ai.benroberts/b4-index

Official5 tools

B4 Index

Independent build-vs-buy index: score software categories BUILD/BUY/BRIDGE/BEWARE.

Scores software categories on build-versus-buy decision criteria with reasoning.

Captured live from the server via tools/list.

b4_browse

Search and filter the B4 Index's 1,600+ independently scored software categories. Browse by keyword, domain, quadrant, or industry. When filtering by industry, returns all vertical categories for that industry PLUS all horizontal categories (which apply to every industry).

Parameters (5)

querystring
Search term to match against category names, vendors, domains, and rationales
domainstring
Filter by domain (e.g., 'Marketing Technology', 'CRM & Sales')
quadrantstring
Filter by quadrant
industrystring
Filter by industry group. Returns matching vertical categories + all horizontal categories. Options: Healthcare, Financial Services, Construction & Real Estate, Education, Energy & Utilities, Government, Automotive, Agriculture, Transportation & Logistics, Media & Entertainment, Legal, Professional Services, Nonprofits & Associations, Manufacturing, Retail & Commerce, Hospitality & Food Service, Telecom
limitinteger
Max results to return (default 20, max 100)

b4_score

Score a software category using the B4 Index. Provide a known category name to get pre-computed scores, or provide raw dimension scores (1-5 each) for a custom evaluation. Returns quadrant placement, axes, urgency level, and a concise breakdown. The default result is intentionally lean — set includeEvidence: true to also get the full research trail and source URLs behind each score.

Parameters (3)

categorystring
Name of a known B4 category (e.g., 'Expense Management', 'CRM')
includeEvidenceboolean
Include the full evidence trail and source URLs behind each dimension score. Off by default so the initial result stays concise; set true for deep verification.
scoresobject
Custom dimension scores for a tool not in the database

b4_audit

Analyze a software stack against the B4 Index. Provide a list of tool/category names, and get per-tool scoring plus a portfolio summary with quadrant distribution, BEWARE spend, and priority actions. [B4 Pro — the free tier includes b4_browse and b4_score.]

Parameters (1)

toolsarrayrequired
List of software tool or category names to audit (e.g., ['Salesforce', 'Slack', 'Expense Management']). Max 100 per call.

b4_compare

Compare build vs buy for a specific software category. Returns side-by-side analysis with the category's scores, vendor options, AI replacement approach, and action steps for each path. [B4 Pro — the free tier includes b4_browse and b4_score.]

Parameters (1)

categorystringrequired
Name of the software category to compare (e.g., 'Email Marketing', 'CRM')

b4_recommend

Get B4 Index recommendations from a natural language description of a software need or business context. Matches the description to relevant categories and returns top matches with scores, quadrants, and actionable recommendations. [B4 Pro — the free tier includes b4_browse and b4_score.]

Parameters (1)

descriptionstringrequired
Describe the software need, business problem, or tool you're evaluating (e.g., 'We need to automate our expense reports and receipt scanning')

Install

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "b4-index": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://b4-index.vercel.app/mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Desktop config is stdio-only; this bridges via mcp-remote. Native remote: Settings > Connectors.