Exa MCP Server: MCP server for Claude Code and OpenAI Codex

What Exa MCP Server is

Exa MCP connects AI agents to Exa for web search, content fetching and multi-step research. It runs as a hosted server at https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp and also ships as an Agent Plugin with two skills. It works anonymously with rate limits; OAuth or an API key raises limits.

What it does

Where Exa MCP Server runs and what it adds, from its documentation

web_search_exa: search the web and get clean, ready-to-use content (default tool)
web_fetch_exa: read full page content as markdown from one or more URLs (default tool)
agent_run (optional): run an Exa Agent for multi-step research, list-building, enrichment and structured output
web_search_advanced_exa (optional): filters, domains, dates, highlights, summaries and subpage crawling
Bundled skills: search and exa-agent

When to use it

Good fit

Your coding agent needs fresh web content as clean markdown
You want deep research or lead generation driven by an agent
You prefer a hosted server with no local install

Not for

Exa Agent runs without authentication (OAuth or API key required)
Setups that need unlimited anonymous use (anonymous access is rate limited)

How to install Exa MCP Server

You need: An MCP client that supports Streamable HTTP; Optional: Exa account (OAuth or API key) for higher limits and Exa Agent

Point your client at the hosted URL https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp
Claude: claude plugin install exa@claude-plugins-official
Codex: codex mcp add exa --url https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp
Other clients: add the mcpServers JSON config below
Optional: sign in with OAuth or add an API key from dashboard.exa.ai for higher limits

Configuration example (from the official docs)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "exa": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp",
    }
  }
}

Permissions and security

What it can access

Network calls to mcp.exa.ai: search queries and URLs you ask it to fetch

Security notes from the maintainers

API key can be passed in the URL as ?exaApiKey=, or via Authorization: Bearer or x-api-key header; the header forms keep the key out of URLs

Review the source before granting an agent access to credentials or production systems. We document what the maintainers state; we do not audit code.

Limitations

Anonymous use is rate limited
Setting the tools parameter replaces the default tool set, so list every tool you want

Tools it extends

Coding

Claude Code

Web · Desktop

No user reviews yet

Anthropic's agentic coding tool that reads your codebase, edits files and runs commands from the terminal, IDEs, desktop app or browser.

Watch out: Not included in the Free Claude plan, and usage on subscriptions is capped by plan limits.

Listed Not yet reviewed

Verified Sep 29, 2026 code.claude.com (opens Claude Code website in a new tab)

From $20/mo US · checked Sep 29

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Coding Free plan

OpenAI Codex

Web · Desktop · Mobile

No user reviews yet

OpenAI's coding agent for the CLI, IDE extension, desktop app, web and iOS, included in ChatGPT plans or billed by API.

Free stops at: Desktop app only listed, Usage limits apply

Listed Not yet reviewed

Verified Sep 29, 2026 developers.openai.com (opens OpenAI Codex website in a new tab)

Free · paid from $8/mo US · checked Sep 29

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Coding Free plan

Cursor

Desktop

No user reviews yet

AI code editor with agents, cloud agents and code review, offered with a free Hobby tier and paid plans.

Free stops at: Limited Agent requests

Listed Not yet reviewed

Verified Sep 29, 2026 cursor.com (opens Cursor website in a new tab)

Free · paid from $20/mo US · checked Sep 29

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Coding Free plan

Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

Desktop

No user reviews yet

AI coding IDE, formerly Windsurf, now Devin Desktop: manage local and cloud coding agents inside a full IDE.

Free stops at: Light quota for agent usage, resets daily and weekly, Limited model availability

Listed Not yet reviewed

Verified Oct 1, 2026 windsurf.com (opens Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) website in a new tab)

Free · paid from $20/mo US · checked Sep 29

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Coding

Gemini CLI

Desktop

No user reviews yet

Open-source terminal AI agent from Google bringing Gemini to the command line; site notes unpaid and Google One users moved to Antigravity CLI.

Free stops at: Verify current availability

Listed Not yet reviewed

Verified Sep 29, 2026 geminicli.com (opens Gemini CLI website in a new tab)

Pricing US price unconfirmed

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Exa MCP server URL?

https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp source

Does the Exa MCP server need an API key?

No. It works anonymously with rate limits; OAuth or an API key gives higher limits and Exa Agent access. source

How do I enable web_search_advanced_exa in Exa MCP?

Append ?tools=web_search_advanced_exa to the URL; this replaces the defaults, so list all tools you want. source

How do I install Exa MCP in Claude Code or Codex?

Claude: claude plugin install exa@claude-plugins-official. Codex: codex mcp add exa --url https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp. source

Related guides

Sources and gaps

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server/main/README.md readme, checked Oct 2, 2026
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server/main/LICENSE readme, checked Oct 2, 2026
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/exa-labs/exa-mcp-server/main/package.json readme, checked Oct 2, 2026

Not stated by the maintainers: last release date not checked.

What Exa MCP Server is

What it does

When to use it

Good fit

Not for

How to install Exa MCP Server

Permissions and security

What it can access

Security notes from the maintainers

Limitations

Tools it extends

Claude Code

OpenAI Codex

Cursor

Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

Gemini CLI

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Sources and gaps

More extensions to look at