essentras

AI agent setup

Essentras in OpenAI Codex

Codex stores MCP servers in config.toml, shared by the Codex CLI, the IDE extension and the ChatGPT desktop app. Add Essentras once with a url and each surface sees it. The server at https://essentras.com/api/mcp needs no account, no API key and no login. Codex searches, quotes and runs checkers, and you open the checkout link.

Quick start

  1. Add the server

    Run codex mcp add essentras --url https://essentras.com/api/mcp, or paste the TOML below into ~/.codex/config.toml.

  2. Check it

    Run codex mcp list. In the codex terminal UI, type /mcp.

  3. Use the IDE extension

    Open the gear menu, then MCP servers, then Add server. Choose Streamable HTTP, enter the URL, save and select Restart extension.

MCP configuration

~/.codex/config.toml, or .codex/config.toml in a trusted project. 1 table per server.

TOML
[mcp_servers.essentras]
url = "https://essentras.com/api/mcp"

The command writes the same table.

BASH
codex mcp add essentras --url https://essentras.com/api/mcp

Example prompts

  • Search Essentras for health outlets under $300 and list price and turnaround.
  • Quote the 3 cheapest dofollow outlets in Germany.
  • Check if a review that names our staff member can be removed.
  • How ready is my name for a Google Knowledge Panel? Ask me the 11 questions.
  • My Instagram account is locked. What is the official recovery route?

What it can do here

10 read-only tools. None takes payment.

search_outlets

Find outlets by country, topic, price, authority or link policy

get_outlet

Read 1 outlet in full

quote_placements

Price a basket and get the checkout link

list_services

List every service beyond placements, with its price

quote_service

Price 1 service and get the page where the buyer pays

check_review_removability

Is this Google review removable under a named Google rule?

check_knowledge_panel_readiness

How ready is this person or brand for a Google Knowledge Panel?

check_wikipedia_notability

Does each source count toward Wikipedia notability?

find_removal_route

What is the lawful route to remove a result about a person from Google?

check_instagram_recovery_path

What is the official recovery route for a hacked, disabled or locked Instagram account?

Common workflows

Search to checkout

Tell Codex your goal and budget. It calls search_outlets, get_outlet and quote_placements. Review line items and total in the terminal, then open the checkout_url to pay.

Let the server guide the flow

Codex reads the instructions field Essentras returns at start up and uses it as server-wide guidance. It describes the flow: search_outlets, quote_placements, then the checkout_url handoff to you.

Diagnose before buying

Describe a removal or recovery case in plain words. Codex maps it to fixed choices, calls the checker and reports the official route and the evidence to gather. A checker never promises an outcome.

Tips for success

  • Set default_tools_approval_mode = "writes" to prompt only for tools not marked read-only. All 8 Essentras tools are.
  • enabled_tools and disabled_tools trim the tool list, for example enabled_tools = ["search_outlets", "quote_placements"].
  • startup_timeout_sec defaults to 10 and tool_timeout_sec to 60. Raise them in the same table.
  • The desktop app, CLI and IDE extension share 1 config.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need codex mcp login?▾

No. The codex mcp login command starts an OAuth login for servers that need a login. When no credential source resolves, Codex connects without authentication, and Essentras needs none. There is no token to set either, so bearer_token_env_var and http_headers stay unused.

Is the IDE extension the same config?▾

Yes. OpenAI says the ChatGPT desktop app, Codex CLI and IDE extension share this configuration, so you can switch between them without redoing setup. In the extension you can also add the server from the gear menu, MCP servers, Add server.

Can Codex pay for a placement?▾

No. quote_placements returns a checkout_url. You open it, review the basket and total, and authorize payment yourself. The card is charged when the order is placed, and the order is refunded if the placement is not published or the turnaround is missed.

Should I use a project or user config?▾

Use ~/.codex/config.toml to have Essentras everywhere, in the CLI, IDE extension and desktop app. Use .codex/config.toml to scope it to 1 project, which Codex honors only in trusted projects. Neither file needs a secret for Essentras, so both are safe to share with your team.

Troubleshooting

The server is missing after an edit

Run codex mcp list. In the desktop app or IDE extension, save the server and select Restart. A project config only loads in trusted projects.

Startup times out

Add startup_timeout_sec = 30 to the [mcp_servers.essentras] table. The default is 10 seconds.

Error 429 or rate_limited

Essentras allows 120 MCP requests per IP per minute. Wait about 60 seconds, then ask again.

Reference

Ready to price media and services with OpenAI Codex?

Search 3,800+ outlets, price a basket or a service, and hand the buyer the checkout. No account needed.

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