How to use Instantly MCP with Claude

Instantly's MCP server connects your cold email platform to Claude, exposing 38 tools that mirror the full Instantly API v2 — campaigns, leads, and analytics, both read and write. You can pull live campaign numbers, spin up new campaigns, add sequences, and sync results back, all from a Claude conversation.

This guide covers connecting Instantly to Claude, what the 38 tools cover, and where a data layer fits in the workflow.

What is the Instantly MCP server?

Think of the MCP as a cable between Claude and Instantly. Once connected, Claude can read from and write to your Instantly account — pull live campaign analytics, create campaigns, add email sequences, manage leads, and push results into your workflow without you opening the dashboard. The 38 tools span six categories across the Instantly v2 API surface.

How to connect Instantly to Claude

You need two things: an Instantly API key and the MCP server URL from Instantly's docs.

1. In Instantly, go to Settings → Integrations → API Keys.
2. Create a new key and set the scope to All.
3. Add the Instantly MCP server to your Claude config with the key:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instantly": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instantly-mcp"],
      "env": { "INSTANTLY_API_KEY": "your-key-here" }
    }
  }
}

1. Restart Claude and run a test prompt to confirm the tools load.

You can also connect Instantly through Composio, Activepieces, or directly in Claude Desktop, depending on your setup.

What you can do with Instantly in Claude

1. Pull live campaign analytics — opens, replies, bounces for a specific campaign and window.
2. Create a new campaign and add email sequence steps from a prompt.
3. Manage leads — add, update, and segment without the dashboard.
4. Check sending health across mailboxes.
5. Sync results into your workflow — because the MCP writes as well as reads, Claude can act on what it finds, not just report.

As with any cold-email MCP, specific prompts win: name the campaign, the metric, and the time window.

Where enrichment fits

Instantly is sending infrastructure with an optional lead database — it's not a verification or waterfall layer. Bad addresses still bounce and hurt your domain reputation. Verify and enrich your list before it enters Instantly. The simplest way in the same Claude session is a waterfall enrichment MCP like FullEnrich, which returns verified emails across 20+ providers and only charges on hits — setup here. Enrich with FullEnrich, send with Instantly.

Gotchas

• Set the API key scope to All, or some of the 38 tools will fail silently.
• npx needs Node.js installed.
• Read/write access means Claude can change live campaigns — confirm before bulk actions.
• It won't warm up domains or source net-new contacts; it manages sending.

Is the Instantly MCP worth setting up?

If Instantly is your sending platform, yes — live analytics and campaign management from Claude beats logging into the dashboard for every check. Keep a waterfall enrichment MCP upstream so your lists are verified before they send.

See our best MCP servers for sales roundup and our full Instantly review.