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Prefect is a workflow orchestration company that maintains FastMCP, an open-source Python framework for building MCP servers, clients and apps. It also sells Prefect Horizon, which its pricing pages call FastMCP Gateway, to host and govern MCP servers.
Checked against: Prefect's FastMCP Gateway page on 28 October 2026. eSEOspace did not test Prefect's products.
Key Takeaways
- FastMCP is an Apache-2.0 Python framework for MCP servers, clients and interactive apps, made by Prefect.
- The standalone
fastmcppackage is separate from the official MCP Python SDK, which renamed its own built-in class in v2. - Horizon deploys MCP servers from GitHub and adds OAuth 2.1, a registry, tool-level access control and audit logs.
- Horizon has a free Personal plan and a Developer plan at $35 per developer per month plus usage.
- Prefect says it is SOC 2 Type II certified.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Company | Prefect (Prefect Technologies, Inc.) |
| What it offers for MCP | FastMCP framework (Python, plus a TypeScript counterpart); Horizon hosting, registry and gateway |
| Who it's for | Python developers building MCP servers; companies running many servers |
| Open source? | FastMCP: yes, Apache-2.0. Horizon: managed service |
| Pricing | FastMCP free; Horizon Personal free, Developer $35/developer/mo + usage, Custom |
What Prefect offers for MCP
FastMCP, the framework
The FastMCP docs describe "a full framework for building Model Context Protocol (MCP) applications." It covers three areas: servers, clients and apps. You write a normal Python function, add the @mcp.tool decorator, and FastMCP builds the schema, validates inputs and handles transport and authentication.
The "apps" part lets a tool return forms, tables or charts that render in the chat. That builds on the MCP Apps extension, explained in our guide to MCP Apps, Tasks and Skills.
FastMCP's docs say it "created the high-level Python API incorporated into the official MCP Python SDK in 2024." That history causes confusion. The official SDK's v2 renamed its built-in class to MCPServer, as our build guide notes. The standalone package, imported with from fastmcp import FastMCP, is a separate project that Prefect keeps developing.
The docs also say "some version of FastMCP powers 70% of MCP servers across all languages." That is Prefect's own figure, and we could not check it independently. The GitHub repository is Apache-2.0 licensed. A TypeScript counterpart, fastmcp-ts, is maintained by the same team.
Horizon (FastMCP Gateway)
The Horizon page describes four parts:
- Deploy. Push code to GitHub and get a production MCP server URL. Prefect says this takes "60 seconds." Pull requests get preview environments, and rollback is instant.
- Registry. A catalog of internal and third-party MCP servers, with ownership and version tracking.
- Gateway. Tool-level RBAC (role-based access control), authentication tied to identity, and audit logs.
- Remix. Combine tools from several servers into one endpoint for a team.
Prefect says Horizon works with servers built in "any MCP framework," not only FastMCP. It lists Claude, Cursor, Windsurf (now Devin Desktop), VS Code, OpenAI and Bedrock as clients. Supported identity providers include Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace and Auth0.
Who it's for
FastMCP suits Python developers who want to write MCP servers with little protocol code. Per Prefect's page, Horizon suits two groups. One is individual developers who want a hosted URL. The other is companies with many servers that need one registry and one access policy.
Pricing
FastMCP itself is free and open source. Prefect's FastMCP Gateway pricing lists three plans as of October 2026:
| Plan | Price | Main limits and features |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Free | 1 developer, 200 MCP servers, 1 agent, 1-day log retention, Git-based CI/CD, managed OAuth |
| Developer | $35 per developer per month + usage | Unlimited developers, servers and agents; 7-day logs; import external servers; bring your own auth |
| Custom | Contact sales | RBAC and governance, SSO, SCIM, directory sync, custom domains |
The pricing page shows "+ usage" on the Developer plan. The sections we read did not list the usage rates, so ask Prefect before you budget.
Security and trust
Prefect's security page says it is "SOC 2 Type II certified, GDPR compliant, HIPAA ready." The page does not say which products that covers, so confirm Horizon's scope in procurement.
On the product side, Horizon's page lists OAuth 2.1, dynamic client registration and audit trails "for every access attempt." Our explainer on MCP authentication and OAuth covers what those terms mean.
Alternatives
- Manufact makes the mcp-use TypeScript framework and a hosting cloud.
- Alpic offers the Skybridge framework and a hosting cloud aimed at ChatGPT and Claude apps.
- Blaxel hosts MCP servers as serverless workloads next to agent sandboxes.
See all MCP company spotlights.
Next step
Try FastMCP locally before you pay for hosting. When you need a governed deployment across teams, compare Horizon with the alternatives above. If you want help building the server itself, talk to our MCP development team.
Frequently asked questions
Is FastMCP the same as the official MCP Python SDK?
No. FastMCP's docs say its API was incorporated into the official SDK in 2024. The standalone fastmcp package continues as a separate project. The official SDK v2 renamed its own class to MCPServer.
Is FastMCP free?
Yes. The GitHub repository is Apache-2.0 licensed. Horizon, the hosted service, has free and paid plans.
Do I have to use FastMCP to host on Horizon?
No. Prefect's Horizon page says it works with any spec-compliant MCP server built with another framework.
What does Horizon's Developer plan cost?
The pricing page lists $35 per developer per month plus usage. The usage rates were not listed in the sections we read.
