# DataForSEO MCP

Connects AI assistants to DataForSEO with built-in API documentation search and clean response normalization.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI
- Author: scalably-io
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/scalably-io/dataforseo-mcp
- Updated: 2026-10-14
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/dataforseo-mcp

## What it does

This server acts as a wrapper around DataForSEO's official integration. It exposes four tools: `docs_list_sections`, `docs_index`, and `docs_search` let the assistant look up current endpoint paths and parameters without spending balance, while `api_request` sends live calls.

Outputs arrive as structured JSON with operational statuses, summaries, and recovery hints. The tool normalizes vendor-specific task envelopes and error codes before the model sees them.

Setup requires `DATAFORSEO_USERNAME` and `DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD` from your account dashboard. Live calls via `api_request` draw from your account balance, and the server returns `ambiguous_paid_request` on indeterminate failures so the model does not trigger duplicate charges.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)
- Environment variables: `DATAFORSEO_USERNAME`, `DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD`, `DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add --env DATAFORSEO_USERNAME=<DATAFORSEO_USERNAME> --env DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD=<DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD> --env DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD=<DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD> --transport stdio dataforseo-mcp -- npx -y @scalably-io/dataforseo-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add dataforseo-mcp --env DATAFORSEO_USERNAME=<DATAFORSEO_USERNAME> --env DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD=<DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD> --env DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD=<DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD> -- npx -y @scalably-io/dataforseo-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "dataforseo-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@scalably-io/dataforseo-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "<DATAFORSEO_USERNAME>",
                "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "<DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD>",
                "DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD": "<DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "dataforseo-mcp": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@scalably-io/dataforseo-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "<DATAFORSEO_USERNAME>",
                "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "<DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD>",
                "DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD": "<DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e DATAFORSEO_USERNAME=<DATAFORSEO_USERNAME> -e DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD=<DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD> -e DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD=<DATAFORSEO_PROXY_TEST_CHILD> dataforseo-mcp npx -y @scalably-io/dataforseo-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- inspect DataForSEO documentation endpoints directly inside the coding assistant
- execute authenticated DataForSEO API calls without writing manual curl requests
- parse normalized task statuses and error messages instead of raw vendor envelopes
- avoid duplicate billing charges during network hiccups on paid endpoints

## Example prompts
- Look up the available Google SERP endpoints using `docs_index`
- Search the documentation for backlink analysis request parameters via `docs_search`
- Call the live DataForSEO API using `api_request` to check keyword volume

## Similar
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