# AnyRouter MCP Overview

> Bring AnyRouter into Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode, and any other MCP-aware client with one URL and OAuth consent.


# MCP Server

AnyRouter MCP is a [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) server. MCP-aware clients connect with one URL and get tools for browsing the model catalog, managing your API keys, and checking credits — without leaving the client.

The endpoint is:

```
https://anyrouter.dev/api/v1/mcp
```

:::note
If you only need to call models, you do **not** need MCP — point your client at the standard [Chat Completions](/api-reference/chat-completions), [Messages](/api-reference/messages), or [Responses](/api-reference/responses) endpoint with an API key. MCP is for the surrounding workflow (browsing, key hygiene, presets) that the chat API can't do.
:::

## Add AnyRouter MCP to your client

Every client uses the same endpoint and the same OAuth consent flow. The first tool call redirects you to AnyRouter, where you pick a permission level (Read-only is the default and safest) and approve. From then on the tools just work.

::::cards

:::card{href="/mcp/claude-desktop" icon="🖥️"}
**Claude Desktop** — Connectors UI; no config file editing.
:::

:::card{href="/mcp/claude-code" icon="🤖"}
**Claude Code** — One command: `claude mcp add --transport http`.
:::

:::card{href="/mcp/cursor" icon="✳️"}
**Cursor** — Settings UI or `~/.cursor/mcp.json`.
:::

:::card{href="/mcp/windsurf" icon="🏄"}
**Windsurf** — Cascade Settings UI or `mcp_config.json`.
:::

:::card{href="/mcp/cline" icon="🧩"}
**Cline** — VS Code panel UI or `cline_mcp_settings.json`.
:::

:::card{href="/mcp/github-copilot" icon="🐙"}
**GitHub Copilot** — `.vscode/mcp.json` (Agent mode).
:::

:::card{href="/mcp/opencode" icon="📂"}
**OpenCode** — `opencode.json` with `type: "remote"`.
:::

:::card{href="/mcp/other-clients" icon="🔌"}
**Other clients** — Any MCP-aware client over remote HTTP.
:::

::::

## Who is this for

Anyone using an MCP-aware tool day-to-day:

- **Claude Desktop** users who want to ask Claude "what AnyRouter models support vision?" or "create me a new API key called staging" without opening a browser.
- **Cursor**, **Claude Code**, and **OpenCode** users who want AnyRouter tools inline alongside their other MCP integrations.
- **Builders of MCP-aware agents** who want a hosted, OAuth-secured catalog and key-management surface for their users.

## What the client can do

These tools show up in your MCP-aware client as soon as the connection is authorized. What appears depends on the permission level you granted on the consent screen — `list_models`, `get_system_status`, and the knowledge-base tools are always available; the rest are gated by scope.

![AnyRouter MCP tools listed in Claude Desktop](/img/docs/mcp/anyrouter-mcp-list-tools.png)

| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| `list_models` | Browse models your key can call. Filter by owner, a capability tag, or a job (translation, coding, reasoning, vision, cheap), and sort by price or context |
| `recommend_model` | Pick a ranked model id for one job (translation, coding, reasoning, vision, or the lowest price) |
| `get_usage` | Recent workspace requests, tokens, and spend |
| `list_byok_keys` | See which provider keys are enabled or failing, without the secret |
| `list_okf_concepts` / `get_okf_concept` | Browse and read AnyRouter's knowledge base |
| `get_credits` | Check workspace balance and lifetime usage |
| `list_keys` | List your AnyRouter API keys |
| `create_key` | Mint a new API key |
| `revoke_key` | Disable a key by id |
| `list_presets` | List saved request presets |
| `list_conversations` | Search workspace conversations |
| `publish_prompt` / `star_prompt` / `fork_prompt` | Share, save, and fork community prompts |
| `publish_skill` | Sync a `SKILL.md` to a hub so your machines and agents can install it |
| `get_system_status` | Check AnyRouter's current health: API error rate, provider status, smoke test results |

Plus the **Skills & Knowledge Hub** tools — `list_hubs`, `get_hub`, `search_public_hubs`, `create_hub`, `hub_add_item`, and `hub_import_skill` — for managing hubs from inside your agent. See [Skills & Knowledge Hub](/hub).

There is no chat tool — MCP clients already call models directly. Administrators see additional `admin_*` tools; see the [MCP API reference](/api-reference/mcp#admin-tools).

### Examples

**Browse the catalog with `list_models`.** Ask the client to filter by provider, a capability tag, or a job, and to sort by price or context. By default it returns models your key can actually call — pass `include_unavailable` if you need BYOK-only ids too.

**Pick one id with `recommend_model`.** Ask for the best fit for translation, coding, reasoning, an image, or the lowest price. The answer is a short ranked list: id, why, price, context, and capabilities.

![list_models response in a chat client showing AnyRouter models](/img/docs/mcp/anyrouter-mcp-list-models.png)

**Check your balance with `get_credits`.** Useful before a long agent run — your workspace balance, lifetime usage, and free-tier grants in one call.

![get_credits response showing the AnyRouter workspace balance](/img/docs/mcp/anyrouter-mcp-credits.png)

See the [MCP API reference](/api-reference/mcp) for full argument schemas, scope requirements, JSON-RPC error shapes, and the manual-authentication path for clients that can't run OAuth.

## Managing connected clients

The [MCP dashboard](https://anyrouter.dev/dashboard/mcp) shows every client that has authorized your workspace and lets you revoke any of them with one click. Revoking takes effect immediately — the next tool call from that client returns `401 Unauthorized`.

## Related

- [MCP API reference](/api-reference/mcp) — full tool catalog, scope rules, error shapes, manual authentication
- [Skills & Knowledge Hub](/hub) — the MCP hub tools for skills, prompts, and knowledge
- [MCP dashboard](https://anyrouter.dev/dashboard/mcp) — your connected MCP clients and revoke controls