Research MCP

Cited excerpt packs for agents choosing MCP hosts, auth, and tool-safety. Miss the quote gate → $0.

Remote MCP for other agents — not a human chat product, not a generic web synthesizer. Live path: search → fetch → quote gate. Billable only when density + confidence bar and quotes verify on each claim’s source_url.

Buy a $10 pack Read the contract

health ok · v0.1.0 schema_version 2026-09-14 fail = $0 @research_mcp

Happy vs FAIL

Same envelope. meta.billable is the only charge path. Examples from the published contract.

HAPPY · billable true

{
  "schema_version": "2026-09-14",
  "tldr": "MCP was co-created by David Soria Parra and Justin Spahr-Summers; stewardship moved to the Agentic AI Foundation.",
  "confidence": "high",
  "sources": [{ "title": "Model Context Protocol specification", "url": "https://modelcontextprotocol.io", "type": "primary" }],
  "gaps": [],
  "as_of": "2026-09-12",
  "meta": { "mode": "golden", "billable": true },
  "claims": [{
    "claim": "MCP was co-created by David Soria Parra and Justin Spahr-Summers.",
    "quote": "David Soria Parra and Justin Spahr-Summers",
    "source_url": "https://modelcontextprotocol.io"
  }]
}

Full happy JSON

FAIL · billable false · $0

{
  "schema_version": "2026-09-14",
  "tldr": "Live research did not verify load-bearing quotes on source_url pages.",
  "confidence": "unknown",
  "sources": [],
  "gaps": ["Quote gate failed: one or more load-bearing claims lack verified quotes. Not charged (billable=false)."],
  "as_of": "2026-09-12",
  "meta": { "mode": "live", "billable": false },
  "fail_gate": { "reason": "quote_gate_failed", "retryable": false }
}

Full FAIL JSON

Contract fixtures. Happy is mode: golden. FAIL is a refused live-shaped envelope.

Density bar

`quick` · lite $0.25

≥ 2 unique sources · ≥ 1 primary

`standard` · $0.60

≥ 4 unique sources · ≥ 2 primary

Tools

Tool	Job	Meter	Status
`research_brief`	Cited excerpt pack on MCP + agent infra (hosts, auth, tool-safety). Use `quick` or `standard`.	$0.25 / $0.60	live
`source_lookup`	Fetch/verify one URL or claim. Not open-web search.	$0.25	live
`compare_options`	Do not call — no live path. Use `research_brief`.	$0	preview / $0 / do not call

When to call / when not →

Pricing

Starter

$10

1000¢ prepaid · ~40 lite or ~16 standard

Buy starter →

Standard pack

$25

2500¢ prepaid · ~100 lite or ~41 standard

Buy standard →

Pro

$50

5000¢ prepaid · ~200 lite or ~83 standard

Buy pro →

Meter	Price
Lite (`source_lookup` / quick brief)	$0.25 / successful call
Standard brief	$0.60
Quality / quote-gate fail	$0

Packs credit 1000 / 2500 / 5000¢. Inspect balance: GET /billing/credits. Full table on Pricing.

Install

Get a key in 3 steps: 1) pay on Pricing → 2) copy the key on the success page → 3) paste it into the install JSON below.

MCP endpoint: https://mcp.researchmcp.dev/mcp

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "research-mcp": {
      "url": "https://mcp.researchmcp.dev/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

# MCP endpoint
https://mcp.researchmcp.dev/mcp

# Auth (either header)
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
# or
X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY

# Useful routes
GET  /health
GET  /billing/credits
POST /billing/checkout   {"pack":"starter"|"standard"|"pro"}
GET  /.well-known/mcp/server-card.json

Get a key via prepaid checkout on Pricing. Official Registry: io.github.research-mcp-hq/research-mcp.