Side by side
| Topic | Hosted Garmin MCP | Self-hosted garmin-mcp |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | A few minutes on one web page | Install uv and Python 3.10+, sign in from a terminal, edit your app config |
| Tools | The same 15 read-only tools | The same 15 read-only tools |
| Works from your phone | Yes, from your AI app on your phone (tested in Claude) | Not by default; it runs on your computer. Phone access needs your own always-on HTTPS server |
| Computer must be on | No | Yes, for the default local setup |
| Garmin changes its login | We update the server | You update the package and sign in again |
| Where your session token lives | On our server | On your own computer |
| Cost | Start without a card; see Terms | Free and open source (MIT) |
Pick hosted if
- You want to ask your AI on your phone after a run.
- You do not want to use a terminal.
- You want someone else to keep up with Garmin’s login changes.
Self-host if
- You are comfortable with a terminal and config files.
- You want your Garmin session token to stay on your own machine.
- You mostly use your AI on one computer.
About Garmin login changes
Garmin MCP reads Garmin Connect the same way the Garmin Connect app does, through an unofficial path. When Garmin changes how sign-in works, a server can stop answering until it is updated. On the hosted service that update is our job. Self-hosted, you pull the new version and sign in again.
Try Garmin MCP in your AI app
The steps below use Claude as the example.
- Open the connect page. Go to garminmcp.com/connect.
- Enter your Garmin email. Use the email of your Garmin Connect account and select Continue.
- Enter your password. Select Connect Garmin. Type the 6-digit code if Garmin sends one.
- Copy your private link. Select Copy. The link is your key, so keep it to yourself.
- Open Claude settings. In the Claude app or on claude.ai, open Settings, then Connectors. In the desktop app, Connectors is under Customize. Select Add.
- Add the connector. In Add custom connector, name it Garmin MCP, paste your link, and select Continue.
- Finish. Keep No sign-in selected and select Add.
- Ask. Open a new chat and ask: “How did I sleep last night?”
Questions
Is the hosted service the same code as the GitHub project?
Yes. Garmin MCP runs the open-source Sinfjell/garmin-mcp server with the same 15 tools.
How long does self-hosting take?
It depends on your terminal skills. You install uv, run a sign-in command, and add the server to your app config. Hosted takes a few minutes on one web page.
Can a self-hosted server work on my phone?
Only if you run it as an always-on HTTPS service yourself. The default local setup works on the computer where it runs.
Who fixes it when Garmin changes its login?
On the hosted service, we do. Self-hosted, you update the package and sign in again.
Is self-hosting free?
Yes. The project is open source under the MIT license.
Do I need a terminal for the hosted version?
No. You sign in on a web page and paste one link in your AI app.
Skip the setup. Keep the same tools. Connect Garmin, copy one link, paste it in.
Try it on my own data