Read Any Web Page with Claude MCP
CastReader is an MCP server that gives Claude (and any MCP-compatible AI) the ability to extract web content and convert it to audio. Three tools. Zero config. Free.
Get Started in 3 Steps
From install to audio in under a minute
Install
Add castreader-mcp-server to your Claude Desktop config, or install via npx.
Ask Claude
Tell Claude: "Read this article aloud" and paste any URL. Claude calls the CastReader tools automatically.
Get Audio
CastReader extracts the content, generates MP3 for each paragraph, and returns text + audio files.
MCP Tools
Three tools available to any MCP-compatible AI assistant
castreader_extract
Extract article content from any URL as structured JSON. Returns title, paragraphs, and detected language.
"Extract the article at https://paulgraham.com/greatwork.html"
Returns JSON: { title, paragraphs[], language }
castreader_generate_audio
Extract content and generate a separate MP3 for each paragraph, plus a combined full.mp3.
"Generate audio for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing"
Per-paragraph: 001.mp3 + text, 002.mp3 + text, ... Combined: full.mp3
castreader_read_aloud
Open the page in a browser and read aloud with real-time paragraph highlighting and auto-scroll.
"Read this page aloud: https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.00001"
Opens browser, highlights each paragraph as it's read. Requires CastReader Chrome extension.
Why Use CastReader MCP
The only MCP server that extracts web content and reads it aloud
URL to Audio
From URL to MP3, Hands-Free
Just tell Claude to read an article. CastReader handles extraction, TTS generation, and returns paragraph-by-paragraph audio. Works with any URL — blogs, papers, documentation, news.
Smart Extraction
15+ Platform Extractors
Dedicated extractors for Kindle Cloud Reader (font decoding), WeRead (canvas rendering), Notion, Google Docs, Medium, Substack, ChatGPT, Claude, arXiv, and more. Falls back to a smart visible-text-block algorithm for all other sites.
Browser Mode
In-Browser Reading with Highlighting
The read-aloud tool opens the page in a real browser with paragraph-level highlighting and auto-scroll. Great for reading research papers or long articles while following along visually.
CastReader vs Other MCP TTS Tools
How CastReader compares to other text-to-speech MCP servers
| MCP Server | Web Extraction | URL to Audio | 40+ Languages | Highlighting | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CastReader | |||||
| kokoro-tts | |||||
| openai-tts | |||||
| edge-tts |
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything about using CastReader as an MCP server
What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?
MCP is an open protocol by Anthropic that lets AI assistants like Claude use external tools. Think of it as USB-C for AI — a standard way to plug in capabilities. CastReader is an MCP server that gives Claude the ability to extract and read web pages.
Which AI assistants support MCP?
Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and any app built with the MCP SDK. The ecosystem is growing fast.
How is this different from the Chrome extension?
The Chrome extension reads pages in your browser with real-time highlighting. The MCP server lets Claude extract content and generate audio files programmatically — useful for batch processing, automation, or when you want MP3 files.
Do I need an API key?
No. CastReader uses the free Kokoro TTS model locally. No API keys, no usage limits, no cost.
What websites does it work on?
Any website. Dedicated extractors for Kindle, WeRead, Notion, Google Docs, Medium, Substack, arXiv, Wikipedia, ChatGPT, and more. Smart fallback algorithm for all other sites.
Can I use it without Claude?
Yes. Any MCP-compatible client works. You can also use the OpenClaw skill version (for Telegram/Discord agents) or the Chrome extension directly.