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We recommend trying the remote Profound MCP server first. Use the local server only when your client or environment calls for it.
If you need to run your own MCP server, the profound-mcp package is available as a local implementation. This option may be suitable if you:
  • Prefer a local stdio server for your MCP client
  • Want to manage authentication with PROFOUND_API_KEY
  • Need to run the MCP server inside your own environment
  • Want to self-host the server
Compared to the hosted Profound MCP server, running profound-mcp locally requires more technical setup, including Node.js, API key management, and optionally managing your own deployment.

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MCP Client Local Config

Most MCP clients accept a JSON configuration similar to this:
Local stdio
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "profound": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "profound-mcp@latest"]
    }
  }
}
To authenticate with the server, you’ll need to add your Profound API key to your local machine so the server can recognize it. 
export PROFOUND_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"