> Enrich.chat gives AI agents verified work emails and mobiles. To use it from an agent, read https://enrich.chat/agents.md . This is the Markdown version of https://enrich.chat/blog/clay-mcp/

# Clay MCP in 2026: how it works in Claude and ChatGPT, what it costs, its limits and alternatives

Clay runs a hosted MCP server that puts its people search, enrichment and ops-built Functions inside Claude, ChatGPT and Codex. Here is how to connect it, what a call costs, which plan you need, and when a keyless MCP server does the job instead.

By Enrich.chat Editorial. Updated October 15, 2026.

**Short answer:** Clay MCP is Clay's hosted server at [api.clay.com/v3/mcp](https://claude.com/marketplace/connectors/clay), listed in Claude's connector directory. It lets Claude, ChatGPT and Codex search Clay's people and company data, enrich contacts and run ops-built Functions. [Searches are free](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs), enrichment uses the same credits as the Clay app, and new connections get [500 free credits](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude).

## Key takeaways

- Clay MCP is a hosted server at https://api.clay.com/v3/mcp with OAuth sign-in. Clay does not support self-hosting. Anthropic lists the Claude connector as added in January 2026.
- People and company searches are free. Enrichment and Functions use the same credits as in Clay, with no MCP surcharge. Every new connection gets 500 free credits.
- Clay recommends MCP for about 1 to 20 contacts at a time. Chat results come in groups of 20, up to 100, so bigger jobs belong in a Clay table or the API.
- Per-rep credit limits and the MCP for reps option on Functions need Launch, Growth or Enterprise. Audiences controls are Enterprise only.
- Enrich.chat has a remote MCP server at https://enrich.chat/mcp with no sign-in or key on the free tier, for teams that only need work emails, mobiles and company data in an agent.

## What is Clay MCP?

Clay MCP is Clay's hosted Model Context Protocol server. It lets an AI app such as Claude or ChatGPT call Clay's people search, enrichment and workflows from a chat. [Clay's MCP guide](https://www.clay.com/guides/clay-mcp) says the server exposes Clay's data providers, AI research agents and your team's prebuilt workflows, so a rep can find and enrich contacts without opening Clay.

MCP is an open standard for linking AI assistants to outside systems. The AI app asks the server which tools it offers, then calls them for you inside the conversation. The chat app stays the interface, and Clay does the data work behind it.

| Clay MCP at a glance | Detail, checked October 15, 2026 |
| --- | --- |
| Server URL | `https://api.clay.com/v3/mcp`, the connector URL in [Anthropic's Claude directory](https://claude.com/marketplace/connectors/clay) |
| Sign-in | OAuth with your Clay login. New users get an account during setup ([Clay's Claude guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude)) |
| Clients Clay names | Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Copilot and Glean ([Clay MCP page](https://www.clay.com/mcp)) |
| Self-hosting | Not supported. Every client connects to Clay's hosted server ([Clay's FAQ](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs)) |
| Cost to connect | Nothing. New connections get 500 credits, and later use draws on your Clay plan |
| Plan needed to connect | None. Credit limits and MCP for reps on Functions need Launch, Growth or Enterprise ([MCP in Clay](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings)) |

Clay shipped the MCP in two steps. On [January 26, 2026](https://community.clay.com/x/announcements/msg_zyDiiEcC5SBF/clay-now-integrated-with-claude-for-end-to-end-pro), Clay told its community that Clay was available as a connector in Claude, and [Anthropic's listing](https://claude.com/marketplace/connectors/clay) shows it was added that month. On [April 22, 2026](https://community.clay.com/x/announcements/ks5pwdvf83tf/clay-mcp-now-live-in-claude-and-chatgpt-run-clay-w), Clay announced the MCP as live in Claude and ChatGPT, with Functions, permissions for each Function and credit budgets. Clay's MCP guide is dated June 14, 2026.

### Is every "Clay MCP server" the same product?

No. Clay.com, the go-to-market platform this page covers, shares its name with other products. [PulseMCP lists a server it calls Clay](https://www.pulsemcp.com/servers/clay) that bridges to a personal contact manager, not to clay.com. To be safe, add Clay from Anthropic's directory listing or use the URL it shows.

## What can Clay MCP do, and which tools does it have?

Clay MCP can find people and companies, enrich them with emails and phone numbers, research an account and draft outreach. It can also run Functions, which are reusable Clay workflows that an admin builds once. [Clay's Claude guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude) gives examples such as RevOps leaders who joined a company in the last nine months, or a company's tech stack and hiring trends.

Anthropic's listing names seven tools for the Clay connector: `find-and-enrich-contacts-at-company`, `find-and-enrich-list-of-contacts`, `find-and-enrich-company`, `add-contact-data-points`, `add-company-data-points`, `get-credits-available` and `get-existing-search`. Clay's developer docs add two names for Functions. [The custom functions page](https://developers.clay.com/routines/custom-functions) says `list_subroutines` lists the Functions your connection can run, and the [troubleshooting FAQ](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs) names `run_subroutine_no_mapping` as the action that runs a custom Function.

**Figure 1: How one Clay MCP request flows and what it costs.** A user of Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Copilot or Glean signs in to Clay with OAuth and picks a workspace. The AI app then calls Clay's hosted MCP server at api.clay.com/v3/mcp, which cannot be self-hosted. People and company searches use no credits. Enrichment and Functions use credits at the same rate as in Clay. Questions about synced Audiences data use Actions, not credits. Credits count against each rep's monthly limit, set as a default or per rep, which resets on the 1st at midnight UTC.

*How one Clay MCP request travels and where it spends credits, from Clay's documentation as checked October 15, 2026. Sources: [MCP troubleshooting and FAQs](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs), [MCP in Clay](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings), [Anthropic's Clay connector listing](https://claude.com/marketplace/connectors/clay).*

You rarely name a tool yourself, because the assistant picks one from your request. Clay's best practices say to include the company domain, not just a company name, and to give specific titles, places and seniority. They advise against broad queries and general web searches.

In Claude and ChatGPT, results appear in an interactive view. You can switch to a table, add filters, enrich contacts with an email or a work history summary, and ask for a draft email. Results come in groups of 20, and Load more shows up to 100 in total. In Claude Code, the same features return text instead of the interactive view.

## How do you connect Clay MCP to Claude, ChatGPT and Claude Code?

You add Clay from your AI app's connector list and sign in to Clay with OAuth. If you are new to Clay, [Clay's Claude guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude) says an account is created during setup and you get 500 free credits.

### Claude on the web or desktop

1. Open [Clay's page in Anthropic's connector directory](https://claude.com/marketplace/connectors/clay) and click **Add to Claude**. You can also use **Customize**, then **Connectors**, in Claude, per [Anthropic's help article](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11176164-use-connectors-to-extend-claude-s-capabilities).
2. Accept your Clay workspace invite first if you were invited. Clay's [FAQ](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs) says a rep who connects before accepting lands in a personal workspace instead of the company one.
3. Sign in to Clay and choose the company workspace.
4. Ask for people or companies in any chat. The connector turns on by itself, so you do not need to name Clay.

A free Claude account is enough, says Clay. On Claude Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner enables the connector for the organization first, and each person then signs in on their own, per Anthropic's help article.

### ChatGPT and Codex

In ChatGPT, type `@Clay` at the start of a prompt in the browser, or `/Clay` in the desktop app, then sign in to Clay if asked. [Clay's ChatGPT guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-chatgpt) says a free ChatGPT account is enough. If a call fails with the message that an MCP tool is disabled by the workspace admin, the message comes from ChatGPT, not Clay. Your OpenAI admin must turn on the Clay app and every one of its actions, including `run_subroutine_no_mapping`, or Functions that work in Claude fail in ChatGPT.

Codex also works. Clay's guide says to connect Clay's MCP server and gives no further steps.

### Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code

Clay's FAQ says its server accepts clients that register themselves over OAuth. That covers Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code and Claude Desktop. In Claude Code, add the server with the command below, then sign in from the `/mcp` screen:

```
claude mcp add --transport http clay https://api.clay.com/v3/mcp

# then, inside Claude Code
/mcp
```

The URL comes from Anthropic's connector listing, and the command syntax from [Anthropic's Claude Code docs](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp). Clay has not pre-verified clients like these, so its consent screen shows an "Unverified application" label. Clay says that is expected and you can approve it if you started the connection. If the client name is unfamiliar, deny it.

### How do admins set up Clay MCP for a team?

Admins prepare three things before reps connect, per [Clay's MCP settings doc](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings):

- **Invite the reps.** Add each rep under Settings, then Team, with the Sales Rep role. That role gives MCP-only access, so reps cannot see tables, API keys or workflows. Clay's plans include unlimited seats, per its [pricing page](https://www.clay.com/pricing), so the invite adds no seat fee.
- **Set a default credit limit.** Open MCP in the sidebar of the Clay home page and click Set default limit. It applies to every rep who connects, so set it first.
- **Switch on the Functions you want.** Open each Function, choose MCP for reps under Integrations, and give it a name and description that tell reps what it does. Add an output column, or the Function returns nothing. Avoid names like "find contacts" that overlap with Clay's built-in tools, because the AI app may call the built-in one instead.

Clay's [livestream page](https://www.clay.com/livestreams/introducing-clays-mcp) says reps need no Clay login. The troubleshooting FAQ says every rep must still be invited to the workspace. Together they mean reps never open the Clay app, but they do hold an invited seat.

**Figure 2: The three access switches on a custom Clay Function.** A custom Clay Function, built in the Clay app with inputs and an output column and identified as function:t_ followed by an id, has three separate access switches. API access covers the Public API, the clay CLI and agents using the CLI. MCP access covers Clay's MCP connector and is needed both to list the Function and to run it by id. Claygent access lets a Claygent call the Function as a routine. Publishing a Function turns none of them on, and API access alone is not enough for MCP.

*The three access switches on a custom Clay Function. Clay's university docs call the MCP switch MCP for reps, its developer docs call it MCP access, and its guide calls it Enable for MCP. Sources: [custom functions](https://developers.clay.com/routines/custom-functions) in Clay's developer docs, [MCP in Clay](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings), [Clay's MCP guide](https://www.clay.com/guides/clay-mcp).*

If a Function is missing from the list, check the switch first. Clay's developer docs say MCP access is required both to list a Function and to run it by id, and that a "not found" error does not tell you whether the Function is missing or just unavailable to your connection.

## What does Clay MCP cost, and which plan do you need?

Connecting Clay MCP is free, and searches cost nothing. Enrichment and Functions use Clay credits at the same rate as in the app. Clay's [MCP settings doc](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings) says there is no MCP surcharge, and its [FAQ](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs) says people and company searches use no credits.

### What do the 500 free credits cover?

Every new connection gets 500 free Clay credits, per [Clay's Claude guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude). After they run out, you can keep searching for free but without enrichments such as email. Your other options are a Clay trial account with 2,000 more credits, or a paid plan. Clay's docs do not say whether the free credits can buy phone numbers. [Clay's pricing page](https://www.clay.com/pricing) lists phone enrichment from Launch, not on Free.

### How many credits does one chat use?

Clay gives two reference points. In its MCP settings doc, a Function that finds an email and a phone number costs 12 credits in a table and the same 12 through MCP. [Clay's ChatGPT guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-chatgpt) says a typical interaction uses 20 to 100 credits, because the chat is built for one contact at a time.

If those are data credits at the $0.05 Launch entry rate on [Clay's pricing page](https://www.clay.com/pricing), 20 to 100 credits is $1 to $5. That is our arithmetic, not a Clay quote. Actions count too. Clay says everything runs on a Clay table behind the scenes, so work done through Claude counts as Clay actions. Our [Clay pricing guide](https://enrich.chat/blog/clay-pricing/) explains data credits and Actions in full.

### How do per-rep credit limits work?

Admins set a default monthly limit and can override it for any rep. Spend resets on the 1st of each month at midnight UTC. A rep who reaches the limit is blocked from enrichments and Functions until the reset, unless an admin raises it. A limit of 0 blocks a rep without removing them from the workspace.

### Which Clay plan do you need for MCP?

| Clay plan | Price, October 15, 2026 | What Clay's docs say about MCP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0, with 100 data credits and 500 Actions a month | You can connect and spend the 500 starter credits. Credit limits and MCP for reps are listed for paid plans only |
| Launch | From $185 a month, or $167 billed annually | Credit limits, usage monitoring and MCP for reps on Functions |
| Growth | From $495 a month, or $446 billed annually | The same as Launch |
| Enterprise | Custom, billed annually | Adds Audiences controls, such as limiting reps to the accounts they own in Salesforce. Legacy Enterprise also gets credit limits and MCP for reps |
| Legacy Starter, Explorer and Pro | The old plan prices | Growth-level MCP access through December 31, 2026, then free-plan limits |

Prices come from [Clay's pricing page](https://www.clay.com/pricing). The plan rows come from [MCP in Clay](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings) and the [legacy plans doc](https://university.clay.com/docs/legacy-plans). Clay's [Functions doc](https://university.clay.com/docs/functions) adds that Functions are available on all paid plans at no extra cost, while advanced capabilities such as MCP access are gated to higher tiers.

## What are the limits of Clay MCP?

Clay MCP is built for one person asking questions, not for bulk jobs. [Clay's MCP guide](https://www.clay.com/guides/clay-mcp) recommends it for about 1 to 20 contacts. It sends lists above 20 contacts, automation and deep CRM syncs to the Clay platform. These limits catch people most often:

- **Result counts disagree.** Clay's FAQ says results come in groups of 20, up to 100 across five pages. [Clay's MCP page](https://www.clay.com/mcp) says up to 1,000 People Search results. Clay does not explain the gap, so plan for 100 in a chat.
- **No bulk upload.** You cannot upload a CSV for a Function. In Claude you can share a CSV in the chat, and Claude calls the Function once per row. For thousands of rows, Clay says to use Clay directly.
- **Every rep needs an invite.** Reps must be added to the workspace, even if your company uses SSO.
- **Functions must be switched on.** A Function stays invisible to MCP until MCP access is on, and it needs an output column to return data.
- **Outreach needs a Function.** By default, Claude cannot reach Clay's Sequencer. An ops team has to build a Function that adds a contact to the Sequencer and switch on MCP for it.
- **Admins cannot revoke a connection.** The MCP page cannot cancel a rep's OAuth connection. To block a rep, remove them from the workspace or set their credit limit to 0.
- **No cost list per tool.** Clay's MCP page and guide list no credit cost for each tool and no rate limits. Set a rep limit before you roll it out.
- **Your AI provider sees the results.** Prompts and results pass through Anthropic or OpenAI. Clay's docs say both exclude commercial and API data from model training by default, and their own policies cover retention.

## Is Clay MCP the same as Claygent, the Clay CLI or the API?

No. Clay MCP lets an outside AI app call Clay. Claygent is Clay's own AI agent doing research inside a table. The plugin, CLI and Public API are separate doors with their own sign-in. They meet in one place: a Function can be given Claygent access, which lets a Claygent call it as a routine.

| Clay surface | What it is | Where you use it | What to know |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Clay MCP | A connector that lets chat apps call Clay | Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Copilot, Glean | Same credits as the Clay app |
| Function through MCP | A reusable Clay workflow with MCP access on | The same apps, by name in one prompt | Adds no cost of its own. The steps inside it spend credits ([Functions doc](https://university.clay.com/docs/functions)) |
| [Claygent](https://enrich.chat/blog/claygent/) | An agent that takes inputs, follows your instructions and writes a structured output | Clay tables and Workflows. Account Agents run over every account in a segment | Data credits plus 1 Action per AI prompt ([Clay](https://www.clay.com/claygent)) |
| Clay plugin and CLI | Clay's skills and the `clay` CLI for coding agents | Claude Code, Codex, Cursor. Not claude.ai, Claude Desktop or ChatGPT | Needs a host with a shell ([Quickstart](https://developers.clay.com/quickstart)) |
| Public API | HTTP API for your own apps | Backend jobs, internal tools, queues | Needs a Clay API key in the `clay-api-key` header ([Authentication](https://developers.clay.com/public-api/authentication)) |
| Global agent | A chat inside Clay that builds and runs plays | Launch, Growth and Enterprise, in Alpha | Chatting is free in Alpha. What it runs uses credits ([Clay](https://university.clay.com/docs/global-agent)) |

**Figure 3: Which Clay surface fits the job.** A five-step check for choosing how to use Clay. For a one-off ask on 1 to 20 contacts, use Clay MCP in Claude, ChatGPT or Codex. If reps keep typing the same prompt, package it as a Function with MCP for reps switched on. For more than 20 contacts or a CRM sync, use a Clay table, with Claygent if you need web research. In a coding agent that has a shell, use the Clay plugin and the clay CLI. For a backend job or your own app, use the Clay Public API with an API key. The rule of thumb is chat for quick asks, tables and the API for volume.

*A five-step check for choosing a Clay surface, based on Clay's own guidance as checked October 15, 2026. Sources: [Clay's MCP guide](https://www.clay.com/guides/clay-mcp), [developer quickstart](https://developers.clay.com/quickstart), [Claygent FAQ](https://www.clay.com/claygent).*

Clay's guide says a chat has outgrown MCP when you type the same prompt again and again. Package that work as a Function or build it as a table. Our guide to [waterfall enrichment](https://enrich.chat/blog/waterfall-enrichment/) explains when more than one data source pays off.

## What are the alternatives to Clay MCP?

If you only need contact data inside an AI app, you can use the MCP server of a data vendor instead of a workflow platform. Three options publish their own MCP docs. The facts below come from each vendor's pages, checked October 15, 2026.

|  | Clay MCP | Apollo MCP | ZoomInfo MCP | Enrich.chat |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sign-in | OAuth with a Clay login | OAuth, or a master API key for headless use | OAuth with a ZoomInfo login | None on the free tier |
| Account | A Clay account, made on connect | An Apollo account | A free GTM AI account or a ZoomInfo package | None for the free tier |
| Free start | 500 credits once | A free account, with a work email | 1,000 data and 1,000 AI credits once | 10 lookups a day |
| Credits | Enrichment and Functions | Enrichment and some other actions | Enrichment and research | A match: work email 10, mobile 250 |

Apollo's column comes from [Apollo's MCP docs](https://docs.apollo.io/docs/apollo-mcp), and ZoomInfo's from its [MCP quickstart](https://gtm.ai/docs/mcp/getting-started). Apollo's server is `https://mcp.apollo.io/mcp` and ZoomInfo's is `https://mcp.zoominfo.com/mcp`. Each of those vendors expects you to sign in to its own product. Our [Apollo MCP guide](https://enrich.chat/blog/apollo-mcp-alternative/) and [ZoomInfo MCP guide](https://enrich.chat/blog/zoominfo-mcp/) go deeper, and [best MCP servers for sales](https://enrich.chat/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-sales/) ranks more options. For Clay itself, see our list of [Clay alternatives](https://enrich.chat/alternatives/clay/) and the [Clay vs ZoomInfo comparison](https://enrich.chat/compare/clay-vs-zoominfo/).

## When is Clay MCP the better choice?

Clay MCP is the better choice when your team already builds in Clay and wants reps to reuse that work from a chat. Six cases stand out:

- **You have ops-built Functions.** One admin builds a workflow once, and every rep runs the same vetted version by name.
- **You want admin control.** Per-rep credit limits, the MCP-only Sales Rep role and a usage table suit teams that must cap spend.
- **You want many providers behind one request.** [Clay's MCP page](https://www.clay.com/mcp) says enrichment runs as a waterfall across its 200+ vendors. Clay's guide and pricing page say 150+, so check the current count.
- **You use Clay Audiences with Salesforce.** On Enterprise, reps can query the accounts they own, and admins can restrict them to those accounts, per [MCP in Clay](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings).
- **You want research and outreach in one chat.** Clay's guides cover account research and email drafts, and a Function can push a contact to your Sequencer.
- **You already pay for Clay.** MCP adds no surcharge, so the credits you hold work in the chat too.

## When does the Enrich.chat MCP server fit better than Clay MCP?

Enrich.chat fits when you want contact data inside any AI app, with no Clay account, no workspace invite and no sign-in. You add its remote MCP server at `https://enrich.chat/mcp`, using the steps and one-click Cursor and VS Code links on the [install page](https://enrich.chat/install/). Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code all take the URL. The free tier needs no key, and each IP gets 10 free lookups a day.

Its tools are `company_people`, `find_person_contact`, `find_work_email`, `find_mobile_number`, `search_people`, `company_tech_stack`, `company_profile` and `check_free_quota`, all read-only. If your agent cannot add MCP servers, it can read [enrich.chat/agents.md](https://enrich.chat/agents.md) and call the plain HTTPS API. A LinkedIn URL works as a lookup key, and nothing logs in to LinkedIn.

Every response includes `credits_used`. A work email costs 10 credits, a mobile 250 and a lookup that finds nothing 0, with unlimited seats and no annual contract. For more volume there are monthly credit plans: Growth $29 for 100,000 credits, Scale $90 for 500,000 credits, Pro $299 for 2,500,000 credits. To buy one, log in at [enrich.chat/account/](https://enrich.chat/account/) with your email and pay at checkout. Your key appears on that page. Credits are not the same unit as Clay's, so compare dollars per contact found on your own list. This prompt runs the same job in one message:

```text
Use www.enrich.chat to find the VP of Sales at each of these companies and a work email for each. Show the email status, mark misses as not found, and tell me the total credits_used so I can compare the cost with Clay MCP: [paste up to 20 company domains]
```

Every work email comes back as verified, catch_all or unknown. That status comes from our records and is not a guarantee. A mobile comes back with its line type, mobile or unknown, which says what kind of number it is, not that anyone will answer. Treat each contact as a strong lead. The [data API for AI agents](https://enrich.chat/agents/) page shows the setup, the [person enrichment API](https://enrich.chat/api/person-enrichment/) lists every field, and the free [email finder](https://enrich.chat/tools/email-finder/) runs a lookup in your browser.

The two tools are not exclusive. [Our Clay integration page](https://enrich.chat/integrations/clay/) shows an Enrich.chat lookup as one step in a Clay table, which Clay's pricing page lists as an HTTP API integration on Growth. Enrich.chat also has two honest gaps next to Clay MCP:

- **No visual table builder or Functions.** Enrich.chat returns data to your agent, and your agent does the rest. Nobody on your team builds a shared workflow in it.
- **No built-in sequencing, dialer or Chrome extension.** You bring your own outreach tool, and SDKs are planned. Pricing is on the [pricing page](https://enrich.chat/pricing/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Clay have an MCP server?

Yes. Clay runs a hosted MCP server, and [Anthropic's directory listing](https://claude.com/marketplace/connectors/clay) gives its URL as https://api.clay.com/v3/mcp. [Clay's MCP page](https://www.clay.com/mcp) names Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Copilot and Glean as clients. Clay's [troubleshooting FAQ](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs) says you cannot self-host it. Every client connects to Clay's hosted server and signs in with OAuth.

### How do I connect Clay to Claude or ChatGPT?

In Claude, add the Clay connector from the Connectors page and sign in with your Clay login. On Claude Enterprise an admin adds it first. In ChatGPT, type @Clay in the browser or /Clay in the desktop app, then sign in. New users get a Clay account and 500 free credits. The steps are in [Clay's Claude guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude) and [ChatGPT guide](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-chatgpt).

### Is Clay MCP free?

Connecting is free, and searches cost no credits. Enrichment and Functions use credits. [Clay's docs](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude) give every new connection 500 free credits, then draw on your Clay plan. As of October 15, 2026, [Clay's pricing page](https://www.clay.com/pricing) lists Free at $0 with 100 data credits a month, and Launch from $185 a month. Phone enrichment starts on Launch.

### What is the difference between Clay MCP and Claygent?

Clay MCP lets an outside AI app, such as Claude, call Clay. Claygent is an AI agent that runs inside Clay, on a table row or across a segment of accounts, and writes a structured result. [Clay's Claygent FAQ](https://www.clay.com/claygent) says each prompt uses 1 Action plus data credits. Our [Claygent guide](https://enrich.chat/blog/claygent/) covers it in full.

### Which Clay plan do you need for MCP?

A free Clay account can connect and spend the 500 starter credits. [Clay's MCP settings doc](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings) lists credit limits and usage monitoring on Launch, Growth and Enterprise, and the MCP for reps option on Functions on those plans plus legacy Enterprise. Audiences controls are Enterprise only. Legacy Starter, Explorer and Pro plans get Growth-level MCP access until December 31, 2026, per Clay's [legacy plans doc](https://university.clay.com/docs/legacy-plans).

### What is an alternative to Clay MCP that needs no sign-in?

Enrich.chat has a remote MCP server at enrich.chat/mcp that needs no sign-in and no key on the free tier ([install steps](https://enrich.chat/install/)). Each IP gets 10 free lookups a day, then monthly credit plans start at $29. A work email costs 10 credits, a mobile 250 and a miss 0. It returns data only, with no tables, Functions or sequencer. [Apollo MCP](https://enrich.chat/blog/apollo-mcp-alternative/) and [ZoomInfo MCP](https://enrich.chat/blog/zoominfo-mcp/) are other options.

## Sources

1. [Clay MCP: give reps the best prospecting data in their AI tools](https://www.clay.com/mcp)
2. [What Is Clay MCP? Clay in Claude & ChatGPT (2026)](https://www.clay.com/guides/clay-mcp)
3. [MCP in Clay](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-settings)
4. [Using Clay in Claude](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-claude)
5. [Using Clay in ChatGPT](https://university.clay.com/docs/using-clay-in-chatgpt)
6. [MCP troubleshooting and FAQs](https://university.clay.com/docs/mcp-troubleshooting-and-faqs)
7. [Functions](https://university.clay.com/docs/functions)
8. [Legacy plans](https://university.clay.com/docs/legacy-plans)
9. [Clay pricing](https://www.clay.com/pricing)
10. [Clay connector](https://claude.com/marketplace/connectors/clay)
11. [Clay Now Integrated with Claude for End-to-End Prospecting and Outreach](https://community.clay.com/x/announcements/msg_zyDiiEcC5SBF/clay-now-integrated-with-claude-for-end-to-end-pro)
12. [Clay MCP Now Live in Claude and ChatGPT (Clay Community announcement)](https://community.clay.com/x/announcements/ks5pwdvf83tf/clay-mcp-now-live-in-claude-and-chatgpt-run-clay-w)
13. [Livestream: Introducing Clay's MCP](https://www.clay.com/livestreams/introducing-clays-mcp)
14. [Custom functions](https://developers.clay.com/routines/custom-functions)
15. [Quickstart](https://developers.clay.com/quickstart)
16. [Authentication](https://developers.clay.com/public-api/authentication)
17. [Claygent: AI agents for GTM](https://www.clay.com/claygent)
18. [Clay (global agent)](https://university.clay.com/docs/global-agent)
19. [Use connectors to extend Claude's capabilities](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11176164-use-connectors-to-extend-claude-s-capabilities)
20. [Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp)
21. [Official Clay MCP Server (a personal CRM listing)](https://www.pulsemcp.com/servers/clay)
22. [Apollo MCP](https://docs.apollo.io/docs/apollo-mcp)
23. [Quickstart (ZoomInfo MCP)](https://gtm.ai/docs/mcp/getting-started)

## Try this prompt

Try the same lookup without a sign-in

```text
Use www.enrich.chat to find the VP of Sales at each of these companies and a work email for each. Show the email status, mark misses as not found, and tell me the total credits_used so I can compare the cost with Clay MCP: [paste up to 20 company domains]
```

## Related

- [Clay pricing](https://enrich.chat/blog/clay-pricing/)
- [Claygent explained](https://enrich.chat/blog/claygent/)
- [Best MCP servers for sales: sign-in, cost and tools](https://enrich.chat/blog/best-mcp-servers-for-sales/)