The Keywords Everywhere MCP Server: Keyword Data in Your AI Tools

Connect Keywords Everywhere to ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, VS Code and more, then ask for live search volume, keyword ideas, traffic and backlink data in plain English.

What is the MCP server?
What you can ask it
Before you connect
Connect your AI tool
Troubleshooting
Pricing and getting started

What is the Keywords Everywhere MCP server?

MCP (the Model Context Protocol) is a standard way for AI assistants and coding tools to call outside data and services.

Keywords Everywhere runs an MCP server, so once you connect it, your assistant can pull our keyword data on its own, with no glue code to write.

Ask a question in plain English, like "what's the search volume for standing desk?", and the assistant fetches live data straight from Keywords Everywhere and answers in the chat.

It uses the same API key and the same credits as the browser extension and the REST API. If you would rather call endpoints from your own code, the REST API does that; the MCP server is for working conversationally inside an AI tool.

What you can ask it

The server exposes the data behind Keywords Everywhere. Ask in plain language and the assistant maps your request to the right lookup.

Ask for Example request
Keyword metrics "What is the search volume, CPC and competition for 'standing desk' in the US?"
Keyword ideas "Give me related keywords and People Also Search For terms for 'standing desk', with their volumes."
A site's keywords "Which keywords does example.com rank for?"
Traffic "Estimate the monthly organic traffic for example.com."
Backlinks "Show the backlinks and referring domains for example.com."
Account "How many Keywords Everywhere credits do I have left?"

Before you connect

You need three things before adding the server to a client:

  1. An API key. The MCP server uses the same key as the extension. Get your API key if you do not have one yet.
  2. A plan with credits. Every MCP data call uses credits (for example, one credit per keyword returned), so you need a plan with credits to pull data. See the pricing page.
  3. Node 18 or later on your PATH, for any client that connects through the mcp-remote helper. ChatGPT and VS Code, which use OAuth, do not need this.

Connect your AI tool

The server URL is the same for every client:

https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp

There are two ways to authenticate. OAuth (ChatGPT and VS Code 1.99+) signs you in through your browser and refreshes tokens for you. Everything else uses your API key as a Bearer token, sent in the Authorization header. In the snippets below, replace YOUR_KE_API_KEY with your key.

Jump to your client:

ChatGPT

ChatGPT connects over OAuth, so there is no config file to edit. You add it as a connector.

  1. Turn on Developer mode. On Plus or Pro: Settings → Connectors → Advanced → Developer mode. On Business, Enterprise or Education, a workspace admin enables it under Workspace Settings → Developer mode.
  2. Go to Settings → Apps & Connectors → Create connector.
  3. Enter the server URL https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp.
  4. Sign in with your Keywords Everywhere API key when prompted. OAuth handles token refresh from then on.

Claude Desktop

Edit the Claude Desktop config file:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

macOS / Linux

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "keywords-everywhere": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windows

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "keywords-everywhere": {
      "command": "cmd",
      "args": [
        "/C",
        "npx",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Save the file and restart Claude Desktop. A hammer icon labelled "keywords-everywhere" appears in the chat input once it loads. Already set up in Claude Code? Import it instead with claude mcp export-to-claude-desktop.

Claude Code

Claude Code adds servers from the command line. The HTTP transport is the simplest:

claude mcp add --transport http keywords-everywhere https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"

Check it with claude mcp list; the status should show a green check. Prefer a local stdio setup? Use mcp-remote instead:

claude mcp add keywords-everywhere \
  npx \
  -e KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER="Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY" \
  -- mcp-remote https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"

By default the server is saved private to you. Add a scope flag to change that:

Scope Flag Where it is stored
Local (private to you) (default) Your project's hidden folder
Project (shared in git) -s project .mcp.json in the repo root
User (global) -s user $HOME/.config/claude/mcp.json

Already have it in Claude Desktop? Import it with claude mcp add-from-claude-desktop.

Cursor

Save the config to .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for every project. The HTTP transport is preferred:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "keywords-everywhere": {
      "url": "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

If you would rather run it locally over stdio:

macOS / Linux

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "keywords-everywhere": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windows

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "keywords-everywhere": {
      "command": "cmd",
      "args": [
        "/C",
        "npx",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Visual Studio Code (1.99+)

The quick way (HTTP with OAuth): press F1 (or Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P), run "MCP: Add Server", choose "HTTP (HTTP or Server-Sent Events)", paste https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp, name the server and finish the wizard.

Or configure it by hand in .vscode/mcp.json (project) or your user settings. This prompts you for the key and keeps it out of the file:

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "ke-auth",
      "type": "promptString",
      "description": "Keywords Everywhere API key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "keywords-everywhere-http": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${input:ke-auth}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Prefer local stdio? Use this instead:

macOS / Linux

{
  "name": "keywords-everywhere",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "ke-auth",
      "type": "promptString",
      "description": "Keywords Everywhere API key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "command": "npx",
  "args": [
    "mcp-remote",
    "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
    "--header",
    "Authorization: Bearer ${input:ke-auth}"
  ]
}

Windows

{
  "name": "keywords-everywhere",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "ke-auth",
      "type": "promptString",
      "description": "Keywords Everywhere API key",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "command": "cmd",
  "args": [
    "/C",
    "npx",
    "mcp-remote",
    "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
    "--header",
    "Authorization: Bearer ${input:ke-auth}"
  ]
}

Windsurf (Cascade)

Windsurf does not support the remote HTTPS transport, so use the local stdio setup. Add it under Settings → Cascade → Plugins → Add Server, or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json directly.

macOS / Linux

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "keywords-everywhere": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windows

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "keywords-everywhere": {
      "command": "cmd",
      "args": [
        "/C",
        "npx",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Then run Plugins → Refresh.

Qodo Gen (Agentic Mode)

Qodo Gen does not support the remote HTTPS transport, so use the local stdio setup. Open the Tools Management panel → Add new MCP, then paste the snippet into the dialog.

macOS / Linux

{
  "keywords-everywhere": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": [
      "mcp-remote",
      "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
      "--header",
      "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
    ],
    "env": {
      "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
    }
  }
}

Windows

{
  "keywords-everywhere": {
    "command": "cmd",
    "args": [
      "/C",
      "npx",
      "mcp-remote",
      "https://mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp",
      "--header",
      "Authorization: ${KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER}"
    ],
    "env": {
      "KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer YOUR_KE_API_KEY"
    }
  }
}

After saving, watch for the green status dot, or toggle Auto approve.

Troubleshooting

  • Make sure your API key is active in your Keywords Everywhere dashboard.
  • For stdio setups, Node 18 or later must be on your PATH; mcp-remote and several IDE clients need it.
  • On Windows, launch npx through cmd /C, as shown in the Windows snippets above.
  • Upgrade mcp-remote to 0.1.16 or later; earlier versions had a security vulnerability.
  • A healthy connection shows a green dot (or a check in claude mcp list). If it stays red, re-check the server URL and your key.

Pricing and getting started

MCP requests use the same credits as the extension and the REST API, so you need a plan with credits to pull data.

There is no separate MCP fee, and since 2025 every method works on all plans, including the entry-level Bronze plan. You can see plan prices on the pricing page.

For the underlying endpoints and code examples, see the Keywords Everywhere API, or the full MCP reference.

Questions you may have

What is the Keywords Everywhere MCP server?
It is a Model Context Protocol server, hosted at mcp.keywordseverywhere.com/mcp, that lets AI assistants and coding tools call Keywords Everywhere directly. Once connected, you can ask your assistant in plain English for search volume, keyword ideas, the keywords a site ranks for, traffic estimates and backlink data, and it fetches live results from Keywords Everywhere.
Which clients and AI tools does it work with?
The MCP server works with ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Visual Studio Code, Windsurf and Qodo Gen. ChatGPT and VS Code 1.99 or later can connect over OAuth; the other clients connect using your API key as a Bearer token, usually through the mcp-remote helper.
Do I need an API key and a paid plan?
Yes to both. The MCP server uses the same API key as the browser extension and the REST API, so you sign up once on the first-install page and reuse that key everywhere. You also need a plan with credits, because every data call spends credits. Connecting with OAuth uses the same account.
Does the MCP server use credits?
Yes. Requests draw from the same credit pool as the extension and the REST API. For example, looking up keyword data uses one credit per keyword returned. You need a plan with credits to pull data, and since 2025 every method works on all plans, including the entry-level Bronze plan.
What can I ask for through the MCP server?
You can ask for search volume, CPC, competition and a 12-month trend for any keyword, related and People Also Search For keyword ideas, the keywords a domain or page already ranks for, estimated organic traffic, backlinks and referring domains, and your remaining credit balance. Ask in plain language and the assistant maps it to the right data.
Where does the data come from, and is the search volume real?
Search volume comes from Google Keyword Planner, the same source Google gives advertisers. Competition is the Google Ads advertiser-competition metric from 0 to 1, not a ranking-difficulty score. It is the same data you see in the Keywords Everywhere extension and REST API.
Can the MCP server track my keyword rankings?
No. Keywords Everywhere is not a rank tracker. The MCP server can return keyword data and the keywords a site currently ranks for, but it does not monitor rank positions over time. It is a great fit for keyword research and SEO data, not for daily rank tracking.
How is the MCP server different from the REST API?
They serve the same data from the same account and credits. The REST API is for developers calling endpoints from their own code, while the MCP server lets AI assistants and coding tools request that data conversationally, with no glue code to write. Use whichever fits how you work.