Claude + Basecamp: Official MCP Server, No Directory App
Claude can work with Basecamp, but not through a one-click app in Claude’s directory. Since September 2026, 37signals ships an official MCP server inside the Basecamp CLI, which Claude Code and Claude Desktop run as a local server. Claude on the web still needs a custom connector pointing at a community server. Either way there are no event triggers: Claude will do scheduled work on a timer, but nothing starts because a to-do was assigned or a project went quiet.
Here’s exactly how the integration works, how to turn it on, where the limits bite, and what to use if you want Basecamp work that runs on its own.
How Claude connects to Basecamp
Basecamp still isn’t a one-click app in Anthropic’s Connectors Directory. There are two ways in, and which one you use depends on where you run Claude:
- Claude Code or Claude Desktop: the official server. The Basecamp CLI has included
basecamp mcpsince version 0.10.0, released on 3 September 2026. It runs on your machine, uses the CLI’s own sign-in, and serves fifteen Basecamp tools, with a--read-onlyflag and a--domainsflag to narrow what it can touch. - Claude on the web: a custom connector. The official server is local, so the web app can’t reach it. A community Basecamp MCP server, hosted by you or a provider, added as a custom connector is the route. An official hosted server is already answering at mcp.basecamp.com, but 37signals hasn’t documented it or opened it to custom connectors.
- Custom connectors need a paid Claude plan, and what Claude can do through one depends on the server behind it.
Once connected, Claude can query and reason over your Basecamp projects, to-dos, and messages inside a conversation — using natural language instead of clicking through the app.
How to set it up
With the official server (Claude Code or Claude Desktop):
- Install the Basecamp CLI and sign in to your Basecamp account.
- In Claude Code, run
claude mcp add basecamp -- basecamp mcp. In Claude Desktop, addbasecamp mcpas a local MCP server. - Start read-only with
basecamp mcp --read-only, then allow writes once you trust it.
On the web:
- Set up a community Basecamp MCP server and authenticate it to your Basecamp account.
- In Claude, open Customize → Connectors and add a custom connector pointing at the server’s URL.
- Authenticate, approve access, and ask Claude about your projects.
The limits that actually matter
Even fully set up, the integration’s shape is “an assistant you query,” not “an agent that runs your projects.” Three limits define it:
- No event triggers. Claude will run a task on a schedule now, but nothing fires on a Basecamp event. There’s no “when a to-do is assigned to me, draft the next steps” or “when a project goes quiet, nudge the team” — the clock is the only thing that can start it.
- It answers, it doesn’t watch. Claude responds in the moment or on a timer; it doesn’t sit on your account noticing changes and acting on them.
- Setup still isn’t one click. The official server needs the CLI on your machine and stops when your laptop does; the web route needs a community server and a paid plan.
So Claude is great for “help me understand and organize my Basecamp right now” and not built for “keep my projects moving as things happen.”
If you want Basecamp work that runs on its own: Carly
The moment you want something to happen in Basecamp without you in the chat — create a to-do the instant a request arrives, post an update automatically, follow up on a stalled project — you’ve crossed past what Claude’s connector is for.
That’s where Carly fits. Carly is an AI executive assistant built to act on triggers:
- Fires on events, 24/7, in the cloud — when an email arrives or a request comes in, Carly acts on it then, not at the next scheduled run.
- Connects Basecamp to the rest of your stack — create and update to-dos as part of a workflow that also touches email, calendar, CRM, and meetings.
- Actually sends and updates — drafts and sends email (Gmail and Outlook) with attachments, files and labels, manages tasks, and updates your CRM.
- Builds the workflow for you — tell it “I’d like to set up a system that turns inbound requests into Basecamp to-dos and follows up” in plain English; it interviews you, then builds it with you. No prompt engineering, no MCP server to run.
Free Zapier-style workflows; AI agents from $35/month. Carly connects to thousands of apps, Basecamp included.
Claude’s Basecamp connector vs Carly
| Claude (Basecamp MCP) | Carly | |
|---|---|---|
| Read projects & to-dos | Yes | Yes |
| Update to-dos | Yes (in chat) | Yes (automatically) |
| One-click setup | No (CLI or custom connector) | Yes |
| Acts on triggers / events | No | Yes |
| Keeps projects moving on its own | No | Yes |
| Works while laptop is closed | Yes (scheduled tasks) | Yes (cloud) |
| Sends email as part of the flow | Only when you ask | Yes (Gmail + Outlook) |
| Pricing | Paid plan required (custom MCP) | AI agents from $35/mo |
Claude’s connector is a strong Basecamp assistant inside a chat. Carly is a teammate that keeps your projects running.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Claude integrate with Basecamp?
Not as a one-click app in Claude’s directory. Since September 2026 the Basecamp CLI includes an official MCP server that Claude Code and Claude Desktop run locally. Claude on the web still needs a community server added as a custom connector. Once connected, Claude can query and update your projects inside a chat.
Can Claude update Basecamp automatically when something happens?
No. Claude will run a task on a schedule, but there are no event triggers — nothing fires because a to-do was assigned or a project stalled. For automatic, trigger-based Basecamp actions, you need an agent platform like Carly.
How do I connect Claude to Basecamp?
In Claude Code, install the Basecamp CLI, sign in, and run claude mcp add basecamp -- basecamp mcp. On the web, add a community Basecamp MCP server as a custom connector under Customize → Connectors and authenticate. Custom connectors require a paid Claude plan.
Is there a free Claude Basecamp connector?
There is no directory connector. The official server in the Basecamp CLI costs nothing to run in Claude Code or Claude Desktop; connecting Claude on the web means a custom connector, which needs a paid plan.
What if I want my projects to update without me in the chat?
That’s outside what Claude’s connector does — it responds inside a chat and doesn’t act on triggers. Carly fires on events 24/7 in the cloud, creating Basecamp to-dos and sending email as things happen. AI agents start at $35/month.
More: Claude connectors · Claude + Google Calendar · Can Claude send emails · Claude vs Carly · Claude Cowork alternatives · Best AI agents for productivity
Ready to automate your busywork?
Carly schedules, researches, and briefs you—so you can focus on what matters.
See what people say
"Before Carly, I relied on a Calendly link, but the whole process felt impersonal and not very professional. Carly changed that by handling all the back-and-forth, so I'm no longer stuck in endless email threads trying to line up schedules.
Now Carly reaches out to candidates, shares my real-time availability, lets them pick a slot, then sends a Zoom link and drops it straight into my calendar. She sends reminders to both of us before each call, which has significantly reduced no-shows and last-minute confusion.
On top of scheduling, Carly acts like a full executive assistant, sending me my schedule the night before so I can prepare for each call. It reminds me of the old x.ai assistant, but Carly is noticeably smarter, faster, and better suited to my healthcare recruitment business."
