MCP KYB tools — verify businesses from your AI agent

Q: Do I need to install anything?

For stdio mode, you need Node.js (for npx). For remote mode, no installation is needed — just point your client at the remote URL with your API key as the Bearer token.

KnowFirm ships as an MCP server that gives your AI assistant KYB (Know Your Business) tools: verify a company, screen it against sanctions lists, find similar businesses, and check CFPB complaint risk — all from inside the chat.

What is MCP?

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI applications call external tools. When you add KnowFirm as an MCP server, your AI assistant can look up business data, run sanctions checks, and explore firmographic segments without you leaving the conversation.

Quick install

One command installs the stdio server. Paste this config into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "knowfirm": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@knowfirm/knowfirm-mcp"],
      "env": { "KNOWFIRM_API_KEY": "kf_live_YOUR_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Get an API key at knowfirm.com/login — the free tier gives you 10 credits per month, no credit card required.

Available tools

Tool	What it does	Credits
`business_lookup`	Resolve a business by EIN, name, LEI, CIK, or FDIC cert	1
`business_search`	Search businesses by name with ranked results	1
`screening`	Sanctions / denied-party screening (U.S. Consolidated Screening List)	2
`complaint_risk`	CFPB complaint volume summary for a company	1
`lookalike_businesses`	Find similar companies by industry, size, and state	1
`business_segments`	Preview a filtered segment of U.S. businesses	1

Remote MCP (no local install)

If your client supports remote MCP (Streamable HTTP), point it at:

URL:  https://knowfirm.com/api/mcp
Auth: Authorization: Bearer kf_live_YOUR_KEY

No npx, no Node.js — the server runs on KnowFirm's infrastructure.

Example prompts

Once connected, ask your AI assistant:

"Look up Apple Inc and tell me their LEI and FDIC status"
"Screen Acme Trading Co against U.S. sanctions"
"Find 10 companies similar to Wells Fargo"
"Show me California banks with over $1B in assets"
"What's the CFPB complaint volume for Bank of America?"

Per-client setup

Claude Desktop: Settings → Developer → Edit Config → paste the JSON above
Cursor: Settings → MCP → Add Server → paste the JSON above
VS Code (Copilot): .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace
Windsurf: Settings → MCP → paste the JSON above

Full per-client instructions with screenshots: knowfirm.com/docs/mcp

Pricing

MCP calls use the same credit meter as the REST API. The free tier includes 10 credits per month. Paid plans start at $49/month for 1,000 credits. Failed calls are never billed. See knowfirm.com/pricing.

FAQ

What AI clients work with KnowFirm MCP? Any MCP-compatible client works: Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code with Copilot, Windsurf, and any tool that supports the Model Context Protocol stdio or Streamable HTTP transport.

Do I need to install anything? For stdio mode, you need Node.js (for npx). For remote mode, no installation is needed — just point your client at the remote URL with your API key as the Bearer token.

Is the data the same as the REST API? Yes. MCP tools call the same KnowFirm API underneath. The data, confidence scores, provenance, and credit costs are identical.

Is this a consumer credit report? No. KnowFirm provides KYB and firmographic business data only. It is not a consumer reporting agency and must not be used for credit, employment, insurance, or housing eligibility decisions (FCRA).

What happens if I run out of credits? The tool returns a clear error message with a link to upgrade. You are never charged overage — calls above your allowance are blocked, not billed.