Square MCP

How to Install and Use Square MCP

If you want to connect with Square's API easily, Square MCP is a great tool for you. It follows a special standard called Model Context Protocol that helps AI assistants work with Square’s services. Here’s a simple guide on how to install and start using Square MCP with examples.

Quick Start for Basic Setup

Before diving in, let's get your Square MCP server running fast. You only need one command for this.

To start the Square MCP server quickly, open your terminal or command prompt and run:

npx square-mcp-server start

This command runs the server right away, but you will need to add your Square access token to work with real data.

Adding Your Square Access Token

To use Square MCP with your own Square account, you have to tell it your access token. You can get this token by following Square's guide on Square Access Tokens.

Once you have your token, you can start the server with your token set as an environment variable. For example:

ACCESS_TOKEN=YOUR_SQUARE_ACCESS_TOKEN SANDBOX=true npx square-mcp-server start

Replace YOUR_SQUARE_ACCESS_TOKEN with your real token. This example also sets the server to use Square’s sandbox environment, which is useful for testing.

Running the Server Locally

If you have downloaded the Square MCP project, you can run it locally from your machine.

Navigate to the project folder and run:

npx /path/to/project/square-mcp-server

This starts the server on your local computer, so you can test it without needing online services.

Using the Hosted Remote MCP Server

If you prefer not to manage tokens or tokens manually, Square offers a hosted remote MCP server. It uses OAuth for easy login with your Square account.

Here is the URL for this service:

https://mcp.squareup.com/sse

You can use this remote server in your applications or with AI assistants like Goose or Claude Desktop without needing to set up anything complicated.

Installing Square MCP for Goose AI Assistant

If you want to use Square MCP with the Goose AI assistant, you can quickly add it.

Here’s a quick way: run this command in your terminal:

npx square-mcp-server install

This command automatically updates your Goose configuration.

Or, if you want the link to add it manually, use:

npx square-mcp-server get-goose-url

You can paste the URL you get into your browser to install in Goose.

Additionally, you can open this special link on your computer where Goose is installed:

goose://extension?cmd=npx&arg=mcp-remote&arg=https%3A%2F%2Fmcp.squareup.com%2Fsse&id=square_mcp_production_remote&name=Square%20MCP%20Remote&description=Square%20Production%20MCP%20Remote

Setting up Square MCP with Claude Desktop

You can add Square MCP to Claude Desktop with a simple JSON configuration.

For the remote MCP server:

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp_square_api": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-remote", "https://mcp.squareup.com/sse"]
    }
  }
}

For a local MCP server:

Use this configuration instead, filling in your access token:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp_square_api": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["square-mcp-server", "start"],
      "env": {
        "ACCESS_TOKEN": "YOUR_SQUARE_ACCESS_TOKEN",
        "SANDBOX": "true"
      }
    }
  }
}

Summary

In short, to get started with Square MCP:

1. Run it fast with npx square-mcp-server start.
2. Add your access token using environment variables for full access.
3. Use the hosted remote server at https://mcp.squareup.com/sse if you prefer no token management.
4. Integrate easily with AI assistants like Goose and Claude Desktop using their instructions or commands.

With these steps, you can start using Square MCP to connect to Square APIs with ease!