Remote MCP Server · OAuth 2.0 Dynamic Client Registration · Model Context Protocol

    The Direct Mail MCP Server

    Give Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Cursor, or any MCP client a real postal channel. One URL, OAuth sign-in, zero API keys required.

    Your AI assistant plans campaigns, renders proof images with an exact price quote, waits for your confirmation, and prints, addresses, and mails real postcards, letters, notecards, MagnaCards, and gift cards — with complete QR scan and delivery tracking.

    remote-mcp-endpoint
    $ server endpoint
    https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp

    What your agent can do once connected

    Native postal powers directly in your conversational AI workflow — no custom REST plumbing or API maintenance.

    Send real mail

    Postcards, windowed and windowless letters, notecards, MagnaCards, and gift cards — to saved mailing lists or direct postal addresses.

    Preview and price first

    Every order renders proof images with its exact total before anything is charged. Your agent presents the proof, you confirm, then it mails.

    Design with ThanksAI Studio

    Use saved creatives and templates, or have ThanksAI Studio generate front artwork from a plain-English prompt in 1-3 minutes.

    Build audiences

    Create mailing lists, add recipients individually or in bulk, find and buy Targeted Leads or start a daily or weekly lead feed, and check deliverability status - directly from conversational agent prompts.

    Track results & lifecycle

    Track print queues, USPS delivery scans, QR code landings, gift card redemptions, and performance metrics across designs and lists.

    Automate recurring campaigns

    Spin up scheduled drip campaigns and webhooks for CRM sync. New campaigns start paused — agents activate only when authorized.

    End-to-End Safety Lifecycle

    How sends work: preview before payment

    Every assistant follows a structured 5-step protocol before any piece of mail is queued or printed.

    STEP 01

    Pick Audience

    Choose a saved mailing list or provide street addresses directly in the prompt.

    list-mailing-lists
    STEP 02

    Pick Design

    Select a saved creative from your library or have ThanksAI Studio generate new artwork.

    list-creatives
    STEP 03

    Preview & Price

    Renders proof images and calculates exact postage and card totals. Zero charge.

    preview-order
    STEP 04

    Human Approval

    Assistant shows you proof images and exact total, waiting for your explicit confirmation.

    Wait for 'yes'
    STEP 05

    Dispatch & Track

    Order is placed, dashboard review link is created, and live USPS tracking commences.

    send-postcard

    Idempotent Retries & Review Cancellation Window

    The MCP server automatically rejects identical orders placed within two minutes, preventing accidental duplicate charges. After submission, an order remains in a review window where you can cancel it with cancel-order or via your dashboard before printing starts.

    Spending permissions you control

    Connecting an assistant never grants it automatic spending power. Two distinct toggles in your thanks.io dashboard govern payment authority. Both default to OFF.

    MCP Permission Setting (under Settings → API & MCP Access)Default State
    Allow orders via MCP
    Paid mailings

    Authorizes real paid mail orders across postcards, letters, notecards, MagnaCards, and gift cards, and activating recurring campaigns.

    OFF by default
    Allow lead purchases via MCP
    Leads & address append

    Authorizes buying Targeted Leads, starting a lead feed or resuming one or raising what it can spend, and paid postal address lookups when adding recipients or previewing sends with email addresses only (no street address).

    OFF by default

    Try it risk-free with API Test Mode

    Turn on Test Mode under Settings → API & MCP Access. With Test Mode active, send tools validate inputs and simulate entire orders, but pieces are created already cancelled: nothing is charged, printed, or mailed. The assistant receives realistic simulated confirmation responses.

    Connect your favorite AI assistant

    OAuth 2.0 with dynamic client registration means most assistants connect with just the URL. Follow the specific setup steps below or copy the universal setup prompt.

    Universal Setup Prompt (paste into any AI assistant)
    paste-into-agent.txt
    I'd like to connect you to my thanks.io account so you can help me with direct mail. thanks.io has a remote MCP server at https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp that uses OAuth sign-in, so no API key is needed. Walk me through adding it as a connector or MCP server in the app I'm using to talk to you right now, one step at a time. If this app can't connect to remote MCP servers, tell me which apps can.

    Claude (claude.ai & Claude Desktop)

    1. Open Settings in Claude, then select Connectors.
    2. Click Add custom connector.
    3. Name it thanks.io and paste the server URL: https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp.
    4. Click Connect, log in to your thanks.io account in the popup, and approve access.

    No API key required — authentication completes via OAuth 2.0.

    Using a client that only supports local stdio MCP processes?

    Bridge remote HTTP into standard I/O using npx mcp-remote https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp

    Reference Guide

    Complete MCP Tools Catalog

    Explore all 57 tools available across account planning, creative design, list management, Targeted Leads, order dispatch, and webhooks.

    get-account-overview
    Read
    Plan from results

    One comprehensive briefing on the account: plan tier, credit balance, send history, top/bottom performing creatives and messages, mailing lists, and active campaigns.

    get-performance
    Read
    Plan from results

    QR scan rates, gift card redemptions, and spend breakdowns by design, message, mailer type, mailing list, or campaign.

    get-marketing-playbook
    Read
    Plan from results

    Proven direct mail plays, industry response benchmarks, and follow-up sequences for strategy consultations.

    get-account-info
    Read
    Account & catalog

    Account details, plan, default and saved return addresses, default postage class, credit balance, test mode status, and active MCP spending permissions.

    list-sub-accounts
    Read
    Account & catalog

    Your sub-accounts, enabling the assistant to act on behalf of specific clients or teams via sub_account_id.

    list-handwriting-styles
    Read
    Account & catalog

    Available realistic handwriting styles, fonts, and sample preview images.

    list-image-templates
    Read
    Account & catalog

    Browse saved front design image templates.

    create-image-template
    Write (Free)
    Account & catalog

    Save a new front design from an image URL, or a dynamic personalized design that merges recipient variables.

    update-image-template
    Write (Free)
    Account & catalog

    Rename or replace the source artwork for an existing front design template.

    track-image-template-qr
    Write (Free)
    Account & catalog

    Turn the QR code printed in an uploaded front design into a tracked thanks.io code, so every scan is counted and lands on the link you choose.

    list-message-templates
    Read
    Account & catalog

    Your saved messages with handwriting style, font size, and pen color configurations.

    create-message-template
    Write (Free)
    Account & catalog

    Save a message with custom handwriting styling, or a PDF document to mail as a letter.

    update-message-template
    Write (Free)
    Account & catalog

    Modify text, handwriting settings, or layout of a saved message template.

    list-giftcard-brands
    Read
    Account & catalog

    Supported gift card brands (Amazon, Starbucks, Home Depot, etc.) available to pair with mailers.

    list-creatives
    Read
    Creatives library

    Your creatives: saved front designs paired with message templates, ready to send by creative_id.

    get-creative
    Read
    Creatives library

    Fetch a complete creative profile and verify whether it is ready and valid to send.

    create-creative
    Write (Free)
    Creatives library

    Pair a front design template with a message template into an instantly reusable creative unit.

    update-creative
    Write (Free)
    Creatives library

    Rename, archive/hide, or swap the front design or message of an existing creative.

    create-studio-design
    Write (Free)
    ThanksAI Studio

    Generate a custom, professional mailer front design from a text description. Free of charge, completes in 1-3 minutes.

    get-studio-design
    Read
    ThanksAI Studio

    Check generative design rendering progress and retrieve full-resolution proof images.

    list-studio-designs
    Read
    ThanksAI Studio

    List generated Studio designs sorted newest first.

    refine-studio-design
    Write (Free)
    ThanksAI Studio

    Request natural-language visual edits to an existing Studio design (e.g., 'make headline larger', 'add discount banner').

    update-studio-design
    Write (Free)
    ThanksAI Studio

    Update title, QR code URL destination, or target mailer format for a Studio design.

    save-studio-design-templates
    Write (Free)
    ThanksAI Studio

    Commit an AI Studio design to your permanent template library and pair it with a message in your creatives catalog.

    list-mailing-lists
    Read
    Audience & lists

    View all saved recipient mailing lists and current subscriber counts.

    create-mailing-list
    Write (Free)
    Audience & lists

    Create a new empty recipient mailing list.

    add-recipient
    Sensitive Write
    Audience & lists

    Add a single recipient to a mailing list. Free with full address; triggers address lookup if only email is supplied.

    Requires: Allow lead purchases via MCP (only if email-only)
    add-recipients
    Sensitive Write
    Audience & lists

    Batch import recipients into a mailing list at once.

    Requires: Allow lead purchases via MCP (only if email-only)
    list-recipients
    Read
    Audience & lists

    Inspect recipients on a list, including USPS CASS address deliverability status.

    search-lead-topics
    Read
    Targeted Leads

    Find the intent topics to target: consumers or businesses who have recently researched a product or service online, searched by keyword. Free.

    suggest-lead-locations
    Read
    Targeted Leads

    Look up the ZIP codes, cities, counties, and states to target by the place names you give it. Free.

    preview-targeted-leads
    Write (Free)
    Targeted Leads

    Count how many people match a topic, place, and demographic search before buying anything. Free, limited per hour.

    get-targeted-leads-preview
    Read
    Targeted Leads

    Get a preview's result: how many people match, the price per lead, and up to five masked sample leads.

    buy-targeted-leads
    Sensitive Write
    Targeted Leads

    Buy up to 100 leads once and add them to a new or existing mailing list, at $0.10 for each lead added. People already on the list are skipped and not charged.

    Requires: Allow lead purchases via MCP
    create-lead-feed
    Sensitive Write
    Targeted Leads

    Start a lead feed that adds new matching people to a mailing list every day or every week, at $0.10 per lead added, up to a per-run cap you set.

    Requires: Allow lead purchases via MCP
    list-lead-feeds
    Read
    Targeted Leads

    List your lead feeds with each one's status, cadence, per-run cap, leads added so far, next run, and the list it fills.

    update-lead-feed
    Sensitive Write
    Targeted Leads

    Pause, resume, or stop a lead feed, or change how often it runs and how many leads each run may add. Pausing is always allowed.

    Requires: Allow lead purchases via MCP (to resume or raise spend)
    preview-order
    Sensitive Write
    Preview then send

    Render high-res proof images and compute an exact total price quote with postage, without charging anything. Free with full addresses.

    Supports postage_class (first_class, standard), return_address_id, realism, and email_lookup: false.

    Requires: Allow lead purchases via MCP (only if email-only lookups requested)
    send-postcard
    Sensitive Write
    Preview then send

    Send 4x6, 6x9, or 6x11 glossy postcards with handwriting styling and dynamic QR codes.

    Requires: Allow orders via MCP
    send-letter
    Sensitive Write
    Preview then send

    Send personalized printed letters in standard windowed envelopes.

    Requires: Allow orders via MCP
    send-windowlessletter
    Sensitive Write
    Preview then send

    Send letters in realistic handwritten, windowless envelopes for maximum open rates.

    Requires: Allow orders via MCP
    send-notecard
    Sensitive Write
    Preview then send

    Send folded premium notecards inside handwritten envelopes.

    Requires: Allow orders via MCP
    send-magnacard
    Sensitive Write
    Preview then send

    Send MagnaCards featuring an integrated punch-out refrigerator magnet.

    Requires: Allow orders via MCP
    send-giftcard
    Sensitive Write
    Preview then send

    Send physical gift cards (Amazon, Starbucks, Home Depot, etc.). Billed for printing/postage plus the exact face value of each card.

    Requires: Allow orders via MCP
    list-orders
    Read
    Order lifecycle

    Browse historical and active orders with live fulfillment status, total spend, and QR scan counts.

    get-order
    Read
    Order lifecycle

    Fetch live USPS tracking, proof scans, delivery confirmations, return status, and QR scans for 1 to 50 orders simultaneously.

    get-order-stats
    Read
    Order lifecycle

    Aggregate spend, delivery counts, scans, and redemptions over a custom date range or campaign filter.

    list-order-recipients
    Read
    Order lifecycle

    Retrieve the exact list of recipients actually mailed by an order for CRM auditing and reconciliation.

    search-order-recipients
    Read
    Order lifecycle

    Check whether a specific individual, email, or street address was ever mailed by your account, and by which order.

    cancel-order
    Write (Free)
    Order lifecycle

    Cancel an order while it is still under the pre-print review window. Orders that have started printing cannot be cancelled.

    list-webhooks
    Read
    Webhooks

    List registered webhook endpoints, delivery history, and plan feature allowances.

    create-webhook
    Sensitive Write
    Webhooks

    Register an HTTP endpoint for real-time events: order status changes, USPS deliveries, QR scans, and Lead Board stage transitions.

    Requires: Paid thanks.io plan (Business+ for Lead Board)
    update-webhook
    Sensitive Write
    Webhooks

    Update webhook target URL, subscribed events, Lead Board stage filters, or HMAC secrets.

    Requires: Paid thanks.io plan
    delete-webhook
    Write (Free)
    Webhooks

    Deactivate and delete an existing webhook listener.

    list-campaigns
    Read
    Recurring campaigns

    List automated recurring campaigns, trigger schedules, and active/paused statuses.

    create-campaign
    Write (Free)
    Recurring campaigns

    Create an automated recurring campaign against a mailing list. Newly created campaigns start safely paused.

    set-campaign-active
    Sensitive Write
    Recurring campaigns

    Activate or pause a recurring campaign. Activating authorizes recurring sends on schedule. Pausing is always permitted.

    Requires: Allow orders via MCP (to activate)

    Built-In Server Planning Prompts

    The MCP server registers ready-to-run planning prompts directly with your assistant: campaign planning, quarterly result reviews, A/B split-test setup, win-back sequence generators, and industry-specific playbooks for real estate, insurance, and e-commerce.

    Tool permission tiers & MCP hints

    Every tool carries Model Context Protocol read-only or destructive annotations, allowing assistants to automatically ask for user confirmation before executing state-changing operations.

    26 READ TOOLS

    Read-Only Safety

    Only read your account data. They never change configurations, queue mail, or incur charges.

    get-account-overview, get-performance, get-marketing-playbook, get-account-info, list-sub-accounts, list-handwriting-styles, list-image-templates, list-message-templates, list-giftcard-brands, list-creatives, get-creative, get-studio-design, list-studio-designs, list-mailing-lists, list-recipients, search-lead-topics, suggest-lead-locations, get-targeted-leads-preview, list-lead-feeds, list-orders, get-order, get-order-stats, list-order-recipients, search-order-recipients, list-webhooks, list-campaigns
    16 WRITE TOOLS

    Account Modifications

    Create or edit templates, studio designs, mailing lists, and campaigns. They never charge your account or dispatch mail.

    create-image-template, update-image-template, track-image-template-qr, create-message-template, update-message-template, create-creative, update-creative, create-studio-design, refine-studio-design, update-studio-design, save-studio-design-templates, create-mailing-list, preview-targeted-leads, create-campaign, cancel-order, delete-webhook
    15 SENSITIVE TOOLS

    Spending & Data Export

    Trigger financial charges or broadcast contact data. Tools are completely blocked until dashboard permissions are enabled.

    send-postcard, send-letter, send-windowlessletter, send-notecard, send-magnacard, send-giftcard, set-campaign-active, preview-order (with email-only lookups), add-recipient (lookups), add-recipients (lookups), buy-targeted-leads, create-lead-feed, update-lead-feed (resume or raise spend), create-webhook, update-webhook

    Predictable Error & Refusal Handling

    • Missing Permission: Tool refused immediately; assistant gives direct dashboard link.
    • Duplicate Order: Identical sends within 2 minutes are refused with the original order ID. Zero double-charges.
    • Invalid Parameters: Descriptive validation errors detail which parameter or address field failed.
    • Billing or Deliverability Failure: If cards fail or zero recipients are valid, orders abort before charging.

    Concurrency & Rate Limits

    • 120 requests / min: High-throughput ceiling per account across all reading and design tools.
    • 10 orders / min: Safety cap across all mail send endpoints, protecting against accidental runaway loops.
    • 20 lead previews / hour: Per-account limit on free Targeted Leads previews.
    • Sub-Account Routing: Pass sub_account_id to isolate budgets and access per client.
    • Instant Revocation: Disconnect in your assistant settings or revoke API keys at any moment.
    Conversational Mail

    What to ask your assistant

    Try asking these exact prompts once your assistant is connected to thanks.io:

    Campaign Intelligence

    “How is my mail doing? Which of my postcards gets the most QR scans?”

    Audience Outreach

    “Send my open house postcard to the Austin Sellers list. Show me the proof and the total first.”

    Generative Design

    “Design a postcard for a spring HVAC tune-up special with ThanksAI Studio, then save it as a creative.”

    Retention Drip

    “Set up a birthday card campaign with a $10 Starbucks gift card for my VIP Clients list, but leave it paused.”

    CRM Verification

    “Did we send a thank you notecard to 742 Evergreen Terrace in the last 30 days? Search order recipients.”

    Playbook Strategy

    “Call get-marketing-playbook for real estate expired listings and summarize response benchmarks.”

    Two MCP servers, two jobs

    Thanks.io provides two purpose-built MCP servers. Choose the one that matches your current workflow:

    Product MCP Server

    https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp

    Connects an assistant to your active thanks.io account. Plans campaigns, generates designs with ThanksAI Studio, previews pricing, places live mail orders, manages mailing lists, buys Targeted Leads, and retrieves delivery analytics. Authenticated via OAuth 2.0.

    Featured on this page
    Documentation MCP Server

    https://docs.thanks.io/mcp

    Read-only documentation search server for coding agents (Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot). Queries API endpoints, webhook schemas, and developer integration guides without reading your account or sending mail.

    npx mint-mcp add thanksio

    Direct mail MCP server FAQ

    What is the thanks.io MCP server?

    The thanks.io MCP server is a remote Model Context Protocol server at https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp. It lets AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Cursor work directly in a thanks.io account: send postcards, letters, notecards, MagnaCards, and gift cards; preview orders with proof images before paying; design with ThanksAI Studio; build mailing lists; find and buy Targeted Leads or run a daily or weekly lead feed; track QR scans and deliveries; and manage recurring campaigns.

    How do I connect Claude to thanks.io?

    In Claude or the Claude desktop app, open Settings, choose Connectors, click Add custom connector, name it thanks.io, and paste https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp. Click Connect, sign in to your thanks.io account, and approve access. For Claude Code, run: claude mcp add --transport http thanksio https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp

    Does the thanks.io MCP server need an API key?

    No. The server supports OAuth 2.0 with dynamic client registration, so assistants sign in through a thanks.io authorization page automatically — there is no API key to copy or paste. An API key sent as a bearer token is available as a fallback for assistants that cannot sign in on their own.

    Can an AI agent spend money on my thanks.io account?

    Not until you allow it. Two settings under Settings → API & MCP Access — Allow orders via MCP and Allow lead purchases via MCP — both start off. With them off, an agent can preview orders, plan, design, and build lists, but every paid action is refused. Orders are also previewed with an exact total and wait for your confirmation before sending.

    What is the difference between the product MCP server and the docs MCP server?

    The product MCP server at https://mcp.thanks.io/mcp connects an assistant to your thanks.io account so it can send and manage real mail. The documentation MCP server at https://docs.thanks.io/mcp is read-only: it only searches the thanks.io API documentation and cannot read your account or send anything.

    How much does it cost to send mail through the MCP server?

    Mail sent through MCP costs the same as mail sent any other way on thanks.io: pay-as-you-go with no minimums and postage included. A free account comes with $10 in credits to test with. Sample 4x6 postcards run about $0.77 on Business and $0.64 on Professional.

    Which mail types can an AI agent send?

    Postcards, windowed letters, windowless letters, folded notecards, MagnaCards with a tear-off magnet, and gift cards. Gift card orders are charged for the mailing plus the face value of each card.

    Looking for more integration options? The full MCP documentation on Mintlify covers schema payloads, and thanks.io/agents details REST API, Zapier, Make, and webhook workflows.

    Connect your agent. Mail something today.

    Free account, $10 in test credits, no minimum quantities, postage included. Postcards starting at $0.64.