Overview

What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an AI standard introduced by Anthropic that defines how large language models (LLMs) can interface with external systems in a structured, predictable way.

What is the MCP server in Tines?

The MCP server (also referred to as the MCP server template) is an action template that you can configure within your story, including many of the same configuration options as our Webhook action.

Note: The MCP server is not an MCP client, and does not offer the ability to connect Tines to other MCP servers.

When is it advised to use the MCP server?

Use the MCP server template to securely make any API or workflow available to other AI tools that act as an MCP client. Some MCP clients you might want to connect with are:

Anthropic Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
GitHub CoPilot
Windsurf

Availability

Do I have to be a Tines customer to use the MCP server?

The MCP server template is available for all plans, including Community Edition tenants.

Is the MCP server available for self-hosted tenants?

The MCP server template is available for self-hosted tenants on August 18th, 2025.

Functionality

What are Tools and Custom Tools for the MCP server?

The following Tools can be added to the MCP server action's configuration: Public Templates, Private Templates, and Send to Story.
The Custom Tool option is our action Groups feature that you can build into the MCP server action's configuration.
A brand new action cannot be added directly as a Tool to the MCP server action's configuration; it must be pre-built into one of the features mentioned, Tools or Custom Tools.

How many Tools can I connect to the MCP server?

You can connect up to 25 Tools per MCP server template. Once you have reached your 25 Tool limit, there are multiple options to continue building. You can:

Utilize Custom Tools, where you can delegate specialized tasks within them. Please note that Custom Tools are not as flexible as a root-level Tool connected to the MCP server, as all of the actions within a Custom Tool must be invoked when used (the Custom Tool provides a singular output from all of the actions within it).
Create another MCP server. Keep in mind your flow allowance in your licensing plan (one MCP server with connected Tools equates to one flow).

Does the MCP client gain access to the connected Tools' credentials?

No, the MCP client does not have access to the Tools' credentials that are integrated within the MCP server in Tines. The MCP client is connected to the MCP server via the provided secret or API key, depending on the Access Control mode you select. There are multiple ways to handle the MCP server's access control:

Anyone with the path (public)
Anyone with the secret (passed in via the MCP server action's URL or HTTP Authorization)
Only team members (requires a Tines API key)
Members of this Tines tenant (requires a Tines API key)

Pricing

How much does the MCP server cost?

The MCP server template does not come at an extra charge.

Does the MCP server use AI credits?

No, the MCP server template does not consume AI credits.

Does the MCP server count as a flow towards my tenant limit?

Yes, using the MCP server template with connected Tools counts as a flow towards your plan. Tenant owners can validate how many flows you have at the tenant level and delegate Team flow allowances via the tenant Settings > Access & security > Story allocation section.