How to connect Screaming Frog MCP to Claude Desktop
Add this block to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows), then restart Claude Desktop. Cursor and Codex use a similar schema.
{
"mcpServers": {
"screaming-frog": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mcp-remote", "<YOUR_MCP_URL>"]
}
}
}
// HTTP-transport MCP. Get your <YOUR_MCP_URL> from the vendor dashboard.
// Server source: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/guides/mcp-server/
// Claude Code (one-liner): claude mcp add screaming-frog <YOUR_MCP_URL> --transport httpSome MCP servers require an API key. Check the source page for setup: screamingfrog.co.uk/guides/mcp-server.
Does Screaming Frog MCP cost extra?
Screaming Frog ships an official MCP server that uses your existing subscription credentials.
- No separate MCP licence to buy. You pay for your Screaming Frog plan, the MCP server queries that account.
- Whether it's gated to a specific tier wasn't extracted automatically — verify the access requirements on the MCP page or pricing docs.
Screaming Frog subscription pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual / mo |
|---|---|---|
| Free Version | — | — |
| Paid Version | — | £199 |
Source: screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/pricing. Verified 2026-06-07.
Screaming Frog also publishes a REST API
Screaming Frog publishes an API, but per-tier gating wasn't extracted automatically.
What you can do with Screaming Frog from an AI agent
Three shapes of agent workflow. Pick the row that matches how you actually use Claude / Cursor / Codex day to day.
Skip the dashboard, ask Claude
- "What keywords moved this week?" answered in seconds
- Quick one-off questions without leaving the editor
- Pipe Screaming Frog data into your personal notes / docs without writing a script
Run client analysis at agent speed
- Hand the MCP server to your team — every consultant can ask Claude about any client's Screaming Frog account
- Multi-account workflows without context-switching the Screaming Frog UI
- Reports you'd normally spend hours on, done before standup
Production agent workflows
- Embed in your internal Codex / Cursor agents that triage Screaming Frog data daily
- Combine with other MCP servers in a multi-step agent chain
- Constrain agents to read-only roles to keep production Screaming Frog safe
Limits and gotchas
- Official MCP server — published by Screaming Frog themselves, so it should track product changes.
- Fallback: the REST API works for any flow the MCP server doesn't cover.
- Auth flow: MCP servers usually inherit the underlying API auth method (oauth). Expect to configure that on first install.
- Rate limits: MCP calls count against your underlying Screaming Frog API quota. Burst usage from a curious agent can drain a daily allowance fast.
Agent-readiness verdict
Moderate agent-fit with official MCP support. Screaming Frog has an official MCP server and documented API with OAuth, making it accessible to Claude and Gemini workflows for technical SEO audits. The lack of OpenAPI specs, SDKs, and structured outputs limits deeper integration and makes parsing crawl data require custom handling.
Scored 2026-06-07 by Joonas (TMB).
Screaming Frog MCP & API FAQ
Is the Screaming Frog MCP server official?+
Can I use the Screaming Frog MCP with Cursor or Codex?+
Does Screaming Frog have a public API?+
Which LLMs does Screaming Frog integrate with directly?+
Sources
- Screaming Frog official site: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/
- MCP server page: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/guides/mcp-server/
- API docs: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/guides/api/
- Pricing source: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/pricing/ (verified 2026-06-07)
Data verified by Joonas on the dates shown. MCP server status auto-rechecked weekly.
10+ years in digital marketing. I review marketing software for AI-stack fit: real pricing, MCP and API support, and how cleanly each tool drops into an AI agent workflow, cross-checked against verified data and real user feedback.