How to Connect Reddit to Cursor via MCP

Five steps to give Cursor real Reddit search access -- paste one JSON snippet into Settings -> Tools & MCP, no local bridge or Node process required.

1. Get a ThreadSnoop API key

Unlike Claude Desktop or claude.ai, Cursor has no built-in sign-in flow for MCP servers — you paste a key into the config yourself. Sign up (free, no card, 1,000 free Reddit searches) and copy the key from your developer dashboard.

2. Open Cursor's MCP settings

Settings → Tools & MCP.

3. Add a new server

Click the + New MCP Server tile (labeled “Add a Custom MCP Server”). Paste this JSON, swapping in the key you copied in step 1:

mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "threadsnoop": {
      "url": "https://api.threadsnoop.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "x-api-key": "ts_live_YOUR_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

This is the same config Cursor reads from a plain config file — if you'd rather edit that directly instead of using the dialog, the identical JSON goes in ~/.cursor/mcp.json (available in every project) or a project-local .cursor/mcp.json (that project only). Either path lands on the same result.

4. Reload

Open the Command Palette and run “Reload Window” so Cursor picks up the new server.

5. Verify it's actually working

Ask Cursor:

Check my ThreadSnoop credits

That calls the free check_credits tool — a real balance and rate limit coming back confirms the whole chain worked. From there, a real search prompt (search r/startups for people asking about analytics tools) returns real matches, billed from your 1,000 free reads.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a ThreadSnoop API key before connecting Cursor?

Yes -- unlike Claude Desktop or claude.ai, Cursor has no built-in OAuth sign-in for MCP servers. Sign up for free (1,000 free Reddit searches, no card) and copy your key from the developer dashboard before adding the server.

Does pasting JSON into "+ New MCP Server" do anything different from editing mcp.json by hand?

No -- both write the same configuration. The dialog is just a GUI shortcut for editing the identical JSON that lives in ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global, every project) or a project-local .cursor/mcp.json.

Where exactly is this setting in Cursor?

Settings -> Tools & MCP. Click the "+ New MCP Server" tile (labeled "Add a Custom MCP Server"), paste the JSON, then reload the window from the Command Palette.

Does the ThreadSnoop MCP server support custom headers like x-api-key in Cursor?

Yes -- Cursor's remote MCP server config supports a headers object for exactly this, and ThreadSnoop's server authenticates via a plain x-api-key header, no OAuth dance required for Cursor.

Connect it now

Get a free API key and paste the config above into Cursor — your first 1,000 Reddit searches are on us.

Get your free API key→

1,000 free Reddit searches on signup, no card required.

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