Read tracked time and projects; create projects and start or stop timers in DeskTime. Hosted by usefulapi: connect it to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client.
Turn on the DeskTime connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
For managers and freelancers who track their team's or their own time in DeskTime.
With an admin key, list the team's tracked time for one day, page by page. Then read one employee's day summary.
Read one employee's day with its projects and tasks, or with its apps and websites. Ask for one day at a time.
List the active projects with their tasks, one page at a time. Read the company's work schedule and timezone.
Create a project with an optional first task. Then start or stop the timer on it for the key's user. Starting can switch off the running project.
Changes dataThe login page asks for your DeskTime API key.
Log in to DeskTime and open desktime.com/app/api to copy your key. The key acts with that user's permissions (an admin's key sees the whole company). Your key is used only to call the DeskTime API on your behalf; it is never shown to anyone.
Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.
No Add custom MCP server option? It depends on your account or workspace settings: see OpenAI's guide.
Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:
Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"desktime": {
"url": "https://desktime.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"desktime": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://desktime.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} Run these commands. The second one opens the login page:
Windsurf, Cline, Zed and other MCP clients: add this URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser.
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 DeskTime 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.
| 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 DeskTime server only. Subscribe with desktime_upgrade (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). Cancel any time with desktime_cancel_subscription: Pro continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and running desktime_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to [email protected].
desktime_get_companydesktime_list_employeesdesktime_get_employeedesktime_get_employee_projectsdesktime_get_employee_appsdesktime_get_employee_fulldesktime_list_projectsdesktime_create_projectdesktime_start_projectdesktime_stop_projectdesktime_usage_statusdesktime_request_featuredesktime_upgradedesktime_cancel_subscriptionSee the team's tracked time for one day. Review one employee's projects or apps for a day. List active projects and the work schedule. Create a project and run its timer. See what you can do for the details.
No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by DeskTime. The server calls the DeskTime API with your own DeskTime 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 DeskTime 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 DeskTime 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 DeskTime 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 DeskTime.
Yes, if you approve it. 3 of the 10 DeskTime tools can create or change data. The other 7 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 DeskTime server only. Cancel any time: Pro then runs to the end of the paid period. Run desktime_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
Ask the AI to run desktime_upgrade: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. To cancel, run desktime_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 desktime_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.
Need a tool this server does not have, or a connection to another system? We build custom integrations and MCP servers.