List reverse-ETL sources, destinations, models, syncs and runs; trigger syncs into SaaS tools. Hosted by usefulapi — connect from Claude, 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": {
"census": {
"url": "https://census.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
}Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"census": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://census.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
}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 Census API key.
Find it in Census → Settings → API (create a workspace API key). Your key is used only to call the 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 Census 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 Census connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
| Tool | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
census_list_sources | read | List sources List configured data warehouse sources (Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks, etc.). Census: GET /sources. |
census_get_source | read | Get source Get a single source connection by id. Census: GET /sources/{id}. |
census_list_destinations | read | List destinations List configured destination connections (SaaS apps data is synced INTO, e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo). Census: GET /destinations. |
census_get_destination | read | Get destination Get a single destination connection by id. Census: GET /destinations/{id}. |
census_list_models | read | List models List SQL models / datasets defined in the workspace (the queries that produce rows to sync). Census: GET /models. |
census_get_model | read | Get model Get a single model by id, including its SQL/query. Census: GET /models/{id}. |
census_list_syncs | read | List syncs List syncs (a sync maps a source model to a destination object and keeps them in sync). Returns id, label, status, source_attributes, destination_attributes. Census: GET /syncs. |
census_get_sync | read | Get sync Get a single sync's full configuration by id. Census: GET /syncs/{id}. |
census_list_sync_runs | read | List sync runs List sync run history (each run's status, records processed, timing). Filter by sync_id. Census: GET /sync_runs. |
census_get_sync_run | read | Get sync run Get a single sync run by id — status, counts, errors. Census: GET /sync_runs/{id}. |
census_list_segments | read | List segments List audience segments defined in the workspace. Census: GET /segments. |
census_list_workspaces | read | List workspaces List workspaces in the organization (note: usually requires an organization-level token). Census: GET /workspaces. |
census_trigger_sync | write | Trigger sync TRIGGERS a sync run for the given sync id — this KICKS OFF a live data sync that writes records into the connected destination SaaS tool. Set force_full_sync=true to re-sync all rows instead of just changes. Census: POST /syncs/{id}/trigger. |
census_usage_status | Usage status (free-tier meter) Report the caller's current free-tier usage this month: calls used, monthly limit, remaining, and whether the cap is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter. | |
census_request_feature | Request a missing feature Tell usefulapi that the user needs something the Census 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. | |
census_upgrade | Upgrade to Pro (unlimited) Subscribe to the Pro plan for UNLIMITED Census tool calls (the free tier caps monthly usage). Choose monthly ($9/month) or yearly ($90/year — 2 months free) billing. Returns a Stripe Checkout link to open in your browser; after payment your account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter. | |
census_cancel_subscription | Cancel the Pro subscription Cancel the caller's Census Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; unlimited calls continue until then, then the free tier applies). Requires confirm: true. Run census_upgrade later to undo the cancel before the period ends. Does not count against the meter. |
| Plan | Price | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100 tool calls / month |
| Proper user | $9/mo · $90/yr | Unlimited |
Pro covers this Census server only. Subscribe with census_upgrade (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). Cancel any time with census_cancel_subscription: Pro continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and running census_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 Census. The server calls the Census API with your own Census access, so it sees only the data that your account can see.
The login page asks for your Census 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 Census 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 Census 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 Census.
Yes, if you approve it. 1 of the 13 Census tools can create or change data. The other 12 are marked read-only. Most MCP clients ask you to approve a tool call before it runs.
The Free plan gives 100 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with unlimited tool calls, for this Census server only. Run census_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
Ask the AI to run census_upgrade: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. To cancel, run census_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 census_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, 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.