Plain Freight — MCP server for Claude Code: setup and features
Get China-to-US shipping estimates that account for customs clearance, import duties, and delivery to the destination door. Request a firm quote or check the progress of a shipment through an AI agent.
claude mcp add --transport http quotes https://plainfreight.com/api/mcpWhat Plain Freight does
Plain Freight connects an AI coding client to a freight pricing service for shipments from China to the United States. Its estimates cover air freight and sea freight when chargeable weight reaches 100 kg, with transit estimates and an indication of whether US import duty is included. Supply the shipment weight and, when available, carton measurements, carton count, or total volume. Dimensional weight can exceed scale weight, which affects pricing for bulky, lightweight cargo.
The server exposes five tools: estimate_price, check_goods, generate_offer, check_offer_status, and track_shipment. The first estimates shipping costs; the second checks whether a product can be priced immediately or needs human review. generate_offer records a quote request and returns a quote_id plus a prefilled booking-form link. A later status check can introduce questions, revise shipping options, or require another review. Booking and payment do not happen inside the chat.
Connect over HTTP using https://plainfreight.com/api/mcp. No API key or signup is required. Restricted or review-dependent goods, such as batteries and chemicals, can have their prices withheld until a person clears them. Cargo insurance is arranged separately and is excluded from the quoted price. Anyone with a shipment tracking link can access its tracking record, so treat that link as a credential.
What it helps with
- Estimate shipping costs for a China-to-US shipment
- Calculate chargeable weight from carton dimensions
- Check whether a product needs manual review before pricing
- Request a firm quote and retrieve its current status
- Read shipment milestones and dated tracking events
Example prompts for the agent
- Estimate air shipping from China to the US for a 25 kg shipment and include the expected transit time.
- Check whether batteries can be quoted immediately and tell me which documents to prepare.
- Create a firm quote for a 120 kg shipment going to ZIP code 10001, then explain how to check its status.
How to install Plain Freight
Platform CLI: remote server
claude mcp add --transport http quotes https://plainfreight.com/api/mcpPlatform CLI: remote server
codex mcp add plain-freight --url https://plainfreight.com/api/mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"plain-freight": {
"url": "https://plainfreight.com/api/mcp"
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"plain-freight": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://plainfreight.com/api/mcp"
}
}
}Platform CLI: remote server
gemini mcp add -t http plain-freight https://plainfreight.com/api/mcpStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Plain Freight
How do I install Plain Freight in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add --transport http quotes https://plainfreight.com/api/mcp, followed by claude mcp add --transport http plain-freight https://plainfreight.com/api/mcp. The hosted server uses HTTP and requires no API key.
What does the Plain Freight MCP server do?
It estimates China-to-US freight costs, screens goods for manual review, submits quote requests, checks quote status, and reads shipment tracking records. Booking takes place outside the chat.
Why can Plain Freight return a quote without prices?
Products that need human approval receive the needs_review status, and prices are withheld until the review is resolved. The review can lead to follow-up questions or revised shipping options.
