# Bright Data MCP Server Setup
## Prerequisites
1. A Bright Data account - sign up at [brightdata.com](https://brightdata.com)
2. An API token from the [Bright Data Dashboard](https://brightdata.com/cp)
## Remote MCP Server (Recommended)
The remote MCP server requires no local installation. Connect directly via URL.
### Base URL
```
https://mcp.brightdata.com/mcp?token=
```
### Optional Parameters
| Parameter | Values | Description |
|-----------|--------|-------------|
| `pro` | `1` | Enable all 60+ Pro tools (browser automation, structured extraction) |
| `groups` | Group name(s) | Enable specific tool groups without full Pro mode |
| `tools` | Tool name(s) | Enable only specific individual tools |
### URL Examples
**Rapid (Free) mode** - search and scrape only:
```
https://mcp.brightdata.com/mcp?token=YOUR_TOKEN
```
**Full Pro mode** - all 60+ tools:
```
https://mcp.brightdata.com/mcp?token=YOUR_TOKEN&pro=1
```
**Specific groups** - e.g., social media + e-commerce:
```
https://mcp.brightdata.com/mcp?token=YOUR_TOKEN&groups=social,ecommerce
```
**Specific tools** - e.g., only Amazon product and search:
```
https://mcp.brightdata.com/mcp?token=YOUR_TOKEN&tools=web_data_amazon_product,search_engine
```
### Setup in Claude.ai
1. Go to Settings > Extensions
2. Click "Add Extension" or "Add MCP Server"
3. Enter the MCP URL with your token
4. Verify connection shows "Connected" status
### Setup in Claude Code
Add to your Claude Code MCP settings (typically `~/.claude/settings.json` or project-level `.claude/settings.json`):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"brightdata": {
"url": "https://mcp.brightdata.com/mcp?token=YOUR_TOKEN&pro=1"
}
}
}
```
For Rapid (free) mode only:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"brightdata": {
"url": "https://mcp.brightdata.com/mcp?token=YOUR_TOKEN"
}
}
}
```
## Local MCP Server
For users who prefer running the MCP server locally.
### Installation
Install via npm:
```bash
npm install -g @brightdata/mcp
```
### Environment Variables
| Variable | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `API_TOKEN` | Yes | Your Bright Data API token |
| `PRO_MODE` | No | Set to `true` to enable Pro tools |
| `GROUPS` | No | Comma-separated group names |
### Running Locally
```bash
API_TOKEN=your_token PRO_MODE=true npx @brightdata/mcp
```
## Choosing Your Mode
### Rapid (Free) - Default
- `search_engine` and `scrape_as_markdown` available
- No additional cost beyond standard API usage
- Best for: everyday browsing, reading web pages, search queries
### Pro Mode (`pro=1`)
- All 60+ tools enabled
- Structured data from Amazon, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.
- Browser automation tools
- Best for: data extraction, social media analysis, e-commerce monitoring, automation
### Groups (Selective Pro)
Enable only the tool groups you need:
- `ecommerce` - Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Best Buy, etc.
- `social` - LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit
- `business` - Crunchbase, ZoomInfo, Google Maps, Zillow
- `finance` - Yahoo Finance
- `research` - Reuters, GitHub
- `app_stores` - Google Play, Apple App Store
- `travel` - Booking.com
- `browser` - Full browser automation
- `advanced_scraping` - HTML scraping, AI extraction, batch operations
## Verifying Your Setup
After connecting, test with a simple tool call:
1. Ask Claude: "Use the Bright Data MCP to search for 'test query'"
2. This should call `search_engine` and return results
3. If it works, your MCP connection is active
If it fails:
- Check your API token is valid and not expired
- Verify the MCP URL is correctly formatted
- Check network connectivity to mcp.brightdata.com
- Try reconnecting in Settings > Extensions
## Documentation
Full documentation index: https://docs.brightdata.com/llms.txt
Source: claude-code-templates (MIT). See About Us for full credits.