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API Documentation

Everything you need to connect your AI agents to Toolradar. MCP server for Claude, Cursor, and any MCP client — or use the REST API directly.

Quickstart

Get up and running in under 2 minutes. There are two ways to use Toolradar:

Via MCP

For Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP client. Your AI agent calls Toolradar tools natively.

Jump to MCP setup →

Via REST API

Standard HTTP endpoints. Works from any language, framework, or agent platform. JSON responses.

Jump to endpoints →

1. Get an API key

Sign in and generate a free key from your dashboard. Free tier: 100 calls/day, all 6 tools.

2. Make your first call

curl
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer tr_live_your_key_here" \
  "https://toolradar.com/api/v1/search?q=project+management&limit=3"

Authentication

All API requests require an API key. Pass it via the Authorization header or as a key query parameter.

Header (recommended)
Authorization: Bearer tr_live_your_key_here
Query parameter (fallback)
GET /api/v1/search?q=crm&key=tr_live_your_key_here

Keep your key secret. Don't commit it to version control or expose it in client-side code. Use environment variables (TOOLRADAR_API_KEY).

Rate Limits

The free tier allows 100 API calls per day. The counter resets at midnight UTC.

HeaderDescription
X-RateLimit-LimitYour daily call limit (e.g. 100)
X-RateLimit-RemainingCalls remaining today
X-RateLimit-ResetISO timestamp when the limit resets

When the limit is exceeded, the API returns 429 Too Many Requests. Need higher limits? Contact us.

Base URL

https://toolradar.com/api/v1

All endpoint paths below are relative to this base URL.

search_tools

Search and filter software tools. Uses full-text search backed by Meilisearch.

GET/search

Search tools by keyword, category, pricing model. Returns paginated results sorted by relevance or score.

Parameters

qstringSearch query (e.g. "project management", "CRM with API")
categorystringFilter by category slug (e.g. "developer-tools"). Use list_categories to get valid slugs.
pricingstringFilter by pricing model: "free", "freemium", or "paid"
sortstringSort order: "score" (editorial rating), "recent" (newest), "trending" (most upvotes this week)
limitintegerResults per page: 1-50 (default 10)
offsetintegerPagination offset (default 0)

Request

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \
  "https://toolradar.com/api/v1/search?\
q=email+marketing&pricing=freemium&limit=3"

Response

{
  "tools": [
    {
      "name": "Mailchimp",
      "slug": "mailchimp",
      "tagline": "All-in-one marketing platform...",
      "pricing": "freemium",
      "editorialScore": 85,
      "communityScore": 4.2,
      "reviewCount": 12,
      "categories": ["email-marketing"],
      "affiliateUrl": "https://toolradar.com/api/go/...",
      "toolradarUrl": "https://toolradar.com/tools/..."
    }
  ],
  "total": 142,
  "limit": 3,
  "offset": 0,
  "query": "email marketing",
  "filters": { "pricing": "freemium" }
}

get_tool

Get complete information about a specific tool.

GET/tools/:slug

Returns full tool details: description, TL;DR, pros, cons, features, pricing breakdown, editorial scores, review synthesis, and alternatives.

Parameters

slugstringrequiredTool slug (e.g. "notion", "linear", "figma"). Use search_tools to find slugs.

Request

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \
  "https://toolradar.com/api/v1/tools/notion"

Response

{
  "name": "Notion",
  "slug": "notion",
  "tagline": "All-in-one workspace...",
  "description": "Notion is an all-in-one...",
  "website": "https://notion.so",
  "pricing": "freemium",
  "editorialScore": 87,
  "tldr": [
    "All-in-one workspace combining...",
    "Free for individuals...",
    "Best for teams consolidating..."
  ],
  "pros": ["Replaces multiple tools...", ...],
  "cons": ["Steep learning curve...", ...],
  "features": ["Block-based docs...", ...],
  "pricingSummary": {
    "model": "freemium",
    "free": true,
    "startingPrice": "$10/mo",
    "tierCount": 4
  },
  "pricingDetails": { "tiers": [...] },
  "reviewSynthesis": {
    "summary": "...",
    "highlights": [...],
    "limitations": [...]
  },
  "alternatives": [
    { "name": "Coda", "slug": "coda", ... }
  ],
  "categoryNames": ["Documentation", ...],
  "affiliateUrl": "https://toolradar.com/api/go/...",
  "toolradarUrl": "https://toolradar.com/tools/notion"
}

compare_tools

Compare 2 to 4 tools side by side with computed insights.

GET/compare?slugs=:slug1,:slug2,:slug3

Returns full details for each tool plus a comparison object with best overall, best value, and most reviewed.

Parameters

slugsstringrequiredComma-separated tool slugs, 2-4 tools (e.g. "notion,linear,asana")

Request

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \
  "https://toolradar.com/api/v1/compare?\
slugs=notion,linear,asana"

Response

{
  "tools": [
    { "name": "Notion", "editorialScore": 87, ... },
    { "name": "Linear", "editorialScore": 91, ... },
    { "name": "Asana", "editorialScore": 87, ... }
  ],
  "comparison": {
    "bestOverall": "linear",
    "bestValue": "linear",
    "mostReviewed": "notion",
    "scoreComparison": {
      "notion": 87, "linear": 91, "asana": 87
    },
    "pricingComparison": {
      "notion": "freemium",
      "linear": "freemium",
      "asana": "freemium"
    }
  }
}

get_alternatives

Find alternatives and competitors for a specific tool.

GET/alternatives/:slug

Returns AI-identified alternatives sorted by editorial score. These are real competitors, not just tools in the same category.

Parameters

slugstringrequiredTool slug (e.g. "jira", "slack", "figma")
limitintegerMax alternatives to return: 1-20 (default 10)

Request

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \
  "https://toolradar.com/api/v1/alternatives/figma"

Response

{
  "tool": {
    "name": "Figma",
    "slug": "figma",
    "editorialScore": 92,
    ...
  },
  "alternatives": [
    {
      "name": "Canva",
      "slug": "canva",
      "tagline": "Design anything...",
      "pricing": "freemium",
      "editorialScore": 87,
      ...
    },
    {
      "name": "Framer",
      "slug": "framer",
      "editorialScore": 87,
      ...
    }
  ]
}

get_pricing

Get detailed pricing information for a tool.

GET/pricing/:slug

Returns the full pricing breakdown: tiers with prices and features, free trial availability, and expert pricing verdict when available.

Parameters

slugstringrequiredTool slug (e.g. "figma", "github")

Request

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \
  "https://toolradar.com/api/v1/pricing/figma"

Response

{
  "name": "Figma",
  "slug": "figma",
  "pricingModel": "freemium",
  "pricingUrl": "https://figma.com/pricing",
  "pricingDetails": {
    "tiers": [
      {
        "name": "Starter",
        "price": "Free",
        "features": [
          "3 Figma and 3 FigJam files",
          "Unlimited collaborators",
          ...
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "Professional",
        "price": 15,
        "period": "/editor/month",
        "features": [...]
      }
    ],
    "hasFreeTrial": false,
    "startingPrice": 15
  },
  "verdict": "...",
  "affiliateUrl": "https://toolradar.com/api/go/..."
}

list_categories

List all software categories with tool counts.

GET/categories

Returns all top-level categories with subcategories and the number of published tools in each. Use category slugs to filter search results.

Request

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \
  "https://toolradar.com/api/v1/categories"

Response

{
  "categories": [
    {
      "name": "AI & Automation",
      "slug": "ai-automation",
      "description": "AI-powered tools...",
      "icon": "brain",
      "toolCount": 86,
      "subcategories": [
        {
          "name": "AI Writing",
          "slug": "ai-writing",
          "toolCount": 24
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Developer Tools",
      "slug": "developer-tools",
      "toolCount": 145,
      ...
    }
  ]
}

MCP Setup

The Toolradar MCP server lets AI assistants call our API natively. No HTTP code needed — the agent calls tools like search_tools directly.

Claude Desktop

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json:

claude_desktop_config.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "toolradar": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "toolradar-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TOOLRADAR_API_KEY": "tr_live_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

Terminal
claude mcp add toolradar -- npx -y toolradar-mcp

# Then set your API key as an environment variable:
export TOOLRADAR_API_KEY=tr_live_your_key_here

Cursor

In Cursor settings, add a new MCP server:

Cursor MCP config
Name: toolradar
Command: npx -y toolradar-mcp
Environment: TOOLRADAR_API_KEY=tr_live_your_key_here

Any MCP client

The server uses stdio transport. Run it as a subprocess:

Shell
TOOLRADAR_API_KEY=tr_live_... npx -y toolradar-mcp

Environment variables

VariableRequiredDescription
TOOLRADAR_API_KEYYesYour API key from the dashboard
TOOLRADAR_API_URLNoCustom API URL (default: https://toolradar.com/api/v1)

MCP Tools Reference

Once connected, your AI agent has access to these 6 tools. Each tool maps 1:1 to a REST endpoint.

MCP ToolREST EndpointDescription
search_toolsGET /searchSearch tools by keyword, category, pricing
get_toolGET /tools/:slugFull tool details
compare_toolsGET /compare?slugs=...Compare 2-4 tools side by side
get_alternativesGET /alternatives/:slugFind alternatives to a tool
get_pricingGET /pricing/:slugDetailed pricing breakdown
list_categoriesGET /categoriesAll categories with tool counts

Example prompts

Once connected, try asking your AI assistant:

"Find the best free project management tools"
"Compare Notion, Clickup, and Asana"
"What are the alternatives to Jira?"
"How much does Figma cost?"
"Show me AI writing tools under $20/month"
"What categories of software tools are available?"

Error Codes

CodeMeaningWhat to do
400Bad RequestCheck your parameters (e.g. slugs must be 2-4 for compare)
401UnauthorizedMissing, invalid, or expired API key
404Not FoundTool slug doesn't exist or isn't published
429Rate LimitedDaily limit exceeded. Wait until midnight UTC or upgrade
500Server ErrorSomething went wrong on our side. Retry or contact us
503Service UnavailableSearch index temporarily down. Retry in a few seconds

All error responses return JSON with an error field:

{ "error": "Tool not found." }

Ready to get started?

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