MCP server

The Cortex ASO MCP server is a hosted Model Context Protocol server that exposes your workspace data and actions to AI tools. Once connected, an assistant can read keyword ranks, reviews, alerts and ad performance, and (when you ask it to) change data such as tracked keywords or ad campaigns. Every request acts as the workspace that owns the API key.

What you need

• The Solo plan or above. Plans without CLI/MCP access cannot create keys.
• An Owner or Admin role in the workspace.
• An MCP client that supports remote servers over Streamable HTTP.

Connection details

Create an API key

1. Open Settings → API Keys & MCP.
2. Select Create key and give it a name, for example the tool it is for.
3. Copy the key immediately. It is shown once and cannot be retrieved later.

Create one key per tool so you can revoke each independently. Revoke a key at any time from the same page; the tool loses access straight away.

Set up your tool

Replace <YOUR_API_KEY> with your key in every snippet.

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport http cortex https://api.cortexaso.com/api/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>"

Claude Desktop

Open Settings → Developer → Edit Config and merge this into claude_desktop_config.json, then restart the app. It uses mcp-remote and requires Node.js. Other clients that only support local servers can use the same entry.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://api.cortexaso.com/api/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor

Add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json, or to .cursor/mcp.json inside a single project.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cortex": {
      "url": "https://api.cortexaso.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

VS Code

Add this to .vscode/mcp.json in your project (GitHub Copilot agent mode).

{
  "servers": {
    "cortex": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.cortexaso.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

ChatGPT

In ChatGPT, enable developer mode and add a custom MCP connector (Settings → Connectors; the menu name varies by plan). Enter the URL https://api.cortexaso.com/api/mcp, choose Streamable HTTP, and add the header Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>. Availability depends on your ChatGPT plan and workspace settings.

Other clients

Any client that supports remote MCP servers over Streamable HTTP needs these three values:

URL: https://api.cortexaso.com/api/mcp
Transport: Streamable HTTP
Header: Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>

Tools

The server exposes 103 tools. Write tools change data in Cortex or in a connected store or ad account. Ad and store write tools default to a dry run or preview, and only apply the change when you confirm it. Read tools never change anything.

Projects and apps

Keywords and rankings

Competitors

Metadata and store listing

Reviews

Alerts

Apple Ads

Google Ads

Ads recommendations and activity

Revenue and attribution

Integrations and market data

The AppsFlyer and ROAS tools (cortex_appsflyer_*, cortex_organic_uplift, cortex_revenue_roas) are not available on all workspaces.

Tools that depend on an integration (Apple Ads, Google Ads, AppsFlyer, App Store Connect, Google Play) also need that integration linked to the workspace and the matching plan capability. cortex_integrations_status shows what is connected.

Example prompts

• Which of my keywords dropped this week?
• Summarize my latest App Store reviews and flag common complaints.
• Draft new metadata for my app and check it for length issues.
• Compare my rankings against my tracked competitors.
• Show last month's Apple Ads spend, installs and CPA by campaign.

Limits

• Requests are limited to 60 per minute per API key. Over the limit, the server answers with HTTP 429; retry after a short wait.
• Some tools have their own caps, for example a daily cap on test alert e-mails and on store listing commits, and tracked keywords count toward your plan quota.
• Tools that generate AI content, such as cortex_google_ads_insights with generate=true, use your workspace AI credits and daily quota.

Security

• Anyone holding a key can act as the workspace. Keep keys secret, never commit them to a repository, and do not paste them into shared chats.
• Revoke a key as soon as a tool no longer needs it or if it may have leaked.
• Prefer a dedicated key per tool and per person.
• Review the changes an assistant proposes before approving write actions, especially ad spend and store listing changes.