# Why a read-only Google Sheets MCP is safer Most Google Sheets integrations default to read-write, which means an agent can overwrite or delete your data. A read-only MCP server removes that risk entirely — the agent reads, queries, and analyzes, but can never change the sheet. *Last updated: 2026-07-11 · Source: * ## Key facts - An MCP client can only call the tools a server **advertises**. A server with no write tool has no write path — the safety is structural, not a setting an agent can talk its way past. ([source](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18)) - PasteSheet's MCP server exposes three tools — `list_tabs`, `get_schema` and `query_rows` — and is **read-only by design**: an agent can query your sheet but can never modify it. - Read-only is not read-limited: `query_rows` still supports exact filters, partial matches, full-text search, sorting, pagination and aggregation — an agent can do real analysis, just never a write. - It needs **no Google Cloud project, no OAuth consent screen and no service-account JSON**. You paste a share URL, and MCP is included on the Free plan. ## Read-write is powerful — and risky Google's Sheets API, its Workspace MCP direction, and automation hubs like Zapier and Composio all default to **read-write** access. That is useful when you want an agent to update rows, but it also means a misfired tool call — or a prompt injection in the data itself — can overwrite, reorder, or delete cells in the source of truth. PasteSheet takes the opposite default. Its MCP tools (`list_tabs`, `get_schema`, `query_rows`) are read-only and marked idempotent. There is simply no tool an agent can call to mutate the sheet. ## Where read-only is the right default - Handing a sheet to an autonomous agent you do not fully control. - Powering a public [search widget](https://pastesheet.com/features) or website where the endpoint is exposed to visitors. - Sharing reference data with a client or teammate who should read, not edit. - Any case where the spreadsheet is the source of truth and must not drift. ## Read-only, not read-limited Read-only does not mean underpowered. The `query_rows` tool supports exact filters, partial matches, full-text search, sorting, pagination, and aggregation — so an agent can do real analysis, just never a write. Pair it with [schema lock](https://pastesheet.com/features) so a renamed column raises a clear error instead of silently breaking consumers. New to this? Start with the [Google Sheets MCP overview](https://pastesheet.com/guides/google-sheets-mcp), or see how it differs from [Google's official MCP](https://pastesheet.com/guides/google-sheets-mcp-vs-google-official). ## What it costs **MCP is included on the Free plan.** Connect any **public** endpoint over MCP with no Google Cloud project and no credit card. Private endpoints and the account-wide workspace server need a paid plan (from **Starter ($9/mo)**) for the keys and OAuth they authenticate with. Pro adds full-text search and aggregation (`count`, `sum`, `avg`, `group_by`) that your AI agent can call through `query_rows`. **Starter — $9/month.** For indie makers shipping a real app. - Endpoints: 10 - Requests: 50,000 / month - Rows per endpoint: 5,000 - Tabs per endpoint: 5 - Rate limit: 300 / minute ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the PasteSheet MCP connection read-only? Yes. The exposed tools only read your sheet — list_tabs, get_schema, and query_rows. An agent can query and analyze rows but cannot add, edit, or delete anything. ### Why prefer a read-only Sheets MCP? Because it is safe to hand to an agent, embed on a public page, or share with a client. A read-write connection risks an agent overwriting your source-of-truth data. ### Can I still query and filter with a read-only MCP? Yes. query_rows supports filters, contains matches, full-text search, sorting, pagination, and aggregation, so agents can do real analysis without any write access. ## Sources - [Model Context Protocol specification](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2025-06-18) — Model Context Protocol ## Related guides - [Google Sheets MCP Server for Claude & ChatGPT](https://pastesheet.com/guides/google-sheets-mcp) — Turn any public or private Google Sheet into an MCP server so Claude, Cursor, and ChatGPT can read and query it in plain English. No code, no backend. - [Does Google Have an Official Sheets MCP Server?](https://pastesheet.com/guides/google-sheets-mcp-vs-google-official) — Google's official and Workspace MCP servers both skip spreadsheets. Here is what it shipped, what it left out, and the no-setup way to fill the gap. - [Google Sheets MCP vs Zapier & Composio](https://pastesheet.com/guides/google-sheets-mcp-vs-zapier) — Zapier and Composio give Google Sheets MCP for read-write automation. PasteSheet is a hosted, read-only endpoint from a pasted URL — which to pick, and when. - [Google Sheets MCP Without Google Cloud](https://pastesheet.com/guides/google-sheets-mcp-without-google-cloud) — Connect a public or restricted Google Sheet to Claude or ChatGPT over MCP without your own Cloud project, OAuth client, or service account. --- [PasteSheet](https://pastesheet.com) turns any Google Sheet into a live REST API and MCP server for AI agents — no backend, no code. Canonical HTML version of this page: