Toolkit / Setup guides / Apollo

Connect Apollo to your AI assistant

Apollo's docs confirm its official MCP server works in Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Cursor and GitHub Copilot. The vendor's setup notes name no admin step.

Works in: ClaudeChatGPTClaude CodeCursorCopilot
Sources: Claude · ChatGPT · Claude Code · Cursor · Copilot, checked 2026-10-16
Access: Read + write
Credits: Some tools use credits
Plan: Free Source: knowledge.apollo.io, checked 2026-10-16
Setup: Self-serve
No admin step in the vendor's setup notes. Source: docs.apollo.io, checked 2026-10-16
Useful for: SDRs, AEs, RevOps

What do I need before I start?

Check the Plan and Setup rows in the box above.

Need IT or RevOps to approve it? Send them the Apollo IT approval one-pager.

How do I connect it to Claude or ChatGPT?

Apollo's docs confirm it works in Claude and ChatGPT. You don't need a terminal or a config file. Check Apollo's docs first: some vendors give you a personal URL or an API key to use in place of the plain endpoint.

Claude (web and desktop app)

If Apollo shows up when you browse connectors in Claude, connect it from there instead. That skips steps 2 to 4.

In Claude, open Customize → Connectors.
Click + Add, then Add custom connector.
Name it “Apollo”, paste the server URL https://mcp.apollo.io/mcp, and click Continue.
Review the sign-in settings Claude detected and click Add.
Click Connect and sign in to Apollo. Then ask Claude something like “What can the Apollo connector do?”

On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner adds the connector first under Organization settings → Connectors → Add → Custom → Web. Each person then connects it from Customize → Connectors. Free plans can add one custom connector.

Steps from the Claude Help Center: support.claude.com, checked 2026-10-16

ChatGPT

If Apollo has its own plugin in ChatGPT's directory, install that instead.

Go to chatgpt.com/plugins.
Select +, then Add custom MCP server. If you don't see it, your plan or workspace settings may not allow custom servers, so ask your workspace admin.
Enter a name and description. Under Connection, paste the server URL https://mcp.apollo.io/mcp.
Set up sign-in, read the warning, and select I understand and want to continue.
Select Create as a plugin. In a new chat, type @ and pick Apollo.

Steps from the OpenAI developer docs: developers.openai.com, checked 2026-10-16

From Apollo's docs: ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor have built-in directory connectors; Claude Code, VS Code with GitHub Copilot and Claude Desktop custom connector can use the standalone server at https://mcp.apollo.io/mcp with OAuth. Headless clients need a master API key in the X-Api-Key header.Source: docs.apollo.io, checked 2026-10-16

How do I connect it to Claude Code or Cursor?

Apollo's docs confirm Claude Code and Cursor. Use OAuth sign-in for interactive use. For headless runs, use an API key in the X-Api-Key header.

Put this in .mcp.json (Claude Code, project root) or ~/.cursor/mcp.json (Cursor). Don't commit real keys. Remove the // comment lines if your client requires strict JSON.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apollo": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apollo.io/mcp"
      // headless alternative: "headers": { "X-Api-Key": "YOUR_APOLLO_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Sources: Claude · ChatGPT · Claude Code · Cursor · Copilot, checked 2026-10-16

What about Grok Bot or another assistant?

Apollo's docs don't name Grok Bot, and this site doesn't track Grok Bot support yet. If your assistant lets you add a connector by URL (a remote MCP server), give it the details below. Follow Apollo's docs for any extra steps.

Server URL: https://mcp.apollo.io/mcp
Sign-in: OAuth 2.0 (master API key / X-Api-Key for headless)
Transport: Streamable HTTP

Open the Apollo MCP docs

What can it change?

Read + write Some Apollo MCP tools change data, not just read it.

Things it can do in your Apollo account:

creates and updates contacts and accounts
creates deals
adds and removes contacts in sequences (enrollment)
creates and updates sequences
sends one-off emails
creates and updates lists and adds/removes records
creates, completes and skips tasks
creates and applies labels
creates custom objects
connects data sources and imports records
purchases sending domains and email accounts

Source: docs.apollo.io, checked 2026-10-16

Review each change before you approve it, especially anything that sends messages or edits records other people rely on.

Does it use credits?

Some tools use credits

Company search, company enrichment (single and bulk), company job postings, and people enrichment (single and bulk) use credits; people/contact search, CRM, sequence, email, task and analytics actions do not. Get conversation insights uses credits only if the conversation has AI insights.

Source: docs.apollo.io, checked 2026-10-16

What should I try first?

Find lookalike accounts and enrich them (Apollo + Clay + HubSpot) · skill
Research a prospect, then add them to an Instantly campaign (Perplexity + Apollo + Instantly) · skill
Webinar or Typeform responses to enriched, routed leads (Typeform + Apollo + HubSpot) · skill
Hiring for the problem you solve: turn job posts into first lines and a lemlist campaign (PredictLeads + Apollo + lemlist) · skill
Event follow-up within 24 hours: enrich the attendee list, tier it and load tiered follow-ups (Airtable + Apollo + lemlist) · skill

6 recipes use Apollo. See all Apollo skills.

All the facts, with sources: Apollo MCP server.

Other setup guides: HubSpot · Salesforce · Gong · Slack

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