Firecrawl MCP server: tools, setup, limits and cost

Setup, step by step

1. Step 1

   Add the hosted server in Claude Code

   This is the OAuth endpoint from the Firecrawl docs. It needs a Firecrawl account but no API key in your config.

   claude mcp add --transport http firecrawl https://mcp.firecrawl.dev/v2/mcp-oauth

2. Step 2

   Sign in

   Open Claude Code, run /mcp, pick firecrawl and authenticate in the browser. The tool list then shows the full set your plan allows.

   /mcp

3. Step 3

   Or add it to Codex

   Codex uses the same URL. Run the login command after adding the server.

   codex mcp add firecrawl --url https://mcp.firecrawl.dev/v2/mcp-oauth
   codex mcp login firecrawl

4. Step 4

   Use an API key for headless agents

   For a server or CI job with no browser, send your key as a bearer token on the /v2/mcp endpoint. Drop the headers block to try keyless mode.

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "firecrawl": {
         "type": "http",
         "url": "https://mcp.firecrawl.dev/v2/mcp",
         "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer <FIRECRAWL_API_KEY>" }
       }
     }
   }

5. Step 5

   Or run it locally

   The open-source server needs Node.js 22 or newer. The docs pin version 3.33.2.

   env FIRECRAWL_API_KEY=fc-YOUR-API-KEY npx -y firecrawl-mcp@3.33.2

What tools does the Firecrawl MCP server include?

The four core tools cover most agent work. Credit use per call comes from the Firecrawl pricing page, checked November 10, 2026.

• firecrawl_parse turns a PDF, document, spreadsheet or HTML file into text.
• firecrawl_agent runs multi-source research as an async job, and firecrawl_interact clicks, fills forms and navigates a live page.
• firecrawl_research_* searches PubMed, bioRxiv, medRxiv and arXiv abstracts. firecrawl_developer_search and firecrawl_gov_search answer coding and legal questions from their own indexes.
• firecrawl_monitor_* runs recurring checks with diffs and notifications.
• The old Extract tool is deprecated. Use scrape with JSON output for a known page, or agent when Firecrawl must find the sources.

Should you connect with OAuth, an API key or no key?

All hosted modes use the same Streamable HTTP service. The mode decides which tools appear and whose limits apply.

Which Firecrawl plan does the MCP server use?

The MCP server itself is free. Every tool call draws on the credits of the Firecrawl plan you sign in with. Paid plans are billed monthly or yearly and differ in credits and rate limits. Plans checked November 10, 2026.

• Free covers about 1,000 scraped pages or 500 searches of 10 results.
• Rate limits per minute for scrape, map and search: Free 10, Hobby 100, Standard 500. Crawl starts: Free 2, Hobby 20, Standard 100.
• Concurrent browsers: Free 2, Hobby 5, Standard 25.

• Firecrawl pricing in detail

What are the limits and catches?

Most surprises come from credits, not from the MCP layer. These come from the Firecrawl pricing, rate limit and MCP pages.

• Keyless mode is capped per IP address per day, by both requests and credits. It is for trials, not production.
• A page that returns 403 or 404 still costs 1 credit.
• JSON output costs 5 credits a page in total, five times a plain markdown scrape.
• Unused credits expire each month, except a one-month rollover on Scale and Enterprise.
• Pay-as-you-go top-ups are only on paid plans. On Free, you wait for the monthly reset.
• Some tools can be turned off by your plan or a team admin, so the tool list can differ between two accounts.

How do you call Firecrawl through Locus Pro?

Add the Locus Pro MCP server once and your agent can call Firecrawl with no Firecrawl account or key. Each call is charged the catalog price from one prepaid Locus Pro balance, not from a Firecrawl plan. Searching the catalog and reading an endpoint contract are free, and a call can carry max_credits as a price ceiling.

These Firecrawl endpoints were in the Locus catalog on November 10, 2026.

• MCP URL: https://api.paywithlocus.com/api/credits/mcp
• Or tell your agent: Install Locus Pro by following https://paywithlocus.com/SKILL.md

• Add Locus to Claude Code
• Scrape websites without a subscription

Should you use Firecrawl's MCP server or Locus Pro?

Use Firecrawl's own server if you need monitor, interact, agent, research or government index tools, or if your team already pays for a plan. Use keyless mode to try it, and the free plan for light use. At high, steady volume, pages can cost less with your own Firecrawl account and API key.

Use Locus Pro when volume is low or bursty, when you do not want a monthly plan, or when the same agent also calls other search, data or model APIs. One balance and one connection replace a key per vendor.

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