Free online task manager MCP resources
Task manager MCP resources: a client setup matrix, the 25-tool inventory for Done Bear's hosted server, auth and scopes, and which rivals ship MCP.
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The short answer
An MCP task manager exposes your real to-do list to AI assistants over the Model Context Protocol. Done Bear hosts one at mcp.donebear.com/mcp: Streamable HTTP, OAuth 2.1, 25 tools. Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, Codex, and VS Code Copilot all connect. Todoist and TickTick ship servers; Things 3 does not.
Key takeaways
- Remote MCP servers use Streamable HTTP, so there is no npm package or API key in the normal flow.
- OAuth 2.1 carries authorization: the client hits a 401, discovers metadata, then opens a browser.
- Done Bear exposes 25 tools, 8 read and 17 write; a read-only API key can only reach the 8.
- The config key differs per client. Windsurf wants serverUrl, Cursor wants url, VS Code wants type plus url.
- Coding-task planners like Task Master are not task managers; they end with the session.
What these task manager MCP resources cover
Most MCP instructions stop at "paste the URL". The connection then fails on a config key nobody mentioned, and there is no list telling you which key your client wants.
This page is that list: a client setup matrix with the failure for each, the full tool inventory for the hosted Done Bear server, how auth and scopes behave, and which task managers ship MCP. It is not an explainer.
For what the category is and why coding-task planners are not task managers, read What is an MCP task manager? For per-client walkthroughs, use the MCP clients hub.
The Done Bear endpoint referenced throughout is https://mcp.donebear.com/mcp. Transport and authorization claims come from the MCP specification; per-client details come from each vendor's own documentation.
Which clients connect, and how
Any client that speaks Streamable HTTP can connect. What differs is the config key and the plan gate, which is where most setups fail.
| Client | How you add it | What usually breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Claude (desktop and web) | Settings, Connectors, add custom connector, paste the URL | Custom connectors need a paid plan. Mobile support is uneven. |
| ChatGPT | Developer Mode, Apps and Connectors, add the URL | Developer Mode must be on, and the free plan cannot add it. |
| Claude Code | claude mcp add --transport http donebear <url> | Without --transport http it assumes stdio and fails. |
| Cursor | One-click deeplink, or a url entry in .cursor/mcp.json | The deeplink only fires if Cursor is already installed. |
| Windsurf | serverUrl entry in ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json | It wants serverUrl, not url. A config copied from Cursor fails. |
| Codex | codex mcp add donebear --url <url>, then codex mcp login | First remote server needs experimental_use_rmcp_client in config.toml. |
| VS Code (Copilot) | servers entry in .vscode/mcp.json with "type": "http" | Omit "type": "http" and it is read as a stdio server. |
| Raycast | Install the Done Bear extension from the Raycast Store | The native extension is the verified path; MCP is provisional. |
What tools an MCP task manager exposes
Done Bear exposes 25 tools: 8 read and 17 write. Read tools are safe to hand an assistant unsupervised. Write tools are the ones worth reviewing before you approve them.
| Area | Read | Write |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | get_context | None |
| Tasks | task_list, task_show, search | task_add, task_edit, task_done, task_reopen, task_archive, task_assign, task_bulk_edit, task_bulk_done |
| Projects | project_list | project_add, project_edit |
| Labels | label_list | label_create, label_add, label_remove |
| Checklists | checklist_list | checklist_add, checklist_done, checklist_edit, checklist_remove |
| Teams | team_list | None |
Four of the write tools are marked destructive in their tool annotations: task_archive, checklist_remove, label_remove, and task_bulk_edit. Clients that surface that hint will ask before running them.
How auth works on a remote MCP server
The MCP authorization spec puts OAuth 2.1 at the centre. Your client calls the server, receives a 401, discovers the OAuth endpoints through protected resource metadata, then opens a browser for you to sign in. After that it holds tokens and you never touch a key.
Clients that support direct bearer headers can send a Done Bear API key instead. Scope is enforced server-side: a read-only key reaches the 8 read tools and nothing else, and every mutation needs the write scope. OAuth is still the better default because you can revoke one client without touching the others.
Which task managers actually ship an MCP server
Fewer than a search suggests. Much of what ranks for "MCP task manager" is a coding-task planner that forgets your list when the session ends.
| Product | Ships MCP | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Done Bear | Yes | Hosted, Streamable HTTP with OAuth 2.1, 25 tools, free plan |
| Todoist | Yes | Official server over the Todoist API |
| TickTick | Yes | Official server, paid beta |
| Things 3 | No | No official server; community bridges only, via local automation |
| Task Master, Shrimp Task Manager | Different category | Coding-task planners, not to-do lists; state ends with the session |
If you already live in Todoist or TickTick and only want agent access, their servers are a reasonable answer and you should stay. Compare the rest at Todoist, TickTick, and Things 3.
Setup failure modes worth knowing first
- Wrong config key: url in Windsurf, serverUrl in Cursor, or a missing type in VS Code. This is the most common failed connection.
- Missing transport flag: claude mcp add without --transport http registers a stdio command that never starts.
- Stale auth: a client that cached a failed OAuth attempt keeps failing. Clear its saved MCP auth state and reconnect.
- Free plan: Claude and ChatGPT both gate custom connectors behind a paid plan.
- Multiple workspaces: pass workspace to a tool, or set a default in the web app, or calls return an ambiguity error.
- Read-only key: a read-scoped API key can call the 8 read tools and nothing else. Mutations need the write scope.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install anything to use a remote MCP server?
No. Streamable HTTP servers are reached over a URL, so the normal flow has no npm package, no local process, and no API key. Your client discovers the OAuth endpoints and opens a browser on the first call.
Can I use an API key instead of OAuth?
Yes, for clients that support direct bearer headers. A read-only key reaches the 8 read tools; write actions need a key with the write scope. OAuth remains the recommended path because it is revocable per client.
Which other task managers ship an MCP server?
Todoist and TickTick both ship official servers, and TickTick's is a paid beta. Things 3 ships none; what exists is community bridges built on local automation, not a hosted server.
Are Task Master and Shrimp Task Manager MCP task managers?
They solve a different problem. Task Master and Shrimp Task Manager decompose a coding job into sub-tasks for the length of a session. They are not where a dentist appointment goes.
Where this information comes from
- Model Context Protocol, Specification: Transports (Streamable HTTP is the transport remote MCP servers use, alongside stdio for local ones)
- Model Context Protocol, Specification: Authorization (OAuth 2.1 authorization, protected resource metadata discovery, and the 401 handshake)
- Anthropic, Introducing the Model Context Protocol (MCP is an open standard, introduced by Anthropic in November 2024)
- Anthropic, Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP (the claude mcp add --transport http flow and scope handling in Claude Code)
- Microsoft, Add and manage MCP servers in VS Code (the .vscode/mcp.json servers entry and its "type": "http" key)
Tool counts and scope behaviour are read from the Done Bear MCP server itself, not from a third party.
When you might not need this
If you never ask an assistant about your tasks, MCP adds a connection to maintain and nothing else. It earns its place when you already work in Claude, ChatGPT, or an editor and keep retyping what they suggest.
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