Through RealtimeAPI.ai
1,000 macro data calls a month, free, with one key for every feed.
MacroDataAPI is listed on RealtimeAPI.ai as the feed macrodata. A free RealtimeAPI key covers 1,000 calls a month across this feed and every other feed there, served from an edge cache with honest data-age headers. We sell no subscriptions here: pay per request or buy a pass for a job, and use RealtimeAPI for steady use.
Free quota
1,000/mo
across every RealtimeAPI feed, resets on the 1st (UTC)
One key
rta_live_...
macro, crypto, stocks and more behind one gateway
Same data
https://api.realtimeapi.ai/v1/macrodata
identical paths, identical response envelope
Copy this prompt into your agent
Works in Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Codex or any agent that can run commands. The agent adds the MCP server and skill, mints the free key with your email, stores it as an environment variable, and proves it works with a CPI call. Plain text copy: /realtimeapi/prompt.txt.
Set up RealtimeAPI.ai for me so I can use the Macro Data API feed (feed slug: macrodata) through it. RealtimeAPI gives AI agents real-time data through one API and one key. A free key includes 1,000 calls a month across every feed, including US CPI, payrolls, GDP, PCE, policy rates, yield curves and the release calendar from the macrodata feed.
If you can run commands or edit files yourself, do each step. Otherwise walk me through them one at a time and wait for me to confirm each one.
Step 1: Add the MCP server
Claude Code: run claude mcp add --transport http realtimeapi https://mcp.realtimeapi.ai/mcp
Cursor, Windsurf or any JSON config: add {"mcpServers": {"realtimeapi": {"url": "https://mcp.realtimeapi.ai/mcp"}}}
Codex: add [mcp_servers.realtimeapi] with command = "npx" and args = ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.realtimeapi.ai/mcp"] to ~/.codex/config.toml
No MCP support? Everything below also works over plain HTTP against https://api.realtimeapi.ai.
Step 2: Add the RealtimeAPI skill
Claude Code: run mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/realtimeapi && curl -fsSL https://realtimeapi.ai/skills/realtimeapi/SKILL.md -o ~/.claude/skills/realtimeapi/SKILL.md
Other agents: append the contents of https://realtimeapi.ai/skills/realtimeapi/SKILL.md to AGENTS.md or your project rules file.
Step 3: Get access
Ask me for my email, then call the create_free_key tool with it (or POST https://api.realtimeapi.ai/keys/free with {"email": "<my email>"}). It returns a free key worth 1,000 calls a month across every feed. Save it for me: set it as the RTAPI_KEY environment variable and re-add the MCP server with the header X-API-Key: <the key> (Claude Code: claude mcp remove realtimeapi, then claude mcp add --transport http realtimeapi https://mcp.realtimeapi.ai/mcp --header "X-API-Key: <the key>"). Never ask me to paste a key into this chat, and do not repeat the full key back to me.
If I already pay with an x402 wallet (USDC on Base), you can skip the key and pay per call instead: https://realtimeapi.ai/docs#x402
Step 4: Check it works
Call discover with "US CPI latest print", then call_feed on the best match (or GET https://api.realtimeapi.ai/v1/macrodata/series/us.cpi.all.sa with the X-API-Key header). Give me a five-line summary: the latest period and value, the year-over-year change, when it was released, when the next release is due (UTC), and how old the cached copy is (the X-RTAPI-Data-Age header, seconds since the gateway fetched it). Then call discover with "economic release calendar this week" and list what lands in the next seven days.
Reference: https://realtimeapi.ai/llms.txt (every feed and price), https://realtimeapi.ai/feeds/macrodata (this feed), https://macrodataapi.com/llms.txt (series ids and the response envelope).What the prompt does
- Adds the MCP server
https://mcp.realtimeapi.ai/mcp(streamable HTTP). Agents without MCP use plain HTTP againsthttps://api.realtimeapi.ai. - Adds the RealtimeAPI skill from
https://realtimeapi.ai/skills/realtimeapi/SKILL.mdso the agent knows the tools:discover,list_feeds,get_quote,call_feed,create_free_key. - Mints the free key with your email and stores it as
RTAPI_KEY. The key is never pasted into the chat. - Proves it works with the latest US CPI print and the release calendar for the week.
Without an agent
# free key, 1,000 calls a month across every feed
curl -X POST https://api.realtimeapi.ai/keys/free -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"email": "[email protected]"}'
# the same endpoints as this site, under /v1/macrodata
curl https://api.realtimeapi.ai/v1/macrodata/series/us.cpi.all.sa -H "X-API-Key: rta_live_..."
curl https://api.realtimeapi.ai/v1/macrodata/releases/upcoming?days=7 -H "X-API-Key: rta_live_..."Direct or through RealtimeAPI?
| Direct (this site) | RealtimeAPI.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Free calls | 500 a day on latest values, calendar, rates, yields | 1,000 a month on every endpoint of every feed |
| Paid | Per request in USDC (x402) or a 1 hour, 1 day or 7 day pass | Per request (x402), feed passes, or a plan for every feed |
| Freshness | Served from this service's memory at release | Edge cache with X-RTAPI-Data-Age in seconds |
| Best for | One-off calls, backtests with as_of, release-second polling | Agents that also need crypto, stocks or other feeds, and steady daily use |
Feed page: https://realtimeapi.ai/feeds/macrodata. RealtimeAPI pricing: https://realtimeapi.ai/pricing.