# Show HN: ClickUp MCP Server – Manage tasks from any Claude interface
## Post Title (Copy-Paste Ready)
```
Show HN: ClickUp MCP Server – Manage tasks from any Claude interface
```
## Post Body (Copy-Paste Ready)
Hey HN! I built a ClickUp MCP server that lets you manage tasks from any Claude interface - desktop, mobile (claude.ai), or Chrome extension.
**Why this exists:**
I run multiple businesses simultaneously (infrastructure consulting, building Sovereign Agentic, launching products). I was drowning in context-switching between Claude Desktop, Claude Code, my phone, and ClickUp. I needed a single source of truth accessible from anywhere.
The existing ClickUp MCP integrations only work locally on desktop. Mine works remotely, so you can:
- Update tasks from your phone via claude.ai while commuting
- Check priorities from Chrome while browsing
- Create tasks from Claude Code while coding
- All syncing to the same ClickUp workspace
**What makes it different:**
1. **Remote MCP**: Works across all Claude interfaces (Desktop, Code, .ai, Chrome)
2. **Stripe Integration**: First monetized Remote MCP ($5-20/month depending on features)
3. **Two-way sync**: Claude can read AND write to ClickUp
4. **Custom fields**: Leverage scores, time estimates, dependencies
5. **Smart queries**: "Show me highest-leverage tasks" or "What's blocking X?"
**Technical details:**
- Built on Anthropic's Remote MCP protocol (added Sep 2024)
- FastAPI backend hosted on my homelab (45+ Docker services)
- PostgreSQL for caching + Stripe for payments
- Supports ClickUp's full API: tasks, lists, spaces, custom fields
- ~100ms latency for reads, ~300ms for writes
**Honest limitations:**
- Beta phase: Limited to 100 users initially (scaling carefully)
- Self-hosted on my homelab (will move to cloud if demand is there)
- ClickUp API rate limits apply (100 requests/min)
- Not all ClickUp features exposed yet (focusing on task management first)
**Demo:**
I'm using this MCP to coordinate its own launch campaign. Meta, I know.
- Video demo: [YouTube link]
- GitHub: https://github.com/[your-username]/clickup-remote-mcp
- Get access: https://[your-domain]/clickup-mcp
**Pricing thoughts:**
I'm testing monetization models for Remote MCPs. Current thinking:
- Free tier: 50 tasks/month
- Pro tier: $5/month for unlimited tasks
- Team tier: $20/month with shared workspaces + priority support
Not sure if people will pay for MCP access. Curious what you think.
**What I'm learning:**
This is part of a larger thesis: MCPs can be productized, not just open-sourced. I'm building Sovereign Agentic (Level 5 multi-agent platform) and exploring different monetization models for AI infrastructure.
Happy to answer questions! Also very open to feedback on:
- The remote MCP approach
- Pricing strategy
- Features you'd want
- Whether this is useful or I'm solving a problem only I have
Thanks for checking it out!
---
## Alternative Titles (If Main Gets Rejected)
```
Show HN: Remote MCP for ClickUp – Task management across all Claude interfaces
```
```
Show HN: ClickUp + Claude MCP with Stripe integration
```
```
Show HN: First monetized Remote MCP server (ClickUp task management)
```
---
## HN Posting Strategy
### Optimal Timing:
- **Best:** Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10am ET
- **Good:** Monday/Friday, 9-11am ET
- **Avoid:** Weekends, late evenings, holidays
### Initial Engagement (First 30 minutes critical):
- **Immediately respond to every comment**
- **Add context/detail** (HN loves depth)
- **Be vulnerable** (admit limitations, share learnings)
- **Don't be defensive** (even if criticism is harsh)
### What to Expect:
- **Front page potential:** Yes (remote MCP + monetization is novel)
- **Expected upvotes:** 50-200 (if it resonates)
- **Comments:** 30-100 (if it gets traction)
- **Traffic spike:** 5k-15k visitors in 24 hours (if front page)
- **Signups:** 100-500 initial users (3-5% conversion typical)
### Common HN Questions to Prepare For:
**Q: "Why not just use ClickUp's web interface?"**
A: Fair question! For me, the value is never leaving Claude's interface. When I'm in a flow state coding or writing, switching to ClickUp's web UI breaks that flow. With MCP, I can check priorities, update status, or create tasks without context-switching. It's like having ClickUp inside Claude.
**Q: "What's to stop ClickUp from building this themselves?"**
A: Nothing! I'd love it if they did. I built this because I needed it now, not in 18 months. If ClickUp ships an official remote MCP, I'll probably shut mine down and use theirs. Until then, mine works and solves my problem.
**Q: "Why charge for it? Shouldn't MCPs be free/open?"**
A: Great question - I'm genuinely experimenting here. My hypothesis: some MCPs provide enough value that people will pay, especially if they save time or enable new workflows. Remote MCPs have hosting costs (unlike local), so monetization makes sense. But I'm open to being wrong! The code is open-source, so you can run it yourself for free if you want.
**Q: "How is this different from [existing ClickUp MCP]?"**
A: The main differences are:
1. Remote capability (works on mobile/web, not just desktop)
2. Two-way sync (read AND write)
3. Custom field support (leverage scores, dependencies)
4. Built for multi-agent coordination (I use it to manage 5 parallel business initiatives)
Existing ones are great for local desktop use. Mine is built for mobile-first task management across all Claude interfaces.
**Q: "What if Anthropic changes the MCP protocol?"**
A: Totally possible! MCP is still evolving (remote MCPs added just a few months ago). I'm betting that Anthropic wants a thriving MCP ecosystem, which means stability. But if they make breaking changes, I'll adapt. That's the risk of building on new platforms.
**Q: "Can you share revenue numbers?"**
A: Will do! I'm planning to share monthly updates on revenue, churn, and learnings. This is as much an experiment in MCP monetization as it is a useful tool. I'll be transparent about what works and what doesn't.
### Red Flags (Comments That Indicate Problems):
- "This seems complicated" → Your setup instructions are too complex
- "I don't get the use case" → You need better examples/demo
- "Why would I pay for this?" → Pricing/value prop needs work
- Multiple security concerns → Address immediately, might need to delay launch
- "Just use [alternative]" → Understand if alternative is actually better
### Success Signals:
- "This is exactly what I needed!" → Product-market fit indicator
- "How do I get access?" → Strong demand
- "Can it do [X]?" → Feature request (document for roadmap)
- "I'd pay $X for this" → Pricing validation
- "We're using this at [company]" → B2B potential
---
## Response Templates (Common HN Comments)
### Positive Feedback:
```
Thanks! I'd love to hear how you end up using it. The use cases I didn't anticipate are often the most interesting.
```
### Feature Requests:
```
Great idea! I've added it to the roadmap: [GitHub issue link]. If others want this too, upvote the issue so I can prioritize.
```
### Criticism (Constructive):
```
Fair point! You're right that [acknowledge their concern]. I'm [explain how you'll address it or why you made that trade-off]. Open to other approaches if you have ideas.
```
### Criticism (Harsh):
```
I hear you. [Acknowledge their core point.] This is definitely early-stage and has rough edges. Trying to learn and improve. If you have specific suggestions, I'm all ears.
```
### Technical Questions:
```
Good question! [Detailed technical answer]. Here's the relevant code if you want to dig deeper: [GitHub link].
```
### Pricing Questions:
```
Still figuring this out! Current thinking is [explain pricing]. But I'm genuinely curious: what would you pay for this? Or would you prefer it free with [alternative model]?
```
### Comparison to Alternatives:
```
[Alternative] is great! The main difference is [specific differentiator]. If [alternative] works for you, stick with it. I built this because I specifically needed [unique value prop].
```
---
## Post-Launch Checklist
**Immediately after posting:**
- [ ] Share link on Twitter (with context)
- [ ] Share in relevant Discord/Slack communities (if appropriate)
- [ ] Email interested users who signed up early
- [ ] Set aside 2-3 hours to respond to EVERY comment
**Within 6 hours:**
- [ ] Check traffic + signup metrics
- [ ] Note top 3 questions/concerns
- [ ] Update FAQ or demo based on confusion
- [ ] Thank everyone who engaged
**Within 24 hours:**
- [ ] Analyze what resonated (upvotes, comments, signups)
- [ ] Document top feature requests
- [ ] Send follow-up to signups (onboarding email)
- [ ] Start building relationships with engaged commenters
**Within 48 hours:**
- [ ] Write HN follow-up comment with metrics (if significant traction)
- [ ] Plan v2 based on feedback
- [ ] Reach out to users who had issues (turn critics into advocates)
---
## Backup Plan (If Post Doesn't Get Traction)
**If <20 upvotes after 2 hours:**
- Post might not hit front page
- Still engage with everyone who commented
- Extract value: feedback, feature ideas, market validation
**If <50 upvotes total:**
- Post didn't resonate (timing, title, or product)
- Analyze: Was it unclear? Wrong audience? Bad timing?
- Repost in 1-2 weeks with better title/framing
- OR: Try different channels (Reddit, Twitter, LinkedIn)
**If negative reception:**
- Don't argue, listen
- Extract signal from noise
- Iterate product based on valid feedback
- Consider pivoting messaging or features
---
## Success Definition
**Minimum viable success:**
- 50+ upvotes
- 20+ engaged comments
- 50+ signups
- 5+ paying users (within 2 weeks of launch)
- Clear validation that remote MCP is useful
**Home run success:**
- Front page for 6+ hours
- 200+ upvotes
- 100+ engaged comments
- 500+ signups
- 50+ paying users
- Anthropic takes notice (shares on social or blog)
**Adjust expectations based on:** Product maturity, market timing, competition, execution quality
---
## READY TO POST: YES
## WHEN TO POST: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10am ET
## WHERE TO POST: https://news.ycombinator.com/submit
**GO.**
