MailPal - MCP API/REST Client

A REST and API client for VS Code: collections, environments, unlimited history, import/export, and a companion MCP server so AI agents can drive it. A friendly nod to the postman, built for developers who are tired of finding their own request history behind a paywall.

Our pricing promise

This is the reason this extension exists, so it goes first:

• The free tier is fully usable for a single user, forever.
• Unlimited requests, unlimited collections, unlimited local history. No trial clocks, no counters.
• Pro adds new value (AI request generation, MCP write tools, upcoming team features). It never gates access to your own data.
• If a license expires, Pro features stop. Everything else keeps working exactly as before.

Features (free)

• Full request builder: all HTTP methods, headers, query params, JSON/text/form/multipart/binary bodies, Bearer/Basic/API key auth
• Collections and folders, stored as plain JSON in your workspace under .mailpal/. Diff it, review it, share it through git.
• Environments with {{VAR}} placeholders. Secret values live in VS Code SecretStorage, never in files: an environment stores { "secret": "NAME" } and you set the value once via "MailPal: Set Secret".
• Unlimited local request history with one-click re-send
• Response viewer: pretty JSON, headers, timings, size, and body search
• Import: Postman v2.1, Thunder Client, OpenAPI 3.x, curl. Export: Postman v2.1, copy as curl.
• Simple assertions per request (status code, body contains) with pass/fail shown on every send
• MCP server with read/run tools, registered automatically for VS Code agent mode

Pro

Pricing is provisional while in preview: $4/month or $70 lifetime.

• AI request generation: describe a request in plain English, get it built (uses your GitHub Copilot models, or your own Anthropic API key as a fallback)
• MCP write tools: agents can create collections, upsert requests, set non-secret environment values, and scaffold test suites

Upgrade opens a hosted checkout in your browser; the license key from your purchase email activates with "MailPal: Enter License Key". Keys work on up to 3 machines and validation survives 14 days offline.

Quickstart

1. Open a folder (collections live in the workspace).
2. Open the MailPal view in the activity bar, create a collection and a request.
3. Type a URL and hit Send.
4. Optional: create an environment ("MailPal: New Environment"), reference {{BASE_URL}} in requests, and store secrets with "MailPal: Set Secret".

MCP server

The extension registers the bundled MCP server with VS Code agent mode automatically: open the tools picker in chat and enable "mailpal". Free tools: list_collections, get_request, run_request, get_history_recent, list_environments. Pro tools: create_collection, create_or_update_request, set_environment_value, generate_tests, scaffold_test_suite.

For Claude Code, Cursor, or any other MCP client, run the same server standalone:

claude mcp add mailpal -- node <extension-install-path>/dist/mcp/index.js

Environment variables for standalone use:

Secret values are resolved when a request runs and are never returned by any tool.

Where is my data?

• Collections and environments: plain JSON in .mailpal/ inside your workspace. Yours, in git, forever.
• History: JSONL plus response bodies in VS Code's global storage for this extension (personal, not shared through the repo).
• Secrets and license: VS Code SecretStorage (your OS keychain).

FAQ

Why is the free tier so generous? Because the paid tier competes on added value, not on holding your data hostage. That is the product.

Does AI generation send my data anywhere? Only when you use it: the prompt you type goes to your Copilot model or to Anthropic with your own key. Sends themselves never touch any third party.

Team features? Team sharing through git is free by design. Cloud sync and team workspaces are on the roadmap as Pro features.