# Instead

> Hire staff for UK cafés, pubs and shops: post a free job, print hiring posters, find London jobs.

- name: work.instead/instead
- version: 1.0.0
- connection class: R0 (autonomous)
- trust: 83/100 flags: no-repository
- quality: 85/100 (good)
- owner: not claimed
- descriptor: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/work.instead%2Finstead
- tools: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/work.instead%2Finstead/tools

**An agent can connect right now, no human step.** Remote endpoint, no authentication, reachable on the last probe.

## Connection (mcpServers)

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instead": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://instead.work/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```


## Trust

- hygiene: 80
- liveness: 100
- freshness: 100
- provenance: 55
- drivers: +dns-namespace +website +reachable +uptime-100% +updated-11d-ago -no-repository
- Derived from observable signals (official registry feed and our own credential-free probes); no code audit performed.

## Quality 85/100 (good)

### protocol: 75 (weight 25)

- warn `protocol.modern`: newest supported version is 2025-11-25; 2026-07-28 not supported, older versions are deprecated until 2027-07-28
- n/a `protocol.stateless`: only applies to 2026-07-28 servers
- pass `protocol.transport`: streamable HTTP
- n/a `protocol.list_ttl`: only applies to 2026-07-28 servers

### authorization: n/a (weight 15)

- n/a `auth.prm`, `auth.as_metadata`, `auth.cimd`: no remote uses OAuth
- n/a `auth.secret_in_url`: no templated URL

### tool hygiene: 94 (weight 30)

- pass `tools.descriptions`: every tool has a description
- pass `tools.description_length`: descriptions are concise
- pass `tools.schemas`: every tool has an object input schema
- pass `tools.annotations`: 7 of 7 tools declare readOnlyHint or destructiveHint
- warn `tools.directory_hints`: 1 of 7 tools declare all four hints; missing: get_job (idempotentHint); pay_rates (idempotentHint); how_to_hire (idempotentHint); …
- pass `tools.token_cost`: about 1,652 tokens to load every tool
- pass `tools.api_dump`: tools are not a one-to-one API dump
- pass `tools.hidden_text`: no hidden text in tool names, descriptions, schemas or annotations

### stability: 83 (weight 15)

- warn `stability.changes`: 7 tool changes in 30 days
- pass `stability.rug_pull`: no tool changed its meaning under the same name
- pass `stability.new_links`: no tool change named a new site

### dependencies: n/a (weight 15)

- n/a `deps.known_vulns`, `deps.mcp_sdk_version`, `deps.resolvable`: no npm or PyPI package

- tools: 7, about 1,652 tokens to load them all
- tool set hash: 23cf1ac7143971230445ff87c4afbbc3
- tools last changed: 2026-11-05T11:08:44.743Z
- badge: [![protogrid quality](https://protogrid.dev/badge/work.instead/instead.svg)](https://protogrid.dev/servers/work.instead/instead)
- Checks run on what our credential-free, read-only probes observe; tools are never called and no code audit is performed.

### Tool changes

- 2026-11-05 `compare_hiring_costs` added
  - What hiring costs on Instead next to Indeed, Totaljobs, Caterer.com, Reed, CV-Library, Job Today, Harri, Find a Job and recruitment agencies: each one's published price, when you pay, and what three hires a year cost, every price quoted from the company's own page with the date it was read. For an owner choosing where to advertise a job.
- 2026-11-03 `get_job` changed (annotations)
- 2026-11-03 `pay_rates` added
  - The hourly pay independent London cafés, restaurants, pubs, bars and bakeries advertise on their own websites this month, by role: the middle (median), the range and how many ads (Instead's London Hospitality Pay Index). For an owner choosing what to pay, or someone weighing up a job.
- 2026-11-03 `search_jobs` changed (description, annotations)
  - before: Live jobs at independent UK cafés, pubs, restaurants, bars, shops and salons on Instead, London first. Every job shows the pay; applying takes about two minutes from a phone, with no account, and everyone hears back within 48 hours.
  - after: Live jobs at independent UK cafés, pubs, restaurants, bars, shops and salons on Instead, London first: every job shows the pay, applying takes about two minutes from a phone with no account, and everyone hears back within 48 hours. Also returns independent London places hiring on their own websites and new places across the UK hiring their first team (not on Instead yet): apply on their website, or leave details once for several at the leave_details_url.
- 2026-11-03 `make_hiring_poster` changed (annotations)
- 2026-11-03 `post_job` changed (description, annotations)
  - before: Make a job for a small business on Instead, free. It takes applications at once through a link and QR code; the owner then publishes it to read and answer applicants by opening the publish link and signing in with their email (30 seconds). Ask the owner for every field you don't know; never invent the business, pay or hours. Confirm the details with them before calling.
  - after: Make a job for a small business on Instead, free. It takes applications at once through a link and QR code; the owner then publishes it to read and answer applicants by opening the publish link and signing in with their email (30 seconds). The job is public for applications as soon as it is made, under the business name, pay, hours and area given.
- 2026-11-03 `how_to_hire` changed (description, annotations)
  - before: Advice for a small UK business owner who needs staff (café, pub, restaurant, bar, shop, salon): how to find people through those who already know the business, what to pay, the UK rules to follow, and what Instead costs. Use before post_job, or whenever an owner asks how to hire.
  - after: Advice for a small UK business owner who needs staff (café, pub, restaurant, bar, shop, salon): how to find people through those who already know the business, what to pay, the UK rules to follow, and what Instead costs.

Full history: https://api.protogrid.dev/v1/servers/work.instead%2Finstead/changes

## Remotes

- https://instead.work/mcp (streamable-http, auth none, reachable true, uptime30d 1)

## Packages

_none_

## Tools (7)

- `compare_hiring_costs`: What hiring costs on Instead next to Indeed, Totaljobs, Caterer.com, Reed, CV-Library, Job Today, Harri, Find a Job and recruitment agencies: each one's published price, when you pay, and what three hires a year cost, every price quoted from the company's own page with the date it was read. For an owner choosing where to advertise a job.
- `get_job`: Everything about one live job: what it involves, pay, hours, what's needed and the business, with the link to apply.
- `how_to_hire`: Advice for a small UK business owner who needs staff (café, pub, restaurant, bar, shop, salon): how to find people through those who already know the business, what to pay, the UK rules to follow, and what Instead costs.
- `make_hiring_poster`: Print-ready posters for a job: an A4 window poster, an A5 poster for regulars and an A6 table card, each with a QR code people apply from. Takes a job made with post_job (its code or link) or a live Instead job (its link or slug).
- `pay_rates`: The hourly pay independent London cafés, restaurants, pubs, bars and bakeries advertise on their own websites this month, by role: the middle (median), the range and how many ads (Instead's London Hospitality Pay Index). For an owner choosing what to pay, or someone weighing up a job.
- `post_job`: Make a job for a small business on Instead, free. It takes applications at once through a link and QR code; the owner then publishes it to read and answer applicants by opening the publish link and signing in with their email (30 seconds). The job is public for applications as soon as it is made, under the business name, pay, hours and area given.
- `search_jobs`: Live jobs at independent UK cafés, pubs, restaurants, bars, shops and salons on Instead, London first: every job shows the pay, applying takes about two minutes from a phone with no account, and everyone hears back within 48 hours. Also returns independent London places hiring on their own websites and new places across the UK hiring their first team (not on Instead yet): apply on their website, or leave details once for several at the leave_details_url.