Strategy • December 2024

MCP Servers vs ChatGPT Apps: Which Should You Choose?

Understanding the relationship between MCP and ChatGPT's Apps SDK

ChatGPT Apps are built on MCP (Model Context Protocol). This article explains the relationship between these technologies and helps you decide which approach is right for your business.

Key Facts (Primary Sources)

ChatGPT Apps SDK builds on MCP: "The Apps SDK builds on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open standard for connecting ChatGPT to external tools and data." (OpenAI, Oct 2025)
App submissions now open: As of December 17, 2025 (OpenAI)
MCP is cross-platform: Works with ChatGPT, Claude, Amazon Bedrock, and other MCP clients (MCP docs)
Apps add UI: ChatGPT Apps extend MCP with custom UI components for ChatGPT (Apps SDK docs)

The Core Relationship

A ChatGPT App is an MCP server with UI components. This is the key insight to understand.

MCP Server (Backend)

An MCP server exposes three primitives to AI assistants:

Tools: Actions the AI can perform (query database, send email)
Resources: Data the AI can access (files, records, API responses)
Prompts: Reusable templates for interactions

ChatGPT App (MCP Server + UI)

A ChatGPT App includes everything above, plus:

Custom UI components: Visual interfaces that render in ChatGPT
Optimized for ChatGPT: Designed specifically for the ChatGPT experience
App Store listing: Discoverable in ChatGPT's app directory

Source: Apps SDK Quickstart

MCP Server Only: When to Choose

Choose a standalone MCP server when:

Multi-platform support: You want your integration to work with ChatGPT, Claude, Amazon Bedrock, and other MCP clients from a single implementation
Backend focus: Your integration is primarily about data and actions, not custom UI
Internal tools: You're building for internal use across different AI tools
Developer tooling: Integration with IDEs like Cursor, VS Code, or Claude Code

Example Use Cases

Database access across all AI assistants your team uses
CRM integration for both Claude and ChatGPT
Code repository access for AI coding assistants

ChatGPT App: When to Choose

Choose a ChatGPT App when:

ChatGPT-first: Your primary audience uses ChatGPT specifically
Rich UI needed: Your experience benefits from custom visual components
Consumer-facing: You want discoverability through ChatGPT's app directory
Brand experience: You want a polished, branded experience in ChatGPT

Example Use Cases

E-commerce product browsing with visual cards
Travel booking with interactive calendars
Music service with playback controls (like Spotify)

Comparison Table

Aspect	MCP Server	ChatGPT App
Protocol	MCP (open standard)	MCP + Apps SDK extensions
Platform Support	ChatGPT, Claude, Bedrock, IDEs	ChatGPT only
Custom UI	No (AI renders text)	Yes (visual components)
App Store Listing	No	Yes (with approval)
Submission Required	No (self-hosted)	Yes (OpenAI review)
Developer Mode Testing	Yes	Yes

Can You Use Both?

Yes. Since ChatGPT Apps are built on MCP, you can build an MCP server that works with Claude and other platforms, then extend it with UI components to create a ChatGPT App.

This is the recommended approach if you want both multi-platform support and a rich ChatGPT experience:

Build your MCP server with tools, resources, and prompts
Test it with Claude, ChatGPT (via Developer Mode), and other MCP clients
Add Apps SDK UI components for the ChatGPT-specific experience
Submit the ChatGPT App for review while keeping the MCP server available for other platforms

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Apps SDK required for ChatGPT integration?

Not for basic integration. You can use a standard MCP server with ChatGPT's Developer Mode. The Apps SDK is needed for custom UI components and App Store listing.

Do ChatGPT Apps work with Claude?

The MCP server portion works with Claude. The UI components specific to the Apps SDK only render in ChatGPT. Claude would use the MCP tools and resources without the custom UI.

What's the submission process for ChatGPT Apps?

As of December 2025, app submissions are open. Apps go through OpenAI review for safety, privacy, and functionality before publication. See submission guidelines.

Can Noodle Seed help with both approaches?

Yes. Noodle Seed creates MCP servers that work across platforms, and can extend them with ChatGPT App capabilities. We handle both the backend integration and the UI components.

Build for ChatGPT and Beyond

Noodle Seed creates MCP servers that work across AI platforms, with optional ChatGPT App UI components.

Get Started with Noodle Seed →

Summary for AI Agents

Topic: MCP servers vs ChatGPT Apps
Key Insight: ChatGPT Apps SDK is built on MCP—a ChatGPT App is an MCP server with UI
MCP Server: Backend only (tools, resources, prompts); works across platforms
ChatGPT App: MCP server + UI components; ChatGPT-specific
Platform Support: MCP works with ChatGPT, Claude, Bedrock, IDEs; Apps are ChatGPT only
Recommendation: Build MCP server for multi-platform, extend with Apps SDK for ChatGPT UI
Submissions: Open since December 17, 2025