MCP Claude Connector

The whole studio,
one chat away.

The Apatero MCP puts twenty studio tools inside Claude. Generate images and video, lock a persistent AI influencer, batch a week of posts, narrate a storybook. You describe it in chat, Apatero renders it, and images appear right in the thread.

No GPU. No local models. Apatero is a hosted AI creative studio, so the MCP is a thin, fast connection rather than a heavy install.

Create your free account First generation free. Then pick an install path below.
01 Install

Four Ways In, All Under a Minute

Pick the path that matches your client. The hosted connector is the zero-install option for claude.ai. The npx bridge covers Claude Code and Claude Desktop without Python. uvx and Homebrew are there if those are your tools of choice.

1

On claude.ai, Paste the Connector URL

Zero install

The fastest path, and the only one that needs no terminal. Open Settings, then Connectors, then Add custom connector. Paste the URL below and sign in with your Apatero account when the browser asks. The tools appear in your next conversation. 

https://mcp.apatero.ai/mcp

Works on claude.ai in the browser and syncs to the Claude apps signed into the same account.

2

npx for Claude Code and Claude Desktop

Node, no Python

The apatero-mcp package on npm is a small Node bridge. If you have Node installed you already have everything it needs. In Claude Code, one command registers it. 

claude mcp add apatero -- npx apatero-mcp

For Claude Desktop, add the same bridge to claude_desktop_config.json and restart the app. 

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apatero": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "apatero-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

First run opens a browser window to sign in. Prefer keys? Set APATERO_API_KEY instead, as covered in the auth section below.

3

uvx From PyPI

Python stack

Already living in the uv ecosystem? The apatero-studio-mcp package on PyPI is the same server, fetched and run in one line with no virtualenv ceremony. 

claude mcp add apatero -- uvx apatero-studio-mcp

In any other MCP client, point the server command at uvx apatero-studio-mcp.

4

Homebrew on macOS

Standalone binary

Prefer a real install over ephemeral runners? The tap ships an apatero binary with no Node and no Python required at runtime. 

brew install apatero-org/tap/apatero

Then register the installed binary with your client. 

claude mcp add apatero -- apatero

Update later with brew upgrade apatero.

02 Tools

Twenty Tools, Five Groups

Everything below is callable from a Claude conversation. You never type tool names. You ask for the result, and Claude picks the right tool.

Generate

  • apatero_generate_imageText to image, or edit and compose with reference images.
  • apatero_generate_videoText to video, or animate from a starting frame.
  • apatero_remixRework an earlier generation with a new instruction.
  • apatero_generate_with_brandOn-brand marketing images from a saved brand kit.

Souls, Your Persistent Characters

  • apatero_create_soulSave a persistent identity from reference photos.
  • apatero_create_influencerGenerate a portrait set, then lock it as a Soul.
  • apatero_generate_with_soulPut the same character into any new scene.
  • apatero_list_soulsSee every character saved in your studio.

Influencer Pipeline

  • apatero_instadumpOne photo in, a batch of platform-ready posts out.
  • apatero_instadump_statusCheck progress on a running batch.
  • apatero_influencer_clipAnimate a Soul into a short clip, optionally talking.
  • apatero_talking_avatarMake a still portrait speak a script or lip-sync audio.

Stories

  • apatero_create_storyStart a consistent-character illustrated story draft.
  • apatero_story_statusCheck where a story render stands.

Status, Library, and Account

  • apatero_generation_statusPoll a specific render.
  • apatero_recent_generationsBrowse your latest results.
  • apatero_show_imageRe-display an earlier image in the chat.
  • apatero_credit_balanceCheck remaining credits.
  • apatero_list_modelsSee which models are live right now.
  • apatero_list_brandsList your saved brand kits.

A realistic session chains them. "Create an influencer named Lena, put her on a rooftop at golden hour, then turn the best shot into a talking clip" touches four tools, and every result lands in your gallery.

03 Auth

OAuth or API Key

OAuth, the Default

Every install path supports browser login. The hosted connector asks you to sign in when you add it. The local bridges open a browser window on first run. You approve once, and the session is remembered.

This is the right choice for personal machines. No secrets in config files, and revoking access is one click in your Apatero account.

API Keys for Headless Use

Create a key at app.apatero.ai/developer. Keys start with ap_live_ and never trigger a browser. Pass one to any local bridge through the environment. 

claude mcp add apatero --env APATERO_API_KEY=ap_live_your_key -- npx apatero-mcp

Use keys on servers, in CI, or anywhere a browser prompt is not welcome. Treat them like passwords and rotate them from the same developer page.

04 First Run

Your First Generation From Chat

Open a new conversation and ask for something concrete. "Generate an image of a porcelain robot in a lime greenhouse, cinematic light." Claude asks permission, calls the tool, and the image renders in the thread with a full-resolution link.

From there, go bigger. Ask for a video. Ask for a Soul and reuse the same face across fifty scenes. Ask for an Insta Dump batch while you make coffee. Everything you make is waiting in the gallery when you open the app.

Want the deeper walkthroughs? The Journal covers real sessions, tool by tool.

FAQ Quick Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need a Paid Claude Plan?

The custom connector works across claude.ai plans, including the free tier. The npx, uvx, and brew paths run wherever Claude Code or Claude Desktop runs. You do need an Apatero account, and your first generation there is free.

Do I Need Python or a GPU?

No GPU, ever. Apatero is a hosted studio, so the heavy lifting happens on our infrastructure. Python is only involved if you choose the uvx path. The npx bridge is pure Node, and the brew install ships a standalone binary.

Where Do My Results Go?

Every render lands in your Apatero gallery, exactly as if you had generated it in the app. Images also render inline in the Claude conversation, and every result includes a full-resolution link.

What Does Generation Cost From Claude?

The same credits as the app. There is no markup for going through MCP. Your first generation is free, and the apatero_credit_balance tool tells you what you have left without leaving the chat.

Can Claude Run Tools Without Asking Me?

No. Claude clients ask for permission before running a tool, and you decide whether to approve one call, the session, or always. Generation only happens when you say so.

Can I Use the MCP Headless or in Scripts?

Yes. Create an API key at app.apatero.ai/developer and pass it through the APATERO_API_KEY environment variable. Keys start with ap_live_ and skip the browser login entirely, which is what you want for servers and CI.

How Do I Update to the Latest Version?

The npx and uvx paths resolve the latest published version each time they launch, so updates are automatic. The brew path updates with brew upgrade apatero. The hosted connector is always current because we run it.

Something Installed but No Tools Appear. Now What?

Restart the client first, since Claude Desktop only reads its config on launch. In Claude Code, run the /mcp command to check server status. If the server shows an auth error, sign in again or check that your API key is set correctly.

Put Apatero in Your Claude

Sign up, pick an install path, and make your first image from a conversation. The account takes a minute and the first generation costs nothing.

Get started free Your first generation is free