Claude connectors link Claude to your other apps, such as Notion, Slack, GitHub, Google Drive or your CRM, so it can read data and take actions there. Every connector is an MCP server. You add one in two ways: pick it from Anthropic's Connectors Directory, or add any remote MCP server by URL under Customize → Connectors → Add custom connector. Custom connectors work on every plan, but the Free plan allows only one. On Team and Enterprise, an Owner adds the connector first.
Steps checked against Anthropic's connector docs on 21 October 2026 · By the KissMySkills team
What is a Claude connector?
A connector gives Claude access to a service it can't otherwise reach. Without one, Claude only knows what you paste in. With a Notion connector it can search your pages. With a GitHub connector it can read issues and pull requests. Under the hood, each connector is a server that speaks the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open standard Anthropic published for this. "Connector" is the name Claude's apps use, and "MCP server" is the same thing from the developer's side.
Connectors aren't the same as skills. A connector gives Claude access: tools and data in another app. A skill gives Claude know-how: how to do a job well. They work best together. More in Claude Skills vs MCP.
Three ways to connect an app to Claude
| You have | Use | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| A service listed in the directory | Connectors Directory: find it, click Connect, sign in | Claude apps on all plans |
| The URL of a remote MCP server | Custom connector | Free (one connector), Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise |
A .mcpb desktop extension |
Local install in the desktop app | Claude desktop app, signed in to claude.ai |
How to add a connector from the directory
- Open the Connectors Directory: in the Claude app go to Customize → Connectors, or browse claude.com/connectors.
- Find the service and click Connect.
- Sign in to that service and approve the permissions it asks for.
- In a chat, click + → Connectors and make sure the connector is on for that conversation.
Some directory connectors are verified by Anthropic and others are community connectors. Anthropic explains the difference on its connector verification page.
How to add a custom connector by URL
Use this for any service that gives you an MCP server URL, usually something like https://mcp.example.com/mcp.
On Free, Pro or Max
- Go to Customize → Connectors.
- Click Add custom connector.
- Enter a name and the remote MCP server URL.
- Add OAuth details only if the service's docs tell you to. Most servers sign you in by themselves.
- Click Add, then Connect, and sign in.
On the Free plan you can have one custom connector. To add another, remove the first one or upgrade.
On Team or Enterprise
- An Owner goes to Organization settings → Connectors, selects Add → Custom (choosing Web if asked), enters the URL and clicks Add.
- Each member then opens Customize → Connectors, finds the connector with the Custom label and clicks Connect to sign in with their own account.
If you're a member without an admin role, you can't add a custom connector yourself. Ask an Owner.
Example: connecting KissMySkills
Our own connector is a remote MCP server, so it's a good worked example. The URL is https://mcp.kissmyskills.com/mcp. Add it as a custom connector, click Connect, sign in with your email and the 6-digit code, then in a new chat turn it on under + → Connectors and ask: "KMS, load the SEO specialist." The connector page has a button that fills in the name and URL for you, plus the steps for ChatGPT, Claude Code, Codex and Cursor.
2,500+ specialists through one connector
With a Library subscription, the KissMySkills connector loads any skill in the catalog by name: SEO, finance, recruiting, legal, sales and more. Library is $9 a month or $59 a year. AI CRM, which adds a CRM you run from the chat, is $15 a month or $129 a year, and Both is $19 a month or $169 a year. There's a free trial, no card needed.
Connect KissMySkills → Compare plansHow to install a local connector (desktop extension)
Some connectors run on your own computer, for example to reach local files or an internal tool. They come as .mcpb files (MCP Bundles).
- In the Claude desktop app, open Settings → Extensions.
- Drag the
.mcpbfile onto the page. - Click Install and confirm.
If Extensions is missing, your organization has turned extensions off.
How to add a connector to Claude Code
Claude Code adds MCP servers from the terminal rather than through the app:
Then type /mcp inside Claude Code, pick the server and choose Authenticate if it asks you to sign in. Anthropic's MCP quickstart for Claude Code covers the options.
Turn connectors on and off per chat
Connected doesn't mean active everywhere. In any conversation, click + → Connectors and switch each one on or off. Keep only the ones you need for the task. Fewer tools means fewer wrong tool calls, and less exposure if a connected service holds content you don't trust.
Is it safe to connect apps to Claude?
A connector can read data and, depending on its tools, create, change or delete things in the connected app. Anthropic's own advice, in short:
- Only connect servers from organizations you trust.
- Read the permission scopes when you sign in.
- Review tool approval requests, and click Always allow only for trusted servers.
- Block tools you don't need: open the connector in Customize → Connectors and set that tool to Blocked.
- Be aware of prompt injection. A web page, email or document that Claude reads through a connector can contain instructions aimed at the AI.
Connector not working? Common fixes
- Claude doesn't use it: check it's switched on in + → Connectors for this chat, then name the service in your request.
- "Add custom connector" is missing: on Team or Enterprise, only an Owner can add one.
- Can't add a second connector: the Free plan allows one custom connector.
- Need to change the sign-in method: you can't edit authentication after adding. Remove the connector and add it again.
- Server is on a private network: custom connectors are reached from Anthropic's cloud, so an internal-only server needs a tunnel or a desktop extension instead.
Popular connectors, set up step by step
The full list, with skills that use each server, is on our MCP servers hub.
In summary:
Claude connectors are MCP servers that give Claude access to your apps. Pick one from the Connectors Directory, or add any remote MCP server by URL under Customize → Connectors (one on the Free plan, Owner-added on Team and Enterprise). Use desktop extensions for local tools and claude mcp add in Claude Code. Turn connectors on per chat, and connect only servers you trust.
Related guides
- What Is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?
- Agent Skills: what SKILL.md is and where it works
- What Is Claude Cowork?
KissMySkills is an independent marketplace and is not affiliated with Anthropic. Menu names follow Anthropic's documentation on the date above and can change.
