Jargon decoder
Plugins, skills, apps, connectors: what each one is in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot
In 2026 the four big AI assistants all started using the word “plugin” again, renamed connectors to apps, and began replacing custom bots with “skills”. Here is one decoder for all of it, with dates.
App / connector = a link to one service (Gmail, Canva). Skill = saved instructions for one kind of task. Plugin = a box holding skills and apps together. MCP = the shared plug standard underneath them all. Custom GPTs and Gemini Gems are being turned into skills.
The five words, in plain English
| Word | What it is | Everyday example |
|---|---|---|
| App / connector | A live link that lets the AI read from, or act in, one other service | “Find last week’s email from my landlord” (Gmail) |
| Skill | A saved set of instructions (a folder with a SKILL.md file) the AI uses when your task matches | “Write every weekly update in this format” |
| Plugin | A package that bundles skills, apps and sometimes interactive panels, installed in one go | A “Project updates” plugin that reads Slack and writes the update in your template |
| Extension | Either a browser add-on (Claude in Chrome) or a local connector that runs on your computer (Claude desktop extensions) | Letting Claude read files on your laptop |
| MCP | The open standard most apps, connectors and plugins use to talk to the AI | The “USB-C port” behind all of the above |
Company by company (October 2026)
| ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini | Microsoft Copilot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Link to a service | Apps | Connectors | Connected Apps | Connectors (free app, read-only) |
| Saved instructions | Skills (beta) | Skills | Skills (replacing Gems; 18+) | Skills |
| Bundle | Plugins | Plugins | — | Plugins (business) |
| Custom bot | Custom GPTs — retiring Dec 11, 2026 | Projects | Gems — converting to skills Nov 2026 | Copilot GPTs — removed 2024 |
| Add your own MCP server | Developer mode (Plus and up) | Custom connector (1 on Free) | Custom apps (US, 18+) | Copilot Studio (business) |
| Always-on agent | Dots (Pro) | — | Spark (AI Pro/Ultra) | Autopilot (preview) |
| Where to find them | Sidebar → Plugins | Customize → Connectors / Skills / Plugins | Settings → Connected Apps | + → Use connectors; Plugins menu (business) |
From each company’s help pages, read Oct 3, 2026. Plans, ages and regions limit several features; Gemini’s third-party apps are mostly US-only, and several ChatGPT and Gemini agent features aren’t available in the EU, UK or Switzerland.
How the names changed
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| Mar 2023 | ChatGPT launches its first plugins (beta) |
| Apr 2024 | Those original ChatGPT plugins shut down reported |
| Jul 2024 | Microsoft removes Copilot GPTs reported |
| Nov 2024 | Anthropic releases MCP |
| Jul 2025 | Claude launches its connectors directory |
| Oct 2025 | Claude launches skills; ChatGPT launches apps |
| Dec 2025 | Skills become an open standard; MCP moves to the Linux Foundation |
| Jul 9, 2026 | ChatGPT’s App Directory becomes the Plugin Directory |
| Aug 6–12, 2026 | Agent Plugins 1.0, an open plugin standard, from AWS, Microsoft, OpenAI and others; Google joins |
| Sep 30, 2026 | Microsoft replaces “Agents” with a Plugins menu; Google launches Gemini skills |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Custom GPTs retire |
Which one do you actually need?
- You want the AI to see your stuff (email, calendar, files): connect an app/connector from the official directory. Start with read-only tasks.
- You keep typing the same instructions: save them as a skill — or, on the free plans where skills aren’t available, keep them in a note and paste them.
- You want a ready-made workflow: install a plugin from the directory, check what apps it includes, and look for the Verified badge.
- You had a custom GPT: read what happens to it on December 11.
Before connecting anything, read is MCP safe? — the six rules there take two minutes.
Sources: OpenAI Help Center: “Plugins in ChatGPT”, “Skills in ChatGPT”, “Connected apps in ChatGPT”, custom GPT retirement FAQ · OpenAI developers: plugins · OpenAI DevDay 2026 recap · Anthropic: extending Claude · Anthropic: plugins · Google: Connected Apps · Google: custom apps (MCP) · Google: Gemini skills · Microsoft: Copilot connectors · Microsoft: plugin registry · GitHub: Agent Plugins 1.0 · The Register on Copilot GPTs
Quick answers
What is the difference between ChatGPT plugins and skills?
A skill is a set of reusable instructions for one kind of task (a folder with a SKILL.md file). A plugin is a package that can hold skills plus connected apps and interactive views. Every plugin can contain skills; a skill doesn’t need a plugin.
What is the difference between ChatGPT connectors and plugins?
Connectors were renamed apps: an app links ChatGPT to one service, such as Gmail or Canva. On July 9, 2026 OpenAI turned its App Directory into a Plugin Directory; a plugin bundles one or more apps with skills for a task.
Are 2026 ChatGPT plugins the same as the 2023 plugins?
No. The original ChatGPT plugins beta launched in March 2023 and shut down in April 2024. The 2026 plugins reuse the name but are a new system built on MCP and skills.
What replaced custom GPTs and Gemini Gems?
Both are moving to skills. Custom GPTs retire on December 11, 2026 and migrate to plugins, with instructions becoming a skill. Google says Gems on personal accounts convert to skills in November 2026.
Is a Claude connector the same as MCP?
A connector is Claude’s name for one connection to one service, and every connector uses MCP underneath. MCP is the open standard; connectors, ChatGPT apps and Gemini connected apps are each company’s product built on it.
Keep learning
Custom GPTs are retiring on December 11, 2026. Here’s what happens to yours
OpenAI is retiring custom GPTs on Dec 11, 2026 and turning them into plugins. What transfers, what doesn’t (actions, sharing), and what to do now.
What is MCP, and is it safe to connect your apps to AI?
MCP is the plug that lets ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot use your apps. What it is, how it differs from connectors, real incidents, and a safety checklist.
Are AI browser extensions safe? Every major incident since 2023, and a 9-point check
Fake ChatGPT extensions, chat-harvesting add-ons and hijacked AI sidebars: what went wrong, why a Featured badge isn’t proof, and 9 checks before installing.