---
title: "respond.io MCP server for AI agents - actionlake"
description: "Give Claude 30 respond.io actions through one MCP server: contacts, custom fields, messages. Your agent never holds the credential. 100,000 calls a month free."
canonical: https://actionlake.com/connectors/respond-io
updated: 2026-10-23
---

Connectors · CRM & sales

# respond.io MCP server for AI agents.

actionlake is an MCP gateway: one remote MCP server that connects Claude and other MCP clients to respond.io and the rest of your systems. It gives your agent 30 respond.io actions (14 reads, 13 writes and 3 that wait for a confirmation) and holds the respond.io credential itself, so the agent never does. It paces respond.io's limits and records every call.

[Connect respond.io free](https://actionlake.com/console?start=sandbox) [See pricing](https://actionlake.com/pricing)

100,000 free calls a month. No card, no email, no password: press Start a free sandbox on the next screen and keep the key it shows you.

`claude mcp add --transport http actionlake https://connect.actionlake.com/mcp`

the first call

```
do {
  action: "respond_io.contacts.list",
  intent: "check which respond.io account is connected"
}
# List contacts · read · 1 upstream call
```

- 30 actions in one signed file
- 14 read look, never change
- 13 write create and update
- 3 wait for a yes destructive, confirmed first

Set up

## Connect respond.io in three steps.

1. 01
   ### Add actionlake to Claude.
   Run the command once in Claude Code; its consent page can create a free sandbox: 100,000 calls a month, no card. In the Claude app, add a custom connector with the URL below and paste your key on the consent page. Creating a new sandbox from the Claude app is not yet tested by us.
   `https://connect.actionlake.com/mcp`
2. 02
   ### Connect respond.io.
   Bearer token. No consent screen: your agent can connect it for you, but the key then passes through your chat. To keep it out of the model's context, paste it in the console instead. actionlake stores what you paste write-only, sealed under your tenant's key.
   - `access_token` respond.io API access token
   ```
   account { op: "connections.requirements", service: "respond_io" }
   # free: exactly what to paste, and what is found for you
   ```
3. 03
   ### Make the first call. Check before a write.
   Ask in plain words; Claude picks the action. Before anything changes, `check` validates the call and prices it, for free.
   ```
   do    { action: "respond_io.contacts.list" }
   # list contacts · read · 1 upstream call
   check { action: "respond_io.contacts.create", input: { … } }
   # free: inputs, permissions, cost and confirmations, nothing sent
   ```

respond.io at a glance

**Sign-in**

Bearer token. No consent screen: your agent can connect it for you, but the key then passes through your chat. To keep it out of the model's context, paste it in the console instead.

**You provide**

`access_token`

**Limits we pace to**

5 calls a second, per connection

**API covered**

Respond.io Developer API v2`api.respond.io/v2`

**Built from**

respond.io's documentation, read 23 October 2026[developers.respond.io](https://developers.respond.io/) [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@respond-io/typescript-sdk) [npmjs.com](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@respond-io/n8n-nodes-respond-io)

**Service file**

Version 1.0.0, signed (Ed25519)

**Cached reads**

14 of 14 reads, for up to 5 minutes; a write clears what it affects

**Shared entities**

3, so ask can line respond.io up with your other systems

**Data**

Processed and stored in Sydney, Australia. No US region yet

Capabilities

## What an AI agent can do in respond.io.

30 actions in 14 areas. Every one carries its effect, so a key can allow the reads and hold the rest.

- **14** read look, never change
- **13** write create and update
- **3** destructive wait for a confirmation

1. ### Contacts
   7
   2 read · 3 write · 2 destructive
   List contacts · Create a contact · Get a contact · Update a contact
2. ### Custom fields
   3
   2 read · 1 write · 0 destructive
   Create a custom field · List custom fields · Get a custom field
3. ### Messages
   3
   2 read · 1 write · 0 destructive
   List a contact's messages · Send a message · Get a message
4. ### Tags
   3
   0 read · 2 write · 1 destructive
   Create a workspace tag · Update a workspace tag · Delete a workspace tag
5. ### Contact tags
   2
   0 read · 2 write · 0 destructive
   Add tags to a contact · Remove tags from a contact
6. ### Conversations
   2
   0 read · 2 write · 0 destructive
   Assign a conversation · Open or close a conversation
7. ### Message templates
   2
   2 read · 0 write · 0 destructive
   List a channel's message templates · Get a message template
8. ### Users
   2
   2 read · 0 write · 0 destructive
   List workspace users · Get a workspace user

**6 more areas · 6 actions**

- Channel templates **1**
- Channels **1**
- Closing notes **1**
- Comments **1**
- Contact channels **1**
- Contact lifecycles **1**

Top actions

## The respond.io API, shaped for agents.

The ids your agent types, what each does, and the one name it shares with other systems. 16 of respond.io's 16 action names are shared with at least one other connector, so an agent learns them once.

| Action | What it does | Effect | Same name in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `respond_io.contacts.list` List contacts | List contacts matching a search term and an optional filter, newest first. | read | `crm.contact.list` 177 connectors |
| `respond_io.users.list` List workspace users | List the users in the workspace. Cheap read to test a fresh connection. | read | `identity.user.list` 474 connectors |
| `respond_io.contacts.create` Create a contact | Create a contact identified by email or phone. | write | `crm.contact.create` 161 connectors |
| `respond_io.channels.list` List workspace channels | List the messaging channels connected to the workspace. | read | `comm.channel.list` 27 connectors |
| `respond_io.contacts.delete` Delete a contact | Delete a contact. | destructive | `crm.contact.delete` 147 connectors |
| `respond_io.users.get` Get a workspace user | Fetch one workspace user. | read | `identity.user.get` 399 connectors |
| `respond_io.tags.create` Create a workspace tag | Create a tag in the workspace. | write | `crm.tag.create` 49 connectors |
| `respond_io.messages.send` Send a message | Send a message to a contact on a channel (or the contact's last-interacted channel when `channelId` is omitted). | write | `comm.message.send` 25 connectors |
| `respond_io.tags.update` Update a workspace tag | Rename or restyle a workspace tag, identified by its current name. | write | `crm.tag.update` 40 connectors |
| `respond_io.comments.create` Add a comment | Add an internal comment to a contact's conversation. Mention a user with `{{@user.<id>}}`. | write | this connector |
| `respond_io.contact_tags.add` Add tags to a contact | Add up to 10 tags to a contact; tags that do not exist yet are created. | write | this connector |
| `respond_io.contact_tags.remove` Remove tags from a contact | Remove up to 10 tags from a contact. The tags themselves stay in the workspace. | write | this connector |

Try it

## Prompts to paste into Claude.

Each one names the respond.io actions it will call, so you know what it reads and what it changes before you send it.

1. Read read
   Find the respond.io contacts with no email address, so we can clean them up.
   calls `respond_io.contacts.list`
2. Write write
   Create a contact in respond.io. Show me exactly what you will send before you save it.
   calls `respond_io.contacts.create`
3. Across systems read
   Which contacts are in both respond.io and HaloPSA, and how many are in only one of them?
   calls `respond_io.contacts.list` `halopsa.users.list`

Across your systems

## respond.io, joined to the rest of your business.

One `ask` fetches from respond.io and another system, joins the rows on the same customer on our side, and hands your agent the answer, not every row.

- Which contacts are in both respond.io and HaloPSA, and how many are in only one of them?
  `respond_io.contacts.list` + `halopsa.users.list`, on `crm.contact` · [HaloPSA](https://actionlake.com/connectors/halopsa)
- Which contacts are in both respond.io and NetSuite, and how many are in only one of them?
  `respond_io.contacts.list` + `netsuite.views.contacts`, on `crm.contact` · [NetSuite](https://actionlake.com/connectors/netsuite)

Also mapped by other connectors `identity.user` **517** `crm.contact` **192** `comm.channel` **21**

ask

```
ask {
  intent: "which contacts are in both respond.io and HaloPSA, and how many are in only one of them",
  steps: [
    { action: "respond_io.contacts.list", as: "people", input: {}, limit: 100, max_pages: 5 },
    { action: "halopsa.users.list", as: "people2", input: {}, limit: 100, max_pages: 5 },
    { join: {
        left: "people",
        right: "people2",
        on: "crm.contact",
        group_by: "people.email",
        select: ["people.email", "count(people2.id) as in_halopsa"]
    } }
  ]
}
```

Example. Run it through check first: it validates the steps and prices them, and it is free.

Governance for respond.io

## Destructive actions wait for a yes.

3 respond.io actions are destructive. These are all of them:

- Delete a contact `respond_io.contacts.delete`
- Merge two contacts `respond_io.contacts.merge`
- Delete a workspace tag `respond_io.tags.delete`

A destructive action runs only with `confirm: true`. Under the `human` policy the agent cannot confirm for itself: the run stops until a named person approves, in the console or from a signed link in an email. The cap on a key is refused before the call is sent, never after.

do respond_io.contacts.delete confirm_policy: **human**

Delete a contact?

**intent:** the user asked me to delete a contact

run suspended · waiting for a named person · key _respond-io-agent_ cannot confirm itself

In the console, or from an emailed signed link.

a key for this connector

```
account {
  op: "keys.create", name: "respond-io-agent",
  allowed_actions: ["respond_io.*"], cap_calls: 2000,
  confirm_policy: "human_for_writes",
  approval_rules: [
    { match: "respond_io.contacts.delete", approver: "lead@example.com" },
    { match: "respond_io.contacts.merge", approver: "lead@example.com" },
    { match: "respond_io.tags.delete", approver: "lead@example.com" }
  ]
}
```

Illustrative. Scoped to respond.io only, capped at 2,000 upstream calls, every write confirmed, and the destructive ones approved by a named person.

Cost

## What respond.io costs on actionlake.

Every respond.io action is one upstream call, the only thing actionlake bills. Searching, `check`, `cost`, `account` and any call respond.io refused with 401, 403, 429 or a 5xx are free. Paid plans start at US$49 a month for 250,000 calls, with overage from US$0.30 down to US$0.18 per 1,000.

- 1 upstream call per action all 30 respond.io actions
- 30 actions page each page of a long list is one call
- 14 reads can be cached a cache hit costs nothing
- 100,000 calls a month, free paid plans from US$49 a month for 250,000

[See pricing](https://actionlake.com/pricing)

Action index

## Every respond.io action.

30 actions by area: the id your agent calls, what it does, and its effect.

**Contacts 7**

- `respond_io.contacts.create` Create a contact write
- `respond_io.contacts.delete` Delete a contact destructive
- `respond_io.contacts.get` Get a contact read
- `respond_io.contacts.list` List contacts read
- `respond_io.contacts.merge` Merge two contacts destructive
- `respond_io.contacts.update` Update a contact write
- `respond_io.contacts.upsert` Create or update a contact write

**Custom fields 3**

- `respond_io.custom_fields.create` Create a custom field write
- `respond_io.custom_fields.get` Get a custom field read
- `respond_io.custom_fields.list` List custom fields read

**Messages 3**

- `respond_io.messages.get` Get a message read
- `respond_io.messages.list` List a contact's messages read
- `respond_io.messages.send` Send a message write

**Tags 3**

- `respond_io.tags.create` Create a workspace tag write
- `respond_io.tags.delete` Delete a workspace tag destructive
- `respond_io.tags.update` Update a workspace tag write

**Contact tags 2**

- `respond_io.contact_tags.add` Add tags to a contact write
- `respond_io.contact_tags.remove` Remove tags from a contact write

**Conversations 2**

- `respond_io.conversations.assign` Assign a conversation write
- `respond_io.conversations.update_status` Open or close a conversation write

**Message templates 2**

- `respond_io.message_templates.get` Get a message template read
- `respond_io.message_templates.list` List a channel's message templates read

**Users 2**

- `respond_io.users.get` Get a workspace user read
- `respond_io.users.list` List workspace users read

**Channel templates 1**

- `respond_io.channel_templates.list` List a channel's WhatsApp templates read

**Channels 1**

- `respond_io.channels.list` List workspace channels read

**Closing notes 1**

- `respond_io.closing_notes.list` List closing note categories read

**Comments 1**

- `respond_io.comments.create` Add a comment write

**Contact channels 1**

- `respond_io.contact_channels.list` List a contact's channels read

**Contact lifecycles 1**

- `respond_io.contact_lifecycles.update` Set a contact's lifecycle stage write

Questions

## The respond.io MCP server, answered.

**Is there a respond.io MCP server for Claude?**

Yes. actionlake is an MCP gateway: a remote MCP server that gives Claude, or another MCP client, 30 respond.io actions across contacts, custom fields, messages and tags, through the same eight tools it uses for every other connector. actionlake is independent; it is not made or endorsed by respond.io.

**What do I need to connect respond.io?**

Respond.io API access token. The free call account { op: "connections.requirements", service: "respond_io" } lists exactly what to paste.

**Can an AI agent delete or change things in respond.io?**

Only if its key allows it, and only with an explicit confirmation. 3 respond.io actions are destructive, including delete a contact, merge two contacts and delete a workspace tag. Each runs only with confirm: true. Under the human confirm policy, or an approval rule on the key, the run waits until a named person approves it.

**Will an AI agent use up my respond.io API limit?**

actionlake paces every call to the limits in the respond.io service file: 5 calls a second per connection. Repeated reads are answered from cache (14 respond.io actions can be), which never reaches respond.io.

**What does a respond.io action cost?**

One upstream call, the only unit actionlake bills. A list that pages bills one call per page (30 respond.io actions page). Cache hits, searches, dry runs and calls respond.io refused with 401, 403, 429 or a 5xx are free. The Free plan includes 100,000 calls a month with no card. Paid plans start at US$49 a month for 250,000 calls, with overage from US$0.30 down to US$0.18 per 1,000.

**Which respond.io API does it cover?**

The respond.io Developer API v2 at api.respond.io/v2. It is built from respond.io's documentation as read on 23 October 2026. 30 actions in 14 areas, each one in the signed service file (version 1.0.0).

**Can I combine respond.io with my other systems?**

Yes. ask joins respond.io to HaloPSA or NetSuite on the same customer and returns the answer rather than every row. respond.io maps crm.contact, which 192 other connectors also map.

**Does actionlake keep my respond.io data, and where?**

actionlake processes and stores data in Sydney, Australia; there is no US region yet. Reads may be cached for up to 5 minutes, and a write clears the reads it affects. Each run's request and response is kept, sealed, for your plan's trace window: 1 day on Free, 3 days on Starter, 7 days on Pro, 14 days on Team, 30 days on Business and 30 days on Enterprise. Your respond.io credential is sealed under your tenant's key, never logged and never returned. Your traffic is not used to train models.

**Which AI clients can use it?**

Claude Code, tested by us end to end, and the Claude app as a custom connector, tested by us with an existing key. Other MCP clients that support remote servers over Streamable HTTP (MCP revisions 2025-06-18 and 2025-11-25) and OAuth dynamic client registration, or a bearer header, should connect the same way; we have not tested them. Or plain REST, under the same action names.

## More connectors like respond.io

Shares the most action names with

- [Zoho SalesIQ 10](https://actionlake.com/connectors/zoho-salesiq)
- [Crisp 9](https://actionlake.com/connectors/crisp)
- [Hunter.io 7](https://actionlake.com/connectors/hunter-io)
- [VaultRE 7](https://actionlake.com/connectors/vaultre)
- [Google Contacts 6](https://actionlake.com/connectors/google-contacts)
- [Blackbaud SKY API 5](https://actionlake.com/connectors/blackbaud-sky-api)

Joins with, on shared entities

- [Dialpad 3](https://actionlake.com/connectors/dialpad)
- [Fireflies.ai 3](https://actionlake.com/connectors/fireflies-ai)
- [Freshworks Freshchat 3](https://actionlake.com/connectors/freshworks-freshchat)
- [HaloPSA 2](https://actionlake.com/connectors/halopsa)
- [Slack 2](https://actionlake.com/connectors/slack)
- [Microsoft 365 Users 2](https://actionlake.com/connectors/microsoft-365-users)

Browse

- [All CRM & sales connectors](https://actionlake.com/connectors/category/crm-and-sales)
- [All connectors](https://actionlake.com/connectors)
- [How actionlake compares](https://actionlake.com/compare)

actionlake is independent. It is not made or endorsed by respond.io; the name is the vendor's own. Counts are from the respond.io service file, version 1.0.0.

## Give your agent respond.io today.

[Connect respond.io free](https://actionlake.com/console?start=sandbox) [See pricing](https://actionlake.com/pricing)

Start free - 100,000 calls/month, no card. No signup. Hard caps on every key. Cached answers are free.

---

Source: https://actionlake.com/connectors/respond-io
More: https://actionlake.com/llms.txt