---
name: zapier-mcp-guide
description: >
  Use when asking what Zapier MCP is, the difference between agentic and managed mode,
  why MCP tools are not appearing, how MCP tasks are counted, server limits, or which MCP clients are supported.
  Explains MCP capabilities and constraints and routes to canonical documentation.
license: MIT
compatibility: >
  Requires a Zapier account and an MCP client that supports Streamable HTTP, such as Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Windsurf, or VS Code.
metadata:
  author: zapier
---

# Zapier MCP guide

Zapier MCP connects MCP clients to 9,000+ apps through the Model Context Protocol.

## Critical rules

- **Transport:** Zapier MCP supports Streamable HTTP only. An MCP client that can only use SSE cannot connect.
- **Modes:** New servers default to agentic mode, where the MCP client discovers and enables its own tools. In managed mode, each enabled action is its own tool, and skills are unavailable until you switch back to agentic mode. Switching modes does not delete skills.
- **Tool list refresh:** After a mode switch, the MCP client may show a stale tool list until you refresh or restart it.
- **OAuth creates the server:** For listed MCP clients, Zapier creates and configures the server during sign-in. Create a server by hand only for unlisted MCP clients or your own Python or TypeScript code, which use a connection token.
- **Task counting:** Each successful tool call uses two tasks. Failed tool calls use none.
- **Server limit:** One server per named MCP client. Cursor and Grok Bot share one server.

## Which page to use

| If the question is about... | Use... |
|---|---|
| What MCP is and its limitations | [MCP home](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/home) |
| Connecting an MCP client | [Quickstart](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/get-started/quickstart) |
| OAuth versus connection token | [How connections work](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/overview/how-connections-work) |
| Agentic versus managed mode | [How tools work](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/overview/how-tools-work) |
| Changing modes and refreshing tools | [Switch modes](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/manage/switch-modes) |
| Task usage and limits | [Usage and billing](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/overview/usage) |

## Canonical documentation

- [MCP home](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/home)
- [Quickstart](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/get-started/quickstart)
- [Roll out to your organization](https://docs.zapier.com/mcp/get-started/rollout/overview)

## Related skills

- `zapier-troubleshooting-router`: error symptoms and their pages
- `zapier-workflow-concepts`: Zap definitions and task counting