Start Parabol retrospectives, standups and sprint poker; read teams/meetings/tasks; create tasks. 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": {
"parabol": {
"url": "https://parabol.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
}Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"parabol": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://parabol.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 Parabol personal access token.
Find it in Parabol → profile settings → personal access tokens (any user, free or paid, can create one). Your token 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 Parabol personal access token. 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 Parabol connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
| Tool | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
get_viewer | read | Get current user (viewer) Fetch the authenticated Parabol user (the token owner): id, preferredName, email, tier, and the team ids (tms) they belong to. Parabol GraphQL: query { viewer { ... } }. Requires the USERS_READ scope. Start here to discover your identity and team ids. |
list_teams | read | List teams List the teams the viewer belongs to, with each team's id, name, orgId, tier, and team lead. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.teams. Requires the TEAMS_READ scope. |
get_team | read | Get a team Fetch one team by id: metadata, its team members (with each member's user), active meetings, and organization. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.team(teamId). Requires TEAMS_READ (+ MEETINGS_READ for activeMeetings, ORGS_READ for organization). |
list_team_members | read | List team members List the members of a team, each with role flags (isLead, isOrgAdmin) and the underlying user (preferredName, email). Parabol GraphQL: viewer.team(teamId).teamMembers. Requires TEAMS_READ. |
list_organizations | read | List organizations List the organizations the viewer belongs to: id, name, tier, billingTier. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.organizations. Requires ORGS_READ. |
get_organization | read | Get an organization Fetch one organization by id, including its teams. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.organization(orgId). Requires ORGS_READ (+ TEAMS_READ for teams). |
list_organization_users | read | List organization users List the users in an organization (Relay connection): each org-user's role, joinedAt, tier, and underlying user (preferredName, email). Paginate with `first` + `after` (pass the last edge's `cursor`). Parabol GraphQL: viewer.organization(orgId).organizationUsers. Requires ORGS_READ + USERS_READ. |
list_meetings | read | List meetings (history) List past/ongoing meetings for one or more teams (Relay connection), newest first. `teamIds` is required. `meetingTypes` defaults to all four (retrospective, action, poker, teamPrompt). `before` bounds the window (defaults to now); paginate older with `after`. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.meetings. Requires MEETINGS_READ. |
get_meeting | read | Get a meeting Fetch one meeting by id with its phases and stages. For a retrospective it also returns the reflection groups and reflections plus vote/topic/task/comment counts. Uses __typename so you can tell meeting types apart. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.meeting(meetingId). Requires MEETINGS_READ. |
list_active_meetings | read | List active meetings List a team's currently-active (in-progress) meetings. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.team(teamId).activeMeetings. Requires TEAMS_READ + MEETINGS_READ. |
list_tasks | read | List tasks List the viewer's tasks (Relay connection), optionally filtered by team, user, status, archived state, or a text query. Paginate with `first` + the `after` DateTime cursor. Parabol GraphQL: viewer.tasks. Requires TASKS_READ. |
parabol_query | read | Run a GraphQL query (read-only) Escape hatch: run an arbitrary Parabol GraphQL QUERY (read-only) against action.parabol.co/graphql with optional variables. Mutations are REJECTED — use the dedicated write tools or parabol_graphql for those. Useful for fields not covered by the curated read tools. Requires the matching read scope(s) on your token. |
create_task | write | Create a task MUTATES Parabol data: create a task on a team. Required: teamId and status (active|stuck|done|future). Provide `plaintextContent` for the task text (and/or `content`, which is a stringified TipTap/ProseMirror JSON document). Optionally assign to a userId or link to a meetingId/discussionId. Parabol GraphQL: createTask(newTask, area). Requires TASKS_WRITE. |
update_task | write | Update a task MUTATES Parabol data: update an existing task. Required: id. Optionally change content (stringified TipTap JSON), status, assignee (userId), or sortOrder. Only included fields change. Parabol GraphQL: updateTask(updatedTask, area). Requires TASKS_WRITE. |
create_reflection | write | Create a reflection MUTATES Parabol data: add a reflection card to a running retrospective's reflect phase. Required: meetingId, promptId (the reflect-prompt/column), sortOrder (Float). `content` (optional) is a stringified TipTap/ProseMirror JSON document (<=2000 chars). Parabol GraphQL: createReflection(input). Requires MEETINGS_WRITE. |
add_comment | write | Add a comment MUTATES Parabol data: add a comment to a meeting discussion thread. Required: content (stringified TipTap/ProseMirror JSON document), discussionId, threadSortOrder (Int). Optionally isAnonymous or threadParentId (to reply). Parabol GraphQL: addComment(comment) → union. Requires COMMENTS_WRITE. |
start_retrospective | write | Start a retrospective MUTATES Parabol data: start a new retrospective meeting for a team (returns the new meetingId). Required: teamId. Optionally name it. Parabol GraphQL: startRetrospective → union. Requires MEETINGS_WRITE. |
start_checkin | write | Start a check-in meeting MUTATES Parabol data: start a new Check-in (Action) meeting for a team (returns the new meetingId). Required: teamId. Optionally name it. Parabol GraphQL: startCheckIn → union. Requires MEETINGS_WRITE. |
start_team_prompt | write | Start a standup (team prompt) MUTATES Parabol data: start a new async Standup (Team Prompt) meeting for a team. Required: teamId. Optionally name it (default 'Standup'). Parabol GraphQL: startTeamPrompt → union. Requires MEETINGS_WRITE. |
invite_to_team | write | Invite users to a team MUTATES Parabol data: send team invitations by email. Required: teamId and invitees (an array of email addresses). Optionally scope to a meetingId. Parabol GraphQL: inviteToTeam(teamId, invitees). Requires TEAMS_WRITE. |
parabol_graphql | write | Run a GraphQL operation (query or mutation) MUTATES Parabol data (potentially): escape hatch to run an arbitrary Parabol GraphQL operation — including any mutation — against action.parabol.co/graphql with optional variables. Use for operations not covered by the curated tools. Your token must carry the scope the operation requires. Prefer parabol_query for read-only calls. |
parabol_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. | |
parabol_request_feature | Request a missing feature Tell usefulapi that the user needs something the Parabol 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. | |
parabol_upgrade | Upgrade to Pro (unlimited) Subscribe to the Pro plan for UNLIMITED Parabol 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. | |
parabol_cancel_subscription | Cancel the Pro subscription Cancel the caller's Parabol 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 parabol_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 |
| Pro | $9/mo · $90/yr | Unlimited |
Pro covers this Parabol server only. Subscribe with parabol_upgrade (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). Cancel any time with parabol_cancel_subscription: Pro continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and running parabol_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 Parabol. The server calls the Parabol API with your own Parabol access, so it sees only the data that your account can see.
The login page asks for your Parabol personal access token. 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 Parabol personal access token. 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 Parabol 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 Parabol.
Yes, if you approve it. 9 of the 21 Parabol 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 Parabol server only. Run parabol_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
Ask the AI to run parabol_upgrade: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. To cancel, run parabol_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 parabol_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.