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Tavily MCP Server: Setup for Claude Code, Cursor and Other Apps

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Getnpmtavily-mcptavily-ai/tavily-mcp
Tools
6
5 read · 1 change
Stars
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Downloads
26.3K
a week
Works in
12
apps
Risk
Low
read only

Lets your assistant search the web in real time, read pages, map websites and crawl them, using Tavily.

This is the Tavily server from Tavily. You can run it on your computer with npx and a Tavily API key, or connect to Tavily's hosted address instead. It searches the web, pulls the text from pages and crawls sites, so answers can use current information. Tavily has a free sign-up for the API key.

Good for

  • People who want fresh web answers in Claude or Cursor
  • Researchers who need page text from many sources
  • Developers who crawl or map a site for an agent

Works in

12 should work

Tap an app to see how to set it up and any known problems.

Install tavily MCP

Claude Code

  1. 1

    Copy this prompt.

    Add the tavily MCP server to Claude Code. Run this command:

claude mcp add tavily -e TAVILY_API_KEY=YOUR_TAVILY_API_KEY -- npx -y tavily-mcp@latest

Ask me for TAVILY_API_KEY and only put the values in that config, nowhere else.

Then check that it loaded and tell me if I need to sign in or restart.
  2. 2

    Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

You can set default search options with the optional DEFAULT_PARAMETERS variable, which holds a JSON string. Leave it out unless you need it. If your app supports remote servers, the README also describes a hosted address that takes your key or an OAuth sign-in.

From the project README. Source.

Tools

  • Searches the web for current information

    Searches the web in real time, with options for depth, domains, dates and news.

    Try: “Search for the latest news on the EU AI Act.”

    Network · tavily_search

  • Reads the text of web pages

    Extracts the content of URLs as Markdown or text. Pages it cannot read are listed as failed.

    Try: “Extract the text of this article and summarize it.”

    Network · tavily_extract

  • Crawls a website

    Crawls a site from a starting URL with settings for depth, breadth and path filters.

    Try: “Crawl docs.example.com two levels deep.”

    Network · tavily_crawl

  • Lists the pages of a website

    Maps a site's structure and returns the URLs it finds.

    Try: “Map the pages on example.com.”

    Network · tavily_map

  • Researches a topic across sources

    Gathers information from several sources and returns a detailed answer. It has mini, pro and auto depths.

    Try: “Research how companies price usage-based APIs.”

    Network · tavily_research

  • Sends feedback on a search

    Submits scores and comments about a search request to Tavily.

    Try: “Send feedback that the third result was wrong.”

    Write · tavily_feedback

Read from the source code

Permissions

low risk · 3 things to watch

Low risk

It searches and reads the web through Tavily and does not change your files or accounts. Your search text goes to Tavily through your API key, so keep private details out of prompts.

What it can do

  • Read your data
  • Create and change things
  • Delete things
  • Read-only mode

Watch out for

  • Searches and page addresses go to Tavily

    Queries and URLs are sent to Tavily's service. Do not include private details.

  • Heavy crawls may count against your Tavily plan

    Deep crawls and research runs make many requests. Check your plan limits in the Tavily dashboard.

  • Web pages can carry hidden instructions

    Text from a page can try to steer the assistant. Be careful when you also give it tools that change things.

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 1, 2026.

Technical details
Talks toTavily API. Websites you ask it to read
Scopes

  • Tavily API key

Questions

Is the Tavily MCP server official?

Yes. It comes from the Tavily GitHub organization.

Do I need an API key?

Yes. Get a Tavily API key from tavily.com. The hosted server also supports signing in with OAuth.

Is it free?

The server is free and open source, and Tavily has a free sign-up for the API key. Check Tavily's pricing for the credit limits.

What is the Tavily MCP server URL?

The hosted address is https://mcp.tavily.com/mcp. You can pass your key in the address or sign in with OAuth.

Local or hosted, which should I use?

Use the hosted address when your app supports remote servers, since there is nothing to install. Use the local npx setup in the install box when your app only starts local servers.

Can I run it read-only?

It only reads the web, so there is nothing to switch off.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Publisher
Official
Package
tavily-mcp
Registry
npm
Transport
stdio
Version
0.2.15
License
MIT
Last commit
Oct 29, 2026
Open issues
41
Listed in
Official MCP registry, Docker MCP Catalog

GitHubnpmOfficial MCP RegistryIssues

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from. Issues, quotes and findings above link to their own source.

Show all 2
  1. Tavily MCP README · github.com
  2. Tavily MCP server source · github.com

Facts from the official MCP registry, GitHub, npm, PyPI and the Docker catalog. Updated Nov 2, 2026.