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Updated March 25, 2026: Figma's official MCP now has write capabilities via the new use_figma tool + agent skills. This guide covers the core differences between MCPs - we'll have a dedicated breakdown of the new features soon.
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The complete guide to the 3 Figma MCP servers. What they do, how they're different, and which one is right for you.
Before we get into the three servers, let's get this out of the way.
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. Think of it as a bridge that lets AI tools talk directly to other apps like Figma.
The AI tools that use MCPs are things like Claude (an AI assistant by Anthropic), Cursor (a code editor with AI built in), VS Code (a popular code editor by Microsoft), and Windsurf (another AI-powered code editor). These are all called IDEs, which stands for Integrated Development Environment. That's just a fancy name for a code editor where you write, test, and run code all in one place.
Instead of screenshotting your design and pasting it into ChatGPT (we've all done it), an MCP server gives the AI actual structured data from your Figma file. Layers, variables, spacing values, component names. The real stuff, not just a flat image.
That means the AI can generate code, extract tokens, or even modify your file with way more accuracy than guessing from a flat image.
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Think of it this way: MCP is like giving an AI assistant a backstage pass to your Figma file instead of making them watch from the audience.
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There are currently three major MCP servers that connect AI to Figma. They look similar on the surface, but they solve very different problems.
Made by: Figma
Cost: Requires a Dev or Full seat on a paid Figma plan
Direction: Figma to Code (one way, read only)
This is the one most people have heard about. Figma built it, it ships with Figma, and it's designed for developers and designers who need to turn designs into code.
You select a frame in Figma, and the MCP gives your AI structured data about that frame. By default it returns code in React (a popular JavaScript framework for building user interfaces) with Tailwind CSS (a utility-first CSS framework that lets you style things with class names instead of writing custom CSS). But you can prompt it to output whatever framework you want.