Majestic API

# Fix list: Majestic API

From Anchor Terminal's listing at https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/majestic, the October 2026 research run, assessed 9 October 2026. Grade F, 33.4 out of 100.

This is everything the published grade says the listing lacks, the biggest possible gain to the total first. It comes from the reason given for each score, the checklist each category was scored against (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist), the provenance checks, the deductions, what we couldn't check and what the review panel asked for. A fix counts at the next check, once it's public.

For a coding agent working on Majestic API: work through the items below in the product, its docs and its public pages. Each category gives the reason for its score, with the points each checklist item earned, and the checklist itself, so the gap is the items that earned less than their points. Change the product, not the wording, and keep a note of what you changed and where it's published.

## 1. Reliability, 17 out of 100, up to 16.6 more on the total

Why it scored 17: Graded on the hosted lines. No status page was found. None is linked from the site footer, the developer docs or either llms.txt (0 of 20), so there is no incident record to read (0 of 30). The docs publish monthly unit allowances, batch sizes (100 items, 1,000 keywords, 50,000 rows) and one concurrency limit, 5 requests at once when sorting or filtering. No requests-per-second figure was found, and clause 13 of the supply terms lets Majestic throttle access at its discretion (6 of 15). No 429 or overload guidance and no Retry-After were found. Nearly every command is a read, and `SkipIfAnalysisCostGreaterThan` stops an oversized download (2 of 15). No SLA was found, and the terms disclaim liability for unavailability (0). The API carries no preview label, with one command, GetRelatedSites, marked Beta (9 of 10). Total 17.

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-reliability):

Hosted APIs, MCP servers, models and platforms.

- 20, a public status page with component history (Statuspage, Instatus, BetterStack or the vendor's own).
- 0 to 30, the incident record for the last 90 days on that page. 30 for a clean record or trivial incidents only, 20 for minor incidents only, 10 for one major outage (an hour or more of a core API down, or errors across the board), 0 for several. 5 when there's no history we could read, and the note says so.
- 15, rate limits documented with numbers.
- 15, documented 429 or overload handling (Retry-After, backoff guidance), and idempotency keys or safe-retry guidance where writes are involved.
- 10, an SLA published for any paid tier.
- 10, the surface agents use is generally available, not beta or preview.

Local packages, SDKs, frameworks and stdio MCP servers.

- 20, installs from an official package with supported runtimes stated.
- 25, a public CI and test suite, passing on the default branch.
- 0 to 25, open crash or regression issues relative to activity (25 for few and handled, 0 for many, old and unanswered).
- 15, semver discipline and breaking changes called out in a changelog.
- 15, version 1.0 or later, or declared stable.

Protocols are read from their reference implementations, the public facilitators or servers, spec stability and test vectors.

## 2. Security & auth, 32 out of 100, up to 11.9 more on the total

Why it scored 32: An account can hold several API keys, each of which can be disabled and limited to IP addresses or CIDR ranges. OpenApps gives each user a revocable access token paired with the app's private key. Keys have no scopes (22 of 30). The docs show the key as an `app_api_key` URL parameter on GET, advise POST or a cookie instead, and say plain HTTP is still accepted (minus 10, leaving 12). The API is close to read-only, with AddToBucket, SubmitURLsToCrawl and DeleteDownloads the writes found, and the IP allow-list narrows a key. No read-only key or approval step exists (8 of 20). Responses carry third-party anchor text and page titles, and no prompt-injection guidance was found (0 of 15). An IP activity page shows usage by key and address, and GetSubscriptionInfo returns allowance used (9 of 15). The developer security page gives key-handling advice. No security.txt (404), certification, bug bounty or disclosure policy was found (3 of 20). Total 32.

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-security):

- 0 to 30, the credential model. 30 for OAuth 2.1 with scopes, or scoped and revocable keys with rotation. 20 for plain revocable API keys. 10 for one all-powerful key. 10 off when a secret can travel in a URL query string as a documented option.
- 0 to 20, read-only or least-privilege modes, and confirmation or approval for destructive actions.
- 0 to 15, prompt-injection posture where the tool returns untrusted content (documented mitigations or guidance). A tool that returns no untrusted content gets 10.
- 0 to 15, audit logs or per-call visibility for the operator.
- 0 to 20, a security programme. security.txt or a disclosure policy, a bug bounty, SOC 2 or ISO 27001, advisories handled in public.

Models are read for retention, whether API data trains models (and whether that's off by default), zero-retention options and certifications. Frameworks for telemetry defaults, approval hooks, guardrails and sandboxing.

## 3. Payments & pricing, 15 out of 100, up to 10.6 more on the total

Why it scored 15: No x402, MPP or L402 (0 of 40). Plan prices are public in dollars, pounds and euros, each command's unit cost is published and the plan states its monthly units, so a cost per call can be worked out. There is no pay-as-you-go price (15 of 20). API access starts at the $399.99 API plan. No trial or free key was found, the sandbox needs a key from that plan, and the 7-day refund covers Lite and Pro only (0 of 20). A person buys a plan in a browser and creates a key in the account (0 of 20). Total 15.

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-payments):

The published rubric, also on the [x402 page](https://www.anchorterminal.com/x402/).

- 40, a machine payment protocol (x402, MPP or L402) on the tool's own endpoints. 10 to 30 when it covers only some endpoints or only goes through a third party, and the note says which.
- 20, per-call or per-unit pricing published without a login. 10 for public plan-only pricing, 0 for "contact sales" or prices behind a login.
- 20, a free tier or trial that doesn't need a card.
- 20, autonomous onboarding, meaning an agent can get access without a person signing up in a browser (keyless use, x402, a programmatic key API).

Payment platforms and agent wallets rarely charge for their own API over a machine protocol, so the first line has steps for them, and the highest one that applies counts. 40 when x402, MPP or L402 runs on all their own endpoints, 30 when it runs on part of their own API, 25 when their merchants can accept one, 20 for running a facilitator, 15 for paying as a buyer, and 0 when the only protocol is their own. Merchant acceptance sits above a facilitator because the platform's own customers can charge agents through it, while a facilitator settles for sellers who wire up the protocol themselves. The counter-argument (a facilitator does more for the protocol as a whole) has a point. Each note says which step applied.

Open-source software you run yourself is scored on its hosted or paid option if it has one. A free, self-hosted package with nothing to buy gets 20, 20 and 20 for the last three lines, and 0 to 40 for the first only if it ships a payment protocol.

## 4. Schema & documentation, 44 out of 100, up to 9.1 more on the total

Why it scored 44: No OpenAPI file or other machine-readable contract was found (0 of 25). Both majestic.com and developer-support.majestic.com serve an llms.txt, and the developer one links an llms-full.txt of its 39 pages (10). Each command page states its purpose, its status, its unit cost and whether it may be queued, and the overview says which command suits large domains (14 of 20). Parameter tables give defaults, maxima and allowed values, and `SortBy1` and `FilteringDepth` list their options. `Filters` is a string expression language of its own (9 of 15). Every command page read has XML and JSON samples, dated 2017. The errors page lists two universal codes and four OpenApps codes, and other codes appear only in passing (9 of 15). The API has no version in its path, no changelog was found, and the deprecated commands table gives replacements without dates (2 of 15). Total 44.

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-schema):

APIs and MCP servers.

- 25, a machine-readable contract (a public OpenAPI file or similar; for MCP, typed JSON Schema inputs on every tool).
- 10, llms.txt or Markdown docs served for agents.
- 0 to 20, descriptions that say what a tool is for, when to use it and when not to, read from the tool definitions in the source or the API reference.
- 0 to 15, typed inputs with enums, constraints and required fields, and no free-form JSON blobs.
- 0 to 15, examples and documented error responses.
- 15, versioning and a public changelog.

Models are read from the API reference, the OpenAPI file, llms.txt, the structured-output and tool-use docs and the model cards. Frameworks from docs a model can follow, typed interfaces, examples and the API reference.

## 5. Agent ergonomics, 54 out of 100, up to 7.5 more on the total

Why it scored 54: `Count`, `From`, `MaxSourceURLsPerRefDomain` and `MaxSameSourceURLs` size a GetBackLinkData response. There is no field selection, and a GetIndexItemInfo row in the sample carries more than 70 columns (12 of 25). `Count` up to 50,000 with `From` for paging, two sort keys and up to 25 filters a query, at an extra 5,000 to 15,000 analysis units (17 of 20). Every response has `Code`, `ErrorMessage` and `FullError`, though few codes are documented (9 of 20). Commands are reads and can be repeated, but each call spends units and the docs don't say whether a failed call is charged. A sandbox host costs nothing (8 of 20). Most commands need only `cmd` and an item, with stated defaults. Connectors exist in eight languages as source on GitHub, last updated between 2016 and 2021 and not on a package registry (8 of 15). Total 54.

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-ergonomics):

- 0 to 25, context cost. For MCP, the number and size of the tool definitions (25 for ten or fewer compact tools, 15 for 11 to 30, 5 for more than 30, plus up to 10 back for toolsets, dynamic loading or read-only subsets). For APIs, whether responses can be sized (field selection, limits, summaries).
- 20, pagination, filtering and output-size controls.
- 20, actionable, documented error responses, codes and messages an agent can recover from.
- 20, idempotency or safe retries, and for MCP the `readOnlyHint` and `destructiveHint` annotations.
- 15, sensible defaults, few required parameters, and official SDKs in at least two languages.

Models are read for tool use, structured output, prompt caching, context length, batch and SDKs. Frameworks for how much code and how many defaults a tool-calling agent with MCP needs.

## 6. Maintenance & community, 22 out of 100, up to 6.8 more on the total

Why it scored 22: No API changelog or release list was found, and the site updates page is behind the account login. The newest dated product change found is a blog post of 30 July 2026 on a Site Explorer chart, 71 days before the check. The newest dated change to the developer docs is the llms.txt of 26 January 2026, 256 days before. We scored between the two (10 of 30). No three dated API or product releases in the last 90 days (0 of 20). Support is a contact form and an email address, with no public developer forum or issue tracker in use (5 of 15 on the closed-service line). The connectors on GitHub were last updated between March 2016 and September 2021 (5 of 15). They have no CI and no package registry entry (2 of 10). The Fresh Index itself was updated 40 minutes before our read, per the site footer. Total 22.

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-maintenance):

- 0 to 30, time since the last release, or the last published model or API change for a closed service. 30 within 30 days, 20 within 90, 10 within 180, 0 older.
- 20, at least three releases or dated changelog entries in the last 90 days.
- 0 to 25, responsiveness. Issues and pull requests answered on GitHub (the open issues and how recent the replies are). For closed services, a public changelog and a support or community channel that answers, 0 to 15.
- 15, presence in the official MCP registry under a verified namespace (MCP servers), or current official SDKs (APIs and models).
- 10, package health, current dependencies and CI.

Models are read for deprecation notice periods and model churn rather than release counts.

## 7. Transparency & trust, 53 out of 100, up to 4.1 more on the total

Made of editorial 43, provenance 63.

Why it scored 53: Closed service with public Terms and Conditions released on 13 April 2026. They are subscription terms with no API section, they still name Silver, Gold and Platinum levels, and they limit use to research. The connectors carry a BSD-style licence (13 of 30). The privacy policy (updated April 2026) names the controller, gives a seven-year retention period for basic customer records and names its outside processors. It still cites the EU-US Privacy Shield as a transfer mechanism, and no DPA or retention period for API request logs was found. A separate GDPR statement covers personal data met in crawling (16 of 30). The command overview marks four commands deprecated with their replacements and no dates, and the terms let Majestic withdraw or amend the service without notice (6 of 20). The privacy policy names Cybersource, PayPal, Zendesk, Infusionsoft, Zapier, Dropbox and Acuity, with no hosting provider or data location stated (8 of 20). Total 43.

The checklist (https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/#checklist-transparency):

- 0 to 30, source availability and licence clarity. 30 for open source under an OSI licence, 15 for closed with clear terms, 0 for unclear terms.
- 0 to 30, data handling and retention statements that agree with each other (privacy policy, DPA, retention periods, subprocessors).
- 0 to 20, a deprecation policy or notices with dates.
- 0 to 20, telemetry disclosed with an opt-out (local software), or subprocessors and data locations disclosed (hosted).

The other half of Transparency and trust is the provenance score, computed from checked facts (below). The category score is the mean of the two.

Provenance checks not met in full (half of this category, computed from checked facts):

- Terms of service: read, states 4 of the 7 things a reader expects, and has 2 clauses that cost points (3.4 of 10)
- Privacy policy: read, states 7 of the 8 things a reader expects (9.3 of 10)
- Status page: not found (0 of 10)
- Changelog: not found (0 of 10)
- security.txt: not found (0 of 10)

## What we couldn't check

What we couldn't read counted as absent. Publishing it on a page a plain HTTP fetch can read (not only in a browser) lets the next check count it.

- Clause 14.1(f) of the Terms and Conditions of Supply says a subscriber shall not query Majestic's database or servers using any automated tools without prior permission. Recorded as a fact with no deduction. It matters before any probe is run, and whether an API plan counts as that permission is not stated
- unchecked: whether a status page exists. None is linked from the pages read, and we did not try guessed addresses
- unchecked: the site updates page at majestic.com/account/site-updates, which redirects to the login. Maintenance may be understated if it lists dated API changes
- unchecked: retrieval and index item allowances of the 300 million and 1,000 million tiers, which the page sets by script
- unchecked: the remaining command pages, the authentication page and llms-full.txt. Twelve of the 39 docs pages were read
- unchecked: the API's live behaviour. No request was sent to api.majestic.com or developer.majestic.com, so error bodies, HTTP status codes and rate limiting are as documented only
- unchecked: whether failed or empty calls spend analysis units
- The API reference names `http://enterprise.majestic.com/api_command` in its Response Types section and `https://api.majestic.com/api_command` elsewhere. We recorded api.majestic.com
- The supply terms name Free, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. The pricing page sells Lite, Pro and API, and the docs call Platinum a legacy plan
- The pricing page showed our request pounds by default. Dollar prices came from the same page after its own currency selector, and they match the llms.txt
- `lastRelease` is null because no dated API release was found
- The lead was right about the vendor, the docs address and the commands. The API host is api.majestic.com, not the docs host

## Weaknesses

- Clause 14.1(f) of the supply terms forbids querying Majestic's database or servers with automated tools without prior permission. This matters before any probe is run
- API access needs the API plan, from $399.99 a month for 100 million analysis units. No trial or free key was found, and the 7-day refund covers Lite and Pro only
- No OpenAPI file, no API version and no API changelog were found. Sample responses in the docs carry 2017 index dates
- No status page, SLA or numeric rate limit was found. The terms allow throttling at Majestic's discretion and disclaim liability for unavailability
- The docs show the key as an `app_api_key` URL parameter and say plain HTTP is still accepted for legacy clients
- The connectors on GitHub were last updated between March 2016 and September 2021 and are not on a package registry

## What costs an agent a turn today

The notes we give agents before they call it. Each one is a workaround an agent shouldn't need.

- Send requests by HTTPS POST with `app_api_key` in the body. The docs show GET URLs for demonstration only and plain HTTP still works
- Always set `datasource=fresh` or `datasource=historic`. Without it the Historic Index is used when the plan includes it
- Call `GetSubscriptionInfo` (no cost) before a large pull. `GetBackLinkData` spends 5,000 analysis units a call plus one retrieval unit a row
- Read columns by header name, not position. The docs say column order can change between requests and Majestic may vary rows and columns at any time
- Develop against `https://developer.majestic.com/api/json`, which costs no units, then switch the host to `api.majestic.com`
- Ask the owner to confirm Majestic's permission for automated querying first. Clause 14.1(f) of the terms requires it

## When it's done

Send what changed and where it's published as a dispute (https://www.anchorterminal.com/builders/#disputes, or `POST https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/contact` with `"kind": "dispute"`). Disputes are answered in public, and the listing is checked again by the same checklist. Paying for an audit or a listing claim changes nothing here.