usefulapiAdafruit IO MCP server
Read Adafruit IO feeds, data, groups and dashboards; publish a data point or create a feed. Hosted by usefulapi: connect it to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client.
What can I ask?
Turn on the Adafruit IO connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
- What was the last temperature reading from my greenhouse feed?
- Show the humidity readings from my greenhouse feed over the last 24 hours.
- List all my feeds and when each last received data.
- Which dashboards do I have, and which widgets are on my home dashboard?
What you can do with Adafruit IO in Claude and ChatGPT
For makers and IoT developers who send sensor data to Adafruit IO feeds and dashboards.
Get the latest reading of a feed
The AI reads the most recent data point of a feed with its value, location and time. You can ask for a sensor value without opening the dashboard.
Look at a feed's readings and trend over time
The AI reads data points of a feed in a time range, or aggregated chart data with avg, min, max or sum per resolution. You can spot trends in temperature or humidity.
List your feeds and when each last got data
The AI lists all feeds with key, unit, last value and last update, and the groups of feeds. You can find feeds that went quiet.
Explore dashboards and their widgets
The AI lists dashboards and the blocks on one, such as gauges, toggles and charts, with the feeds they use.
Publish a data point or create a feed
The AI publishes one value to a feed, or creates a new feed, optionally in a group. A published value can drive devices subscribed to the feed.
Changes dataHow do I connect Adafruit IO?
Before you connect
The login page asks for your Adafruit IO username and Adafruit IO key (AIO key).
Find both at io.adafruit.com → click My Key (top right). The AIO key gives full access to your account, including publishing to feeds that can drive your devices; regenerating it there cuts this server off at once. Your key is used only to call the Adafruit IO API on your behalf; it is never shown to anyone.
Claude claude.ai · Desktop
- Open Customize → Connectors, then click + Add → Add custom connector.
- Enter the name Adafruit IO and this URL, then click Add:https://
adafruit-io. usefulapi. io/ mcp - Claude opens the login page: enter your Adafruit IO username and Adafruit IO key (AIO key).
- In a chat, click + → Connectors and turn on Adafruit IO.
Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.
ChatGPT chatgpt.com
- Open Plugins, click +, then Add custom MCP server.
- Enter the name Adafruit IO and this URL, choose OAuth as the authentication, confirm the warning and create it:https://
adafruit-io. usefulapi. io/ mcp - ChatGPT opens the login page: enter your Adafruit IO username and Adafruit IO key (AIO key).
- In Plugins, install Adafruit IO, then choose it in a chat.
No Add custom MCP server option? It depends on your account or workspace settings: see OpenAI's guide.
Claude Code
Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:
Cursor
Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"adafruit-io": {
"url": "https://adafruit-io.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} VS Code
Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"adafruit-io": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://adafruit-io.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} Codex
Run these commands. The second one opens the login page:
Other clients
Windsurf, Cline, Zed and other MCP clients: add this URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser.
Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Adafruit IO username and Adafruit IO key (AIO key). If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 tool calls / month |
| Proper user | $9/mo · $90/yr | 10,000 tool calls / month |
| Pro+per user | $39/mo · $390/yr | 100,000 tool calls / month |
Each paid plan covers this Adafruit IO server only. Ask your AI to run adafruitio_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. The change requires your confirmation, keeps your billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. Cancel any time with adafruitio_cancel_subscription: your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and asking to resume the same plan with adafruitio_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to support@usefulapi.io.
Tools 21
Show all 21 tools (the AI picks them for you)
Read only · 15
- Get user
adafruitio_get_userThe Adafruit IO account this key belongs to: id, name, username, time zone, created/updated times, plus the data rate limit when reported. - Get data rate limit
adafruitio_get_throttleThe account's data rate limit (data-record modifications per minute: 30 on free accounts, 60 on Plus) and the current active data rate. Check it before publishing many points. - List feeds
adafruitio_list_feedsList all of the account's feeds with key, name, description, unit, visibility, enabled flag, last value and last update. - Get feed
adafruitio_get_feedOne feed by key: name, description, unit, visibility, last value, status settings and the groups it belongs to. - Get feed details
adafruitio_get_feed_detailsA feed with its details block: first and last data point and the number of stored points. - List feed data
adafruitio_list_feed_dataData points of a feed (max 1000 per call). Newest first, except that with start_time the API returns the oldest page after that time. Filter by time range and limit; to read further back call again with the reply's next_page_args (the same filters plus `before`). - Get latest data point
adafruitio_get_last_dataThe most recent data point of a feed (value, location, created_at). - Get data point
adafruitio_get_data_pointOne stored data point of a feed by its id. - Get feed chart data
adafruitio_get_feed_chartAggregated chart data for a feed: values sliced by `resolution` minutes over the last `hours` (or a start/end range), using avg, sum, min, max, val or val_count. Good for trends without downloading every point. - List groups
adafruitio_list_groupsList the account's groups (named sets of feeds) with their feeds. - Get group
adafruitio_get_groupOne group by key with its feeds. - List dashboards
adafruitio_list_dashboardsList the account's dashboards with key, name, description and visibility. - Get dashboard
adafruitio_get_dashboardOne dashboard by key. - List dashboard blocks
adafruitio_list_blocksThe blocks (widgets: gauges, toggles, charts, sliders...) of a dashboard with their feeds, position and properties. Integration secrets in properties are removed. - List activity log
adafruitio_list_activitiesThe account's activity log (feed/data/dashboard changes), optionally within a time range.
Changes data · 2
- Publish data point
adafruitio_publish_data_pointWRITE: publish one data point (a value) to a feed. This can drive REAL DEVICES: anything subscribed to the feed (relays, motors, lights, heaters, locks, dashboard toggles) will receive and may act on the value, and it cannot be undone from here. Only publish a value the user has asked for. Counts against the account's data rate limit (30 per minute on free accounts, 60 on Plus). - Create feed
adafruitio_create_feedWRITE: create a new, empty feed (private by default), optionally inside an existing group. Adds a feed only; it does not change or delete anything existing, and fails if the name is taken.
Your usefulapi plan · 4
- Usage status (free-tier meter)
adafruitio_usage_statusReport the caller's current usage: the plan, calls used this month, the limit of the plan (the free monthly cap or the Pro fair use limit), remaining, and whether the limit is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter. - Request a missing feature
adafruitio_request_featureTell usefulapi that the user needs something the Adafruit IO tools cannot do yet (a missing tool, field or filter). Call it only when the user asks for something none of the tools can do, and tell the user that you send the request. Do not call it for errors or for normal requests. Do not include personal data, credentials or customer records. Stored with the product name and the client type (for example Claude or Cursor), without the user's account. At most 5 requests per day. Does not count against the meter. - Upgrade to Pro or Pro+
adafruitio_upgradeGet a paid plan for Adafruit IO (the free tier caps monthly usage). Pro: 10,000 tool calls a month, for normal use — plan "monthly" ($9/month) or "yearly" ($90/year, 2 months free). Pro+: 100,000 tool calls a month, for automations and heavy use — plan "plus" ($39/month) or "plus_yearly" ($390/year). Without a plan it returns both Pro and Pro+, each with a payment link, for the user to choose; with a plan, one link. An existing Pro subscription changes to Pro+ in place: call without confirm first, as the reply states the exact charge for this account (the price difference for the rest of the period, or in a free Pro trial the full Pro+ price, as the trial ends); then call with confirm: true. Cancel any time: the plan then runs to the end of the paid period, so it also suits a one-time job. A link opens Stripe Checkout in the browser; after payment the account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter. - Cancel the Pro subscription
adafruitio_cancel_subscriptionCancel the caller's Adafruit IO Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; Pro continues until then, then the free tier applies). Requires confirm: true. Run adafruitio_upgrade later to undo the cancel before the period ends. Does not count against the meter.
FAQ
What can I do with Adafruit IO in Claude or ChatGPT?
Get the latest reading of a feed. Look at a feed's readings and trend over time. List your feeds and when each last got data. Explore dashboards and their widgets. Publish a data point or create a feed. See what you can do for the details.
Is this an official Adafruit IO product?
No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Adafruit IO. The server calls the Adafruit IO API with your own Adafruit IO access, so it sees only the data that your account can see.
Can I connect Adafruit IO to Claude or ChatGPT?
Yes. In Claude, add this server's URL as a custom connector. In ChatGPT, add it as a custom MCP server in Plugins. Then log in once. Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code and Codex work too. See the setup steps.
What do I need to connect?
The login page asks for your Adafruit IO username and Adafruit IO key (AIO key). See Before you connect for where to find them.
Do I put my Adafruit IO key or an Authorization header in the client config?
No. Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Adafruit IO username and Adafruit IO key (AIO key). If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
How do you keep my Adafruit IO credentials?
The login stores them encrypted in the authorization grant of your connection. The server uses them to call the Adafruit IO API for you and to derive a private account id for usage metering. usefulapi does not show them on any page or in any reply. To stop all access, remove the connector and change or delete these credentials in Adafruit IO.
Can the AI change my Adafruit IO data?
Yes, if you approve it. 2 of the 17 Adafruit IO tools can create or change data. The other 15 are marked read-only. Most MCP clients ask you to approve a tool call before it runs.
What does it cost?
The Free plan gives 50 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with 10,000 tool calls / month. Pro+ costs $39/mo or $390/yr, with 100,000 tool calls / month. Each subscription covers this Adafruit IO server only. Cancel any time: your paid plan then runs to the end of the paid period. Run adafruitio_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
How do I subscribe or cancel?
Ask the AI to run adafruitio_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. After you confirm, your existing subscription changes in place, keeps its billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. To cancel, run adafruitio_cancel_subscription. Your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period.
What if a Adafruit IO tool that I need is missing?
Tell the AI what you wanted to do. It can send the request with adafruitio_request_feature. We store the text with the server name, the type of AI client and the tool you tried, not with your account, and read every request when we plan new tools. You can send up to 5 requests per day.
Which AI clients can I use?
Any client that supports remote MCP servers (Streamable HTTP) with OAuth login: Claude (web and desktop), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and others.
This is a Model Context Protocol endpoint — meant to be connected from an AI client, not opened in a browser. An invalid_token response at the URL is the auth gate working as designed; clients authenticate automatically.
Need a tool this server does not have, or a connection to another system? We build custom integrations and MCP servers.