What Are MCP Servers on Apify?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers on Apify are actors that run continuously in standby mode and expose tools via an HTTP POST endpoint at /mcp. When you connect an AI assistant like Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf to an MCP server, the assistant gains the ability to call real-world data tools -- search APIs, web scrapers, database lookups, compliance checks -- as part of its reasoning process. Instead of just generating text, the AI can fetch live data, run analyses, and return structured results. ApifyForge publishes 93 MCP servers covering intelligence, compliance, market research, and developer tooling.

How MCP works

The Model Context Protocol is a JSON-RPC 2.0 based standard that defines how AI clients (like Claude Desktop) communicate with tool servers. The flow is:

1. Discovery. The client sends an initialize request to the server's /mcp endpoint. The server responds with a list of available tools, each with a name, description, and input schema.

1. Tool call. When the AI decides it needs data, it sends a tools/call request with the tool name and parameters. The server executes the tool (calling APIs, running scrapers, querying databases) and returns structured results.

1. Response. The AI incorporates the tool results into its reasoning and generates a response for the user.

How to connect an MCP server

To connect an MCP server to Claude Desktop, add it to your Claude Desktop configuration file. The config file location depends on your operating system:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apifyforge-intelligence": {
      "url": "https://actors-mcp-server.apify.actor/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_APIFY_API_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

For Cursor and Windsurf, add the server URL in the MCP settings panel. The URL format is always https://ACTOR_NAME.apify.actor/mcp and authentication uses a Bearer token with your Apify API token.

ApifyForge's 93 MCP servers

ApifyForge MCP servers are organized into functional categories, each providing multi-source intelligence by combining data from several APIs and data sources into a single tool call:

Each MCP server typically exposes 3-8 tools. For example, the Multi-Source Intelligence MCP exposes tools for SEC filing search, sanctions screening, company research, and competitive analysis -- all in a single server connection.

Pricing

MCP servers use the same Pay-Per-Event pricing as regular actors, but the "event" is a tool call. Typical pricing:

You also pay Apify's standby compute cost, which is approximately $0.40/GB-hour. Most MCP servers run with 256MB-1GB of memory, so standby costs are $0.10-$0.40 per hour while the server is active.

MCP servers vs regular actors

Both MCP servers and regular actors run on Apify, but they serve different use cases:

Use a regular actor when you need batch processing, scheduled runs, or integration with non-AI systems. Use an MCP server when you want an AI assistant to call tools interactively during a conversation.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a paid Apify account to use MCP servers?

The free tier includes $5/month in platform credits, which is enough for light MCP usage (roughly 50-100 tool calls depending on the server). For regular use, a paid plan is recommended.

Can I build my own MCP server on Apify?

Yes. Any Apify actor can become an MCP server by enabling standby mode in .actor/actor.json and implementing the JSON-RPC 2.0 MCP protocol. The ApifyForge MCP Debugger at /tools/mcp-debugger helps you test your implementation.

What happens if the MCP server is down?

If a standby actor crashes, Apify automatically restarts it. During the restart (typically 3-10 seconds), MCP clients receive a connection error and retry. Claude Desktop retries automatically; Cursor shows a "tool unavailable" message.

Can I use multiple MCP servers at once?

Yes. Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf all support multiple MCP server connections simultaneously. Each server appears as a separate set of tools. You can connect financial intelligence, compliance, and market research servers at the same time.

How do MCP servers handle authentication?

MCP servers on Apify use Bearer token authentication. Your Apify API token is sent in the Authorization header with every request. The server validates the token before executing any tool call. You should never share your API token publicly.

Are MCP tool calls logged?

Yes. Every tool call is logged as an Apify actor run event. You can view the history in the Apify Console under the actor's Runs tab. ApifyForge Monitor at /monitor aggregates these across your fleet for centralized tracking.