🚨 Disclaimer 🚨

This is just a heads-up. We haven't seen any bans from GSearch use.

Not affiliated with Google. Uses the same public OAuth client and API as the open-source Gemini CLI.

Google recently banned some OpenClaw users. OpenClaw use cases for oauth providers look abusive to me. GSearch doesn't fit that pattern. Risk still exists.

Requests carry Gemini CLI's User-Agent, ideType, and request shape, so they're probably indistinguishable from the official client on the wire (if u a googler reading this: we good ppl, plz don't hunt us 🙏). If that bothers you, use a throwaway Google account.

GSearch - Free Google Search MCP

Give Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, and other AI tools real-time web search powered by Google Search grounding. Single binary, zero runtime dependencies. Free with any Google account.

Install

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/daanielcruz/gsearch-mcp/main/install.sh | bash

Or build from source:

git clone https://github.com/daanielcruz/gsearch-mcp && cd gsearch-mcp
make build && ./gsearch-installer

The installer downloads the binary, configures Claude Code, Codex and Cursor automatically (if available).

Related MCP server: Google Search Tool

How It Works

Claude Code / Codex CLI / Cursor / Others...
        | MCP (stdio)
   gsearch-server (Go binary)
        | OAuth2
   Google Code Assist API
        | googleSearch grounding
   Answer with [1][2][3] source links

When an AI tool calls google_search, GSearch returns a grounded answer with inline citations:

The current time in Sao Paulo is 08:13 AM.[1][2]
Sao Paulo observes Brasilia Time (BRT), UTC-3.[3]

Sources:
[1] Time in Sao Paulo (https://...)
[2] World Clock (https://...)
[3] Time Zone Info (https://...)

Pricing & Limits

GSearch uses the same Google Search grounding API as Gemini CLI. Free with any Google account. No API key, no credit card, no billing setup.

Rate limits are generous for normal usage. The server retries automatically with dynamic backoff on rapid bursts.

Authentication

Three options:

1. Gemini CLI (if installed) — GSearch reuses existing credentials from ~/.gemini/oauth_creds.json

2. Interactive OAuth — ./gsearch-installer opens your browser for Google sign-in

3. API key — paste a Gemini API key from aistudio.google.com into the installer, or set GEMINI_API_KEY / GSEARCH_API_KEY env var

OAuth modes auto-provision new accounts via the Google Code Assist API (SMS verification may be required on first use). API key mode skips OAuth entirely and hits the Gemini API directly.

Configuration

The installer configures everything automatically. For manual setup, add to your MCP client config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gsearch": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@daanielcruz/gsearch-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Works with Claude Code (~/.claude.json), Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json), and any MCP-compatible tool.

For Codex CLI (~/.codex/config.toml):

[mcp_servers.gsearch]
command = 'npx'
args = ['-y', '@daanielcruz/gsearch-mcp']

Set GSEARCH_PROJECT env var only if auto-detection fails.

License

MIT