@aiwerk/mcp-server-imap

IMAP/SMTP MCP server that works with any email provider. Set host, user, pass — done.

Unlike Gmail-only or Outlook-only MCP servers, this one speaks standard IMAP/SMTP — so it works with every email provider out of the box.

Why this server?

Most email MCP servers only work with one provider (Gmail, Outlook). This one works with any provider that supports IMAP:

• Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo — yes
• Fastmail, ProtonMail Bridge, Zoho — yes
• Self-hosted (Dovecot, Postfix, hMailServer) — yes
• Corporate/hosted (Hostpoint, Infomaniak, OVH) — yes

One server, every mailbox.

Highlights

• Universal — standard IMAP/SMTP, works everywhere
• Simple setup — just IMAP_HOST, IMAP_USER, IMAP_PASS and you're connected
• Safety first — email sending is disabled by default (SMTP_SEND_ENABLED=false). Your AI agent can read emails but can't send anything until you explicitly opt in
• Lazy credentials — the server starts and exposes its tool list without requiring credentials. Auth is only needed when a tool is actually called
• Real MIME parsing — handles multipart, HTML/text, attachments, reply threading

Install

Two ways to run this server — pick the one that fits.

Option 1 — Hosted (zero setup)

No local runtime, no env vars on your machine — credentials are AES-256-GCM encrypted server-side via HashiCorp Vault.

1. Sign up at aiwerkmcp.com.
2. Install IMAP Email from the catalog and paste your IMAP/SMTP credentials.
3. Point your MCP client (Claude.ai, Cursor, Hermes, …) at your hosted endpoint:

   https://bridge.aiwerk.ch/u/<your-user-id>/mcp
   

   with your Bearer token.

All 10 tools appear immediately. Install other AIWerk recipes from the same bridge.

Option 2 — Self-hosted (npx)

Run directly — you manage the credentials:

IMAP_HOST="imap.example.com" \
IMAP_USER="user@example.com" \
IMAP_PASS="app-password" \
SMTP_HOST="smtp.example.com" \
npx @aiwerk/mcp-server-imap

The server starts immediately and responds to tools/list even without credentials — they're only required when a tool is actually called (lazy credentials).

Tools (10)

Configuration

Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "email": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@aiwerk/mcp-server-imap"],
      "env": {
        "IMAP_HOST": "imap.example.com",
        "IMAP_USER": "you@example.com",
        "IMAP_PASS": "your-app-password",
        "SMTP_HOST": "smtp.example.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

Cursor / Windsurf / VS Code

Same config format in the respective MCP settings.

AIWerk hosted bridge

If you want zero-setup, install via aiwerkmcp.com — see Option 1 above.

Environment variables

IMAP (required)

SMTP (optional, for sending)

Debug

Security

• Email sending is disabled by default — set SMTP_SEND_ENABLED=true to enable
• Credentials are loaded lazily (only when a tool is called, not at startup)
• No credentials are logged
• Keep credentials in .env or a secret manager — never commit them to git

Supported providers

Tested with: Hostpoint, Gmail (app password), Outlook/Microsoft 365, Yahoo Mail, Fastmail, Dovecot, Postfix.

Works with any standards-compliant IMAP/SMTP server.

Build from source

git clone https://github.com/AIWerk/mcp-server-imap
cd mcp-server-imap
npm install
npm run build
node dist/server.js

Contributing

Issues and PRs are welcome! Please open an issue first for larger changes.

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for version history.

About AIWerk MCP

Part of the AIWerk MCP platform — curated, signed MCP recipes served either as npm packages for self-hosting or through our multi-tenant hosted bridge (bridge.aiwerk.ch).

Other AIWerk MCP servers:

• @aiwerk/mcp-server-cal — Cal.com scheduling
• @aiwerk/mcp-server-wise — Wise (TransferWise) Personal API, read-only
• @aiwerk/mcp-server-clawhub — ClawHub skill catalog

Browse the full catalog (20+ recipes including GitHub, Linear, Notion, Stripe, …) at aiwerkmcp.com.

License

MIT — AIWerk