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The ElevenLabs MCP server connects AI assistants like Claude and Cursor to ElevenLabs voice tools. The hosted server at api.elevenlabs.io/v1/mcp uses OAuth — no API key needed — while the open-source local server at github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-mcp (4,700 stars) uses an API key. Both expose text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and sound effects. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
Best for: Developers who want Claude or Cursor to generate voice, transcribe audio, or create sound effects through MCP.
Not for: Non-developers who just need text-to-speech in the browser — use the web app instead.
Starting price: Free $0 (10,000 credits/mo) (checked 5 Nov 2026); paid plans from Starter $6/mo (30,000 credits) to Pro $99/mo (600,000 credits).
What is the ElevenLabs MCP server?
MCP — the Model Context Protocol — is the open standard that lets AI assistants call external tools. The ElevenLabs MCP server is ElevenLabs’ official implementation: it exposes voice AI capabilities as MCP tools, so an assistant like Claude or Cursor can generate speech, transcribe audio, and create sound effects on your behalf, drawing from your ElevenLabs credit balance.
ElevenLabs launched its MCP server on 7 Apr 2025 with support for Claude and Cursor, per the company’s launch blog. A later post, “Introducing the ElevenLabs MCP, now available in Claude” (17 Aug 2026), announced first-class availability inside Claude. The official documentation lives at docs.elevenlabs.io/docs/mcp/overview — always treat that page as the authoritative reference, since setup details evolve.
Hosted vs local: which server should you use?
ElevenLabs offers the MCP server in two forms. Pick based on how much control you need:
Hosted server (recommended for most). ElevenLabs runs it at https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/mcp and you connect with OAuth — no API keys to create, store, or rotate. Regional endpoints exist for the EU, India, and Singapore, which matters if your data must stay in a specific region. This is the fastest path and the one ElevenLabs documents first.
Local open-source server. The code lives at github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-mcp (about 4,700 stars and 390 forks), and it authenticates with a standard ElevenLabs API key. Run it yourself when you need custom tooling, an air-gapped setup, or to inspect exactly what the server does. The trade-off is operational: you install, update, and secure it.
Rule of thumb: choose hosted unless you have a concrete reason to self-host. OAuth removes the most common failure mode — leaked or expired API keys — and ElevenLabs handles uptime.
What the server can do
The MCP server exposes ElevenLabs capabilities as callable tools. The documented tool set includes:
• Text-to-speech — generate spoken audio from text, with voice and model selection.
• Speech-to-text — transcribe audio files.
• Sound effects — generate effects from text descriptions.
• Voice search — find voices in the library by description.
• Music compose — generate music from prompts.
Each tool call consumes credits from your ElevenLabs account at the same rates as the web app — roughly 1 credit per character for standard text-to-speech. See our credits explainer for the full rate picture.
Setup: hosted server in Claude (no API key)
Step 1. Open Claude’s settings and go to the connectors or integrations section where custom MCP servers are added. Cost: $0.
Step 2. Add a new MCP server with the URL https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/mcp (or the EU, India, or Singapore regional endpoint if you need data residency). Cost: $0.
Step 3. Complete the OAuth flow — sign in to your ElevenLabs account and authorize Claude. No API key is created or pasted anywhere. Cost: $0.
Step 4. Test it: ask Claude to “generate speech for: Hello world” and confirm the audio comes back. Cost: roughly 1 credit per character — this 11-character test costs about 11 credits.
Setup: local server with an API key
Step 1. Create an ElevenLabs API key in the web app under your profile → API keys. Cost: $0; the free plan includes limited API access.
Step 2. Clone or install the server from github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-mcp following the README’s run instructions. Cost: $0.
Step 3. Configure your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, or another host) to launch the local server, passing the API key via environment variable — never hard-code it. Cost: $0.
Step 4. Restart the client and test with a short text-to-speech request. Cost: roughly 1 credit per character, same as the hosted path.
If the client cannot see the server, the usual culprits are a wrong path to the server binary, a missing environment variable, or a client that needs a restart to pick up new MCP configuration. For a JavaScript-side example of calling ElevenLabs programmatically, see our JavaScript SDK walkthrough.
Regional endpoints
ElevenLabs documents regional MCP endpoints for the EU, India, and Singapore alongside the default global endpoint. Use a regional endpoint when your organization requires data to stay inside a specific jurisdiction — the same data-residency logic that applies to the API applies to MCP traffic. There is no performance reason to prefer one region over another unless your users are concentrated there.
Credit costs and plans
MCP tool calls bill exactly like the web app and API. The tiers, as published on elevenlabs.io/pricing and checked on 5 Nov 2026:
| Plan | Price | Credits per month |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 10,000 |
| Starter | $6/mo | 30,000 |
| Creator | $22/mo | 121,000 |
| Pro | $99/mo | 600,000 |
A $1 first-month Starter offer was shown as a rolling badge until Nov 8 when checked on 5 Nov 2026. For the full tier comparison, see our complete ElevenLabs pricing breakdown.
Troubleshooting common MCP connection problems
If Claude or Cursor cannot see the ElevenLabs server, work through these checks in order. First, confirm the server URL is exactly https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/mcp — a trailing slash or typo breaks discovery. Second, re-run the OAuth authorization; expired or revoked tokens are the most common cause of sudden failures after a working setup. Third, restart the MCP client completely — most clients only read server configuration at launch, so edits made while the client runs are ignored until restart. Fourth, for the local server, verify the binary path in your client config and confirm the API key environment variable is set in the shell that launches the client. Finally, check that your account has credits left: a zero balance produces failed tool calls that look like connection errors. Every check costs nothing but a minute of your time.
Pros
• Hosted server needs no API key — OAuth only.
• Works with Claude, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible client.
• Open-source local server (4,700 GitHub stars) for self-hosting.
• Regional endpoints (EU, India, Singapore) for data residency.
• Same credit rates as the web app — no MCP surcharge.
Cons
• Requires an MCP-compatible client — not useful on its own.
• Local server setup is manual: install, configure, keep updated.
• API keys for the local server must be stored securely.
• Tool availability can change — the docs page is the only authoritative list.
Who should NOT use the ElevenLabs MCP server
Skip the MCP server if you are not a developer or power user: connecting MCP servers, managing OAuth scopes, and debugging client configuration all assume comfort with developer tooling. If your goal is simply to turn text into speech, the web app at elevenlabs.io/app does it with no setup at all. It is also the wrong tool for production systems that need strict latency guarantees or audited API contracts — MCP is a rapidly evolving standard, and the direct REST API gives you versioned, documented endpoints instead.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ElevenLabs MCP server URL?
The hosted server lives at https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/mcp and authenticates with OAuth, so no API key is needed. Regional endpoints exist for the EU, India, and Singapore. The open-source local alternative is at github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-mcp and authenticates with a standard API key.
Does the ElevenLabs MCP server need an API key?
The hosted server does not — it uses OAuth, which ElevenLabs documents as requiring no API keys. The local open-source server does need one: create it in the web app under your profile → API keys and pass it via environment variable. If a guide tells you to paste a key into the hosted URL, it is outdated.
Which clients work with the ElevenLabs MCP server?
ElevenLabs launched with Claude and Cursor support on 7 Apr 2025 and announced first-class availability in Claude on 17 Aug 2026. Any MCP-compatible client can connect to the hosted or local server. Check docs.elevenlabs.io/docs/mcp/overview for the current client list, since MCP host support expands quickly.
How much does using the MCP server cost?
Tool calls bill at standard ElevenLabs rates — roughly 1 credit per character for text-to-speech — with no MCP surcharge. The free plan includes 10,000 credits per month (checked 5 Nov 2026), so testing is free. Paid plans run from Starter $6/mo (30,000 credits) to Pro $99/mo (600,000 credits).
Is the ElevenLabs MCP server open source?
The local server is: github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-mcp is public with about 4,700 stars and 390 forks. The hosted server at api.elevenlabs.io/v1/mcp is operated by ElevenLabs and is not self-hostable — its source is not published. Use the open-source version when you need to inspect or modify the server.
Can I use the MCP server from the EU or India?
Yes. ElevenLabs documents regional MCP endpoints for the EU, India, and Singapore in addition to the global endpoint. Point your client at the regional URL when data-residency rules require traffic to stay in that jurisdiction. The same tools and credit rates apply regardless of region.
Sources checked
• docs.elevenlabs.io/docs/mcp/overview — official MCP documentation — checked 5 Nov 2026
• elevenlabs.io/blog — “ElevenLabs MCP server launches with Claude and Cursor” (7 Apr 2025) — checked 5 Nov 2026
• elevenlabs.io/blog — “Introducing the ElevenLabs MCP, now available in Claude” (17 Aug 2026) — checked 5 Nov 2026
• github.com/elevenlabs/elevenlabs-mcp — official open-source server — checked 5 Nov 2026
• elevenlabs.io/pricing — official pricing — checked 5 Nov 2026
Last updated 5 Nov 2026. Prices checked on elevenlabs.io/pricing on that date; confirm at checkout.