# Connect MAIA to Claude or ChatGPT

MAIA's MCP connector is a remote MCP server that lets Claude, ChatGPT, and other MCP clients hand research to MAIA's agent. You connect once, sign in with your MAIA account, and dispatch work from the client you already use.

Updated: 2026-10-01. Source: https://maia-analytics.com/docs/mcp/connect

## What you end with

Your client lists MAIA's tools, and a request like this one comes back with a county code.

> **You ask:** Use MAIA to find Maricopa County, Arizona.

The client calls `find_county` and shows the county's name and its five-digit `county_fips`. If it does, you are connected. On the Free plan, name one of your six counties instead. A county outside your plan is not found, even when the connection works.

## What the connector is

MCP is an open protocol that lets an AI client call tools on a server. MAIA's connector is such a server, at `https://api.maia-analytics.com/mcp` over HTTP. Through it, your client can start a project, send a request, follow the run, answer MAIA's questions, and read the result.

The connector reaches the same agent, the same data, and the same projects as the web app. A project you start from your client opens in MAIA. One you start in MAIA is there for your client. Work over MCP spends credits as it does in the app.

## Who can connect

You need a MAIA account, and your workspace needs the connector turned on. Without it, the consent page refuses the sign-in, and tool calls are refused too. Ask [support](mailto:support@maia-analytics.com) to turn it on.

## Set up your client

We recommend Claude. MAIA is built and tested with it, it shows a [project card](https://maia-analytics.com/docs/mcp/project-view) beside each result, and you can [attach a file](https://maia-analytics.com/docs/mcp/upload-a-file) for MAIA to import. ChatGPT works too.

### Claude

For Claude on the web and the desktop app.

> **Note:** On a Claude Team or Enterprise plan, an owner adds the connector for the organization first. Until then, members do not see **Add custom connector**. After that, each member connects their own account.

1. Open **Settings**, then **Connectors**.
2. Choose **Add custom connector**.
3. Enter `https://api.maia-analytics.com/mcp`.
4. Sign in with your MAIA account. MAIA's consent page opens.
5. Choose **Allow**. Claude lists MAIA's tools.

### ChatGPT

> **Note:** Custom connectors in ChatGPT need a Plus or Pro plan, on the web, with Developer mode on.

1. Open **Settings**, then **Connectors**, then **Advanced settings**, and turn on **Developer mode**.
2. In **Connectors**, choose **Create**.
3. Name it `MAIA`, enter `https://api.maia-analytics.com/mcp` as the MCP server URL, and set **Authentication** to **OAuth**.
4. Choose **Create**, then sign in with your MAIA account and choose **Allow**.
5. In a chat, pick MAIA from the **Developer mode** tools in the composer.

### Claude Code

Add the server:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http maia https://api.maia-analytics.com/mcp
```

By default it is added to the current project only. Add `--scope user` to use it from every project. Then sign in:

1. Run `/mcp` in Claude Code and pick `maia`.
2. Your browser opens MAIA's consent page. Sign in with your MAIA account.
3. Choose **Allow**. MAIA's tools appear in Claude Code once sign-in finishes, and not before.

### Other clients

Any client that supports remote MCP servers over HTTP with OAuth can connect, including developer tools such as Codex, Cursor, VS Code, and Gemini CLI. Give it the address `https://api.maia-analytics.com/mcp`. The client opens MAIA's consent page when it first needs access.

Many of these tools read an `mcpServers` block like this one. Check your tool's docs for the exact key.

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "maia": {
      "url": "https://api.maia-analytics.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

## How sign-in works

The connector uses OAuth. You sign in to MAIA in your browser, and MAIA hands your client a token. Your client never sees your password.

- **The connector acts as you.** It can see the projects you can see, and nothing more.
- **Consent is per client.** Each client you connect asks for it.
- **You must have accepted MAIA's current terms.** If you have not, the consent page shows them first. Accept them, then choose **Allow**.

## Troubleshooting

| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The consent page refuses you | The connector is not turned on for your workspace | Ask [support](mailto:support@maia-analytics.com) to turn it on. |
| Tools do not appear in Claude Code | The server was not added, or sign-in did not finish | Run `claude mcp list`, then `/mcp` and sign in again |
| Tool calls are refused after working before | Your access changed, or the grant was revoked | Sign in again from your client |
| `find_county` finds nothing | The county is not in your plan | Try one that is. See [Plans](https://maia-analytics.com/docs/billing/plans) |

## Next

- [Runs and approvals](https://maia-analytics.com/docs/mcp/runs-and-approvals) follows a run from start to finish.
- [Upload a file](https://maia-analytics.com/docs/mcp/upload-a-file) brings a file you attach in the chat into a project.
- [Tools](https://maia-analytics.com/docs/mcp/tools) lists every tool and its parameters.
- [Prompts](https://maia-analytics.com/docs/mcp/prompts) lists the ready-made requests.