ToolRouter is the hosted catalog companies use to give Claude a specialist tool catalog behind one connector — chat, desktop, Cowork, and Code. The best MCP tools for Claude are:
- ToolRouter — Best for a hosted specialist catalog (image, video, SEO, research, search) behind one Claude connector
- Zapier MCP — Best if Claude should hit 9,000+ apps and the same task pool as your Zaps
- Composio — Best if Claude must act inside hundreds of SaaS apps
- Arcade — Best if Claude must act as each employee under per-user auth
- MintMCP — Best if legal needs a quoted compliance gateway before Claude is rolled out
Setup lives in Connect Claude. Cowork: Claude Cowork. Terminal: Claude Code. A longer narrative guide also lives on the blog; this page is the canonical ranked list.
Prices checked 20 August 2026. ToolRouter: free tools; from $0.005/use; Lite $9; Plus $19; seats from $29. Zapier MCP: Free 100 tasks; Professional from $19.99/mo annual; 2 tasks per MCP call. Composio: Free; Pro $29/mo. Arcade: Free; Team $25/mo + $0.10 auth / $0.01 call.
Why companies pick ToolRouter for Claude
Companies already run Claude. They still need specialist tools that are not a Zap and not each employee’s Gmail. ToolRouter is one connector for that catalog, the same catalog ChatGPT and Grok Bot use, with one company bill and an audit log (Business and above).
Free Claude accounts support one custom connector. If the company already filled that slot, plan around it or use a paid Claude plan. That limit is Claude’s, not ToolRouter’s.
ToolRouter MCP tools for Claude compared
| ToolRouter | Zapier MCP | Composio | Arcade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job in Claude | Call specialist tools | Call Zapier’s app catalog / workflows | Call SaaS connectors | Act as the signed-in user |
| Catalog | Media, SEO, research, search, security | 9,000+ apps | 1,000+ toolkits | Thousands of MCP tools for Workspace / CRM as the user |
| Claude surfaces | Chat, desktop, mobile, Cowork, Code | Wherever you add Zapier MCP | Wherever you add Composio | Arcade runtime + Claude |
| Company bill | One ToolRouter invoice; seats from $29 | Zapier task pool (2 tasks per MCP call) | Composio Free / Pro $29/mo | $25/mo + usage |
| Honest win | Hosted specialist catalog, one bill | Workflows and app count | SaaS actions | Per-user auth |
Sources: zapier.com/mcp, composio.dev/pricing, arcade.dev/pricing, toolrouter.com/pricing.
How Claude uses ToolRouter across chat, Cowork, and Code
Add ToolRouter once as a custom connector (Connect Claude). It appears on Claude chat, desktop, and mobile. Turn it on in a conversation with the + menu.
- Cowork — same connector; see Cowork.
- Claude Code — add the same catalog from the terminal; see Claude Code.
- Company share — add the same catalog to ChatGPT and Grok Bot so Claude is not a one-off stack. See how companies centralize MCP.
ToolRouter Claude MCP FAQ
Is ToolRouter the only MCP tool Claude needs?
No. If Claude must update Salesforce or run Zaps, add Zapier MCP or Composio. If Claude must use *this person’s* Google, add Arcade. ToolRouter is first here for the hosted specialist catalog and the company bill.
Does ToolRouter work in Claude Cowork and Claude Code?
Yes. One company catalog. Follow Cowork and Claude Code.
How is this different from the blog post on MCP tools for Claude?
The blog post is a longer category guide. This docs page is the canonical ranked list with same-day rival prices (20 August 2026).
Can one ToolRouter bill cover the whole company’s Claude seats?
Yes. Team seats start at $29/seat/mo with a shared credit pool. Free tools stay free. Paid skills start at $0.005. See for teams.
Does Claude Free support ToolRouter?
Claude Free supports one custom connector. If that slot is already taken, remove it or use a paid Claude plan. ToolRouter’s catalog still has free tools once the connector is on.
Want a more focused comparison? See ToolRouter vs Zapier MCP · ToolRouter vs Composio · ToolRouter vs Arcade · All comparisons.