Claude connectors are the add-ons that let Claude read from and act in the tools you already use, and for a small business the nine worth adding first are the ones that touch money, customers, files, schedules and the things you print.
You add a connector once, sign in to the tool once, and from then on Claude can look things up and do things there while you talk to it. This post covers what a connector is, the nine that earn their place for a small team, and the questions people ask before they press Allow.
What are Claude connectors?#
Claude connectors are integrations that give Claude permission to use another service on your behalf: read a folder in your drive, draft a reply in your mail, look up an invoice, make a QR code. They run on the MCP standard. That is why one connector works on claude.ai, in Claude Desktop, on the phone apps and in Claude Code.
Two kinds exist:
- Directory connectors. Reviewed by Anthropic and listed under Customize, then Connectors. Press Connect, sign in, done.
- Custom connectors. Any service that publishes an MCP address. Press the plus button, choose Add custom connector, paste the address, sign in. Free accounts can add one; paid plans can add several.
Either way, Claude only gets what you allow on that service's sign-in page, and you can remove a connector from the same settings page at any time.
9 Claude connectors worth adding: use cases for a small business#
Each entry says what Claude can do once it is connected, and the one job it is best at. Category examples only; check each connector's own page for the current permission list.
1. Google Drive#
Claude can search, open and summarize files in your Drive and, depending on what you allow, create documents. Best job: "find last year's vendor contract and pull out the renewal date."
2. Gmail#
Claude can search your mail, read threads and draft replies for you to send. Best job: "draft answers to the three unread customer questions in my inbox, in my tone."
3. Google Calendar#
Claude can see your schedule and propose or create events. Best job: "find a 30-minute slot next week that works around the delivery window."
4. Slack#
Claude can read channels you give it and post messages. Best job: "summarize what the team said about the new hours and draft the announcement."
5. Notion#
Claude can read and update pages and databases. Best job: "add today's supplier call to the meetings database and link the action items."
6. Canva#
Claude can find and start designs in your Canva account. Best job: "open the fall flyer template and swap the headline for the new dates."
7. Stripe#
Claude can look up customers, payments and invoices, within what you allow. Best job: "which invoices from last month are still unpaid, and for how much?"
8. Zapier#
Claude can trigger the automations you already have in Zapier, which reaches thousands of other apps in one connector. Best job: "run the new-lead zap for this contact."
9. QRFLOW.codes#
Claude can make QR codes, change where a printed code points, name its link on your domain and read its scans. Best job: "make a QR code for the fall menu, and when the winter menu is ready, point it there without reprinting the table tents." The Claude page has the two-minute setup with drawings of each screen. QRFLOW is in Claude's directory (press Connect) and can also be added by pasting the address below; the Google review QR code post shows the kind of code a shop asks for most.
https://qrflow.codes/mcp
How do you add a connector to Claude?#
You add a connector to Claude from Customize, then Connectors, in about a minute.
- Open your settings on claude.ai or in Claude Desktop (your initials, bottom left), then Customize, then Connectors.
- For a directory connector, press Connect next to it. For a custom one, press the plus button, choose Add custom connector, name it and paste its address.
- Sign in on the service's page and press Allow. The page lists exactly what Claude will be able to do.
- In a chat, press the plus button at the bottom left, open Connectors and make sure the one you want is on.
- Ask in plain words. Claude picks the connector and tells you what it did.
Most connectors follow the same OAuth sign-in: Claude never sees your password, and the permission list on the sign-in page is the whole of what it can do. The help center article walks through the QRFLOW one end to end, including how to disconnect.
Which connectors should a small business add first?#
Start with the two you touch every day and one that saves a reprint or a refund. For most small teams that is mail, files, and either payments or printed materials.
| If your day is mostly | Add first | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Email and documents | Gmail, Google Drive | Calendar |
| Selling in person | Stripe, QRFLOW.codes | Canva |
| A team in Slack | Slack, Notion | Zapier |
| Printed menus, signs, packaging | QRFLOW.codes, Canva | Drive |
A good test before adding anything: name the one question you would ask Claude about that tool this week. If you cannot, skip it for now. Connectors are free to add and free to remove, so waiting costs nothing.
What should you check before you press Allow?#
Check three things: who is asking, what they are asking for, and how to undo it.
- Who. The sign-in page belongs to the service (a Google, Stripe or QRFLOW page), not to Claude, and it names the app that is asking. If it names something you did not add, cancel.
- What. The permission list is the contract. A connector that reads your files should not ask to send mail.
- Undo. Every connector can be removed from Customize, then Connectors, and most services also list connected apps on their own account page, so you can revoke access from either side.
For QR codes specifically, the static vs dynamic guide explains why a code you can change after printing is the whole point of connecting a code service to an assistant rather than asking it to draw a PNG.
Questions people ask#
Are Claude connectors free?#
Yes, Claude connectors are free to add and use on Claude's side. Free accounts can add one connector; paid plans can add more. The connected service keeps its own pricing: QRFLOW, for example, is free for static codes and $4 a month for codes you can change after printing.
Do connectors work in the Claude mobile app?#
Yes. A connector you add on claude.ai follows your account to Claude Desktop and the phone apps.
Can Claude do things without asking me?#
Claude acts within the permissions you granted, and reviewed connectors mark destructive actions so Claude confirms before, for example, deleting something. You can also keep a connector off in a given chat from the plus menu.
What is the difference between a connector and an MCP server?#
Same thing from two sides. An MCP server is what the service runs; a connector is what you see in Claude once you have added it.
How many connectors should I add?#
As many as you will actually ask about. Five well-chosen ones beat twenty, because Claude picks tools faster when there are fewer of them.
If a QR code is on your list this week, you can make one on the free QR code generator in ten seconds, or connect QRFLOW and just ask.