How do I find my Ahrefs API v3 Token?

Log in to Ahrefs as a workspace owner or admin, navigate to **Account settings** > **API keys**, and create a new key. Note that API v3 is the current standard; v2 is deprecated.

Does this integration consume Ahrefs API units?

Yes! Ahrefs uses a unit-based system. Every request costs at least 50 units, and the total cost depends on the number of rows and fields retrieved.

Can I analyze competitor domains?

Absolutely. You can provide any domain or URL to the Site Explorer tools to retrieve their backlink profiles, Domain Rating, and organic traffic data.

Ahrefs MCP Server for Cursor 10 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: Ahrefs
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

docs.cursor.com/context/model-context-protocol

Built by Vinkius GDPR 10 Tools IDE

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code that integrates LLM-powered coding assistance directly into the development workflow. Its Agent mode enables autonomous multi-step coding tasks, and MCP support lets agents access external data sources and APIs during code generation.

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Classic Setup·json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ahrefs": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Stream every event to Splunk, Datadog, or your own webhook in real-time

* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure

About Ahrefs MCP Server

Connect your Ahrefs account to your AI agent to unlock the world's most powerful SEO data platform. From auditing domain ratings and backlink profiles to researching keyword difficulty and monitoring SERP rankings, your agent handles your organic growth strategy through natural conversation.

Cursor's Agent mode turns Ahrefs into an in-editor superpower. Ask Cursor to generate code using live data from Ahrefs and it fetches, processes, and writes — all in a single agentic loop. 10 tools appear alongside file editing and terminal access, creating a unified development environment grounded in real-time information.

What you can do

Site Explorer — List and audit backlinks, broken links, and referring domains for any website
Keyword Research — Retrieve keyword metrics (volume, difficulty, CPC) and generate related keyword ideas
Organic Traffic Auditing — List top-performing pages and the organic keywords a domain ranks for
SERP Analysis — Retrieve real-time search results for any keyword across different countries
SEO Health Monitoring — Quickly retrieve Domain Rating (DR) and Ahrefs Rank to monitor authority trends

The Ahrefs MCP Server exposes 10 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Cursor in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect Ahrefs to Cursor via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the Ahrefs MCP Server with Cursor.

Open MCP Settings

Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) → search "MCP Settings"

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above into the mcp.json file that opens

Save the file

Cursor will automatically detect the new MCP server

Start using Ahrefs

Open Agent mode in chat and ask: "Using Ahrefs, help me..." — 10 tools available

Why Use Cursor with the Ahrefs MCP Server

Cursor AI Code Editor provides unique advantages when paired with Ahrefs through the Model Context Protocol.

Agent mode turns Cursor into an autonomous coding assistant that can read files, run commands, and call MCP tools without switching context

Cursor's Composer feature can generate entire files using real-time data fetched through MCP — no copy-pasting from external dashboards

MCP tools appear alongside built-in tools like file reading and terminal access, creating a unified agentic environment

VS Code extension compatibility means your existing workflow, keybindings, and extensions all work alongside MCP tools

Ahrefs + Cursor Use Cases

Practical scenarios where Cursor combined with the Ahrefs MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Code generation with live data: ask Cursor to generate a security report module using live DNS and subdomain data fetched through MCP

Automated documentation: have Cursor query your API's tool schemas and generate TypeScript interfaces or OpenAPI specs automatically

Infrastructure-as-code: Cursor can fetch domain configurations and generate corresponding Terraform or CloudFormation templates

Test scaffolding: ask Cursor to pull real API responses via MCP and generate unit test fixtures from actual data

Ahrefs MCP Tools for Cursor (10)

These 10 tools become available when you connect Ahrefs to Cursor via MCP:

get_backlinks_stats

Get backlink summary

get_domain_overview

Get domain SEO metrics

get_keyword_overview

Get keyword metrics

get_keyword_volume_history

Get historical search volume

get_serp_overview

Analyze search results

list_backlinks

List website backlinks

list_broken_backlinks

Identify 404 broken links

list_keyword_ideas

Generate keyword ideas

list_organic_keywords

List ranking keywords

list_top_pages

List top performing pages

Example Prompts for Ahrefs in Cursor

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Cursor agent to start working with Ahrefs immediately.

"Show me the domain overview for 'ahrefs.com'."

"List 10 backlinks for 'example.com' with the highest Domain Rating."

"Check keyword metrics for 'best SEO tools' in the US."

Troubleshooting Ahrefs MCP Server with Cursor

Common issues when connecting Ahrefs to Cursor through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

Tools not appearing in Cursor

Ensure you are in Agent mode (not Ask mode). MCP tools only work in Agent mode.

Server shows as disconnected

Check Settings → Features → MCP and verify the server status. Try clicking the refresh button.

Ahrefs + Cursor FAQ

Common questions about integrating Ahrefs MCP Server with Cursor.

What is Agent mode and why does it matter for MCP?

Agent mode is Cursor's autonomous execution mode where the AI can perform multi-step tasks: reading files, editing code, running terminal commands, and calling MCP tools. Without Agent mode, Cursor operates in a simpler ask-and-answer mode that doesn't support tool calling. Always ensure you're in Agent mode when working with MCP servers.

Where does Cursor store MCP configuration?

Cursor looks for MCP server configurations in a mcp.json file. You can configure servers at the project level (.cursor/mcp.json in your project root) or globally (~/.cursor/mcp.json). Project-level configs take precedence.

Can Cursor use MCP tools in inline edits?

No. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode through the chat panel. Inline completions and Tab suggestions do not trigger MCP tool calls. This is by design — tool calls require user visibility and approval.

How do I verify MCP tools are loaded?

Open Settings → Features → MCP and look for your server name. A green indicator means the server is connected. You can also check Agent mode's available tools by clicking the tools dropdown in the chat panel.