Add to ChromeBrowser tools (get_browser_tabs, get_page_data, take_page_action, scrape) are free on every plan, including the free plan: your own AI decides each step and rtrvr runs no model. Turn on Enable Extension as MCP in the extension's Browser as API/MCP panel to use them. Agent tools that run rtrvr's AI in your Chrome (planner, act, extract, crawl) require a subscription. So do the Cloud tools that start a billed run (cloud_agent, cloud_scrape, and agent or scrape when they run in Cloud) and Cloud API calls made with an API key; on a paid plan they use credits for the resources they consume. Free Mode applies to interactive extension and Cloud-dashboard tasks. Compare plans.
Your logged-in Chrome browser becomes a programmable API. Call it from anywhere: Claude.ai (via MCP), backend code, CI/CD pipelines, Slack bots, or any HTTP client. One endpoint serves both the MCP protocol and direct HTTP requests. This controls YOUR Chrome with YOUR logged-in sessions, not cloud browsers.
Two Ways to Connect
Get your credentials from the MCP / Remote Browser Tools section in extension settings:
| Method | How | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| MCP URL | Copy the full URL → paste into Claude.ai or any MCP client | Claude.ai, Cursor, Cline, any MCP-compatible tool |
| API Key | Extract rtrvr_... from the URL → use as Bearer token | curl, scripts, backend code, CI/CD |
MCP URL format:
https://mcp.rtrvr.ai?apiKey=rtrvr_xxx&deviceId=abc123
API Key:
rtrvr_xxx (extracted from the URL)Quick Example: List Tabs (Free)
curl -X POST "https://mcp.rtrvr.ai" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer rtrvr_YOUR_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"tool": "get_browser_tabs",
"params": { "filter": "all" }
}'Quick Example: AI-Powered (Credits)
curl -X POST "https://mcp.rtrvr.ai" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer rtrvr_YOUR_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"tool": "planner",
"params": {
"user_input": "Go to ChatGPT, ask about top restaurants in SF, extract the response",
"tab_urls": ["https://chatgpt.com"],
"max_steps": 10
}
}'Tabs a Run Opens
Credit tools work in background tabs they open, and close those tabs when the run ends. Pass "keep_tabs_open": true to planner, act_on_tab, extract_from_tab or crawl_and_extract_from_tab (or agent when it runs in your Chrome) to leave them open, whether the run finishes, fails or is cancelled. The response lists them in data.keptTabs: read one with get_page_data, continue in it by passing it as tab_id, and close it with take_page_action and close_tab when you are done. A tab you pass as tab_id is never closed. Kept tabs count toward your Max parallel tabs setting for tabs that connected apps leave open; past it, a run that would keep its tabs is refused before it starts. See MCP.
curl -X POST "https://mcp.rtrvr.ai" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer rtrvr_YOUR_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"tool": "planner",
"params": {
"user_input": "Fill in the contact form but do not submit it",
"tab_urls": ["https://example.com/contact"],
"keep_tabs_open": true
}
}'
# The response keeps the run's tab open and names it:
# "data": { ..., "keptTabs": [{ "tabId": 1234567890, "url": "https://example.com/contact", "title": "Contact" }] }Where Extracted Rows Go
extract_from_tab and crawl_and_extract_from_tab return the rows in data.extractedData and write no sheet, unless you ask for one. To also save them to a Google Sheet, pass "output_destination": { "type": "google_sheet", "new_sheet_title": "Leads" }, or existing_sheet_id to append to a sheet you have. The response then carries sheetUrl. Writing a sheet needs Google Drive connected in the extension. See MCP.
Free vs. Credit Tools
Free tools are free on every plan, including the free plan, and are perfect for scripting with your own LLM provider: your AI decides each action and rtrvr runs no model. Credit tools run rtrvr.ai's agent, with its custom prompts, integrations, and multi-step planning, and need a paid plan.
| Tier | Tools | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Free (every plan) | get_browser_tabs, get_page_data, take_page_action, scrape, your saved tools | Direct browser control with your own AI, scripting |
| Credit (paid plans) | planner (multi-step), act, extract, crawl | AI reasoning, complex workflows |
| Cloud (paid plans) | cloud_agent, cloud_scrape, and agent or scrape when they run in Cloud | Runs in rtrvr's cloud browser, no Chrome needed |
| Utility | list_devices, get_current_credits, list, check_results | Device management, billing, saved recordings / schedules |
Multi-Device Support
Install the extension on multiple Chrome profiles to control them independently. Each profile gets a unique deviceId. Omit deviceId to auto-select a browser that answers commands: one that left its last command unanswered goes behind every browser that answers, and one that kept missing commands for 7 days after it last answered is not auto-selected until its extension checks in again, and then it goes last. A browser that does not pick a command up within 15 seconds gets a device_not_responding reply naming it and your other browsers; nothing is re-run elsewhere.
- 01
Install extension on multiple Chrome profiles
- 02
Each gets a unique deviceId (visible in MCP URL)
- 03
Call list_devices to see all registered devices, their extension version, when each last answered (lastAckAt) and its status
- 04
Target a specific device: add "deviceId": "abc123" to your request body
Response Format
{
"success": true,
"data": { "tabs": [...], "tabCount": 5 },
"error": null,
"metadata": {
"tool": "get_browser_tabs",
"deviceId": "abc123",
"executionTime": 234,
"creditsUsed": 0,
"creditsRemaining": 10000
}
}Security Settings
Control which tools can be called remotely from the MCP / Remote Browser Tools settings:
- 01
Turn each tool family on or off: Browser tools (free on every plan) and Agent tools (credits, paid plans)
- 02
Fine-tune individual tool permissions
- 03
Disabled tools return clear error messages to the caller
- 04
Enable Extension as MCP starts on for paid plans in Chrome, and off on the free plan and in Edge or Brave until you turn it on
Troubleshooting
If you see "No online devices found" errors:
- 01
Refresh the extension: open/close the popup window
- 02
Rotate the API key from the dropdown menu in settings
- 03
Sign out and back in to reset device registration
- 04
Call {"tool": "list_devices"} to check device status