Clearcrawl MCP
Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@Clearcrawl MCPturn https://example.com/article into clean markdown"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Clearcrawl MCP
An MCP server for Clearcrawl, a pay-per-call API built for AI agents:
read_url: turns any public URL into clean markdown or structured JSON (title, author, date, text, links, tables). Ads, menus and footers are stripped. PDF URLs are converted automatically.convert_file: turns a PDF, XLSX/XLS/CSV or DOCX (by URL or local path) into text and tables (per-page text, sheet rows and records, markdown tables).
Free tier: 100 calls a day with no signup. Paid: 1 credit = $0.001; read_url costs 2 credits and convert_file costs 3 per page. Credit packs start at $5 for 5,000 credits.
Option 1: remote (no install)
Streamable HTTP endpoint: https://agentreader.onrender.com/v1/mcp
{ "mcpServers": { "clearcrawl": { "url": "https://agentreader.onrender.com/v1/mcp" } } }Claude Code: claude mcp add --transport http clearcrawl https://agentreader.onrender.com/v1/mcp
For paid credits, add the header Authorization: Bearer <your key>.
Related MCP server: ParseJet - Universal File & URL Parser
Option 2: local stdio
{ "mcpServers": { "clearcrawl": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "github:clearcrawl/clearcrawl-mcp"], "env": { "CLEARCRAWL_API_KEY": "" } } } }The local mode can also convert files from your disk (convert_file with path).
Getting an API key
POST https://agentreader.onrender.com/v1/credits/checkout {"pack":"ar_pack_5"} returns a Stripe Checkout URL. Once you pay, the success page shows your key. Full docs: https://agentreader.onrender.com/llms.txt
Notes
Clearcrawl runs on a free host, so the first call after it has been idle can take about a minute.
Limits: public http(s) URLs only, 15 MB max, no JavaScript rendering or OCR yet.
MIT licensed (this client). The Clearcrawl API itself is a hosted service.
Available Tools
2 toolsconvert_fileA
Convert a PDF, XLSX/XLS/CSV, or DOCX into text and tables. Give a public file URL, or a local file path (read on this machine and uploaded). Cost: 3 credits ($0.003) per page or sheet.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | No | ||
| path | No | Local file path, max 15 MB |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full burden, and it does disclose two genuinely useful traits: the cost model (3 credits per page or sheet) and the side effect that a local path is read on the machine and uploaded. It omits error behavior, whether both inputs can be supplied at once, and the size limits except for the path param.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two sentences, front-loaded with the core purpose and formats, then input options, then cost. Every clause carries information and there is no filler.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a no-annotation, no-output-schema tool with 2 optional params, the description covers purpose, input modes, output form, and cost. It leaves open the mutual exclusivity of url/path and failure handling, but nothing critical to a correct call is missing.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema coverage is only 50%, so the description must compensate, and it does: the 'public file URL' qualifier constrains url beyond a bare URI type, and 'read on this machine and uploaded' clarifies the path parameter's behavior and implicit upload side effect.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
States a specific verb (convert) and enumerates the exact input resource types (PDF, XLSX/XLS/CSV, DOCX) and the output shape (text and tables). It does not explicitly differentiate from the sibling read_url, which also retrieves content, so an agent must infer the split from the format list alone.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
It explains how to supply input (public URL or local path, uploaded from this machine), which implies usage, but never states when to choose this over read_url or what conditions favor one input mode. No exclusions or prerequisites are given.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
read_urlA
Fetch a public URL and return clean markdown (format="markdown") or structured JSON: title, author, date, markdown, text, links, tables. PDF URLs are converted automatically. Cost: 2 credits ($0.002); free tier 100 calls/day.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | Yes | Public http(s) URL | |
| format | No | Default json |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full burden and does so well: it discloses credit cost, the free-tier quota (100 calls/day), and that PDF URLs are transparently converted. Auth/permission requirements and behavior on non-HTML or failing URLs are not covered, so it falls short of a 5.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Three tight sentences totaling one line, with the core action front-loaded and cost last. The inline format="markdown" reference is slightly awkward and the middle sentence is dense, but nothing is wasted.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
No output schema exists, and the description compensates by enumerating the JSON fields a caller can expect, plus cost and quota. For a two-parameter tool that is close to complete; only auth requirements and edge-case behavior (paywalled/dynamic pages, failures) are missing.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema coverage is 100%, so the 3 baseline applies, but the description goes beyond it by explaining what each format actually yields — "markdown" returns clean markdown while json returns title, author, date, text, links, tables. That connects the enum choice to a concrete outcome.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
States a specific verb and resource ("Fetch a public URL") and names the return payloads precisely, including auto-conversion of PDF URLs. It is clearly understandable on its own, but it never differentiates itself from the sibling convert_file, so routing between the two remains ambiguous.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
Usage is implied by the fetch contract ("public URL"), and the format enum is effectively demonstrated. However there is no explicit when-to-use/when-not guidance and no mention of convert_file as the alternative for non-URL or local-file sources, leaving the agent to infer routing.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Tool Schema Changelog
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
2 tool updates
- First observed
convert_file - First observed
read_url
TDQS
Scored across 2 tools
convert_file and read_url both can handle PDFs from URLs, creating potential confusion. Descriptions clarify that convert_file focuses on local/public files and Office formats while read_url targets web pages with structured output, but the overlap leaves some ambiguity.
Both tools follow a consistent snake_case verb_noun pattern (convert_file, read_url). The naming is predictable and clearly indicates the action and resource.
Only two tools for a server that handles both file conversion and URL fetching; this feels thin for the apparent scope. While each tool covers multiple formats, the set lacks breadth (e.g., batch processing, crawling).
The surface covers basic file conversion and single-URL reading, but notable gaps exist. For a server named Clearcrawl, there is no tool to crawl multiple pages or follow links, and no batch conversion or structured metadata extraction from files.
Maintenance
Related MCP Connectors
Any URL to clean markdown/JSON; PDF, XLSX, CSV, DOCX to text and tables. Free tier for agents.
Convert PDF, DOCX, HTML, and URLs to clean, LLM-ready markdown with tables preserved
Read a URL as clean markdown, screenshot a website, url to PDF. Web access for agents, no signup.
Convert PDF, Word, Excel and scanned documents to Markdown, tables and RAG chunks. OCR.
Related MCP Servers
- AlicenseNot gradedqualityCmaintenanceConverts documents, webpages, and media files into markdown for AI assistants using Microsoft's MarkItDown and Crawl4AI. It enables tools to read PDFs, Office files, and JavaScript-rendered websites with support for OCR and image extraction.3MIT
- AlicenseBqualityCmaintenanceParse any file or URL into structured text. Extract text from PDF, DOCX, YouTube, web pages, images, and 25+ formats via one API. Tools: parse_url, parse_file, get_youtube_transcript.312 npmMIT
- FlicenseAqualityDmaintenanceConverts files (PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, images via OCR) and URLs to Markdown, enabling AI clients to read them via a single MCP tool.1-
- AlicenseNot gradedqualityBmaintenanceEnables AI agents to inspect and convert PDF, PowerPoint, Excel, and many other file formats into clean, structured Markdown, with chunking support for long documents.Apache 2.0