Mac Messages MCP vs Telegram MCP Server (chigwell)

A side-by-side comparison of two Communication servers — tools, transport, auth, maintenance, and copy-paste config for each.

	Mac Messages MCP Read and send macOS iMessage/SMS from your Messages database, with attachments and contacts. Unverified stdio (local) No auth Python	Telegram MCP Server (chigwell) Full Telegram user-account MCP via MTProto: read chats, manage groups, send messages Verified stdio (local) API key Python
Category	Communication	Communication
Language	Python	Python
Transport	stdio (local)	stdio (local)
Auth	None	API key
GitHub stars	297	1.2k
Last commit	3 days ago	11 days ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`uv pip install mac-messages-mcp`	`git clone https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp && cd telegram-mcp && uv sync && uv run main.py`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick Mac Messages MCP if you want zero-setup with no API key.

Pick Telegram MCP Server (chigwell) if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a verified, documented setup.

Add Mac Messages MCP

Install / run

uv pip install mac-messages-mcp

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mac-messages-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mac-messages-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Requires `uv` (the Python package runner). Install it from https://docs.astral.sh/uv/ if `uvx` is not found.

Add Telegram MCP Server (chigwell)

Install / run

git clone https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp && cd telegram-mcp && uv sync && uv run main.py

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "telegram-mcp-server-chigwell": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "/absolute/path/to/telegram-mcp",
        "run",
        "main.py"
      ],
      "env": {
        "TELEGRAM_API_ID": "<your-telegram-api-id>",
        "TELEGRAM_API_HASH": "<your-telegram-api-hash>",
        "TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING": "<your-generated-session-string>"
      }
    }
  }
}

FAQ

Mac Messages MCP or Telegram MCP Server (chigwell) — which is better?

Pick Mac Messages MCP if you want zero-setup with no API key. Pick Telegram MCP Server (chigwell) if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a verified, documented setup.

Can I use both Mac Messages MCP and Telegram MCP Server (chigwell)?

Yes — MCP clients let you enable multiple servers at once. Add both configs to your client's mcpServers and use whichever tool fits the task.

Do Mac Messages MCP and Telegram MCP Server (chigwell) work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

Both do. Copy the per-client config below into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf.

View Mac Messages MCP →View Telegram MCP Server (chigwell) →More comparisons →