This comparison is part of our MCP comparisons, within The MCP Guide. Facts are checked against each vendor's own documentation and pricing pages on the date shown.
If you are an individual or a small team that wants to plug MCP servers into a chat assistant, Claude is the easier fit, because custom connectors work on every Claude plan. If your company already runs on ChatGPT Business or Enterprise, ChatGPT gives admins a vetted publish flow and a tunnel for private servers. Both connect to the same open protocol, so the right pick depends on your plan and your controls, not on which servers exist.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the open standard that lets an AI app call outside tools and data. In Claude, an MCP server is called a "connector." In ChatGPT, it is packaged as a "plugin."
Checked against: Anthropic's custom connector guide and OpenAI's custom MCP server guide on 28 October 2026. eSEOspace did not test either product.
Key Takeaways
- Anthropic says custom connectors work on Claude's Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, with Free limited to one custom connector.
- OpenAI says custom MCP connections with full MCP support are for ChatGPT Business and Enterprise/Edu on the web, and Pro users get read/fetch permissions only.
- Claude Desktop can also run local MCP servers on your computer; ChatGPT web connects only to remote servers, with Secure MCP Tunnel for private ones.
- Both apps connect to remote servers from the vendor's cloud, so a server behind your firewall needs an allowlist (Claude) or a tunnel (ChatGPT).
- On team plans, both limit who can add servers: Owners in Claude, admins and owners (plus RBAC-granted members on Enterprise/Edu) in ChatGPT.
At a glance
| Item | Claude | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| What an MCP server is called | Custom connector | Custom MCP server, created as a plugin |
| Plans that can add custom servers | Free (1), Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise | Business, Enterprise/Edu; Pro read/fetch only |
| Where you add it | Customize > Connectors | Plugins > + > Add custom MCP server |
| Local (stdio) servers | Yes, in Claude Desktop | Not directly; use Secure MCP Tunnel |
| Mobile | Remote connectors work in the mobile apps | Custom servers are web only |
| Fixed API key or header auth | Yes, "Request headers" | Not documented on the help page we checked |
| Who adds servers on team plans | Owners and Primary Owners (Team) | Admins and owners; RBAC members on Enterprise/Edu |
| Entry paid price | Pro $20/month, or $17/month billed annually | Business price not listed on pages we opened |
Where Claude is stronger
Every plan can connect a server
Anthropic's help center says custom connectors "are available on Claude, Cowork, and Claude Desktop for users on Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans." Free users get one. That makes Claude the simpler place to try a single read-only server before you commit budget.
Local servers through Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop installs local MCP servers as one-click desktop extensions (.mcpb files), according to Anthropic's local server guide. Settings such as API keys are entered in a form, not a JSON file. This helps when a server must read files on your laptop. Our lesson on remote vs local MCP servers explains the trade-off.
More ways to authenticate
When you add a connector, Claude lets you pick "Sign in now," "Sign in when needed" or "No sign in." You can also add fixed request headers, such as an API key, for servers that do not use OAuth. Anthropic notes that on Team and Enterprise plans, everyone who uses that connector shares the same credential, so it should be a limited one.
The same connectors flow into Claude Code
Claude Code's MCP docs say connectors you add in claude.ai are "automatically available in Claude Code" when you sign in with a claude.ai account. One setup serves chat users and developers.
Where ChatGPT is stronger
A vetted publish step for companies
OpenAI's flow separates testing from rollout. Its help article says admins and owners, plus authorized developers on Enterprise/Edu, can "connect and test MCP servers privately before publishing their connections for the workspace." Only admins and owners can publish. Enterprise/Edu admins can then use role-based access control (RBAC) to choose who gets each app.
Private servers without opening your firewall
ChatGPT does not connect to local servers directly. Instead, OpenAI points to Secure MCP Tunnel for servers on a private network or developer machine, "without exposing the server" to the public internet. Claude's equivalent advice is to allowlist Anthropic's IP ranges in your firewall.
Frozen tool snapshots
OpenAI says a published custom server is a snapshot. Tool changes on the server do not reach users until an admin publishes an update. That slows rollouts, but it also blocks a quiet change to a tool's behavior, a risk covered in our guide to rug pull attacks.
Codex shares the developer side
On the developer side, OpenAI's ChatGPT and Codex MCP page says the ChatGPT desktop app, Codex CLI and IDE extension "share MCP configuration." Those clients support local stdio servers and Streamable HTTP servers.
Pricing
Neither vendor charges extra for MCP itself. You pay for the plan that unlocks it.
| Plan | Claude (from claude.com/pricing) | ChatGPT (from chatgpt.com/pricing) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0, one custom connector | $0; custom MCP servers not listed for Free |
| Entry paid | Pro $17/month annual, $20 monthly | Go $8/month; Plus $20/month; neither listed for custom MCP |
| Power user | Max from $100/month | Pro from $100/month; read/fetch custom servers |
| Team | $20/seat/month annual, $25 monthly (standard seat) | Business: price not shown on pages we opened |
| Enterprise | $20/seat/month annual, 20-seat minimum, plus usage at API rates | Contact sales |
One wrinkle: ChatGPT's pricing page lists "Developer mode (beta)" for Plus and Pro. OpenAI's help article, updated this week, says you no longer need Developer Mode to add a custom server, and lists only Business, Enterprise/Edu and Pro (read/fetch). Confirm in your own workspace before you buy seats for MCP.
Security and admin controls
| Control | Claude | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor warning | Custom connectors reach services that "have not been verified by Anthropic" | "Only connect servers you trust" |
| Who can add | Owners and Primary Owners (Team); custom roles on Enterprise | Admins and owners; RBAC developers on Enterprise/Edu |
| Write actions | Tool approval prompts; "Allow always" is opt-in | Write actions require confirmation by default |
| Network | Calls come from Anthropic's cloud; allowlist its IPs | Public HTTPS URL or Secure MCP Tunnel |
| SSO, SCIM, audit logs | SSO on Team; SCIM and audit logs on Enterprise | Not covered on the MCP pages we checked |
Both vendors warn about prompt injection. OpenAI's developer guide says tools without a readOnlyHint annotation "are treated as write actions." Anthropic writes that "malicious MCP servers may include hidden instructions that try to make Claude perform unintended actions." Read our MCP security risks guide before connecting business systems.
Which to choose
- Pick Claude if you are a solo user or small team on a Free, Pro or Max plan and want to connect a server today.
- Pick Claude if you need local servers that read files on a laptop, through Claude Desktop extensions.
- Pick Claude if your developers already use Claude Code and you want one connector list for both.
- Pick ChatGPT if your company already pays for ChatGPT Business or Enterprise and wants admins to test, then publish, each server.
- Pick ChatGPT if your MCP server lives on a private network and you would rather run a tunnel than open firewall rules.
- Consider both if different teams already use each app. A well-built remote MCP server works in both.
For a wider field, see our comparison of the best MCP clients and the full list of AI apps that support MCP. More head-to-heads live in our MCP comparisons.
Next step
Pick one low-risk, read-only server and connect it in the app your team already uses. If you are not sure your systems are ready, start with an MCP readiness audit. If you need a server built that works in both Claude and ChatGPT, see our MCP development service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use MCP on ChatGPT Plus?
OpenAI's custom MCP server article, checked 28 October 2026, lists Business and Enterprise/Edu for full MCP and Pro for read/fetch only. It does not list Plus. The ChatGPT pricing page shows "Developer mode (beta)" on Plus, so check your own account settings.
Can I use MCP on Claude's free plan?
Yes. Anthropic says custom connectors work on Free, limited to one custom connector. Desktop extensions for local servers are also listed on the Free plan in Claude's pricing table.
Does either app run MCP servers on my computer?
Claude Desktop can run local servers through desktop extensions. ChatGPT web connects only to remote servers. OpenAI's Codex and the ChatGPT desktop app can use local stdio servers, per OpenAI's docs.
Will the same MCP server work in both Claude and ChatGPT?
Usually, if it is a remote server that follows the MCP spec and uses a sign-in method both apps support. Test it in each app with read-only tools first, since each client supports a different set of features.
