Pod Engine API v1.0

API overview / MCP server

Pod Engine MCP server

Ask Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Codex or Cursor about any podcast and get Pod Engine data back: search, transcripts, charts and sponsors. Add one URL, sign in once, and you're ready.

Server URL
https://mcp.podengine.ai/

Every app on this page uses this same address.

Sign-in
Use your Pod Engine account. There is no API key or client ID to copy.
Team
You pick the team the app works for, and can disconnect it at any time.
Plans
Included in every paid plan. Usage counts toward the team you pick. See pricing
Example in Claude Pod Engine connected
You

Use Pod Engine to find recent podcast episodes about AI agents.

Claude calls a Pod Engine tool 
search_episodes({
  searchTerm: "AI agents",
  phraseMatch: true,
  publishedSince: "2026-10-28"
})
Pod Engine returns

Episodes from the last two weeks, with titles, shows and transcript matches.

Set up your app#

Pick the app you use. Each one takes three or four steps.

Claude by Anthropic Claude’s own guide

  1. Add the connector

    In Claude, open Settings›Connectors and select Add custom connector. Name it Pod Engine and paste the server URL.

    Leave the OAuth client ID and secret empty. Pod Engine registers Claude for you. On Team and Enterprise plans, an owner may need to add the connector for your organization first.

  2. Sign in and choose your team

    Select Connect. Pod Engine opens in your browser. Check your account and the app asking for access, choose a team, then select Allow access.

  3. Ask a question

    Start a new chat, turn on Pod Engine in the tools menu, and ask: Use Pod Engine to find recent podcast episodes about AI agents. Approve the tool when Claude asks.

ChatGPT by OpenAI OpenAI’s own guide

  1. Add the server

    Open ChatGPT on the web and go to Plugins. Select the + button, then Add custom MCP server. Name it Pod Engine and paste the server URL under Connection.

    On Business and Enterprise plans, workspace settings decide who can add custom MCP servers. Ask your admin if you don't see the option.

  2. Choose OAuth sign-in

    Set authentication to OAuth and leave the client ID and secret empty. Pod Engine registers ChatGPT for you. Read the warning about custom servers, select I understand and want to continue, then Create as a plugin.

  3. Sign in and choose your team

    Install the Pod Engine plugin from your plugins. When Pod Engine opens, check your account and the app asking for access, choose a team, then select Allow access.

  4. Ask a question

    Start a new chat, type @ and pick Pod Engine. Then ask: Use Pod Engine to find recent podcast episodes about AI agents. Approve the tool when ChatGPT asks.

Claude Code by Anthropic Claude Code docs

  1. Add the server

    claude mcp add --transport http podengine https://mcp.podengine.ai/

  2. Sign in and choose your team

    Start Claude Code with claude, type /mcp, select podengine and choose Authenticate. In the browser, choose a team and select Allow access.

  3. Ask a question

    Ask: Use Pod Engine to find recent podcast episodes about AI agents. Approve the tool when Claude Code asks.

Codex by OpenAI Codex docs

  1. Add the server

    codex mcp add podengine --url https://mcp.podengine.ai/

    The Codex CLI and IDE extension share this setting, so you only add it once.

  2. Sign in and choose your team

    codex mcp login podengine

    Your browser opens Pod Engine. Choose a team and select Allow access.

  3. Ask a question

    Start codex and ask: Use Pod Engine to find recent podcast episodes about AI agents.

Cursor by Anysphere Cursor docs

  1. Add the server

    Open ~/.cursor/mcp.json, or create it, and add Pod Engine. If the file already lists other servers, add the podengine entry inside mcpServers. 

    {
  "mcpServers": {
    "podengine": {
      "url": "https://mcp.podengine.ai/"
    }
  }
}

    This adds Pod Engine to every project. To add it to one project only, put the same entry in .cursor/mcp.json in that project.

  2. Sign in and choose your team

    Open Customize in Cursor's sidebar and find podengine under MCP servers. Select it and sign in. Pod Engine opens in your browser. Choose a team and select Allow access.

  3. Ask a question

    Open a new chat and ask: Use Pod Engine to find recent podcast episodes about AI agents. Approve the tool when Cursor asks.

Using another app? Any app that supports remote MCP servers with OAuth sign-in can connect with the same URL.

What you can ask#

Once connected, your app picks the right Pod Engine tool for each question. Here is what the tools cover, with a question to try for each.

  • Find shows and episodes

    Search podcasts and episodes by topic, and find shows like one you already know.

    Try: Find podcasts about B2B SaaS marketing and list the 10 with the most estimated listeners.

    • search_podcasts
    • search_episodes
    • get_similar_podcasts

  • Search what was said

    Find the exact moments a brand, person or topic came up, and read the full transcript.

    Try: Which podcast episodes mentioned Notion in the last 30 days? Quote what was said.

    • search_transcripts
    • get_transcript_passages
    • get_episode_transcript_text
    • get_episode_details

  • Size up a show

    Get estimated listeners, chart positions and sponsors (beta) for one show or a list of shows.

    Try: Who sponsors Lenny’s Podcast, and where does it rank in the Apple charts?

    • get_podcast_details
    • get_podcasts_details
    • get_podcast_charts
    • get_podcast_sponsors
    • get_podcasts_sponsors

  • Work with your projects

    Read your team’s projects, add shows to them, and request transcripts for episodes that lack one.

    Try: Add the top 5 shows from that list to my sponsorship research project.

    • get_projects
    • get_project_details
    • add_podcast_to_project writes
    • request_episode_transcript writes
    • get_transcription_request_status

Tools marked writes change your team’s data or request work, such as a new transcript. Usage and any charges count toward the team you picked.

Access and permissions#

What the app can do once you allow it, and how to take that access away.

What you approve

  • One permission, mcp:access. It lets the app use the tools turned on for the team you picked.
  • The connection stays with that team. Switching teams in the web app doesn’t move it. To use another team, connect again and pick that team.
  • Turn tools on or off in Developer settings. Changes apply to every connection for that team. Reconnect the app to see them; you don’t need to approve access again.

Disconnect an app

  1. In Pod Engine, switch to the team you picked when you connected.
  2. Open Developer settings and find Authorized clients.
  3. Select Disconnect next to the connection you want to remove.

This ends the connection and its sessions straight away. If you connected the same app more than once, disconnect each one. To use it again, connect from the app and approve access again.

If something goes wrong#

Select a problem to see the fix.

No teams appear when you sign in

Check that you signed in to the right account and that OAuth is available for your team in Developer settings. Contact support if your team is still missing.

The sign-in page says the request expired

Close the page and start the connection again from your app.

The app connects but a tool is missing

Check which tools are turned on in Developer settings, then reconnect the app so it reloads the tool list. Your team’s tool limits still apply.

ChatGPT has no option to add a custom MCP server

Use ChatGPT on the web. On Business and Enterprise plans, ask your workspace admin to let you add custom MCP servers. If your settings show a Developer mode switch, turn it on.

Cursor doesn’t list Pod Engine

Check that mcp.json is valid JSON and that the podengine entry sits inside mcpServers. Save the file, then reopen Customize in the sidebar.

Your old connector has a key in its URL

Links that end in a key and /mcp are being retired. Remove the old connector and add https://mcp.podengine.ai/ with OAuth instead.

The connection service is unavailable

Wait a few minutes and try again. The status page shows any current incident.

Still stuck? Email us with the app you're connecting and what you see.
Support support@podengine.ai
Status Check current incidents

Get started with the API and MCP server

One plan, everything included

  • Full Pod Engine web app access
  • Full API access — same data, programmatic
  • MCP server
  • 10,000 searches / mo
  • 10,000 podcast and episode lookups / mo
  • 1,000 transcripts / mo
  • Historical podcast charts
  • Contacts, emails, social & YouTube data
  • 30 alerts

Get Started

$100 / month

Create your account

Pay monthly. Cancel anytime.

Available Discounts

We believe great tools should be accessible to everyone building amazing things.

Eligible for a discount? Contact us to learn more.

Bootstrapped Startups

50% off first year

Students & Educators

50% off first year

Nonprofits

50% off first year

Pay Annually

2 months free

Need Guest Booking, an Agency plan, or higher limits?

See the full pricing page for addons and Agency options, or schedule a call.

Need more than 10,000 searches / mo? Get in touch and we'll tailor a plan.