ChatGPT Sites Can Turn MCP Tools Into Plugins and Shareable Work
ChatGPT Sites can host an MCP server whose tools are installed as a plugin in ChatGPT or Codex. Publishing the Site creates the plugin, but access and connected-account authorization still apply. Shareable profiles can showcase Sites and plugins, with privacy, workspace, device, plan, and rollout limits to check.
OpenAI is making ChatGPT Sites more useful as a home for connected tools: you can add an MCP server to a Site, publish it to create a plugin, and use the tools from ChatGPT or Codex. A separate profile update lets you showcase Sites and plugins so other users can find them. Access is still controlled by plan, workspace permissions, Site visibility, and each user's connected-account authorization. (OpenAI Help Center: Hosting a plugin with ChatGPT Sites; OpenAI Developers on X; OpenAI Developers on X)
Key Takeaways
- Add the MCP server to a Site. Ask ChatGPT or Codex to create tools for the information the Site should read or the actions it should take. (OpenAI Help Center)
- Publishing creates the associated plugin. If the Site is already published, its owner must publish again after adding tools. (OpenAI Help Center)
- Test tool behavior before sharing. Review read and write access, sample the actions, and verify changes on the Site. (OpenAI Help Center)
- Sharing rules differ by account. Business and Enterprise workspace members can share plugins with coworkers when their permissions allow; Pro and personal accounts cannot currently share Site-hosted plugins directly by invitation or link. (OpenAI Help Center)
- Profiles do not make Sites public. A personal profile is private by default, and adding a Site to a showcase does not change who can access it. (OpenAI Help Center)
How Sites Host MCP Tools
Start with a new or existing Site and ask ChatGPT or Codex to add an MCP server. Describe what information the tools should read and whether they should expose write actions. OpenAI recommends reviewing and testing the tools with sample data before sharing access. The Site owner must publish the Site to create the associated plugin; if the Site is already live, publish it again after changing its tools. (OpenAI Help Center)
After setup, the plugin appears as a card for review and installation. Install it, complete the connection flow for your account, then mention it in a ChatGPT or Codex conversation on a supported surface. If the tools can change data, test a sample update and confirm the result on the Site. Installing a plugin does not replace required authorization or workspace access controls. (OpenAI Help Center)
Check Site and Plugin Access Separately
OpenAI's plugin-hosting guidance says hosting a plugin is available to all plans, but the separate plan guide says ChatGPT Sites itself is available on paid plans except Free and Go in supported regions. It also lists the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom as regions where Sites is not currently available. Business and Enterprise administrators may need to enable permissions before members can publish Sites or share plugins, and the feature is rolling out gradually. (OpenAI Help Center: Hosting a plugin with ChatGPT Sites; OpenAI Help Center: Using Codex with your ChatGPT plan)
| Access check | What to verify |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT Site | Confirm the plan, supported region, and workspace settings allow Site creation and publishing. |
| Plugin creation | Check that the workspace role has the permissions needed to use plugins, upload plugins, and create plugins with MCPs. |
| Plugin sharing | In a Business or Enterprise workspace, confirm the role allows sharing plugins; a separate permission controls listing them in the workspace directory. |
| Recipient access | The recipient needs access to both the plugin and the Site, and must install the plugin and complete their own connection. |
OpenAI's Help Center describes these controls as separate: sharing a Site does not share its plugin, and sharing a plugin does not replace Site access or connected-app authorization. (OpenAI Help Center)
Shareable Profiles Showcase Sites and Plugins
ChatGPT profiles can collect a bio, activity, selected Sites, and a separate section for top plugins. OpenAI says profiles can showcase Sites and plugins for discovery, but the profile does not grant access to those Sites: the Site's own permissions continue to determine who can open it. (OpenAI Help Center: Shareable profiles in ChatGPT; OpenAI's DevDay recap)
Personal profiles are private by default. If you make a personal profile public, anyone signed in to ChatGPT can view it, but shared profiles do not show conversation titles or content. Business profiles are limited to members of the same workspace, and administrators control their sharing level. OpenAI says Enterprise profile access is coming soon. (OpenAI Help Center)
| Profile type | Site showcase rule |
|---|---|
| Public personal profile | The Site must be public. |
| Shared Business profile | The Site must be available to the whole workspace or be public. |
| Private profile | You can showcase a Site you own and can access, including one shared with selected people or groups. |
You can showcase up to 12 Sites on each profile, and the profile guide says showcase controls are available on web and desktop, not mobile. Adding a Site to a showcase does not change its access permissions; Sites shared only with selected people or groups cannot appear on a public or workspace-shared profile. (OpenAI Help Center)
A Safer Way to Share a Site Plugin
Treat the Site, the plugin, and the connected account as separate access layers. Before inviting anyone, review the information the Site exposes, decide whether tools should only read data or also write changes, and test the behavior with sample content. For a Business or Enterprise workspace, share only with members whose role is allowed to use the plugin and the Site. (OpenAI Help Center)
The practical opportunity is that a small team can build a Site-backed workflow, connect it to ChatGPT through an MCP plugin, and make the work easier to discover through profiles. The practical limit is that a public profile is not a public Site, and a shared Site is not a shared plugin. Check both permissions before expecting another person to use the workflow. (OpenAI Help Center; OpenAI Help Center)
Sources
- OpenAI, "DevDay 2026 Recap" (September 29, 2026)
- OpenAI Help Center, "Hosting a plugin with ChatGPT Sites"
- OpenAI Help Center, "Shareable profiles in ChatGPT"
- OpenAI Help Center, "Using Codex with your ChatGPT plan"
- Tibo on X, "Build and deploy MCP servers through ChatGPT" (October 1, 2026)
- OpenAI Developers on X, "Shareable profiles for Sites and plugins" (September 30, 2026)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn a ChatGPT Site into an MCP plugin?
Open a Site you own, or work with its owner, and ask ChatGPT or Codex to add an MCP server. Describe what the tools should read or change, review and test them, then have the Site owner publish the Site. OpenAI says publishing creates the associated plugin, which you can install and connect.
Can I share a Site-hosted plugin with anyone?
Not through the same sharing path for every account. Business and Enterprise workspace members can share plugins with coworkers when permissions allow. OpenAI says Pro and personal-account users cannot currently share a Site-hosted plugin directly by invitation or share link. Site sharing does not share the plugin.
What should I know before sharing a profile?
Personal profiles are private by default. You can choose public sharing, and people viewing a public profile must sign in to ChatGPT. Shared profiles do not show conversation titles or content. Business profile visibility is controlled by workspace settings.
Can I showcase a private Site on my profile?
A private profile can showcase a Site you own and can access, including one shared with selected people or groups. Public personal profiles can showcase only public Sites, and shared Business profiles can showcase Sites available to the whole workspace or public Sites. A showcase does not change Site access permissions.