Instantly MCP

What does an Instantly MCP server do?

An Instantly MCP server lets an AI assistant manage your Instantly workspace in plain language. Instantly's server exposes its V2 API as tools, so it can pause campaigns, add leads, reply to emails and read analytics. Clay, Apollo and Instantly workflows shows where it fits in an outbound setup.

• It sits on the sending side. Instantly's tool groups include accounts, campaigns, subsequences, leads, email, analytics, webhooks, enrichment, workspace settings, tags, blocklists, API keys and background jobs.
• Instantly also lists n8n as a client, through an MCP Client node.

Is there an official Instantly MCP server?

Yes. Instantly documents its hosted server at mcp.instantly.ai in its developer docs and its help center. Instantly's docs name no listing in Claude's connector directory or in ChatGPT, so you connect it by URL and API key. Community servers also exist, and Instantly doesn't publish those.

• Instantly's help center says your AI can only reach what your API key permits, so the key is the control point.

What is the Instantly MCP server URL, and how do you sign in?

The URL is https://mcp.instantly.ai/mcp. You sign in with an API key sent in the Authorization header. Clients that can't send that header can use x-instantly-api-key. The last resort is https://mcp.instantly.ai/mcp/YOUR_API_KEY, which Instantly limits to clients that can't set custom headers, because the key may land in logs.

• The risk: a key in the URL may be recorded in intermediary and server logs. It also shows up in screenshots, screen shares and copied config files, and anyone who sees it can use it.
• Instantly says the key is like a password to your account, and to never share config files that contain it.
• Create keys on the Instantly integrations page and pick their scopes. The key shows only once.
• API scopes let you create several keys with different privileges, so give the server the narrowest key that does the job.

What can an Instantly MCP server read and change?

It reads and changes your workspace. Instantly's developer docs say the server exposes the full V2 API, and its tool groups cover accounts, campaigns, leads, email and more. Its help center lists 31 tools across five groups. A broad key reaches live campaigns and replies.

What it can read

• Campaigns and analytics: list_campaigns, get_campaign_analytics, daily breakdowns, inbox placement and warmup metrics.
• Sending accounts: list_accounts and account vitals.
• Email: listing emails and unread counts.
• Leads: leads, lead lists and labels.

What it can change

• Campaigns: create, activate, pause, duplicate and bulk changes.
• Leads: create_lead, plus bulk add, move and merge.
• Email: reply and forward.
• Sending accounts: warmup, pausing and resuming.
• Enrichment: AI enrichment and email verification.
• Workspace: settings, members, billing, API keys, blocklist and webhooks.

How do you set up an Instantly MCP server in Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor?

Instantly documents Claude Desktop and Cursor, and names no steps for ChatGPT. Its quickstart uses the key-in-URL address for both, so create a narrow key first. In Cursor, use the header instead. In ChatGPT, the generic route puts the key in the URL, with the log risk that brings.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instantly": {
      "url": "https://mcp.instantly.ai/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

What can you ask an Instantly MCP server?

Start with read-only prompts. Instantly's own test is asking for your email accounts. These examples fit the tool groups Instantly lists. Keep a person on anything that sends or changes a campaign. Instantly says only that the AI will typically confirm major actions.

• Reads

  List my email accounts and their warmup status. Don't change anything.

  Copy

• Reads

  Show campaign performance for the last 30 days, sorted by replies.

  Copy

• Reads

  How many unread replies do I have? Summarise the latest 20 by theme.

  Copy

• Writes

  Pause the campaign called Q4 Founders. Read the name back to me before you do it.

  Copy

• Writes

  Draft a reply to the latest email from jane@example.com and show it to me. Don't send it until I say so.

  Copy

What are the limits of an Instantly MCP server?

Instantly's API allows 100 requests a second and 6,000 a minute across the whole workspace, shared by every key. Its MCP docs give no separate limit. Your key's scopes set what the AI can reach. Instantly says most actions can be undone and that delete is clearly marked.

• Hitting a rate limit blocks requests with a 429 error from Instantly.
• Instantly's MCP authentication page lists API key methods only, so everyone using a key shares its access.
• Replies come from people outside your company, so keep tools that read them out of chats that can also send or change campaigns.

How much does an Instantly MCP server cost?

The server itself is free. Instantly says it's free with your Instantly subscription, and you need API access, which comes on all Outbound plans. Instantly's pricing page shows its Growth Outreach plan at $47 a month. Enterprise is custom, and credits are priced separately.

• Instantly's pricing page doesn't mention MCP. The cost statement comes from its help center.
• Your AI client has its own plan. Claude's Free plan allows one custom connector.

What are the alternatives to an Instantly MCP server?

Other routes are a rival outbound server or an automation bridge. lemlist's server takes OAuth, so no key sits in a URL. Zapier can expose Instantly actions as MCP tools, and each tool call uses two Zapier tasks. Clay, Apollo and Instantly workflows covers where each one fits.

• lemlist MCP: An official server with OAuth, for campaigns, leads and inbox.
• Apollo MCP: People and company search before a list reaches Instantly.
• n8n MCP: Run Instantly tools inside an n8n agent workflow.
• Zapier MCP: A smaller set of Instantly actions through one Zapier connection.

Which skill goes with an Instantly MCP server?

Use the free Agent write safety skill before you connect a key that can activate campaigns or reply to emails, because this server reaches live sending. Use the Marketing context kit to write down your campaign names, audiences and sending rules once, so every prompt starts from the same definitions.

• Agent write safety: Sets approvals before an agent can send, change campaigns or use a broad API key.
• Marketing context kit: Holds your campaign names, audiences and sending rules in one folder for every prompt.