Getting Started with Ocean.io MCP
Ocean.io MCP lets you search, filter, enrich, and export Ocean data directly inside AI tools like Claude and Cursor, without leaving the chat interface. Think of it as giving your AI assistant a direct line into Ocean's entire company and people database, ready to act on a single prompt.
What is Ocean.io MCP?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a standard that lets AI assistants connect to external data sources in real time.
With Ocean.io MCP enabled, you can ask your AI assistant to find companies, search for people, spot buying signals, or export a prospect list, and it pulls straight from Ocean's live data to respond.
Example: Type "Find Chicago-based SaaS companies similar to pandadoc.com and export them to CSV" directly in Claude or Cursor, and your assistant runs the search and hands you a download link, done in one turn.
Is MCP included in my plan?
Ocean.io MCP is available on plans under our unified credit offering (V3).
If you're not sure whether your plan includes MCP access, contact our support team through chat and we'll help you check eligibility or upgrade.
Before you begin
You'll need an Ocean.io API key to connect to the MCP server. You can find your API key in your API settings.
Note on credits: All searches and exports through MCP use the same credits pool as regular Ocean.io usage.
How to connect
Claude.ai / Claude Desktop (recent)
Go to Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector and paste:
https://api.ocean.io/mcp/?api-token=YOUR_API_TOKEN
No JSON editing or Node.js required.
Claude Code
From your terminal:
claude mcp add --transport http ocean_data_api https://api.ocean.io/mcp/?api-token=YOUR_API_TOKEN
Restart Claude Code (or refresh the MCP tools) to pick it up.
Claude Desktop (older versions)
If your build doesn't have the Connectors UI, edit claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"ocean_data_api": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://api.ocean.io/mcp/?api-token=YOUR_API_TOKEN"
]
}
}
}Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. Ocean.io's tools will appear in your tool picker.
Cursor
Go to Cursor → Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP, click Add new global MCP server, and paste the same JSON as above. Restart Cursor to pick it up.
💡 Tip: Ocean.io MCP works with any AI assistant that supports MCP, not just Claude and Cursor.
What can you do with it?
Task | What to ask your AI assistant |
Search for companies | "Find B2B SaaS companies in London with 50–200 employees" |
Lookalike search | "Find companies similar to salesforce.com" |
Search for people | "Find VP of Sales at fintech companies in NYC" |
Spot buying signals | "Which of these companies just had a role change in procurement?" or "Why is this account a good fit right now?" |
Check segment performance | "Which of my segments has the best win rate?" |
Export to CSV, CRM, or webhook | "Export those results to a CSV file" or "Push these to my CRM" |
Look something up, fast | "What industries can I filter by?" or "Look up acme.com" |
Available actions
Search companies: filter by industry, location, size, growth, technology, and more; supports lookalike search.
Search people: filter by job title, seniority, department, skills, location, and company attributes; supports lookalike search.
Similar customers, role changes, and "why now": signal tools that surface lookalikes, job/role movement, and timing triggers worth acting on.
Get active segmentation: pulls your segments along with win rate, average deal value, and average time-to-close, so your assistant can prioritize by real performance, not just fit.
Export companies: export up to 10,000 companies to CSV, straight to your CRM, or via webhook; returns a download link or syncs directly.
Export people: export up to 10,000 people the same way, using LinkedIn handles or URLs.
Helper lookups: list your CRM pipelines, owners, or configured webhooks, so exports go to exactly the right place without guessing an ID.
Find industries or technologies: turn a plain term like "fintech" or "Salesforce" into Ocean's exact filter value, no need to know our taxonomy upfront.
Lookups & reference tools: single-record company/person lookups, field lists, industry lists, CRM/deal reads, and help center search: all free, built for quick checks along the way.
How credits work with MCP
Ocean.io is built to be transparent about cost as you go, so there are no surprises mid-conversation:
Searches: including company, people, and signal-based searches (similar customers, role changes, why now), cost 0.2 credits per result, with the first 10 results of every new search free. Note: "why now" can run a few small searches behind the scenes to build its answer, so it may use more than one search's worth of credits per call.
Exports: CSV, CRM, or webhook, cost 0.2 credits per successfully exported record. You're only ever charged for records that actually export; failed matches don't count.
Everything else is free, always: single-record lookups, field/industry lists, help center search, CRM/deal reads, getting your active segmentation, and all helper lookups (pipelines, owners, webhooks) never touch your credit balance.
Your AI assistant will calculate and confirm the estimated cost before running a search beyond the free results, and before any export, so you're always in control of what gets spent.
Pricing may vary slightly for accounts on older plans. Contact support if you'd like your exact rate confirmed.
Usage example
Prompt: Find Chicago-headquartered companies similar to pandadoc.com and export them to CSV.
What the assistant does:
Here are 5 companies similar to pandadoc.com HQ'd in Chicago:
OneSpan – Enterprise-grade e-signature and digital agreement security platform focused on regulated and high-risk transactions.
Mediafly – Sales enablement platform that helps revenue teams deliver interactive content and close deals faster.
Conga – Contract lifecycle management and document automation software powering complex revenue workflows.
Showpad – Sales enablement solution that equips sales teams with content, training, and buyer engagement tools.
ActiveCampaign – Sales and marketing automation platform for customer engagement, pipelines, and lifecycle messaging.
This search returned 5 results, free, since it's within your first 10 free results.
Export ready. This export will consume 1.0 credit (5 companies × 0.2 credits). Please confirm if you'd like me to proceed.
Once confirmed, the assistant calls export_companies and returns a download URL for the generated CSV file.
FAQ
Can I use MCP with my plan?
Probably, MCP is available on all newest plans. Contact support through live chat if you're in doubt.
Does MCP use the same credits as the Ocean.io platform?
Yes. MCP uses your unified API/Platform credit pool, the same credits you use in the platform and via the API.
Do I get charged just for searching?
The first 10 results of any new search are free. Beyond that, results cost 0.2 credits each, your assistant will let you know before it pulls more.
What happens if I run out of credits during an export?
The export stops once credits are exhausted. Only successfully exported records are charged.
Can my assistant read my CRM or segments through MCP?
Yes, it can pull your CRM deals and your active segmentation (with win rate, deal value, and time-to-close) to ground its answers in your real pipeline, not just general fit. These reads are free.
My AI assistant isn't showing Ocean.io tools after setup.
Try restarting or refreshing your AI assistant. If the issue persists, verify that your API token is correct and that your plan includes MCP access.
Need help?
If you have questions about MCP access, credit usage, or setup, contact our support team through live chat. We're happy to help.