OpenClaw reads MCP servers from ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json under a nested mcp.servers key. So the reddit entry sits inside mcp, then servers. You can edit the file directly or let openclaw mcp add write the entry, and openclaw config set can update individual fields.
Connect the Reddit MCP to OpenClaw
OpenClaw's agent runtime speaks MCP natively. Add the redditapis-mcp server under mcp.servers in openclaw.json, or run openclaw mcp add, and the runtime discovers 11 live Reddit tools the next time it starts.
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 OpenClaw's own docs.
How do you add the Reddit MCP to OpenClaw?
Add the redditapis-mcp server under the mcp.servers key in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json with your REDDITAPIS_KEY, or run openclaw mcp add reddit --command npx --arg -y --arg redditapis-mcp@latest --env REDDITAPIS_KEY=YOUR_KEY. Note the nesting: mcp, then servers, then your entry. On start, OpenClaw spawns the server and negotiates its 11 read-only tools; openclaw doctor validates the entry.
Set up the Reddit MCP in OpenClaw
OpenClaw keeps MCP servers in openclaw.json under a nested mcp.servers key. You can add an entry by hand or let the CLI write it. Either way the runtime discovers the tools when it starts.
Method: CLI or config fileConfig:
~/.openclaw/openclaw.jsonKey: mcp.serversThe server (same for every client)
$ npx -y redditapis-mcp@latest~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
// ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
{
"mcp": {
"servers": {
"reddit": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "redditapis-mcp@latest"],
"env": { "REDDITAPIS_KEY": "YOUR_KEY" }
}
}
}
}add it from the CLI
# one --arg per argument; --env sets the key
openclaw mcp add reddit \
--command npx \
--arg -y --arg redditapis-mcp@latest \
--env REDDITAPIS_KEY=YOUR_KEY1
Add the server entry
In ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json, add reddit under mcp.servers. The nesting matters: the top key is mcp, then servers, then your named entry.
2
Or use the CLI
Run openclaw mcp add reddit with --command npx, one --arg per launch argument, and --env for the key. The CLI writes the same JSON entry for you.
3
Let the runtime discover tools
When OpenClaw starts, its agent runtime spawns the server, negotiates capabilities, and lists the tools it exposes, with no per-integration glue code.
4
Validate with doctor
Run openclaw doctor to confirm the entry is valid. The agent can then call the Reddit tools as naturally as its built-in skills.
Confirm it connected
openclaw doctor validates the entry, and the agent runtime lists the reddit tools on start. If nothing loads, confirm the nesting is mcp then servers, and that the REDDITAPIS_KEY is set in the env block.
The 11 Reddit tools OpenClaw 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 Desktop , mcpServers in JSON
- 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 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
Run openclaw mcp add reddit --command npx --arg -y --arg redditapis-mcp@latest --env REDDITAPIS_KEY=YOUR_KEY. Each launch argument is its own --arg, and --env sets the API key. The command writes the same JSON entry you could add by hand under mcp.servers.
Yes. OpenClaw's agent runtime is an MCP host with native client support, so it discovers and calls MCP tools alongside its built-in skills. When it starts, it spawns each configured server, runs the capability handshake, and registers the tools the server reports.
Run openclaw doctor, which validates the config entry, including the optional working directory. When the runtime starts it lists the tools each server exposed, so you can confirm the 11 read-only Reddit tools loaded from the reddit server.
The redditapis-mcp server gives OpenClaw 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.
Keep reading.
Continue exploring related pages.
Reddit API documentation
The complete 2026 reference: auth, all 28 endpoints, and code.
Get a Reddit API key
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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 OpenClaw 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.