DataForSEO MCP Server
Pull real-time SERP results, keyword data, backlink profiles, on-page audits, and competitor domain analytics from DataForSEO's APIs.
- Maintained by
- DataForSEO
- Hosting
- Hosted endpoint, or run it locally
- Authentication
- OAuth sign-in
- Last checked
How to connect the DataForSEO MCP server
Pick your AI client and paste the snippet. Swap the YOUR_… placeholders for your own values. New to this? Our guide to how MCP clients and servers fit together explains what each piece does.
Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport http dataforseo https://mcp.dataforseo.com/v3/mcpThen run /mcp inside Claude Code and choose Authenticate to sign in.
Full Claude Code setup guide →Claude Desktop and claude.ai
Name: DataForSEO
Remote MCP server URL: https://mcp.dataforseo.com/v3/mcpCustom connectors need a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan. On Team and Enterprise an owner adds them in admin settings.
Full Claude Desktop setup guide →Cursor
{
"mcpServers": {
"dataforseo": {
"url": "https://mcp.dataforseo.com/v3/mcp"
}
}
}VS Code
{
"servers": {
"dataforseo": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.dataforseo.com/v3/mcp"
}
}
}ChatGPT
Business, Enterprise and Edu plans (and Pro, read-only) can add this endpoint as an app in developer mode. ChatGPT setup guide →
+ − Run it locally instead
Claude Code
claude mcp add --env DATAFORSEO_LOGIN=YOUR_API_LOGIN --env DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD=YOUR_API_PASSWORD --transport stdio dataforseo \
-- npx dataforseo-mcp-serverClaude Desktop
{
"mcpServers": {
"dataforseo": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"dataforseo-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"DATAFORSEO_LOGIN": "YOUR_API_LOGIN",
"DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "YOUR_API_PASSWORD"
}
}
}
}Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop after saving.
Full Claude Desktop setup guide →Cursor
{
"mcpServers": {
"dataforseo": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"dataforseo-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"DATAFORSEO_LOGIN": "YOUR_API_LOGIN",
"DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "YOUR_API_PASSWORD"
}
}
}
}VS Code
{
"servers": {
"dataforseo": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"dataforseo-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"DATAFORSEO_LOGIN": "YOUR_API_LOGIN",
"DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "YOUR_API_PASSWORD"
}
}
}
}Frequently asked questions
What is the DataForSEO MCP server?
It is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server — a small piece of software that gives AI assistants like Claude a secure, governed connection to DataForSEO. Pull real-time SERP results, keyword data, backlink profiles, on-page audits, and competitor domain analytics from DataForSEO's APIs.
Is there an official DataForSEO MCP server?
Yes. The DataForSEO MCP server is an official integration, maintained by the vendor or the Model Context Protocol project, which makes it the safest default for business use. It is maintained by DataForSEO.
Is the DataForSEO MCP server hosted, or do I run it myself?
Both. DataForSEO runs a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.dataforseo.com/v3/mcp, so most people just paste that URL into their AI client. You can also run the server locally with npx, supplying your own credentials.
Do I need an API key for the DataForSEO MCP server?
No API key is needed for the hosted server. You sign in through DataForSEO's own OAuth screen, and the assistant only gets the access your account has.
What can an AI assistant actually do with DataForSEO?
Through this server an assistant can work with serp data, keyword metrics, backlink analysis, on-page audits — reading from and acting on DataForSEO directly instead of you copy-pasting between windows. What you allow it to do is controlled by the permissions you grant.
How do I set this up for my business?
The setup section above has copy-paste config for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor and VS Code. Once it is running against real systems, the question becomes what catches it when it acts wrongly, which is what Crox's Safety Diagnostic looks at.
New to MCP? Start with our plain-English guide to the Model Context Protocol or see how to connect AI to your business tools without writing code .
Already running this in production?
An agent with a live connection to your tools is a model that can act. Crox looks at what catches it when it acts wrongly: the layers around it, who can stop it, and where a near miss gets reported. Two days, one team, one model.