
Wraps the Podcast Index API, giving you programmatic access to one of the largest open podcast directories. Part of the Pipeworx gateway ecosystem, which connects to 748+ data sources through a unified interface. You can either call individual Podcast Index tools directly or use the ask_pipeworx function to query in plain English and let the gateway route to the right endpoint automatically. Useful when you need to search podcasts, fetch episode metadata, or integrate podcast data into your AI workflows without managing API keys and rate limits yourself. Runs over streamable HTTP, so no local installation needed.
Podcast Index MCP — wraps the Podcast Index API (podcastindex.org)
Part of Pipeworx — an MCP gateway connecting AI agents to 1476+ live data sources.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
search_podcasts | Podcast search by term. Find podcasts in the open podcast database by name or keyword. Returns matching podcasts with title, author, description, categories, episode count, and artwork. Example: search_podcasts({ query: "true crime", max: 10 }) |
get_podcast | Get full metadata for a single podcast by its Podcast Index feed ID. Returns title, author, description, owner, episode count, categories, language, and artwork. Example: get_podcast({ feed_id: 920666 }) |
episodes | List recent episodes for a podcast by its Podcast Index feed ID. Returns episode title, description, publish date, duration, audio URL, and episode/season numbers. Example: episodes({ feed_id: 920666, max: 10 }) |
trending | Get trending podcasts across the open podcast database, ranked by recent activity. Optionally filter by language or category. Returns podcast title, author, categories, artwork, and trend score. Example: trending({ max: 10, lang: "en", cat: "Technology" }) |
Add to your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.):
{
"mcpServers": {
"podcastindex": {
"url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/podcastindex/mcp"
}
}
}
tools/list at https://gateway.pipeworx.io/podcastindex/mcp returns the tools in the table
above plus the shared Pipeworx meta-tools — ask_pipeworx,
discover_tools, search_within, remember/recall and the rest of the
gateway-wide set. So the tool count you see is larger than this table: a
single-pack endpoint currently lists roughly 30 shared tools alongside the
pack's own. The connection's initialize response states its exact scope, and
is the authoritative answer for a given day.
This is deliberate, not multiplexing by accident. The meta-tools are what let a
scoped connection answer a question this pack does not cover — via
ask_pipeworx, which routes across the whole catalog — without you adding a
second MCP server. There is currently no way to mount a pack endpoint without
them; if the extra schemas cost you more context than the routing is worth,
connect to the full gateway once rather than to several pack endpoints.
Or connect to the full Pipeworx gateway to get every pack's tools listed directly, instead of just this one's:
{
"mcpServers": {
"pipeworx": {
"url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp"
}
}
}
Both URLs reach the same gateway and the same 1476+ data sources. The
only difference is which pack's tools are listed directly; ask_pipeworx
reaches all of them from either one.
Instead of calling tools directly, you can ask questions in plain English — this works on the pack endpoint above as well as on the full gateway:
ask_pipeworx({ question: "your question about Podcastindex data" })
The gateway picks the right tool and fills the arguments automatically.
MIT
curl -X POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/podcastindex_search_podcasts \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"query":"true crime","max":10}'
No account needed for the first calls. Inspect any tool: GET https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/podcastindex_search_podcasts. Find one: POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/search_packs with {"query":"..."}.