Connect the MCP server

The XLR8.ai MCP server lets your AI assistant work in your XLR8.ai account. Ask it to build a query set, start an experiment, break down which sources AI models cite, draft on-brand content, or find Reddit threads to join, all from the chat you already use. To connect, add the server URL to your assistant and sign in with the same account you use at app.tryxlr8.ai. There is nothing to install.

https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp

Claude

Web, desktop, and Cowork

ChatGPT and Codex

ChatGPT desktop app, Codex CLI, and IDE extension

Cursor

One-click install

Claude Code

One terminal command

VS Code

With GitHub Copilot

Other clients

Any client that supports remote MCP

Set up your client

Claude

Add XLR8.ai as a custom connector. It works in Claude on the web, Claude Desktop, and Cowork. For more detail, see Claude’s custom connector guide.

Free, Pro, and Max
Team and Enterprise

Add a custom connector

Go to Customize → Connectors, select + Add, then select Add custom connector.

Enter the server details

Name the connector XLR8.ai, paste https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp, and select Continue.

Keep the authentication settings Claude detects, choose Sign in now, and select Add. Sign in with your XLR8.ai account.

Turn it on in a chat

In a conversation, select +, open Connectors, and turn on XLR8.ai.

Free plans can add one custom connector.

An owner adds the connector once for the organization. Each member then connects their own XLR8.ai account.

Owner: add the connector

Go to Organization settings → Connectors, select Add, hover over Custom, and select Web. Name it XLR8.ai, paste https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp, keep the detected authentication settings, and select Add.

Member: connect your account

Go to Customize → Connectors, find XLR8.ai, and select Connect. Sign in with your XLR8.ai account.

Turn it on in a chat

In a conversation, select +, open Connectors, and turn on XLR8.ai.

ChatGPT desktop and Codex

The ChatGPT desktop app, the Codex CLI, and the Codex IDE extension share one MCP configuration. Add XLR8.ai in one of them and it is available in all three. For more detail, see the Codex MCP documentation.

ChatGPT desktop app
Codex CLI
Codex IDE extension

Add the server

Open Settings → MCP servers and select Add server. Name it xlr8, choose Streamable HTTP, and paste https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp.

Restart and sign in

Save the server and select Restart. Then select Authenticate next to xlr8 and sign in with your XLR8.ai account.

Add the server

codex mcp add xlr8 --url https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp

codex mcp login xlr8

Your browser opens so you can sign in with your XLR8.ai account.

Add the server

Open the gear menu, select MCP servers, then select Add server. Name it xlr8, choose Streamable HTTP, and paste https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp.

Restart and sign in

Save the server and select Restart extension. Then select Authenticate and sign in with your XLR8.ai account.

Cursor

For more detail, see the Cursor MCP documentation.

Add the server

Add XLR8.ai to Cursor and confirm the install when Cursor asks.To add it by hand, put this in ~/.cursor/mcp.json to use it in every project, or in .cursor/mcp.json for one project:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlr8": {
      "url": "https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Open Customize in Cursor’s sidebar, turn on XLR8.ai, and sign in with your XLR8.ai account when your browser opens.

Claude Code

For more detail, see the Claude Code MCP documentation.

Add the server

claude mcp add --transport http xlr8 https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp

To use XLR8.ai in every project, not only the current one, add --scope user after xlr8.

Start Claude Code, run /mcp, select xlr8, and sign in with your XLR8.ai account in the browser.

VS Code

Use XLR8.ai with GitHub Copilot in VS Code. For more detail, see the VS Code MCP documentation.

Add the server

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows and Linux) and run MCP: Add Server. Choose HTTP, paste https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp, and enter xlr8 as the server ID.

Choose where to save it

Select Global, then Copilot Global, to use XLR8.ai in every workspace.

When VS Code asks, allow the sign-in and sign in with your XLR8.ai account.

Other clients

Any client that supports remote MCP servers can connect. Use these settings:

URL: https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp
Transport: Streamable HTTP (some clients call it HTTP)
Authentication: OAuth. Sign in with your XLR8.ai account when the client asks.

If your client takes a JSON configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlr8": {
      "url": "https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

If your client can only run local servers, connect through mcp-remote. It needs Node.js and opens your browser so you can sign in.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlr8": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Check the connection

Start a new chat and ask:

Test the connection

The assistant should list each organization you belong to and your role in it. If you belong to more than one, tell it which one to use, for example “Use Acme for this chat.”

What you can ask

Copy one of these prompts and replace the text in brackets.

Start a visibility experiment

See which sources AI models cite

Draft on-brand content

Check a draft for AI detection

Find Reddit threads to join

Some requests start work in your account, such as running an experiment, generating content, or sending an outreach email. Keep tool approval on in your assistant so you can review each action before it runs.

Connect with an API key

Use an API key when your client can’t open a browser to sign in, for example an agent that runs on a server. Contact XLR8.ai to get an API key for your account. The client sends the key as a bearer token on every request:

Authorization: Bearer <your_api_key>

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlr8": {
      "url": "https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${env:XLR8_API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add --transport http xlr8 https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $XLR8_API_KEY"

[mcp_servers.xlr8]
url = "https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp"
bearer_token_env_var = "XLR8_API_KEY"

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xlr8": {
      "url": "https://mcp.tryxlr8.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <your_api_key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

The Cursor, Claude Code, and Codex examples read the key from an XLR8_API_KEY environment variable, so the key stays out of your config files. Set that variable before you start the client. If your client doesn’t fill in environment variables, paste the key in place of the variable. In Claude, add the custom connector as described above, choose No sign in, and add a request header named Authorization with the value Bearer <your_api_key>.

On Claude Team and Enterprise plans, everyone who uses a connector set up with an API key acts as the key’s owner. Use sign-in instead so each member connects their own account.

If your key isn’t tied to one organization, tell the assistant which organization to use. The System Reporting API key is a different key and doesn’t work with the MCP server.

Troubleshooting

The assistant says it isn't authorized

Your saved sign-in expired or is no longer valid. Disconnect XLR8.ai in your client’s connector or MCP settings and connect again.With an API key, check that the header contains the key itself and not the name of the environment variable. Copy the key again with no extra spaces.

XLR8.ai doesn't show up in the chat

Make sure the server is turned on. In Claude, select + in the conversation and check Connectors. In Cursor, check Customize. If you edited a config file, quit the client completely and open it again.

My organization is missing

The assistant only sees organizations your account belongs to. Ask an admin to invite you, or sign in with the account that already has access.

My company blocks the connection

Your IT team may restrict external MCP servers. Ask them to allow mcp.tryxlr8.ai. On Claude Team and Enterprise plans, only owners can add custom connectors.

FAQ

Why does the assistant ask to run search_tools and call_tool?

XLR8.ai has a large set of tools. The assistant starts with a few, uses search_tools to find the one your request needs, and runs it with call_tool. Expand the approval request to see which XLR8.ai tool it will run and what it will send.

What can the assistant access?

Only organizations your XLR8.ai account belongs to. In those organizations, it can work with query sets, experiments, citation results, content, brand guidelines, Reddit listening, outreach, and videos.

How do I disconnect?

Remove XLR8.ai from your client’s connector or MCP settings. In Claude, go to Customize → Connectors and select Remove.

Experiments

Track how AI models talk about your brand.

Query generation

Build the query sets your experiments run.

Content generation

Create content designed to improve your AI visibility.

Social listening

Find Reddit conversations worth joining.

Get Started

Experiments

Reporting

Content

Intelligence

Integrations

Account

Connect the MCP server

Claude

ChatGPT and Codex

Cursor

Claude Code

VS Code

Other clients

Set up your client

Claude

ChatGPT desktop and Codex

Cursor

Claude Code

VS Code

Other clients

Check the connection

What you can ask

Connect with an API key

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Experiments

Query generation

Content generation

Social listening

Claude

ChatGPT and Codex

Cursor

Claude Code

VS Code

Other clients

​Set up your client

​Claude

​ChatGPT desktop and Codex

​Cursor

​Claude Code

​VS Code

​Other clients

​Check the connection

​What you can ask

​Connect with an API key

​Troubleshooting

​FAQ

​Related

Experiments

Query generation

Content generation

Social listening

Set up your client

Claude

ChatGPT desktop and Codex

Cursor

Claude Code

VS Code

Other clients

Check the connection

What you can ask

Connect with an API key

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Related