ChatGPT + Render

Manage your Render apps from ChatGPT.

ChatGPT works with Render through the Render MCP server, added as a native ChatGPT app — the app type OpenAI now submits and publishes as a ChatGPT plugin. With it enabled, ChatGPT can create services, spin up Render Postgres databases, run read-only SQL queries, and pull logs and metrics from a normal chat. Render runs your apps on managed infrastructure (real Postgres with HA and read replicas, persistent disks, background workers, no cold starts, and render.yaml Blueprints), so ChatGPT has stable, production-grade surfaces to work with.

Setup contract

Auth: API key
Restart required: No
Verify: list_workspaces

Agent details

Agent: ChatGPT
Vendor: OpenAI
Docs: Open ChatGPT docs

Quick start

Use a qualifying ChatGPT plan. Developer mode and custom apps are available on Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans. They aren't available on the free plan.
Create a Render API key. Generate one in your account settings and keep it handy.
Turn on developer mode. Open Settings → Security and login and enable Developer mode. If the toggle is unavailable, a workspace admin needs to allow it. (Menu labels vary by plan and rollout.)
Add the Render app. Open Settings → Plugins (or go to chatgpt.com/plugins), click the + button to create an app, set the MCP server URL to https://mcp.render.com/mcp, choose API key authentication, and paste your Render API key.
plaintext
```
https://mcp.render.com/mcp
```
Enable it in a chat. Start a new conversation, open the + (apps) menu in the composer, and turn on Render. Apps are off by default in each new chat, and ChatGPT asks you to confirm each action it takes.
Set your Render workspace, then try a prompt like "List my Render services and show the latest deploy status for each."

Once Render's app is published in the ChatGPT apps directory, you'll be able to add it directly — no developer mode required.

Quick links

Render MCP docs MCP Server on GitHub ChatGPT developer mode docs Codex + Render

MCP configuration

The Render MCP server is hosted at https://mcp.render.com/mcp. ChatGPT connects to it as an app configured in the ChatGPT UI — there's no local config file to edit.

MCP setup

Install command

Settings → Plugins → +

OAuth

Not supported yet

When you add the app, choose the API key authentication mode and paste your Render API key. ChatGPT sends it as an Authorization: Bearer header on every request.

The Render MCP server currently uses API-key authentication. Developer mode and custom apps require a paid ChatGPT plan (Plus, Pro, Business, or Enterprise). OAuth support is on the Render roadmap.

For the full tool reference and troubleshooting, see the MCP server docs and the Render MCP server repo.

Example prompts

Start with one of these prompts, then refine the plan with your agent.

Deploy

Deploy an example Flask web service on Render from https://github.com/render-examples/flask-hello-world.

Data

Create a Render Postgres database named user-db with 5 GB of storage.

Query

Using my Render database, tell me which items were most frequently bought together.

Debug

Pull the most recent error-level logs for my API service and summarize the likely cause.

Metrics

What was the busiest traffic day for my web service this month?

Config

List the environment variables on my web service and flag anything that looks unset.

Common workflows

Spin up a new service

Ask ChatGPT to create a web service, static site, or cron job from a public Git repo.
Review the proposed name, plan, and environment variables.
Confirm the tool call, and let the Render app create it in your active workspace.
Check the first deploy's status and logs.

Create and query a database

Ask ChatGPT to create a Render Postgres database and pick a plan.
Wire its connection string into a service's environment variables.
Run read-only SQL queries to explore data and answer questions.

Investigate logs and metrics

Ask ChatGPT for the most recent error-level logs for a service.
Have it summarize CPU, memory, and response metrics over a time range.
Decide on next steps, then apply supported changes like environment variable updates.

Tips for success

Re-enable the Render app in each new chat. Apps are off by default in new conversations — turn Render on again from the composer's + menu.
Confirm tool calls when prompted. ChatGPT pauses and waits for your approval before it runs a Render action.
Set your workspace first so ChatGPT acts against the right account resources.
Developer mode has full read/write MCP access. The Render MCP server can create supported services and update environment variables, but it can't trigger deploys, change scaling, or delete resources — use the Render Dashboard, API, or CLI for those.
For repo-aware deploys and code edits, use Codex with Render.

FAQ

Troubleshooting

There's no button to add an app

The + to create an app in Settings → Plugins only appears after you enable developer mode. Turn it on under Settings → Security and login first. If the toggle is missing, ask your workspace admin to allow developer mode for your account.

The app is saved but nothing happens in chat

A saved app isn't active until you enable it for the conversation. Start a new chat, then turn Render on from the composer's + menu. Also confirm any tool call ChatGPT proposes — it waits for your approval before acting.

Authentication errors from the Render MCP

Make sure you selected the API key authentication mode and pasted a valid Render key with access to the target workspace. Tokens embedded in the URL are rejected — the key belongs in the auth field, not the server URL.

Community

Start a new project Read the docs

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