List Civo instances, Kubernetes clusters, networks and DNS; reboot instances, add rules. Hosted by usefulapi — connect from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any MCP client.
Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.
Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:
Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"civo": {
"url": "https://civo.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
}Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"civo": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://civo.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
}No Add custom MCP server option? It depends on your account or workspace settings: see OpenAI's guide.
Run these commands. The second one opens the login page:
Other MCP clients (Windsurf, Cline, Zed and more): add the URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser. Do not add an Authorization header: see Before you connect.
The login page asks for your Civo API key.
Optional: Default region.
Find your API key in the Civo dashboard → Settings → Profile → Security (API key). Civo resources are regional; the default region is used when a tool call doesn't name one (every regional tool also takes a per-call region). Your key is used only to call the Civo API on your behalf and to derive a private account id; it is never shown to anyone.
Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Civo API key. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
Turn on the Civo connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
| Tool | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
civo_list_regions | read | List regions List the Civo regions available to the account, with which one is the default, whether each is out of capacity, and the features each supports (IaaS, Kubernetes, object store, load balancers, GPU, databases). A cheap way to confirm the API key works. Civo: GET /v2/regions. |
civo_get_quota | read | Get account quota The account's limits and current usage: instances, CPU cores, RAM, disk, volumes, snapshots, public IPs, networks, firewalls and rules, load balancers, object storage and databases. Answers 'can I launch another one?'. Civo: GET /v2/quota. |
civo_list_charges | read | List charges List billable usage for a period: each resource's product code, label, region, time span and hours (size_gb for volumes). The range may be at most 31 days; defaults to the start of the current month until now. Civo: GET /v2/charges. |
civo_list_instance_sizes | read | List sizes List the sizes (plans) that can be launched — instances, Kubernetes nodes and databases — with CPU cores, RAM, disk, transfer allowance and GPU. Civo: GET /v2/sizes. |
civo_list_instances | read | List instances List compute instances in a region, optionally filtered by tags. Paginated: returns {page, per_page, pages, items}. Passwords are redacted. Civo: GET /v2/instances. |
civo_get_instance | read | Get one instance Fetch one instance: status, size, CPU/RAM/disk, public and private IPs, network, firewall, tags, attached volumes and source image. Passwords are redacted. Civo: GET /v2/instances/{id}. |
civo_list_kubernetes_clusters | read | List Kubernetes clusters List the Kubernetes (K3s/Talos) clusters in a region with status, version, node pools, API endpoint and installed applications. Paginated: {page, per_page, pages, items}. Kubeconfigs are redacted. Civo: GET /v2/kubernetes/clusters. |
civo_get_kubernetes_cluster | read | Get one Kubernetes cluster Fetch one Kubernetes cluster: status, readiness, conditions, version and available upgrade, pools and their instances, network, firewall, CNI and installed marketplace apps. The kubeconfig is redacted. Civo: GET /v2/kubernetes/clusters/{id}. |
civo_list_networks | read | List networks List the private networks in a region: label, CIDR, whether it is the default network, status and nameservers. Civo: GET /v2/networks. |
civo_list_firewalls | read | List firewalls List the firewalls in a region with their network, rule count and how many instances, clusters and load balancers use each. Civo: GET /v2/firewalls. |
civo_list_firewall_rules | read | List a firewall's rules List the rules of one firewall: protocol, port range, CIDRs, direction (ingress/egress), action (allow/deny) and label — the answer to 'what is exposed to the internet?'. Civo: GET /v2/firewalls/{id}/rules. |
civo_list_load_balancers | read | List load balancers List the load balancers in a region: algorithm, backends (IP, protocol, source/target ports), public IP, state and the Kubernetes service each fronts. Civo: GET /v2/loadbalancers. |
civo_list_volumes | read | List volumes List the block-storage volumes in a region: size, status, type, and the instance or cluster each is attached to (unattached volumes still bill). Civo: GET /v2/volumes. |
civo_list_databases | read | List databases List the managed databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL) in a region: software and version, size, nodes, IPs, port, network, firewall and status. Paginated: {page, per_page, pages, items}. Passwords are redacted. Civo: GET /v2/databases. |
civo_list_dns_domains | read | List DNS domains List the domains whose DNS Civo hosts for the account. Civo: GET /v2/dns. |
civo_list_dns_records | read | List DNS records List the records of one hosted domain (name, type, value, priority, TTL), optionally filtered by type or name. Civo: GET /v2/dns/{domain_id}/records. |
civo_reboot_instance | write | Reboot an instance Reboot one instance. `soft` (default) asks the OS to restart cleanly; `hard` cuts power and boots it again, like pulling the plug — use only when soft does not work. Causes brief downtime. Civo: POST /v2/instances/{id}/soft_reboots or /hard_reboots. |
civo_stop_instance | write | Stop an instance Power off one instance. Anything it serves goes offline until it is started again with civo_start_instance. A stopped instance is still billed. Civo: PUT /v2/instances/{id}/stop. |
civo_start_instance | write | Start an instance Boot a stopped instance. Undoes civo_stop_instance. Civo: PUT /v2/instances/{id}/start. |
civo_set_instance_tags | write | Set an instance's tags REPLACE the full tag list of one instance (tags are used for filtering and by load-balancer instance pools, so changing them can move an instance in or out of a pool). Pass the complete desired list; an empty list clears all tags. Civo: PUT /v2/instances/{id}/tags. |
civo_create_firewall_rule | write | Add a firewall rule Add one rule to a firewall — e.g. allow TCP 443 ingress from 0.0.0.0/0. This changes what is reachable on every instance, cluster and load balancer using the firewall, so prefer narrow CIDRs. Undo by deleting the rule in the Civo dashboard or CLI. Civo: POST /v2/firewalls/{id}/rules. |
civo_create_dns_record | write | Add a DNS record Add one record to a Civo-hosted domain. Live DNS changes propagate to the world; undo by deleting the record in the Civo dashboard or CLI. Civo: POST /v2/dns/{domain_id}/records. |
civo_usage_status | Usage status (free-tier meter) Report the caller's current usage: the plan, calls used this month, the limit of the plan (the free monthly cap or the Pro fair use limit), remaining, and whether the limit is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter. | |
civo_request_feature | Request a missing feature Tell usefulapi that the user needs something the Civo tools cannot do yet (a missing tool, field or filter). Call it only when the user asks for something none of the tools can do, and tell the user that you send the request. Do not call it for errors or for normal requests. Do not include personal data, credentials or customer records. Stored with the product name and the client type (for example Claude or Cursor), without the user's account. At most 5 requests per day. Does not count against the meter. | |
civo_upgrade | Upgrade to Pro (unlimited*) Get Pro: unlimited tool calls (fair use limit: 10,000 a month) on Civo (the free tier caps monthly usage). Plans: "monthly" — $9/month; "yearly" — $90/year (2 months free). Cancel any time: Pro then runs to the end of the paid period, so it also suits a one-time job. *A fair use limit applies. For heavy use (near Pro's limit): "plus" or "plus_yearly" — Pro+, $19/month or $190/year, unlimited tool calls (fair use limit: 100,000 a month); an existing Pro subscription changes to Pro+ in place (needs confirm: true; the price difference for the rest of the period is charged at once). Otherwise returns a short link to open in your browser (it opens Stripe Checkout); after payment the account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter. | |
civo_cancel_subscription | Cancel the Pro subscription Cancel the caller's Civo Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; Pro continues until then, then the free tier applies). Requires confirm: true. Run civo_upgrade later to undo the cancel before the period ends. Does not count against the meter. |
| Plan | Price | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 tool calls / month |
| Proper user | $9/mo · $90/yr | Unlimited* |
*Pro fair use limit: 10,000 tool calls a month on this server. For more, write to [email protected].
Pro covers this Civo server only. Subscribe with civo_upgrade (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). Cancel any time with civo_cancel_subscription: Pro continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and running civo_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to [email protected].
No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Civo. The server calls the Civo API with your own Civo access, so it sees only the data that your account can see.
Yes. In Claude, add this server's URL as a custom connector. In ChatGPT, add it as a custom MCP server in Plugins. Then log in once. Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code and Codex work too. See the setup steps.
The login page asks for your Civo API key. See Before you connect for where to find it.
No. Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Civo API key. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
The login stores them encrypted in the authorization grant of your connection. The server uses them to call the Civo API for you and to derive a private account id for usage metering. usefulapi does not show them on any page or in any reply. To stop all access, remove the connector and change or delete these credentials in Civo.
Yes, if you approve it. 6 of the 22 Civo tools can create or change data. The other 16 are marked read-only. Most MCP clients ask you to approve a tool call before it runs.
The Free plan gives 50 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with unlimited tool calls (fair use limit: 10,000 tool calls a month), for this Civo server only. Cancel any time: Pro then runs to the end of the paid period. Run civo_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
Ask the AI to run civo_upgrade: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. To cancel, run civo_cancel_subscription. Pro continues to the end of the paid period.
Tell the AI what you wanted to do. It can send the request with civo_request_feature. We store the text with the server name, the type of AI client and the tool you tried, not with your account, and read every request when we plan new tools. You can send up to 5 requests per day.
Any client that supports remote MCP servers (Streamable HTTP) with OAuth login: Claude (web and desktop), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and others.
This is a Model Context Protocol endpoint — meant to be connected from an AI client, not opened in a browser. An invalid_token response at the URL is the auth gate working as designed; clients authenticate automatically.