InstantReply MCP server for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger AI agents

InstantReply MCP connects Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Codex, or any MCP-compatible agent to a real social inbox. The agent pairs a workspace through one browser link, answers questions with Barq, audits conversations, qualifies leads, validates WhatsApp templates, and operates approved workflows.

No API key is needed. Add the server, tell your agent to connect InstantReply, and open the link it gives you.

Set up in 60 seconds

1. Add the server to your agent (local package, nothing to install first):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instantreply": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@instantreply.co/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

VS Code uses "servers" instead of "mcpServers" and needs "type": "stdio" next to command.

Remote (ChatGPT and other hosted clients) : add the connector URL https://api.instantreply.co/mcp. It uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE; you approve access on an InstantReply consent page and never copy a key.

2. Tell your agent:

Connect InstantReply for my business.

3. What happens, and what the agent should say at each step

Never ask the user to paste a secret into chat. The pairing key is stored locally at ~/.instantreply/config.json (file mode 0600). Set INSTANTREPLY_API_KEY for CI, Docker or shared machines.

Related MCP server: Nilyo

Skills that ship with the package

The skills/ directory holds agent skills (SKILL.md with frontmatter) for the main jobs. Copy a folder into your agent's skills directory (for example ~/.claude/skills/) or point your agent at the folder.

Every skill references real tool names only; a test fails the build if one drifts.

Add your own integration

• Your backend answers customers: set_channel_ai_provider with provider: custom_reply_webhook. InstantReply POSTs a signed request (X-InstantReply-Timestamp, X-InstantReply-Signature: sha256=HMAC-SHA256(secret, timestamp + "." + body)) to your HTTPS endpoint, which returns {"reply": "..."}. Replies still pass grounding checks.

• More social accounts: connect_channel returns a link; the owner approves Meta OAuth in the browser.

• Events pushed to your server: signed outbound webhooks are managed with the REST API (/v1/webhooks) or the dashboard; there is no MCP tool for that yet.

What the agent can do

• Inbox work: list and inspect conversations, messages, contacts, channels, analytics, and usage.

• Comments: list, read, and publicly reply to Instagram/Facebook post comments; toggle AI comment auto-replies.

• Per-channel control: turn AI DM auto-replies on or off for one connected channel without touching the others.

• Barq assistance: ask product and workspace questions with ask_barq; risky actions come back as approvals you confirm with decide_approval.

• Lead intelligence: audit recent conversations, find buying signals, segment contacts, draft follow-ups, and estimate campaign cost.

• WhatsApp operations: validate, create, submit, inspect, and delete templates; validate journeys; trigger individual or batch journeys; inspect delivery failures.

• Developer operations: inspect capabilities, onboarding requirements, and limits; troubleshoot delivery.

• Safety: state-changing tools are marked destructive so a careful client can ask for confirmation first.

Version 0.8.0 defines 87 workspace tools plus get_connection_guide (up to 88 tools once authenticated), 13 reusable prompts, an interactive workspace resource, and conversation/contact resource templates. Before pairing, only get_connection_guide, start_setup, and check_setup are available. Remote MCP plans omit ask_barq, propose_knowledge_entry, and propose_follow_up_rule; directory deployments also omit recommend_plan, set_channel_ai_provider, and decide_approval. Availability depends on plan, scopes, and connected channels. The exact tool schema is the source of truth.

Channel and Meta requirements

Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp availability depends on scopes, connected assets, and Meta approval state. WhatsApp Business API features can require Meta Business Verification, a connected WhatsApp Business Account, and approved templates. The agent should call get_connection_guide and inspect readiness instead of promising that every WhatsApp feature is immediately available.

InstantReply uses official Meta-connected workflows. Do not use the MCP server to send unsolicited messages, bypass consent, or evade Meta template and messaging-window rules. Honour STOP and unsubscribe requests immediately.

Environment variables

Development

npm install
npm run build   # compile dist/
npm test        # run the MCP test suite
npm run dev     # watch mode

Before publishing, run npm test, npm run build, npm pack --dry-run, and validate server.json with the official MCP Registry tooling. Keep package.json, package-lock.json, server.json, the README, and the vendored backend MCP copy on the same release version.

Links

• InstantReply MCP landing page

• API and developer documentation

• Remote MCP endpoint

• OAuth metadata

• Official MCP Registry

• npm package

License and hosted service

The public GitHub repository and npm client are MIT-licensed. This license covers the client only; the hosted InstantReply server and AI require an eligible plan. Free workspaces have read-only access. MCP Starter is $12/month ($120/year), MCP Growth is $29/month ($290/year), and MCP Pro is $89/month ($890/year). MCP plans use your own agent and model and include no InstantReply-hosted AI; choose an eligible Business or Developer plan for hosted AI. Yearly plans start with a 7-day free trial, card required, with no charge until day 8. Monthly plans have no trial and are charged immediately. Meta bills WhatsApp delivery fees separately.

Terminal

Run it in a terminal and it opens a launcher (Barq flies in, then a menu). When an AI tool starts it (piped, no terminal) it is the MCP server, exactly as before.

npx @instantreply.co/mcp            # the launcher
npx @instantreply.co/mcp init       # pair your account and add InstantReply to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Codex, Gemini CLI and Zed
npx @instantreply.co/mcp doctor     # check Node, network, key, your AI tools, the server
npx @instantreply.co/mcp status | channels | tools [search] | call <tool> [json] | live | open | logout | uninstall

init --dry-run shows the exact change to each tool's config and writes nothing; configs are merged without touching your other entries or comments, a .bak is kept, and no secret is ever written into them (the key stays in ~/.instantreply). Every command takes --json. Animation is skipped when output is not a terminal, with NO_COLOR, CI or --no-animation. The daily version check can be turned off with INSTANTREPLY_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=1.