MCP server for the Google Custom Search JSON API — web and image search through a Programmable Search Engine with pagination, language/country filters and safe search. For Claude, Cursor, Codex and ot
Setup
Choose your client, copy the config, then fill in any required environment variables.
claude mcp add google-custom-search --env GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY='<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>' -- npx -y mcp-google-custom-search~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.google-custom-search]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "mcp-google-custom-search"]
env = { GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY = "<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>" }
# codex mcp add google-custom-search --env GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY='<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>' -- npx -y mcp-google-custom-search~/.cursor/mcp.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"google-custom-search": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-google-custom-search"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY": "<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}.vscode/mcp.json
{
"servers": {
"google-custom-search": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-google-custom-search"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY": "<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}~/.gemini/settings.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"google-custom-search": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-google-custom-search"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY": "<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"google-custom-search": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-google-custom-search"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY": "<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}.trae/mcp.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"google-custom-search": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-google-custom-search"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY": "<GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}Environment variables
GOOGLE_CUSTOM_SEARCH_API_KEY
Replace the placeholders with your own credentials and keep them out of version control.