On macOS it is at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, and on Windows at %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. The quickest way to open it is Settings, Developer, Edit Config inside Claude Desktop, which creates the file if it does not exist yet.
Connect the Reddit MCP to Claude Desktop
Add live Reddit tools to Claude Desktop by editing one config file. Set your key, restart, and Claude can search subreddits, read comment trees, and look up users through the redditapis-mcp server.
Written by Emma, developer relations at Redditapis. The server is the published redditapis-mcp package, so every field below is verified against the live package and Claude Desktop's own docs.
How do you add the Reddit MCP to Claude Desktop?
Open Settings, Developer, Edit Config to open claude_desktop_config.json, add the redditapis-mcp server under the mcpServers key with your REDDITAPIS_KEY, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop. On macOS the file is at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json; on Windows it is %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. After the restart, 11 read-only Reddit tools show under the connectors menu.
Set up the Reddit MCP in Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop reads its MCP servers from a single JSON file. You do not run a terminal command; you edit the file, save it, and restart the app. Here is the exact block to paste.
Method: Config fileConfig:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonKey: mcpServersThe server (same for every client)
$ npx -y redditapis-mcp@latestclaude_desktop_config.json
// macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
// Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"reddit": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "redditapis-mcp@latest"],
"env": { "REDDITAPIS_KEY": "YOUR_KEY" }
}
}
}1
Open the config file
In Claude Desktop go to Settings, then the Developer tab, then Edit Config. That opens (or creates) claude_desktop_config.json in your editor.
2
Paste the server block
Add the mcpServers entry above and replace YOUR_KEY with your Redditapis key. Keep any servers you already have; just add reddit alongside them.
3
Restart the app
Save the file, then fully quit Claude Desktop and open it again. The config is only read on launch, so a restart is required, not just a new chat.
4
Confirm the tools
Open the connectors menu, then Manage connectors, and select reddit to see the 11 read-only tools it exposes.
Confirm it connected
After the restart the connectors list shows a reddit entry with 11 tools. Ask Claude to find the top posts in a subreddit and it calls reddit_subreddit_top. If reddit is missing, check the JSON is valid and the paths are absolute.
The 11 Reddit tools Claude Desktop gets
The published server is read-only, so these tools read Reddit and never write. Votes, comments, and DMs stay REST write endpoints your agent calls directly, kept off the tool surface so a model cannot trigger a write by picking a tool. Your key, REDDITAPIS_KEY, authenticates every call.
reddit_searchreddit_subreddit_postsreddit_subreddit_topreddit_postreddit_post_commentsreddit_search_commentsreddit_search_communitiesreddit_search_mediareddit_search_usersreddit_user_profilereddit_user_commentsSame server, a different client?
The redditapis-mcp server runs the same way everywhere; only the config file and key differ per client. Setup for the others:
- Reddit MCP for Claude Code , mcpServers in JSON
- Reddit MCP for Cursor , mcpServers in JSON
- Reddit MCP for VS Code , servers in JSON
- Reddit MCP for Windsurf , mcpServers in JSON
- Reddit MCP for Kilo Code , mcp in JSONC
- Reddit MCP for OpenClaw , mcp.servers in JSON
- Reddit MCP for Hermes , mcp_servers in YAML
- Reddit MCP server overview , the server, tools, and pricing
- Reddit API for AI agents , tool use, MCP, and RAG on Reddit
By the numbers
Reddit MCP access, by the numbers
Every Redditapis figure resolves to our published per-call rates; every external figure is a primary US source.
Redditapis bills reads at $0.002 per call, votes at $0.005, writes at $0.012, and DMs at $0.025, one flat rate for every account with no minimum spend. (Redditapis pricing, 2026)
The published redditapis-mcp server exposes 11 read tools behind one Bearer key, and every new account starts with $0.50 in free credits, enough for roughly 250 reads before any charge. (Redditapis, 2026)
Reddit's own commercial Data API is priced at $0.24 per 1,000 API calls, the rate that ended third-party apps like Apollo in 2023. (The Verge, 2023)
Reddit's free Data API tier is capped at 100 queries per minute per OAuth client, and 10 queries per minute without OAuth, so an MCP client polling at volume needs a managed layer. (Reddit Data API Wiki, 2026)
Reddit signed a reported $60 million-a-year deal to license its data for AI training, a sign of how valuable structured Reddit context has become for models. (Reuters, 2024)
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Claude Desktop only reads claude_desktop_config.json when it launches, so you must fully quit and reopen the app. Starting a new chat is not enough. After the restart the reddit server connects and its tools appear under the connectors menu.
The redditapis-mcp server adds 11 read-only tools: reddit_search, reddit_subreddit_posts, reddit_subreddit_top, reddit_post, reddit_post_comments, reddit_search_comments, reddit_search_communities, reddit_search_media, reddit_search_users, reddit_user_profile, and reddit_user_comments. Votes, comments, and DMs stay REST-only actions.
No. The server authenticates with a single Redditapis bearer token set as REDDITAPIS_KEY in the env block. You skip Reddit developer-app review and the OAuth flow. Sign up, copy your key, paste it into the config, and restart Claude Desktop.
Almost always invalid JSON or a bad path. Check that every brace and comma is correct, that npx is on your PATH, and that the REDDITAPIS_KEY is set. Claude Desktop writes MCP logs to ~/Library/Logs/Claude on macOS, where mcp-server-reddit.log shows why the server failed to start.
Keep reading.
Continue exploring related pages.
Reddit API documentation
The complete 2026 reference: auth, all 28 endpoints, and code.
Get a Reddit API key
Instant bearer token, no waitlist and no enterprise contract.
Reddit Responsible Builder Policy
Why Reddit denies API applications, and the managed REST bypass.
Reddit API use cases
14 use cases from AI training to brand monitoring and DMs.
Reddit Search API
Search posts, comments, users, and communities over one REST endpoint.
Reddit MCP server
Wrap the REST API as MCP tools for Claude, Cursor, and any MCP client.
Reddit API for AI agents
Live Reddit context for tool calls, MCP servers, and RAG pipelines.
Redditapis pricing
Endpoint-level costs and quick monthly totals - reads from $0.002 / call.
Reddit API cost calculator
Estimate monthly spend using your request volume.
Reddit API guides and tutorials
Tutorials, walkthroughs, and API deep-dives for developers.
Reddit API alternatives
Evaluate alternatives by cost model, limits, and integration fit.
Official Reddit API vs Redditapis
Access, setup, rate limits, and pricing, side by side.
Affiliate program
Earn 20% lifetime commissions - capped at $5,000/yr.
Reddit Vote API tutorial
Upvote and downvote a post programmatically via the REST API.
Reddit Data API: REST, no PRAW
REST endpoints for Reddit data with no PRAW and no OAuth dance.
Reddit scraping benchmarks
Real throughput, error rates, and cost benchmarks for Reddit scraping.
Reddit API answers
Direct answers on cost, access, rate limits, endpoints, and auth.
How much the Reddit API costs
Per-call pricing from $0.002 a read, with $0.50 in free credits.
Reddit API in Python
One requests call with a bearer token, no PRAW and no OAuth flow.
Reddit shadowban checker
Check if a Reddit account is shadowbanned in seconds, free and no login.
Give Claude Desktop live Reddit tools.
$0.50 in free credits at signup, no card required. Copy your bearer token, paste it into the config above, and the reddit tools are live the same session.