# How to connect the Exa MCP server

To connect the official Exa MCP server, add https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp to your MCP client as a Streamable HTTP server, then no sign-in is needed to connect. For clients without MCP OAuth, use an API key. Exa documents setup for ChatGPT, Codex, Claude Code, Claude, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf.

- Endpoint: https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp
- Transport: Streamable HTTP
- Registry: ai.exa/exa 3.4.1
- Publisher documentation reviewed: 2026-11-05 (connection tested)
- Guide page: https://apitracker.io/mcp-guides/exa-mcp

## Before you start

- Without sign-in or an API key, search and fetch work at a free rate limit and agent_run is unavailable. Agent runs are usage-based and need OAuth or an API key; usage belongs to your Exa team.

## Steps

1. **Open Exa's MCP setup instructions for your client** <https://docs.exa.ai/reference/exa-mcp>
2. **Add the Exa MCP server to your client** Add https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp as a remote MCP server that uses the Streamable HTTP transport (often labelled "http"). Exa also publishes a ChatGPT and Codex plugin, a Claude Code plugin, a Claude connector and a Cursor Marketplace listing, which sign you in with OAuth.
3. **Recommended for interactive clients: sign in with OAuth** Exa recommends OAuth for interactive clients and production use. In a client that supports MCP OAuth, connect to https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp?login instead; the client discovers Exa's authorization server and opens the browser sign-in.
4. **For clients without MCP OAuth, use an API key** Create an API key in the Exa dashboard and send it in the x-api-key header. Keep the key in a secret store, not in shared configuration.
5. **Optional: choose which tools the client sees** Exa's tools URL parameter selects the tools. An explicit list replaces the defaults, so include every tool you want, including web_search_exa and web_fetch_exa.
6. **List the server's tools**

## Questions

### What is the Exa MCP server URL?

The official Exa MCP server is at https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp and uses the Streamable HTTP transport.

### How do I authenticate with the Exa MCP server?

No sign-in is needed to connect. Recommended for interactive clients: sign in with OAuth: Exa recommends OAuth for interactive clients and production use. In a client that supports MCP OAuth, connect to https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp?login instead; the client discovers Exa's authorization server and opens the browser sign-in. For clients without MCP OAuth, use an API key: Create an API key in the Exa dashboard and send it in the x-api-key header. Keep the key in a secret store, not in shared configuration.

### Which AI clients can use the Exa MCP server?

Exa's documentation covers ChatGPT, Codex, Claude Code, Claude, Cursor, VS Code and Windsurf. Other clients that support remote Streamable HTTP MCP servers may also work.

### What do I need before connecting Exa MCP?

Without sign-in or an API key, search and fetch work at a free rate limit and agent_run is unavailable. Agent runs are usage-based and need OAuth or an API key; usage belongs to your Exa team.

### Has this Exa MCP guide been tested?

Exa's documentation was reviewed on 2026-11-05. The connection was tested.

## Sources

- https://docs.exa.ai/reference/exa-mcp (checked 2026-11-05)
- https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1/servers/ai.exa%2Fexa/versions/3.4.1 (checked 2026-11-05)

Guide JSON: https://github.com/apideck-libraries/mcp-connect/blob/626f6a146170ded34891b30dca3af26f09e07466/proposals/connection-guide/0.1/reviewed/guides/exa-mcp.json