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How to add a custom connector in Claude and ChatGPT
Step-by-step: add a custom connector (remote MCP server) in Claude and ChatGPT, which plans allow it, and what to do when it doesn't show up.
SScrollhound3 min read
Short answer
In Claude, open Customize, then Connectors, click + Add, choose Add custom connector, paste the server's URL and sign in; it works on every plan, and Free allows one. In ChatGPT, open Plugins, click +, choose Add custom MCP server, paste the URL with OAuth and create it as a plugin; that works on Business, Enterprise and Edu, and on Pro for servers that only read.
Add a custom connector in Claude
- 1Open ConnectorsIn Claude on the web or desktop, open Customize, then Connectors.
- 2Add a custom connectorClick + Add, then Add custom connector. Give it a name, such as Scrollhound, and paste the server URL, here https://api.scrollhound.com/mcp. Click Continue.
- 3Choose how to sign inClaude detects the server's sign-in settings. Keep the recommended options and click Add.
- 4Sign inClaude opens the service's sign-in page. For Scrollhound that's your email and a one-time code, then a consent page.
- 5Turn it on in a chatIn a chat, click + at the bottom left (or type /), choose Connectors and switch it on. Then ask your question.
A custom connector lets your AI use a service that isn’t in its built-in list. The service gives you one URL, you paste it into Claude or ChatGPT, sign in, and from then on the assistant can call its tools in any chat. The steps above are for Claude; ChatGPT’s are below. Our example is Scrollhound, which reads Reddit, X, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Hacker News, but the steps are the same for any remote MCP server.
Which plans can add one
| Custom connectors | |
|---|---|
| Claude Free | Yes, one |
| Claude Pro, Max | Yes |
| Claude Team, Enterprise | Yes; an owner adds it for the organisation, then each person signs in |
| ChatGPT Free, Go | No |
| ChatGPT Plus | Unclear: OpenAI’s pricing page lists it, its help article doesn’t |
| ChatGPT Pro | Yes, for servers that only read (Scrollhound does) |
| ChatGPT Business | Yes; only admins and owners can add one |
| ChatGPT Enterprise, Edu | Yes; admins can let members add them |
This is as of 27 October 2026. Both companies rename these menus often, so if a button has moved, look for the same words nearby. The URL is the only part specific to the service.
Claude: Team and Enterprise
On a Team or Enterprise plan, an owner adds the connector once: Organization settings → Connectors → Add, hover Custom, choose Web, then name, URL and Add. Everyone else then opens Customize → Connectors, finds it (usually marked Custom) and clicks Connect to sign in with their own account. On these plans connectors work in private projects.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT calls these plugins now; OpenAI replaced the old app and connector names in July 2026.
- On chatgpt.com (not the mobile app), go to Plugins.
- Click + and choose Add custom MCP server.
- Enter a name, for example
Scrollhound, and under Connection pastehttps://api.scrollhound.com/mcp. - Choose OAuth for authentication.
- Tick I understand and want to continue, then Create as a plugin, and review the tools it found.
- Sign in when asked: for Scrollhound, your email and a one-time code.
- Start a new chat, type @ and pick the plugin.
In ChatGPT you pick the plugin per message: when a follow-up needs fresh data, @-mention it again. Under Settings → Plugins you can choose how much it may do without asking, from “Always ask” to “Allow read actions”; for a read-only server like Scrollhound, allowing read actions saves a lot of clicking.
On a Business workspace, admins can publish the plugin so every member can use it.
When it doesn’t work
- “Couldn’t connect.” The server must be reachable on the public internet, because Claude and ChatGPT connect from their own servers, not your computer. A server on your laptop or behind a VPN won’t work.
- The tools don’t appear in your chat. Start a new chat and switch the connector on there (Claude: + → Connectors; ChatGPT: @). Connectors added mid-chat often don’t show until you do.
- It keeps asking you to sign in. Remove the connector, add it again and sign in once more. ChatGPT in particular can lose access if a server’s sign-in doesn’t hand out long-lived tokens; Scrollhound’s does.
- Free plan in Claude. You can have one custom connector. Remove the old one first.
Your first question
Once it’s on, paste a link or ask a research question:
Read this Reddit thread with its top 50 comments and list what people are asking for, with alink after each quote: <paste a Reddit link>The recipes have ready prompts for comment mining, competitor teardowns and a weekly brief, and what Claude can access through connectors explains what a connector can and can’t see.
Questions
What is a custom connector?
A connection from Claude or ChatGPT to a service that isn't in their built-in directory. Technically it's a remote MCP server: a web address that offers tools the assistant can call, such as read this Reddit thread or get this video's transcript.
Do I need ChatGPT's developer mode?
Not any more. Since October 2026 OpenAI's help article says you add a custom MCP server directly from Plugins and accept a risk warning, without turning on developer mode first.
Can I add one on my phone?
Add it on the web or desktop. In Claude, connectors you add there show up in the mobile apps at your next sign-in. ChatGPT's custom MCP servers are web only.
Is a custom connector safe?
Neither Anthropic nor OpenAI checks custom connectors, so add only servers you trust and look at the tools they offer. Scrollhound's tools only read: they can't post, like, follow or change anything.