> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://atlas.rebuildingus.org/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> Common questions about Atlas.

## General

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is Atlas free?">
    **Browsing and searching are free, forever.** You can search the directory, view entries, read source attributions, and use the public API at the public unauthenticated limit without paying anything.

    Professional research tools — unlimited research runs, exports, API keys, and MCP access — require [Atlas Pro](/docs/account/pricing) ($5/month) or [Atlas Team](/docs/account/pricing) ($25/month base).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where does the data come from?">
    Atlas's autodiscovery pipeline searches across public sources: local news
    articles, nonprofit directory listings, organizational websites, academic
    research, government records, podcasts, and more. Every entry traces back to
    the specific sources where the information was found. See [How Atlas
    works](/docs/how-it-works) for the full pipeline breakdown.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How current is the data?">
    Each entry shows when it was first discovered and when its most recent source
    was published. The pipeline runs on demand (when users start discovery runs)
    and can be scheduled for periodic refreshes. Source dates tell you how fresh
    the information is — check the `published_date` on each source.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I correct an entry?">
    Yes. You can [flag an entity](/docs/api/guides/sources-flags) as stale or incorrect
    directly through the API or browse interface — no account required. Flags are
    reviewed and resolved by Atlas maintainers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is Atlas open source?">
    Yes. Atlas is open source on
    [GitHub](https://github.com/RebuildingAmerica/atlas). You can run your own
    instance — see the [self-hosting guide](/docs/self-hosting/guide). Contributions
    are welcome.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Who maintains Atlas?">
    Atlas is maintained by [The Rebuilding America
    Project](https://rebuildingus.org). It was created to support civic research
    and designed to stand on its own as an independently useful public resource.
    See [Open source](/docs/resources/open-source) for more.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## API & integration

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I get API access?">
    The public API is available to everyone without authentication at 30 reads per
    minute, 10 writes per minute, and 120 total requests per hour. For higher
    limits and authenticated endpoints (creating entities, running discovery), you
    need [Atlas Pro, Atlas Team, or a Research Pass](/docs/account/pricing) and an API
    key. Create one in your account settings after purchase.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I connect an AI assistant?">
    Atlas supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for compliant AI assistants.
    Use your client's remote MCP server flow with the Atlas endpoint in the [MCP
    overview](/docs/mcp/overview). MCP requires Atlas Pro, Atlas Team, or a Research
    Pass.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the difference between MCP and the API?">
    MCP lets you use Atlas through AI assistants in natural language — you ask questions and get structured answers. The REST API gives you programmatic access for building integrations, scripts, and applications. Under the hood, MCP tools call the same API — they're different interfaces to the same data.

    Use MCP for conversational research. Use the API for automation, embedding, and custom integrations.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use Atlas data in my own application?">
    Yes. The REST API is designed for integration. Authenticated requests with an
    API key give you access to all public data. See the [API
    quickstart](/docs/api/quickstart) to get started.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What formats does the API return?">
    All responses are JSON. Field names use `snake_case` and timestamps use ISO
    8601 in UTC. See the [API guide](/docs/api) for full format details.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Accounts & billing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need an account to use Atlas?">
    No account is needed to browse the directory or use the public API. You need
    an account to save shortlists, run research, use MCP, or create API keys.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the Research Pass?">
    A one-time purchase ($9 for 30 days, $4 for 7 days) that gives one person
    Team-level quotas temporarily without shared seats, SSO, or SCIM. When it
    expires, your workspace reverts to Free but your saved research remains
    accessible read-only. See [Plans & pricing](/docs/account/pricing).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are there discounts?">
    Yes. Students can get Atlas Pro for \$12.80 every four months after
    verification. Independent creators and journalists get 50% off Pro.
    Grassroots nonprofits get 40% off Pro. Civic tech workers get 50% off Pro.
    Apply at
    [atlas.rebuildingus.org/request-discount](https://atlas.rebuildingus.org/request-discount).
    Applications are reviewed within a few business days.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does Atlas charge for some features?">
    The public directory stays free. Paid plans cover professional research,
    collaboration, API, and automation features for people and organizations using
    Atlas in funded work. That revenue keeps the free public surface available and
    makes discounts and short-term access possible for public-interest work. If a
    funded team needs shared administration, SSO, or SCIM, it should pay for Team
    rather than use an individual discount.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I cancel anytime?">
    Yes. Atlas subscriptions can be cancelled at any time through the Stripe
    Customer Portal linked from your account settings. You retain access until the
    end of your billing period.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>