Overview
The MCP Client connector points a Taskade automation at any remote MCP server and runs that server's tools as steps. Paste the server address once, and every tool it publishes becomes something your automation can call, with the result flowing into the next step like any other action.
TL;DR: Add the MCP Client connector to an automation, paste an MCP server address, and call that server's tools as steps. List Tools shows you what a server offers. Call Tool runs one and hands the result to the next step. Available on every plan. See Pricing for run limits.
This is the outbound direction of MCP, where Taskade reaches out to someone else's server. For the inbound direction, where Claude Desktop or Cursor connects into your workspace, see Taskade MCP Server.
Connect an MCP server
- Open Automations in your workspace and click Create.
- Add a trigger, then add a step and pick MCP Client.
- Click Connect.
- Paste the Server URL. It must start with
https://. - Paste a Bearer Token if the server needs one. Leave it empty for open servers.
- Save. Taskade checks the connection by asking the server for its tool list, so a wrong address or an expired token fails right there instead of at run time.
Your token is masked in the interface and stored encrypted. One connection covers the whole workspace, so every automation that talks to that server reuses it.
Tip: Your own Taskade MCP server lives at
https://www.taskade.com/mcp. Point the connector at it to have one automation work with another workspace.
Actions
| Action | What it does | Returns |
|---|---|---|
| List Tools | Asks the server what it can do | tools (name, description, input schema) and count |
| Call Tool | Runs one tool and waits for the result | text, content, structuredContent, isError |
List Tools
Run List Tools once while you are building. It returns every tool the server publishes, with the name, the description, and the fields each one expects. Use that to decide which tool you want and what arguments to send.
Call Tool
Call Tool has two fields.
- Tool. A dropdown loaded live from the server, so you pick from what that server actually offers. You can also type a name by hand when the server is temporarily unreachable.
- Arguments (JSON). A JSON object matching the tool's input schema, for example
{"query": "hello"}. Leave it empty for tools that take no arguments.
Reading the result
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
text |
The readable text the tool returned, joined into one string. Use this for messages, summaries, and anything a person reads. |
content |
The raw blocks the tool sent back, in order. |
structuredContent |
Machine-readable data, but only for tools that publish an output schema. It is empty for every other tool, so branch on it only when you know your tool provides one. |
isError |
true when the server flagged the result as a failure. Add a filter on this if you want a fallback path. |
Images, audio, and other binary results come back as a link. Taskade uploads the file and puts the address in the result, so a later step can reference the link instead of carrying the file through your automation.
Which servers work
The connector speaks the standard protocol, so a public MCP server works if it is open or accepts a bearer token. Taskade tries the modern transport first and falls back to the older one automatically, and you never pick between them.
A server that expects you to sign in through a browser window, rather than accept a token you paste, cannot be connected here. Check whether the server offers a plain token before you wire it up.
A few addresses are refused on purpose:
- The address must start with
https://. Plainhttp://is rejected. - Sign-in details cannot be embedded in the address itself. Use the Bearer Token field.
- Addresses that point at a private network, such as
localhostor an internal company address, are rejected. The server has to be reachable on the public internet.
If a server accepts the connection but never finishes the handshake, the step stops after 20 seconds with a message telling you to check the address.
Common patterns
| You want to | Build this |
|---|---|
| Pull a fact from another tool mid-automation | Trigger, Call Tool, then write the text into a project |
| Handle a tool that can fail | Call Tool, then a filter on isError, then two branches |
| Feed structured data onward | Call Tool, then map fields out of structuredContent |
| Let an agent decide, then act | Ask an agent for the input, then Call Tool with that answer |
| Audit a new server before wiring it up | List Tools on its own, run once, read the output |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MCP Client connector?
It is an automation connector that lets a Taskade automation call tools on a remote MCP server. You connect the server once with its address and an optional token, then add List Tools or Call Tool steps to any automation in the workspace.
How is this different from the Taskade MCP server?
Direction. The Taskade MCP server lets outside AI tools such as Claude Desktop and Cursor connect into your workspace. The MCP Client connector goes the other way, letting your automations reach out to somebody else's server.
Can my AI agents call an external MCP server directly?
Not directly. Agents work with their large built-in toolkit and your own custom tools. To reach an MCP server, put the Call Tool step in an automation, and let the agent hand its answer to that step. See Taskade Agents and External MCP Servers for the full picture.
Why is my server URL rejected?
The address must start with https:// and point at a server on the public internet. Private addresses such as localhost or an internal company hostname are refused, and sign-in details cannot be embedded in the address. Put any token in the Bearer Token field instead.
Why is structuredContent empty?
Only tools that publish an output schema return structuredContent. Everything else returns its result in text and content. Run List Tools to see what a tool declares before you build a branch on it.
Which plan includes the MCP Client connector?
Every plan. There is no upgrade badge on these steps. What changes between plans is how many automation runs you get, so a busy automation is the thing that wants a bigger plan, not the connector itself. See Pricing for the full matrix.
Related guides
- Taskade MCP Server. The inbound direction, where Claude Desktop and Cursor connect into your workspace.
- Taskade Agents and External MCP Servers. How the two directions differ, and where agents fit.
- MCP Connectors. The protocol explained, plus the wider ecosystem.
- Automations. Triggers, steps, filters, and run history.
- Custom AI Agents. Give an agent the judgment call inside an automation.