Gemini and Perplexity MCP: add a custom MCP server (Copilot too)

Yes, both accept custom MCP servers. The Gemini app lets you add a custom app by its MCP server URL (US only, 18 or over, personal Google Account), and Perplexity lets you add remote MCP connectors from Plugins. Microsoft's Copilot Studio and GitHub Copilot Chat accept MCP too. Everything below comes from each vendor's official pages, checked on 15 November 2026. Things change, so check the linked pages.

What each one supports

Gemini

Google's Gemini Apps Help says custom apps are third-party or personal apps you connect through their MCP server URL, then use in the Gemini mobile and web apps. You connect them only in the web app: go to gemini.google.com, open Settings, then Connected Apps, then Add a custom app, and enter the MCP server URL. If the server does not support Dynamic Client Registration, you enter credentials under Advanced features. Then you type @ to direct a prompt to the app.

The conditions on that page: you must be 18 or over and in the US, sign in with a personal Google Account (work or school accounts are not currently supported), and keep Activity turned on. The server must follow the standard MCP specifications. The feature is English only, and Gemini asks for manual confirmation before any write action. Google also says it does not control, monitor or secure third-party MCP servers, so connect only providers you trust. The page does not mention subscription plan requirements.

Gemini CLI is Google's command-line tool. It accepts MCP servers over stdio, SSE and streamable HTTP, set under mcpServers in settings.json, with OAuth 2.0 for remote servers.

Perplexity

Perplexity's help center describes remote MCP servers as cloud-based services you reach from any internet connection. You add one from Plugins in the sidebar with Add custom. Remote HTTP and SSE servers also work inside imported plugins. Remote connectors need an internet connection and remote authentication.

Local servers are separate: they run only in the Perplexity Mac app, with a helper app called PerplexityXPC, and Perplexity says it and Apple do not officially recognize local servers. The page does not say which subscription plans include MCP.

GitHub Copilot

GitHub's documentation says Copilot Chat accepts MCP servers in VS Code 1.99 or later, Visual Studio 17.14 or later, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode and Eclipse. Remote servers are shown for Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode and Eclipse; the VS Code section shows local examples. For Copilot Business and Enterprise, the organization policy "MCP servers in Copilot" is off by default. This is GitHub Copilot, not Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Microsoft Copilot Studio

Microsoft's Copilot Studio documentation says you can connect an existing MCP server to a Copilot Studio agent from the agent's Tools page, by entering a name, a description and the server URL, then choosing None, API key or OAuth 2.0. It supports the Streamable transport and no longer supports SSE after August 2025. That page does not describe adding a server directly inside Microsoft 365 Copilot, so we say nothing about that.

Where Fezola fits

Fezola is a hosted MCP connector for Gmail, iCloud, any IMAP mailbox, Outlook.com, Google Calendar, Google Chat and Telegram, with a shared Memory. It exposes a standard remote MCP URL, https://api.fezola.com/mcp, with OAuth. That is the kind of URL the Gemini app, Perplexity and Copilot Studio ask for, but we have tested Fezola only with Claude and ChatGPT (see add an MCP server to ChatGPT), so we do not promise it works in the others. If a client only accepts local servers, a hosted connector is not what it expects: see remote or local MCP server.

Fezola is free with 2 sources. Pro connects unlimited sources for $9 per month or $90 per year, with a 7-day free trial.

Create your free Fezola account to connect your mailboxes to Claude or ChatGPT.