No. The MCP itself is open-source (Apache-2.0), but every tool call is a metered request against your DataForSEO API balance. DataForSEO is prepaid pay-as-you-go — you fund a balance and each SERP, keyword, or backlink call draws it down. There is no monthly seat fee.

How do I stop an agent from burning my balance?

Two controls: scope the credentials to a low-balance account, and use the module allow-list (the ENABLED_MODULES env var) to expose only the endpoints you need — e.g. SERP and KEYWORDS_DATA only, with BACKLINKS and ONPAGE disabled. An agent that loops can otherwise run many paid calls quickly.

Does it run remotely as well as locally?

Yes. It runs as a local stdio server via npx, as an HTTP server on port 3000 with Basic Auth, and can be deployed to Cloudflare Workers for a hosted endpoint. Use stdio for a single developer and HTTP for a shared team endpoint.

How is this different from the Ahrefs or Semrush MCP?

DataForSEO is the raw data API that many SEO tools resell. It gives you keyword volumes, SERP snapshots, and backlink graphs directly. Ahrefs and Semrush layer proprietary metrics (Domain Rating, Authority Score) and their own indexes on top — choose DataForSEO for raw data at request-level pricing, Ahrefs/Semrush for their scores.

DataForSEO

Name: Top MCPs — curated MCP directory
Creator: Top MCPs
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Official

Live SERP, keyword, backlink, and on-page SEO data for an AI agent.

Score 82(?)DataForSEOApache-2.0 218Verified Jun 15, 2026Top MCPs for Marketing & SEO →

Install View on GitHub

Quick answer

What it does

Connects to the DataForSEO API and exposes SERP, keyword, backlink, on-page crawl, domain analytics, and DataForSEO Labs endpoints as MCP tools. Each call is a metered API request against your DataForSEO balance.

Best for

Live SERP position checks
Keyword volume and difficulty research
Backlink profile audits
On-page technical crawls

Not for

Teams wanting Ahrefs/Semrush proprietary scores
Hard per-request cost ceilings

Setup recipe

Pick your client, then follow the three steps.

Install

claude_desktop_config.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dataforseo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "dataforseo-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}",
        "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Paste under mcpServers. Fully quit and reopen Claude after editing.

CLI or .mcp.jsonshell

# export DATAFORSEO_USERNAME=your-login@example.com
# export DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD=your-api-password
claude mcp add dataforseo -- npx -y dataforseo-mcp-server

Run from your repo. Commit .mcp.json to share with your team.

.cursor/mcp.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dataforseo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "dataforseo-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}",
        "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Global path: ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Reload window after editing.

.vscode/mcp.jsonjsonc

{
  "servers": {
    "dataforseo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "dataforseo-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}",
        "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code uses the "servers" key (not "mcpServers").

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dataforseo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "dataforseo-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}",
        "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Open via Cascade → hammer icon → Configure.

cline_mcp_settings.jsonjson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dataforseo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "dataforseo-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}",
        "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Open via the Cline sidebar → MCP Servers → Edit.

~/.continue/config.jsonjson

{
  "experimental": {
    "modelContextProtocolServers": [
      {
        "transport": {
          "type": "stdio",
          "command": "npx",
          "args": [
            "-y",
            "dataforseo-mcp-server"
          ],
          "env": {
            "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}",
            "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}"
          }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Continue uses modelContextProtocolServers with a transport block.

~/.codex/config.tomlshell

# ~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.dataforseo]
command = "npx"
args = [
  "-y",
  "dataforseo-mcp-server",
]
env = { DATAFORSEO_USERNAME = "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}", DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD = "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}" }

Codex uses TOML. Each server is a [mcp_servers.<name>] subtable.

~/.config/zed/settings.jsonjsonc

{
  "context_servers": {
    "dataforseo": {
      "command": {
        "path": "npx",
        "args": [
          "-y",
          "dataforseo-mcp-server"
        ]
      },
      "env": {
        "DATAFORSEO_USERNAME": "${DATAFORSEO_USERNAME}",
        "DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD": "${DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Zed calls them "context_servers". Settings live-reload on save.

ChatGPT → Apps directorynone

DataForSEO doesn't ship a hosted HTTPS endpoint today. ChatGPT supports remote MCP servers only — to use this server in ChatGPT you'll need to deploy it to a public HTTPS URL first (e.g. via Cloudflare Workers or Vercel) or wait for an official remote build.

2
Set required secrets
Set DATAFORSEO_USERNAME, DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD in your shell environment before launching your MCP client.
3
Try a minimum working prompt
Minimum working prompt pending verification. Try any prompt from the MCP’s README once installed.

Tools & permissions

Tool	Description	Args	Side effects
`serp`	Fetch live SERP results for a keyword on Google, Bing, or Yahoo.	keyword: string	Network
`keywords_data`	Return search volume, CPC, and clickstream metrics for keywords.	keywords: string[]	Network
`dataforseo_labs`	Run DataForSEO Labs algorithmic keyword/domain queries (ranked keywords, competitors).	—	Network
`backlinks`	Return backlinks and referring domains for a target.	target: string	Network
`on_page`	Crawl a site and return on-page SEO issues.	target: string	Network

Security & scope

Access scope: Read-only
Sandbox: Authenticates with a DataForSEO API login/password pair passed via env vars. All exposed tools are read-only data lookups — none mutate external state. The blast radius is financial (paid API calls), not destructive, so the key control is balance and the module allow-list, not write-scoping.
Gotchas: Every tool call costs money against your DataForSEO balance — an agent that loops can spend quickly. Cap with a low-balance account.
Use ENABLED_MODULES to expose only the endpoints you need; the default exposes every module including the more expensive Labs and Backlinks calls.
Credentials sit in client config files in plaintext — rotate the API password if a config is shared or committed.

Agent prompt pack

— copy into Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT.

Paste into Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT. Edit the [brackets] before sending.

Recommend the best MCP servers for [task: e.g. marketing & seo work] in [client: Claude].

Constraints:
- Prefer tools that are [official | open-source | read-only] — pick what matters for my use case.
- Exclude MCPs that require [e.g. a paid plan, OAuth-only flows, remote-only transport].
- Return at most 3 picks, ranked.

For each pick include:
1. One-sentence rationale.
2. The ready-to-paste install snippet for my client.
3. Any required secrets I need to create before installing.

Cross-check the top-mcps.com listing: https://top-mcps.com/top-mcps-for-marketing-seo

Compare DataForSEO against a real alternative. Swap the second MCP in [brackets] if you want a different match.

Compare DataForSEO MCP vs [Ahrefs MCP] for the following job: [describe the job, e.g. "let an agent create GitHub issues on bug triage"].

Judge them on:
- Setup time and complexity (what a new user hits first).
- Auth model (none / API key / OAuth 2.1) and credential risk.
- Transport (stdio / Streamable HTTP / SSE) and where the server runs.
- Required secrets and the blast radius if they leak.
- Operational risk in an unattended agent loop.
- Which one is "good enough" for a weekend prototype vs. production.

End with one sentence: which should I pick for my scenario, which is: [my scenario].

References:
- https://top-mcps.com/mcp/dataforseo
- top-mcps.com listing for Ahrefs

Asks the agent to install and verify. Works inside Claude Code, Cursor Agent, Codex CLI.

Install the DataForSEO MCP server for my [client: Claude] at the default config path for that client.

Use the exact install snippet published at https://top-mcps.com/mcp/dataforseo (fetch https://top-mcps.com/mcp/dataforseo.json for the canonical server.json if you can read URLs).

Before finishing:
1. Create the required secrets (DATAFORSEO_USERNAME, DATAFORSEO_PASSWORD) and put them in the appropriate env block — do not hard-code them.
2. Restart or reload the client so it picks up the new server.
3. Verify the server is connected (green / running state) and at least one tool is listed.
4. If anything fails, read the client's MCP logs and report the exact error — do not silently retry.

Confirm when done and list the tools the server now exposes.

Frequently asked questions

What changed

— 2 updates tracked.

Jun 15, 2026
Refreshed install snippets and fact sheet; verified for 2026.
May 1, 2025
Initial directory listing.

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Exploring Top MCPs for Marketing & SEO? See all Marketing & SEO MCPs →

Quick answer

What it does

Best for

Not for

Setup recipe

Install

Set required secrets

Try a minimum working prompt

Tools & permissions

Security & scope

Agent prompt pack

Full details

Frequently asked questions

Is DataForSEO free?

How do I stop an agent from burning my balance?

Does it run remotely as well as locally?

How is this different from the Ahrefs or Semrush MCP?

What changed

More Marketing & SEO MCPs

Google Analytics

Google Search Console

Ahrefs

Compared with DataForSEO