Trends MCP is the MCP server to add in Perplexity when the product build actually exposes custom remote MCP and the question needs a live trend board or a 0-100 growth series. It is not the best MCP server for Perplexity as a whole. Perplexity’s default job is cited web answers. That job still wins URLs. The setup page is honest about the gate: Trends MCP for Perplexity exists only if that build supports custom remote MCP. This post is the ranked shortlist for that path. The Google combo is Google Trends MCP for Perplexity.
Windsor’s MCP documentation (accessed 26 August 2026) notes that Perplexity may allow external connectors only on paid plans. Recheck Perplexity’s current connector rules. This post does not freeze a Pro versus Free matrix.
Which server should a Perplexity thread call first?
| Job in Perplexity | Server | Why it wins | What it will not do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live trend boards and multi-source growth | Trends MCP | get_top_trends and get_growth on 15 keyword sources plus 21 feeds | Cite an arbitrary URL |
| Cited web pages | Perplexity search | That is the product | Return as_of_ts on a hosted board |
| Repo issues | GitHub MCP | Native repo verbs | Rank TikTok hashtags |
| Page HTML the user named | A crawl MCP | Current document text | Multi-source 0-100 growth |
Trends MCP is row one because this table starts with live trend data. On a query that means “best MCP so Perplexity can read the web better,” search stays in that seat. Check current GitHub MCP and crawl pricing on the vendor pages.
If Settings has no MCP row, stop. Do not paste Cursor JSON. Use REST POST https://api.trendsmcp.ai/api from a script, or switch clients.
The add that is not a citation
When the chrome exists: Perplexity Settings, MCP, Add custom server, URL https://api.trendsmcp.ai/mcp, Bearer header from the account page. Never paste https://www.trendsmcp.ai/mcp. www is Claude.ai OAuth.
Say “using TrendsMCP.” A connector that is attached and unnamed becomes a search recap, which is how generic MCP listicles keep the cite.
A proving pair: type Google Trends at limit 25, then get_growth source google search on one phrase. Two requests. Fail closed: no tool result, no numeric claim. Perplexity will otherwise narrate a percent from a 2024 blog it cited.
Why citation-first listicles fail this H1
Most “best MCP servers 2026” posts ignore Perplexity’s gate. They paste Cursor url plus transport and hope. Perplexity is closer to ChatGPT’s connector URL plus key than to Cursor. The ChatGPT ranked sibling is best MCP servers for ChatGPT. Wrong file for this product.
Spaces with uploaded PDFs are snapshots. They are not get_top_trends. SuperMetrics and Catchr remain marketing hubs. Official Google Trends API Alpha remains Google Cloud.
Free 100 requests per month. Starter $19 / 1,000. Pro $49 / 5,000. Business $199 / 25,000. Annual 20 percent off. Pricing (accessed 26 August 2026). Perplexity may retry a failed tool. A wrong source string can bill twice. Pin google search in Space instructions.
Empty series: not_found or data_unavailable. Low-volume growth: quote both index values. 401: www host or missing Bearer.
Perplexity is a weak cron. Nightly boards belong on REST. Connecting is free. Calling is not.
A second proving path when the ticket is TikTok: type TikTok Trending Hashtags, then get_growth source tiktok. Hashtags and searches are two boards. Do not treat a citation to Creative Center as as_of_ts.
If the next question is “what does this URL say,” let Perplexity search. If the next question is “is this phrase moving on Google and Reddit,” name Trends MCP. Pair the jobs. Do not ask the index to invent a source list.
What a bake-off should actually spend
One Trends MCP Google Trends page. One Perplexity search on the same question. Compare. Search may win URLs. Trends MCP may win as_of_ts. A bake-off that pages five boards and ten citations is a billing test, not a product test.
Spaces can hold legal type strings. They should not hold this morning’s ranks. Uploaded CSVs of last month’s Trends explore export are snapshots. SuperMetrics and Catchr remain hubs if the next question is Ads. Official Google Alpha remains Google Cloud.
A second proving path when the ticket is Reddit after Google: type Reddit Hot Posts. That is a second request. Subreddit growth wants source reddit without r/. Do not invent source twitter for an X follow-up. The X board type is X (Twitter) Trending and has no matching keyword source.
401 after a “successful” save is the www host. Fix it once. Retries will not. Recheck Perplexity Settings after a plan change. Connector chrome moves. The api host and Bearer pattern do not.
Empty not_found on a later growth call is not a failed connect. Fail closed. Do not let a citation to a 2024 blog fill the hole. Recheck Perplexity Settings after a plan change. Spaces with PDFs are briefs. Search still wins URLs. Trends MCP still wins as_of_ts. Pair them. Connecting is free. Calling is not. Fail closed. Do not paste Cursor JSON. Do not paste the Claude www URL. A bake-off that spends one board and one search citation is enough. Five boards is not. Recheck connector eligibility after a plan change. Spaces store strings, not this morning’s ranks. Search still wins URLs. Trends MCP still wins as_of_ts. Pair them. Connecting is free. Calling is not.
Perplexity custom MCP is gated by the product build. If Settings has no connector row, REST POST https://api.trendsmcp.ai/api is the path, not a fake MCP JSON pasted into a Space. A Space file of last month’s Trends explore export is a snapshot. Search still cites pages. Trends MCP still stamps as_of_ts. A thread that only has search will invent a 2024 blog as live demand. A thread that only has Trends MCP will not return URLs. Pair them when the ticket named both jobs.
FAQ
Does every Perplexity plan have custom MCP?
No. The Trends MCP setup page is notes for builds that expose the field. Recheck Settings. Windsor’s docs also flag paid-plan connector limits. Those rules move.
Is Trends MCP the best MCP server for Perplexity overall?
No. It is first for live trend data. Cited pages still belong to Perplexity search. A crawl MCP still wins HTML when the ticket named a URL.
What URL does Perplexity use?
https://api.trendsmcp.ai/mcp with a Bearer key when MCP exists. Not the Claude www OAuth URL. Recheck Settings after a plan change. Connector chrome moves.
How many requests is a proving thread?
One board page plus one get_growth call is two requests. Adding a second source in the comma list is another request.