MCP

Introduction:

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the address that lets AI assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or Zed work directly with your Joy subscriptions. Once a client is connected, you can ask it questions in plain language, let it analyse how your subscription business is performing, and let it take the actions you approved, without opening the Joy admin yourself.

You manage everything from Settings > Developers > MCP.

Note:

MCP is available with our Starter plan and above. On the Free plan the tab is visible but locked, and any client you connected earlier is blocked until you upgrade again.

Understanding the rule:

There are three things to know before you connect anything.

1. There is no on/off switch for MCP. As soon as your plan allows it, the server is reachable. What you control is who can reach it: every connected client and every key is listed in the Access table, and you decide what each one is allowed to do.

2. There are two ways for a client to prove who it is.

1. Sign in with your Shopify admin (OAuth): for assistants that open a browser, like Claude or ChatGPT. You approve the request inside your Shopify admin, so nothing else needs to be copied around.
2. Use a key: for tools that run without a browser. You create a key in Joy and paste it into the tool.

Both end up in the same Access table. The only difference is how they signed in.

3. Permissions belong to each client or key, not to your shop. They are split into two groups:

• Read access: Subscriptions, Subscription plans, Subscribers, Orders, Analytics and reports, Perks and bundles, App settings. These only look at data.
• Actions: Create subscriptions, Create quick checkout links, Subscription actions (pause, resume, activate, cancel, skip, reschedule), Edit subscription contents, Edit billing schedule, Manage subscription plans, Payment recovery, Send subscriber emails, Manage app settings. These change live subscriptions, so only turn on what the client actually needs.

Everything is ticked by default and you untick what you want to narrow.

How to set up:

Option 1: Connect an AI assistant (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Zed)

1. In Joy, go to Settings > Developers > MCP and copy the Server URL: https://mcp.joysubscription.com/mcp.
2. Paste that address into your assistant as a custom MCP server or connector.
3. The assistant opens a Joy page asking which shop to connect. Enter your Shopify store domain, for example your-store.myshopify.com, then select Continue.
4. You land in your Shopify admin on the approval screen. Choose the access level:
   • Read-only: the client can view subscriptions, subscribers, orders and reports, and can never change anything.
   • Full access: the client can view and change subscriptions, plans, billing dates and app settings on your behalf.
5. Select Allow access. The client now appears in the Access table.
6. Optional: select the edit icon on its row to fine-tune exactly which read items and actions it keeps.

Option 2: Create a key for a tool without a browser

1. Go to Settings > Developers > MCP and select Create key.
2. Enter a Key name that tells you where the key is used, for example Joy Subscription - Reporting script.
3. Choose an Expiration: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, a custom date, or No expiration. After that date the key stops working and you create a new one.
4. Tick the read items and actions this key needs, then select Create key.
5. Copy the key from the Copy your key now window and store it somewhere safe. This is the only time the full key is shown.
6. Paste the server URL and the key into your tool.

Note:

You can hold up to 3 keys per shop, and a key cannot be rotated. If a key is lost or exposed, revoke it and create a new one.

Managing what already has access

The Access table lists every client and key, with its permissions, expiry date and connection state.

• Pause a client: turn the Connected switch off. Access stops right away and you can turn it back on later without approving the client again.
• Change what it can do: select the edit icon, adjust the read items and actions, then select Save permissions. The change applies from the client's next request.
• Cut access permanently: select the delete icon and confirm. A revoked key can never be used again; a revoked client has to add the server URL and be approved once more.

How Can This Feature Benefit Your Store?

• Ask questions such as "how many subscriptions churned last month?" and get the answer without building a report.
• Handle everyday requests, for example pausing a subscription or moving a billing date, straight from the assistant you already work in.
• Let scripts and internal tools read subscription data on a schedule, with a key that expires on a date you chose.
• Keep control at all times: read-only by default where you want it, one switch to pause, one action to revoke.

Overall

MCP turns Joy Subscriptions into something your AI assistant can work with directly. Start with Read-only for a new client, watch what it does, and open up actions only when you are confident. Every client and key stays visible in one table, so you always know exactly what can reach your subscriptions and you can cut it off in a single step.