K$0.30$0.40Content creation
Hunyuan32K$0.40$0.70Enterprise, compliance

Pricing

TokenEase operates on a simple model: pay for what you use.

FAQ

Do I need to install anything locally?

No. TokenEase MCP Server is hosted at https://tokenease.io/mcp/sse. Just add the URL to your MCP client configuration.

Is my API key secure?

Yes. Your API key is sent in the request headers and never exposed in logs or shared with other users. All connections use HTTPS.

Can I use this with other MCP clients?

Any client that supports SSE transport works: Claude Desktop, Cursor, Continue.dev, Cline, and any custom implementation.

What happens if I exceed my quota?

You will receive a clear error message. Upgrade to a paid plan or wait for the next billing cycle. No surprise charges.

Does the MCP server support streaming?

The current SSE transport supports real-time tool discovery. Chat completion streaming is available via the standard /v1/chat/completions API endpoint.

Get Your Free API Key →