Xplorr MCP Server: Connect Claude to Your Cloud Cost Data
Xplorr MCP Server
Section titled “Xplorr MCP Server”The Xplorr MCP server connects Claude to your cloud cost data using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Once connected, you ask Claude questions about your AWS, Azure, and GCP spend in natural language, and it calls the right tools to get the answer.
What You Can Do
Section titled “What You Can Do”Ask Claude questions like:
- “What are my top 10 most expensive AWS services this month?”
- “Show me the cost trend for the last 90 days”
- “Which EC2 instances are idle and how much would I save by terminating them?”
- “Create a $5,000 monthly budget for our production account”
- “Forecast my end-of-month spend across all cloud accounts”
- “Set up an alert when daily spend exceeds $500”
- “Compare this month’s costs vs last month”
- “Show me tagging policy violations”
- “List my scheduled reports”
- “What are the allocation rules for our cost data?”
Claude calls one or more Xplorr tools behind the scenes, gets the data, and explains the results.
26 Available Tools
Section titled “26 Available Tools”| Category | Tools |
|---|---|
| Cost Analysis (7) | get_cost_summary, get_cost_trend, get_top_services, get_cost_forecast, get_mom_comparison, compare_periods, get_top_resources |
| Optimization (5) | get_recommendations, get_savings_summary, get_anomalies, get_ai_recommendations, update_recommendation_status |
| Budgets (4) | list_budgets, create_budget, update_budget, delete_budget |
| Alerts (3) | list_alerts, create_alert, delete_alert |
| Accounts (3) | list_cloud_accounts, trigger_sync, get_sync_status |
| Reports (2) | get_report_preview, list_scheduled_reports, create_scheduled_report |
| Tagging (2) | list_tagging_policies, get_tagging_violations |
| Allocation (1) | list_allocation_rules |
See the full tools reference for parameters, descriptions, and example responses.
Two Operating Modes
Section titled “Two Operating Modes”Single-tenant (self-hosted): You run the MCP server on your machine or infrastructure. The API token is set as an environment variable (XPLORR_API_TOKEN). All requests use that one token. Good for personal use or on-prem environments.
Multi-tenant (hosted): Xplorr runs the MCP server at https://mcp.xplorr.io/mcp. Each user passes their own token in the Authorization: Bearer header. No infrastructure to manage.
Deployment Options
Section titled “Deployment Options”| Option | Best For | Setup Time | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosted | Most users — zero infrastructure | ~2 minutes | Setup guide |
| Self-host (Docker) | Containerized deployments, CI/CD | ~5 minutes | Docker guide |
| Self-host (Node.js) | Custom environments, development | ~5 minutes | Node.js guide |
Authentication Flow
Section titled “Authentication Flow”Claude sends request → POST /mcp |MCP Server reads token (env var or Authorization header) |POST https://api.xplorr.io/api/v1/tokens/exchange(exchanges xplorr_ token → short-lived JWT, cached ~14 min) |Calls Xplorr API endpoints with JWT |Returns structured data to ClaudeThe token exchange happens automatically. You never deal with JWTs directly — just provide your xplorr_ token.
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- An Xplorr account with at least one connected cloud account
- An API token — generate one at Settings > API Tokens (starts with
xplorr_) - An MCP-compatible client: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Claude.ai
Quick Start (2 minutes)
Section titled “Quick Start (2 minutes)”The fastest path: use the hosted endpoint with Claude Desktop.
- Get your API token from console.xplorr.io > Settings > API Tokens
- Add this to your Claude Desktop config:
{ "mcpServers": { "xplorr": { "url": "https://mcp.xplorr.io/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer xplorr_your_token_here" } } }}- Restart Claude Desktop
- Ask: “What are my top 10 most expensive services this month?”
For detailed setup instructions, see the Hosted MCP guide.
Which Claude models work with MCP? Any model available in Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Claude.ai that supports tool use.
Can I use the MCP server with other AI assistants? The MCP server implements the standard Model Context Protocol. Any MCP-compatible client can connect to it.
How often is the data refreshed? Cost data syncs every 6 hours. The MCP server always returns the most recent synced data.
Is there a cost to using the MCP server?
The hosted endpoint at mcp.xplorr.io is included in all Xplorr plans. Self-hosting is free — the MCP server is open source.
Related Guides
Section titled “Related Guides”- MCP Tools Reference — Full list of 26 tools with parameters and examples
- MCP Configuration — Environment variables and settings
- Hosted MCP — Zero-setup hosted endpoint
- Self-Host with Docker — Run in a container
- Self-Host with Node.js — Run directly with Node
- API Authentication — Token creation and API access
- Slack Bot — Alternative AI interface for team use