Apollo IO MCP Server + Windsurf Editor: Complete MCP Integration

Apollo IO MCP Server is a MCP server that apollo.io mcp server. Get/enrich contact data for people and organizations agentically..

When integrated with Windsurf Editor, you can:

• Enrich contact data for individuals with comprehensive profile information
• Enrich company data with detailed organizational information
• Advanced people search with extensive filtering options

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up Apollo IO MCP Server in Windsurf Editor, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• Apollo IO MCP Server will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use Apollo IO MCP Server tools directly in Windsurf Editor
• All Apollo IO MCP Server capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 7 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Node.js
• npm
• Apollo.io API key
• Apollo.io API key for accessing enrichment services
• Windsurf Editor installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (Desktop App)

Installation

Step 1: Install Apollo IO MCP Server

Install using npm:

npm install @agentx-ai/apollo-io-mcp-server

Verify installation:

npm list @agentx-ai/apollo-io-mcp-server

Configuration

Step 2: Configure Windsurf Editor

1. Locate your configuration file:

   • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json
   • macOS: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
   • Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

2. Add server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apollo-io-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npm",
      "args": ["install", "@agentx-ai/apollo-io-mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

Note: If Apollo IO MCP Server requires environment variables, add them to the server configuration:
"env": {
  "APOLLO_IO_API_KEY": "your-apollo-io-api-key"
}

3. Restart Windsurf Editor

Completely quit and restart Windsurf Editor to load the new configuration.

Examples

Once configured, you can use Apollo IO MCP Server in Windsurf Editor:

Enrich Contact Information

Enrich a person's profile using their email address

Ask Windsurf Editor: "Enrich the contact information for [email protected] and get their professional background"

Expected Result: Complete profile with job title, company details, social profiles, and professional background

Find Marketing Decision Makers

Search for marketing managers at technology companies

Ask Windsurf Editor: "Find Marketing Managers at technology companies in San Francisco with 100-500 employees"

Expected Result: List of marketing professionals with contact details, company information, and role descriptions

Company Intelligence Gathering

Get comprehensive information about a target company

Ask Windsurf Editor: "Get detailed information about Salesforce including employee count, recent hires, and current job openings"

Expected Result: Company profile with metrics, employee data, hiring trends, and job postings

Competitive Analysis

Analyze competitors and find key contacts

Ask Windsurf Editor: "Find all companies in the CRM software space and identify their VP of Sales contacts"

Expected Result: Competitive landscape with company profiles and key decision maker contact information

Testing Your Setup

1. Launch Windsurf Editor
2. Verify Apollo IO MCP Server is available in the tools list
3. Test basic Apollo IO MCP Server functionality

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Apollo.io API Key Invalid

Symptoms: 401 Authentication errors, API key not recognized, Access denied messages

Cause: Invalid, expired, or missing Apollo.io API key

Solution:

• Generate new API key from Apollo.io settings
• Verify APOLLO_IO_API_KEY environment variable is set
• Check API key has appropriate permissions
• Ensure no extra spaces or characters in key

Rate Limiting Errors

Symptoms: 429 Too Many Requests, API quota exceeded, Rate limit messages

Cause: Exceeded Apollo.io API rate limits

Solution:

• Check your Apollo.io plan limits and usage
• Implement delays between requests
• Upgrade Apollo.io plan for higher limits
• Optimize queries to use fewer API calls

Claude Desktop Not Detecting Server

Symptoms: No tools showing up, MCP server not connected, Configuration ignored

Cause: Incorrect claude_desktop_config.json setup

Solution:

• Verify JSON syntax in configuration file
• Check file is in correct location for your OS
• Restart Claude Desktop after configuration changes
• Test server with MCP inspector first

Search Results Empty or Limited

Symptoms: No search results, Limited contact data, Enrichment fails

Cause: Search criteria too restrictive or data not available

Solution:

• Broaden search criteria and filters
• Try different search parameters
• Check if company/person exists in Apollo database
• Verify search syntax and parameter format

NPM Installation Errors

Symptoms: Package not found, Installation failures, Dependency errors

Cause: NPM registry issues or network connectivity

Solution:

• Clear NPM cache: npm cache clean --force
• Try alternative registry: npm install --registry https://registry.npmjs.org/
• Check internet connectivity and proxy settings
• Update NPM: npm install -g npm@latest

Tools Not Appearing

Symptoms: Cascade does not see new tools, Hammer icon missing

Cause: Configuration syntax error or server failed to start.

Solution:

• Check the JSON configuration for syntax errors.
• Verify the command (e.g., npx, python) is in your system PATH.
• Check Windsurf logs for MCP connection errors.

Environment Variables

Symptoms: Authentication failed, Permission denied

Cause: Missing API keys in configuration.

Solution:

• Ensure env block is correctly defined inside the server config.
• Restart Windsurf after changing environment variables.

Apollo IO MCP Server not appearing in Windsurf Editor

Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available

Cause: Configuration or installation issue

Solution:

• Verify configuration syntax
• Check Apollo IO MCP Server installation
• Restart Windsurf Editor
• Check logs for error messages

Next Steps

Now that Apollo IO MCP Server is integrated with Windsurf Editor:

• Explore all Apollo IO MCP Server capabilities through Windsurf Editor
• Check out other MCP servers that work with Windsurf Editor
• Join the MCP community for tips and support
• Consider contributing to Apollo IO MCP Server development

Need Help?

• Search for Apollo IO MCP Server documentation
• Check the Windsurf Editor MCP guide
• Join the MCP community discussions