MCP Email Server - IMAP/SMTP Email for AI Agents¶

Repository: ai-zerolab/mcp-email-server Stars: 281 ★ Category: Communication / Email License: MIT Last Updated: 2026-07-14

What It Does¶

Provides IMAP and SMTP access for AI agents via MCP. Agents can read, search, and send emails through standard email protocols - no API wrappers needed. Works with any email provider that supports IMAP/SMTP (Gmail, Outlook, Fastmail, ProtonMail Bridge, self-hosted).

Tools Provided¶

Tool	Description
`send_email`	Send email via SMTP with to, subject, body, cc, bcc
`search_emails`	Search IMAP inbox by sender, subject, date range, body
`read_email`	Read full email content by UID
`list_mailboxes`	List available IMAP folders/labels
`move_email`	Move email between folders
`delete_email`	Delete email by UID
`mark_read` / `mark_unread`	Flag management

Comparison: CorpusIQ Email Connector vs MCP Email Server¶

Feature	CorpusIQ Email Connector	MCP Email Server
Protocol	Gmail API / Outlook Graph API	IMAP + SMTP (universal)
Auth	OAuth (simpler setup)	App passwords / credentials
Provider coverage	Gmail + Outlook only	ANY IMAP/SMTP provider
Search	Gmail search syntax (powerful)	Basic IMAP SEARCH
Attachments	Full attachment handling	Limited (MIME raw)
Setup complexity	1 OAuth click	Configure host/port/creds
Best for	Gmail/Outlook users, simplicity	Multi-provider, self-hosted, privacy

Verdict: MCP Email Server is complementary, not competitive. Use it for non-Gmail/Outlook providers (Fastmail, ProtonMail, self-hosted). CorpusIQ email connector remains superior for Gmail/Outlook workflows.

Setup for Hermes Agent¶

Prerequisites¶

Email account with IMAP/SMTP access enabled
App-specific password (Gmail) or regular credentials (other providers)
Node.js 18+

Step 1: Clone and Install¶

cd ~/mcp-servers
git clone https://github.com/ai-zerolab/mcp-email-server.git
cd mcp-email-server
npm install
npm run build

Step 2: Configure Credentials¶

Create a .env file:

IMAP_HOST=imap.gmail.com
IMAP_PORT=993
IMAP_USER=your-email@gmail.com
IMAP_PASSWORD=your-app-password
SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_USER=your-email@gmail.com
SMTP_PASSWORD=your-app-password

Gmail notes: Enable IMAP in Gmail settings + generate an App Password (requires 2FA enabled).

Step 3: Register with Hermes¶

hermes mcp add email -- node ~/mcp-servers/mcp-email-server/dist/index.js

Or via ~/.hermes/config.yaml:

mcp_servers:
  email:
    command: node
    args:
      - /home/hermes/mcp-servers/mcp-email-server/dist/index.js
    env:
      IMAP_HOST: imap.gmail.com
      IMAP_PORT: "993"
      IMAP_USER: your-email@gmail.com
      IMAP_PASSWORD: your-app-password
      SMTP_HOST: smtp.gmail.com
      SMTP_PORT: "587"
      SMTP_USER: your-email@gmail.com
      SMTP_PASSWORD: your-app-password

Step 4: Verify¶

hermes mcp list
# Should show: email (ai-zerolab/mcp-email-server) - CONNECTED

Use Cases¶

Unified inbox search: Query multiple email accounts across providers through one MCP interface
Automated email triage: Agent scans inbox, categorizes, and drafts responses
Self-hosted email integration: Connect self-hosted mail servers (Dovecot, iRedMail) to AI agents
Privacy-first email: Bypass Gmail API tracking - read email over standard IMAP
Email migration scripts: Move emails between accounts/providers via agent orchestration

Security Considerations¶

Store credentials in environment variables, never in config files
Use app-specific passwords, not account master passwords
IMAP/SMTP credentials provide full email access - scope carefully
Consider a dedicated email account for agent use rather than personal inbox
Gmail users: app passwords require 2FA (good for security)
The MCP server runs locally - credentials never leave your machine

Integration with CorpusIQ¶

CorpusIQ is the connector layer that lets AI assistants read the systems a business already runs on - accounting, payments, CRM, email, files and analytics - and answer with the source named. It is read-only by design: it retrieves data and never writes to, or acts in, a connected system, which is what makes it safe to point at live accounts.

This page is part of the CorpusIQ directory, the reference we maintain for the MCP server and agent-skill ecosystem. Run alongside CorpusIQ, a third-party server like this one can be combined with a company's own business data in a single answer.

See what CorpusIQ connects

Limitations¶

No OAuth support - credentials-based auth only
Limited attachment handling (raw MIME only)
IMAP SEARCH syntax is less powerful than Gmail's search operators
No push notifications - polling-based inbox monitoring
Single account per server instance (run multiple instances for multiple accounts)

Troubleshooting¶

Issue	Fix
`Authentication failed`	Verify app password, check IMAP is enabled in provider settings
`Connection refused`	Check IMAP/SMTP port numbers; some providers use non-standard ports
`Command timeout`	Increase `IMAP_TIMEOUT` env var; Gmail IMAP can be slow on large inboxes
`Certificate error`	Set `NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0` for self-signed certs (not recommended for production)

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