# SerpApi MCP: how to set it up in Claude, Claude Code and Cursor > SerpApi's official MCP server brings search results from Google, Bing, YouTube, Amazon and many other engines into your agent. This guide covers each client, authentication, pricing, common problems and example prompts. By Jesse Sibley, Founder of Manifold. Published 12 Oct 2026, updated 12 Oct 2026. Filed under [SEO](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/blog/topics/seo.md). ## Key takeaways - SerpApi MCP is hosted at mcp.serpapi.com and works with any SerpApi engine, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, YouTube, Amazon, eBay and Google Scholar. - Header authentication (Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY) is recommended. Path authentication puts the key in the URL for clients that cannot set headers. - SerpApi's free plan includes 250 searches a month. Paid plans start at $25/month for 1,000 searches. Only successful searches count. - The main tool is search. Setting output to md returns Markdown, which SerpApi says cuts token usage by 50% on average. SerpApi MCP is [SerpApi's official MCP server](https://serpapi.com/integrations/mcp) at `https://mcp.serpapi.com`. It connects AI agents such as Claude, Claude Code, Cursor and Codex to SerpApi's search results from Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, YouTube, Amazon, eBay, Google Scholar and many other engines. The server is hosted by SerpApi and signs you in with your SerpApi API key. Every search counts against your SerpApi plan. This guide covers how SerpApi MCP works, how to connect it in Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor, the authentication options, example prompts, and the gotchas to watch out for. ## What is SerpApi MCP? SerpApi MCP is the bridge between your agent and SerpApi's search result parsers. You ask a question in plain language, and the agent picks the SerpApi tools to call. The `search` tool works with any SerpApi engine. [SerpApi's API list](https://serpapi.com/search-engine-apis) includes: **Google:** Search, News, Scholar, Shopping, Jobs, Images, Videos, Maps, Flights, Hotels, Trends and more. **Other search engines:** Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Baidu, Yandex and Naver. **Shopping and marketplaces:** Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Home Depot and Apple App Store. **Video:** YouTube search, channels, videos and transcripts. ![Diagram: your agent connects to SerpApi MCP with an API key and queries search engines](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/blog/serpapi-mcp/serpapi-mcp-how-it-connects.svg#1248x252 "SerpApi MCP sits between your agent and SerpApi's search engine APIs.") The main tool is `search`, which takes an engine name (the default is `google_light`) and that engine's parameters. Results come back as JSON by default, with `compact` and `complete` modes. Setting `output` to `"md"` returns Markdown, which SerpApi says cuts token usage by 50% on average. Per-engine parameter schemas are exposed as MCP resources at `serpapi://engines`. When your MCP host supports MCP Apps, two opt-in tools, `search_table` and `search_dashboard`, show results as an interactive table or dashboard. ## Who SerpApi MCP is for SerpApi MCP fits when: - You need structured search results from multiple engines in your agent - You want parsed SERP features such as knowledge panels, shopping results, news boxes, or local packs - Your workflow requires cross-engine comparison or engine-specific data such as YouTube video metadata or Amazon product details - You are comfortable managing a SerpApi API key and watching your monthly searches It may not fit when: - You only need Google SERP data and already have a dedicated SEO MCP server - You want raw HTML instead of parsed JSON - You need more than the free plan's 250 searches a month but do not want another subscription ## SerpApi MCP authentication SerpApi MCP supports two authentication methods: **Header authentication (recommended):** Pass your API key in the `Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY` header. This keeps your key out of URLs and server logs. SerpApi's README recommends it. **Path-based authentication:** Embed your API key in the URL as `https://mcp.serpapi.com/YOUR_SERPAPI_API_KEY/mcp`. SerpApi offers it for clients that cannot set headers. The key ends up in your config and in URLs. Get your API key from [serpapi.com/manage-api-key](https://serpapi.com/manage-api-key). SerpApi's free plan includes 250 searches a month. No key is needed to connect, list tools or read resources. `search` and the MCP Apps tools need one and return an error without it. ## How to connect SerpApi MCP to Claude Desktop [SerpApi's README](https://github.com/serpapi/serpapi-mcp) shows this config for the hosted server. Open Claude Desktop, go to Settings, then Developer, then Edit Config, and add it to `claude_desktop_config.json`: ```json { "mcpServers": { "serpapi": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.serpapi.com/YOUR_SERPAPI_API_KEY/mcp" } } } ``` Replace `YOUR_SERPAPI_API_KEY` with your key, save the file and restart Claude Desktop. This uses path authentication, so the key sits in the config file. ### Alternative: the Claude Desktop extension SerpApi also ships a `.mcpb` bundle that runs the server locally over stdio: 1. Download the `.mcpb` file from the [latest serpapi-mcp release](https://github.com/serpapi/serpapi-mcp/releases/latest) 2. Open it with Claude Desktop, or drop it onto Settings, then Extensions 3. Enter your SerpApi API key when Claude Desktop asks for it Claude Desktop stores the key as a sensitive setting, so it stays out of the URL. Searches still go to SerpApi and count against your plan. ## How to connect SerpApi MCP to Claude Code From [SerpApi's README](https://github.com/serpapi/serpapi-mcp), run: ```bash claude mcp add --transport http serpapi https://mcp.serpapi.com/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SERPAPI_API_KEY" ``` Replace `YOUR_SERPAPI_API_KEY` with your key, then check the server with `claude mcp list`. ## How to connect SerpApi MCP to Cursor SerpApi's README has an Install in Cursor button. To add it by hand, open Settings, then Cursor Settings, then Tools & MCP, and add: ```json { "mcpServers": { "serpapi": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.serpapi.com/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_SERPAPI_API_KEY" } } } } ``` Keep the key in your global Cursor config, not in a project file you commit to git. ## Other clients The README also lists commands for Codex (`codex mcp add serpapi --url https://mcp.serpapi.com/mcp --bearer-token-env-var SERPAPI_API_KEY`, which reads the key from your shell), OpenClaw and Hermes, plus an Install in VS Code button. Any client that can connect to a remote HTTP MCP server can use the header or path URL above. ## SerpApi MCP pricing The MCP server has no separate fee. Each successful search counts against your SerpApi plan. Checked October 2026 on [SerpApi's pricing page](https://serpapi.com/pricing): | Plan | Price | Searches per month | |---|---|---| | Free | $0 | 250 | | Starter | $25/month | 1,000 | | Developer | $75/month | 5,000 | | Production | $150/month | 15,000 | | Big Data | $275/month | 30,000 | SerpApi says only successful searches count. Cached, errored and failed searches do not, and the number of results in a response does not change the count. Each plan also has an hourly throughput limit. ## Example prompts Here are prompts you can try once SerpApi MCP is connected. ### Google Search results "Get the Google search results for best coffee grinders and show me the top 5 organic results." ### News search "Search Google News for articles about electric vehicles from the last 7 days." ### YouTube video search "Find the top 10 YouTube videos about sourdough bread and give me their titles, views and upload dates." ### Google Scholar lookup "Search Google Scholar for papers about machine learning in healthcare published since 2024." ### Amazon product search "Find the top-rated espresso machines on Amazon under $500 and show me their prices and review counts." ### Markdown output for efficiency "Search Google for react best practices and return the results in Markdown format to save tokens." ### Cross-engine comparison "Compare the top 5 results for headphones on Google Shopping and Amazon." ### Local search "Find the top-rated coffee shops in San Francisco using Google Maps." ## Run this in your agent Connect Manifold to your agent, then paste this prompt: ```text Show me the top 10 Google results for best espresso machines and the SERP features on the page. ``` It uses [`seo_get_serp`](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/docs/tools/seo#seo_get_serp). ## Common problems and fixes ### Authentication errors **Symptom:** `search` returns an error while listing tools works. **Fix:** Listing tools needs no key, so this points at the key itself. Copy it again from [serpapi.com/manage-api-key](https://serpapi.com/manage-api-key) and check for stray spaces. With header auth, the value must be `Bearer ` followed by the key. ### Searches run out faster than expected **Cause:** Every successful search counts, and agents often run several searches per question. **Fix:** Check usage in your [SerpApi dashboard](https://serpapi.com/dashboard). Ask the agent for fewer, more targeted searches. ### Missing required parameters **Cause:** Engines need different parameters. Google uses `q`, YouTube uses `search_query`, and Amazon uses `k`. Google Flights needs airports and dates. **Fix:** Clients that support form elicitation get a form for the missing fields. Other clients get an error listing them, so the agent can ask you. The [SerpApi API reference](https://serpapi.com/search-api) lists each engine's parameters. ### Results use too many tokens **Fix:** Ask for Markdown output (`output: "md"`) or `compact` mode. ### Requests slow down or fail at volume **Cause:** Each plan has an hourly throughput limit, from 50 searches an hour on the free plan. **Fix:** Spread searches out, or move to a larger plan on [SerpApi's pricing page](https://serpapi.com/pricing). ## If you only need SEO data SerpApi MCP covers far more engines than most SEO work needs. If you only need Google SERP checks, keyword metrics, rankings and backlinks, a dedicated [SEO MCP server](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/mcp/seo) may fit better. Manifold is a hosted option with no API keys of your own, paid per call, with 250 free credits per workspace and [Pro from $20/mo](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/pricing). For a full comparison of SEO MCP servers, including DataForSEO, Ahrefs, Semrush and SE Ranking, read [the best SEO MCP servers](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/blog/best-seo-mcp-servers). To compare every marketing server, including competitor research and social data, read [the best MCP servers for marketing](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-marketing). ## Questions people ask ### Is there an official SerpApi MCP server? Yes. SerpApi hosts one at mcp.serpapi.com, documented at serpapi.com/integrations/mcp and in the serpapi/serpapi-mcp repository on GitHub. You can also self-host it or install it in Claude Desktop as a .mcpb extension. ### Is SerpApi MCP free? The MCP server has no separate fee. Searches count against your SerpApi plan. The free plan includes 250 searches a month, and paid plans start at $25/month for 1,000 searches. ### Should I use header or path authentication? Use header authentication (Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY) when your client supports it, because the key stays out of URLs and logs. Path authentication (mcp.serpapi.com/YOUR_API_KEY/mcp) is for clients that cannot set headers. ### Which search engines does SerpApi MCP support? The search tool works with SerpApi's engines, including Google Search, News, Scholar, Shopping, Maps, Flights and Hotels, plus Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Baidu, Yandex, Naver, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Home Depot, Apple App Store and YouTube. The server lists them as MCP resources at serpapi://engines. ### How do I reduce token usage with SerpApi MCP? Set the output parameter to md to get Markdown instead of JSON, or use compact mode. SerpApi says Markdown cuts token usage by 50% on average. ## Keep reading - [The best MCP servers for content marketing](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-content-marketing.md): MCP servers for every stage of content marketing, from keyword research and questions people ask to SEO optimization and CMS publishing. Compare research, brief, optimization, and publishing servers. - [Similarweb MCP: how to set it up in Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/blog/similarweb-mcp.md): Similarweb's official MCP server brings traffic estimates, audience data and competitor intelligence into Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor. This guide covers which plans include it, connecting each client, common problems, and example prompts. - [Claude Code SEO: the best MCP servers and setup](https://www.manifoldmcp.com/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-claude-code-seo.md): Claude Code is a terminal agent that can read and edit your site's code. Here is how to give it live SEO data: the command for each MCP server, a shared team setup, the skills that pair with them, and which to use for each job.