A Trello MCP server gives an AI client tools to read and manage your boards, lists and cards — so you can ask Claude to triage a board, create cards from notes, or summarise what's in progress. Here is the setup.
Step 1 — get an API key and token
Go to trello.com/power-ups/admin to get your API key, then use the token link on that page to authorise and generate a token. For a quick token, visit:
https://trello.com/1/authorize?expiration=30days&scope=read,write&response_type=token&name=Loadout&key=YOUR_API_KEY
Use a short expiration and rotate tokens — a Trello token grants access to your boards.
Step 2 — configure the client
Claude Code one-liner:
claude mcp add trello -e TRELLO_API_KEY=your_key -e TRELLO_TOKEN=your_token --scope user -- npx -y @delorenj/mcp-server-trello
Or in a JSON config (Claude Desktop / Cursor):
{
"mcpServers": {
"trello": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@delorenj/mcp-server-trello"],
"env": {
"TRELLO_API_KEY": "your_key",
"TRELLO_TOKEN": "your_token"
}
}
}
}
Restart the client; see MCP config file location.
Step 3 — verify
Ask: "List the cards in my 'Sprint' board's In Progress list." Real cards back confirm it works.
Common problems
invalid key/unauthorized— wrong key or token, or the token expired (you set an expiration — regenerate).scopeerrors on write — your token was generated read-only; re-authorise withscope=read,write.- No tools in client — Node 18+ for
npx; see Cursor MCP not working.
Security
A Trello token can read and modify all your boards. Keep it out of any shared config, use short expirations, and rotate regularly — see MCP security best practices.
Going further
Trello pairs with GitHub and Slack servers for a team-ops stack. Browse the productivity category or curated loadouts. Comparing trackers? See Linear MCP vs Jira MCP.