How to Add MCP on Claude Team
On Claude Team and Enterprise, only an Owner can add a custom MCP connector. Members then open Customize → Connectors and click Connect. That is the opposite of a personal Pro account, where anyone can add a URL. If your startup is on Claude Team and MCP “does not show up,” you are probably logged in as a member, not as the Owner.
Anthropic’s help article Get started with custom connectors is the source for that Owner rule. Use connectors covers enabling directory connectors for the org. Personal click-path (not Team): How to add connectors to Claude.
Owner versus member
| Role | What you can do with custom MCP |
|---|---|
| Owner / Primary Owner | Organization settings → Connectors → Add → Custom → Web. Paste the server URL. |
| Member | Customize → Connectors. Find the connector the Owner added. Click Connect. Use it in chat. |
| Free personal account | One custom connector, self-serve. Not a team. |
| Pro / Max personal | Add your own custom connector. Moving that account into Team drops those custom connectors. You add them again under org policy. Anthropic migration notes. |
Enabling a connector for the org makes it *available*. It does not silently grant every tool to every chat. Members still connect their session. Enterprise-managed auth is a separate, newer path for some directory connectors: Authorize MCP connectors for your entire organization. ToolRouter today is the custom URL path.
Owner steps (do this once)
- Sign in as Owner. Open Organization settings → Connectors.
- Add → Custom → Web.
- Name:
ToolRouter. URL:https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp/anthropic. - Add. No API key in the URL. The ToolRouter account is created on first use.
- Tell members the name to look for. Optionally invite them to the ToolRouter team so spend and seats are shared: For teams.
Official Claude connector overview: claude.com/docs/connectors/overview. ToolRouter’s Claude page: Connect Claude.
Member steps
- Customize → Connectors.
- Find ToolRouter (often labelled Custom).
- Connect.
- In a chat, enable the connector from + / Connectors if the client asks.
If you do not see it, the Owner has not added it yet. Adding it yourself will fail or be missing on Team. That is the product, not a bug.
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Cowork and “always allow”
On Team and Enterprise, Owners can set Cowork policies, including whether members may “Always allow” write-capable connector tools. Anthropic’s Cowork on Team and Enterprise says that “Always allow” for connector tools is off by default. Most custom connectors do not mark tools read-only, so Cowork will ask every time until you change the org setting. Decide that on purpose. Do not be surprised.
How this fits a ToolRouter team
Claude Team is the assistant workspace. ToolRouter is the catalog behind the connector:
- Shared credits and seats on For teams.
- Admins turn catalog tools off.
- Per-member spend caps.
- Audit log on Business.
- Optional PII filter.
Keep the Claude Team subscription. ToolRouter does not replace it.
If the rest of the company lives in Cursor or ChatGPT, add the same catalog there. How to manage MCP for a team. Grok Bot is a different app: How to add MCP to Grok Bot.
When not to use this path
- You are on a personal Pro account. Use the personal connector flow.
- You needed Slack/Gmail as *that employee*. Use Anthropic’s directory connectors or a SaaS MCP. ToolRouter is the specialist catalog.
- Legal already required a quoted compliance gateway. Read ToolRouter vs MintMCP before you roll this out as “the security control.”
Owner adds ToolRouter, members Connect, invite seats on For teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I add a custom connector on Claude Team?
**You are not an Owner.** Ask the Owner to add `https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp/anthropic` under Organization settings → Connectors.
Is the URL the same as ChatGPT?
**Not the Anthropic path.** ChatGPT Developer mode uses `https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp`. Claude’s current custom connector URL is `https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp/anthropic`. Do not mix them.
Do members share one ToolRouter login?
**No.** They Connect in Claude, and they should have a ToolRouter seat if you want one bill and one offboarding switch.
What happens if we migrate a Pro user into Team?
**Their personal custom connectors do not come along.** Anthropic says you add them again, and org policy may block them. Plan the Owner add *before* you migrate people.
