What Semrush exposes
Semrush exposes data through three main developer surfaces. The MCP server is included on every paid plan (SEO, Pro+, Advanced) and on AI Visibility add-on subscriptions, Semrush is one of the more aggressive SEO vendors at pushing agent access broadly. The REST API is gated to Advanced+ only, with API integration as a headline feature of that tier. Looker Studio integration ships on Pro+ and Advanced for no-code dashboarding. Daily Analytics requests are capped by plan (3,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 from SEO through Advanced) and shared across endpoints. Coverage spans backlinks, keyword research, SERP analysis, traffic analytics, AI visibility reports, and content optimization, the broadest endpoint surface of any SEO tool.
Access, auth, and limits
The Semrush MCP server endpoint is https://mcp.semrush.com/v1/mcp over HTTP streamable transport only (no SSE). Authentication has two paths: OAuth 2.0 (default, redirects to Semrush login on first connect) or API key passed as `Authorization: Apikey YOUR_API_KEY` in the header. Tier-gating: MCP access ships with every paid SEO plan (SEO, Pro+, Advanced), Semrush is aggressive about agent access compared to peers. Grandfathered SEO Classic users on Pro / Guru / Business also have MCP. Trends API subscribers (Basic or Premium) automatically get MCP for Traffic & Market data. Each MCP call consumes Semrush's standard API units budget, the SEO plan includes 50,000 units per month, with higher tiers and the API add-on extending the budget. Read-only Projects API access is included (Position Tracking, Site Audit data), no create/modify endpoints.
Where it works and what to build
Semrush ships first-party setup guides for 7 MCP clients: Claude (official app), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI, and Perplexity, broad coverage including non-Anthropic clients like Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT. Specific tools exposed: organic_research (domain organic search analysis), keyword_research (volume, difficulty, intent), backlink_research (backlink profiles), trends_research (traffic and market data for Trends subscribers), get_report_schema (introspect available endpoints), and execute_report (run any standard Semrush report). Real workflows: ask Claude to pull a competitor's top organic keywords, score keyword opportunities for a content brief using volume + KD + intent, or audit a domain's backlink profile and identify toxic links, all without leaving the agent. The unit-based pricing means heavy MCP usage can deplete the same budget that REST API users share, so agencies running both should track unit consumption carefully.
Which AI clients can use Semrush MCP?
Not every AI assistant supports MCP natively. Per-client picture for Semrush:
| Client | Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Claude (Desktop/Web) | Native MCP | Connect via the Semrush MCP URL in Claude Desktop settings. |
| Claude Code | Native MCP | — |
| ChatGPT | Via connectors | Works via ChatGPT custom connectors (Plus tier+). Rougher setup than Claude Desktop. |
| Cursor | Native MCP | — |
| Codex | Native MCP | — |
| Windsurf | Native MCP | — |
| Cline | Native MCP | — |
| Gemini | API-only (custom code) | Gemini chat has no native MCP client; call the API from custom code. |
| n8n | API-only (custom code) | No first-party n8n node; integrate via HTTP Request or community workflow. |
How to connect Semrush 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": {
"semrush": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["mcp-remote", "<YOUR_MCP_URL>"]
}
}
}
// HTTP-transport MCP. Get your <YOUR_MCP_URL> from the vendor dashboard.
// Server source: https://www.semrush.com/mcp/
// Claude Code (one-liner): claude mcp add semrush <YOUR_MCP_URL> --transport httpSome MCP servers require an API key. Check the source page for setup: semrush.com/mcp.
Does Semrush MCP cost extra?
Semrush ships an official MCP server that uses your existing subscription credentials.
- No separate MCP licence to buy. You pay for your Semrush 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.
Semrush subscription pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual / mo |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $139 | $117.33 |
| Guru | $249 | $208.33 |
| Business | $499 | $416.66 |
Source: semrush.com/pricing. Verified 2026-06-07.
Semrush also publishes a REST API
Semrush publishes an API, but per-tier gating wasn't extracted automatically.
What you can do with Semrush 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 Semrush 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 Semrush account
- Multi-account workflows without context-switching the Semrush UI
- Reports you'd normally spend hours on, done before standup
Production agent workflows
- Embed in your internal Codex / Cursor agents that triage Semrush data daily
- Combine with other MCP servers in a multi-step agent chain
- Constrain agents to read-only roles to keep production Semrush safe
Limits and gotchas
- Official MCP server — published by Semrush themselves, so it should track product changes.
- Fallback: the REST API works for any flow the MCP server doesn't cover.
- Rate limits: MCP calls count against your underlying Semrush API quota. Burst usage from a curious agent can drain a daily allowance fast.
Agent-readiness verdict
Aggressive MCP positioning, included on every paid plan with broad client support (7 first-party setup guides covering both Anthropic and non-Anthropic clients). The unit-based pricing is the main caveat: heavy MCP usage burns the same budget shared with the REST API.
Moderate agent fit: Semrush has an official MCP server and documented public API, which enables Claude workflows for SEO data retrieval. The main limitation is lack of OpenAPI spec and SDKs, requiring manual API integration rather than auto-generated tooling. Structured outputs and webhook support are also absent, constraining real-time automation potential.
Scored 2026-06-07 by Joonas (TMB).
Semrush MCP & API FAQ
Is the Semrush MCP server official?+
Can I use the Semrush MCP with Cursor or Codex?+
Does Semrush have a public API?+
Sources
- Semrush official site: https://www.semrush.com/
- MCP server page: https://www.semrush.com/mcp/
- API docs: https://developer.semrush.com/api/
- Pricing source: https://www.semrush.com/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.