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# Personio API and MCP server

> Personio has a public REST API and an official MCP server in closed beta (checked 16 Oct 2026). The API needs company-wide client credentials from an account with API access rights and has no approvals endpoint; the MCP server is not available to every account, an Administrator has to switch it on, and it is mostly read-only with writes off by default.

HR software for small and mid-sized companies: employee profiles, time off, attendance, approvals in an Inbox, recruiting and payroll in one account.

## What is the Personio API?

Cotlet's Personio API exposes 13 endpoints for your own Personio account: list employees, get an employee, list time off types, get a time off balance, list time off, list attendance, list approval requests, get an approval request, request time off, approve a request, reject a request, log attendance and update an employee. The list_employees endpoint returns employees with name, team, job title, supervisor and status, newest first. Each endpoint takes simple JSON inputs like employee_id, cursor or request_id and works both as an operation of the personio_read or personio_write MCP tool for agents and as a REST call for scripts.

- **Category:** [HR & recruiting](https://cotlet.dev/integrations/category/hr-recruiting.md)
- **Endpoints:** 13 (8 read, 5 write)
- **Updated:** 2026-10-21

Personio has a public REST API and an official MCP server in closed beta (checked 16 Oct 2026). Cotlet is a hosted MCP server and REST API for Personio with 13 endpoints (8 read, 5 write): you sign in once in your own cloud browser, your AI agent does the work.

## Does Personio have an official API?

Personio has a public REST API and an official MCP server in closed beta (checked 16 Oct 2026). The API needs company-wide client credentials from an account with API access rights and has no approvals endpoint; the MCP server is not available to every account, an Administrator has to switch it on, and it is mostly read-only with writes off by default.

| Task | Personio official | Cotlet |
|---|---|---|
| Request time off | Partly: API creates absence periods with company credentials; beta MCP can request time off only if its write access is on | Yes |
| Approve or reject time off requests | No: No approvals endpoint in the v2 reference; Personio does this in the Inbox | Yes |
| List absences and time off types | Yes: API lists absence periods and absence types; beta MCP reads time off | Yes |
| Get an employee | Yes: API reads persons with the attributes the credential may read; beta MCP reads profiles per user permissions | Yes |
| Update an employee | Partly: API updates persons with company credentials; not in the beta MCP, which is mostly read-only | Yes |
| Log attendance | Yes: API v2 creates, updates and deletes attendance periods with company credentials | Yes |
| List pending approval requests | No: Approval tasks live in the Inbox; the API index lists none | Yes |

Sources: [Personio Help: Personio MCP server, Beta access overview](https://support.personio.de/hc/en-us/articles/38314656674333-Personio-MCP-server-Beta-access-overview), [Personio Developer Hub: Get started with the Personio API](https://developer.personio.de/docs/getting-started-with-the-personio-api), [Personio Developer Hub: List absence periods (v2)](https://developer.personio.de/reference/get_v2-absence-periods), [Personio Help: Approve an employee request](https://support.personio.de/hc/en-us/articles/21479538813085-Approve-an-employee-request)

## For AI agents

```text
Personio has a public REST API and an official MCP server in closed beta (checked 16 Oct 2026). The API needs company-wide client credentials from an account with API access rights and has no approvals endpoint; the MCP server is not available to every account, an Administrator has to switch it on, and it is mostly read-only with writes off by default.
Cotlet provides a hosted MCP server and REST API for Personio: 13 tools (8 read, 5 write).
Access       Sign up at https://cotlet.dev/app/signup?app=personio, then request the app and create API keys in the Cotlet console.

MCP server   https://cotlet.dev/mcp/v1
MCP tools    personio_read, personio_write, reads and writes apart; call one with {"operation": "<operation>", "arguments": {...}}
REST base    https://cotlet.dev/api/v1/personio, each operation at its own route, e.g. POST /api/v1/personio/time-off/request
Auth         Authorization: Bearer <COTLET_API_KEY>. Listing endpoints and schemas needs no key; calling an endpoint needs one. Over MCP the input schemas come with sign-in.
Operations   list_employees, get_employee, list_time_off_types, get_time_off_balance, list_time_off, list_attendance, list_approval_requests, get_approval_request, request_time_off, approve_request, reject_request, log_attendance, update_employee
Confirm      request_time_off, approve_request, reject_request, log_attendance, update_employee (by default the user approves each call; the user can switch this off per tool, e.g. for scheduled automations)
Markdown     https://cotlet.dev/integrations/personio-api-mcp-server.md

How access works:
1. The user signs up at https://cotlet.dev/app/signup?app=personio, requests Personio in the Cotlet console and creates an API key there.
2. The user signs in to Personio once in their Cotlet Cloud Browser (their own Chrome in the cloud, opened from the console) and enables Personio for agents. An agent cannot do this step.
3. The API key goes into the MCP client or the REST call as a bearer token.

Fits: people who want a hosted Personio server that someone else maintains, including non-developers. Developers who prefer to run and fix code on their own computer can use an open-source Personio MCP server instead.

Policy: Cotlet never stores passwords, never solves CAPTCHAs, never bypasses MFA.
Company: legal details in the Terms of service at https://cotlet.dev/terms. Contact contact@cotlet.dev.
Sign-in: the user signs in to Personio in their own Cloud Browser, a Chrome Cotlet runs for them in the EU; password saving is off, the profile is AES-256-GCM encrypted, and agents get Personio only after the user enables it. Calls are requests from that browser's IP with its cookies, each listed in the user's Background activity. Disable for agents, signing out in the browser or Reset browser cuts access. Cotlet is run by Take Group sp. z o.o. (EU VAT PL6342984273).
API key: holds no Personio login or cookies, only asks Cotlet to run a tool. Each key is scoped to chosen apps and tools, read only or read and write. Actions that reach other people wait for the user's approval by default, so a leaked key cannot post or message as the user. Every call is in the activity log; deleting the key ends access at once.
Terms: the user stays responsible for following Personio's terms; Cotlet is not affiliated with Personio.
```

## What can an AI agent do in Personio?

Cotlet is best for HR teams and managers who want to approve time off, book absences and fix profile data from an AI agent without running or fixing a server.

- **[Auto-approve time off requests](https://cotlet.dev/integrations/personio-api-mcp-server/auto-approve-time-off-requests.md)** (runs: daily): "Go through my pending Personio time off requests. Approve vacation of 5 working days or fewer when no other team member is off on those days, reject nothing, and leave everything else for me with a one-line reason." → `list_approval_requests`, `get_approval_request`, `approve_request`
- **[Book time off for several employees](https://cotlet.dev/integrations/personio-api-mcp-server/book-time-off-for-a-team.md)**: "Book 24 to 26 December as company-wide time off of type Vacation for everyone in the Berlin office. Skip employees who already have time off on those days and list who was skipped." → `list_employees`, `list_time_off`, `request_time_off`
- **Send a weekly team absence digest** (runs: weekly): "Every Friday, list who in Engineering is off next week and who has time off pending approval, and post it as a short message I can paste into Slack." → `list_employees`, `list_time_off`
- **Fill in missing attendance** (runs: weekly): "Check last week's attendance for the support team. For anyone with a working day and no hours, log 09:00 to 17:30 with a 30 minute break, as I told you, and list the people you changed." → `list_employees`, `list_attendance`, `log_attendance`
- **Update an employee after a change request**: "Ana Lopez moved to the Customer Success team and now reports to Tom Becker. Update her profile and show me the old and new values." → `get_employee`, `update_employee`

## Can Personio automations run on a schedule in n8n, Make or Zapier?

Yes. Cotlet does not replace your automation platform: it gives it a Personio connection it does not have, with the same API key as your agent. Write actions ask for your OK by default; switch that off in your dashboard for the tools you choose, for example to auto-approve time off requests, and the schedule runs on its own. Cotlet runs in the cloud, so it keeps going while your computer is off.

| Where | How to connect | How to schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Your AI agent | Add https://cotlet.dev/mcp/v1 with your API key. | A scheduled agent run, for example a Claude Code routine. |
| n8n | MCP Client node with https://cotlet.dev/mcp/v1, or an HTTP Request node with the endpoint's method and URL, such as GET https://cotlet.dev/api/v1/personio/approval-requests. | Schedule Trigger node. |
| Make | HTTP module: the endpoint's method and URL with an Authorization: Bearer header, and a JSON body for POST, PUT and PATCH. | Scenario schedule. |
| Zapier | Webhooks by Zapier, Custom Request: the same method, URL, header and body. | Schedule by Zapier trigger. |
| Your own script | GET https://cotlet.dev/api/v1/personio/approval-requests with your API key. | cron or GitHub Actions. |

## Tools

**For AI agents:** Every endpoint and its schema is public. The 13 endpoints on this page, with parameters and example responses, can be listed without an account. Calling one returns 401 without an API key and 403 while the key has no access to Personio.

### list_employees

Employees with name, team, job title, supervisor and status, newest first. Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/employees`. MCP: `personio_read → list_employees`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `team` | string | no | Team name as shown in Personio. |
| `status` | string | no | 'active' (default), 'inactive' or 'onboarding'. |
| `search` | string | no | Part of the first or last name. |
| `limit` | integer | no | Items per page, 1 to 100. Default 100. |
| `cursor` | string | no | Next page cursor from the previous call. |

Lists employees you may see in Personio, newest first. Filter by team, status or a name fragment. Only the attributes your role may read are returned; others come back empty. Pages hold up to 100 employees; pass next_cursor back as cursor for the next page.

Example response:

```json
{
  "employees": [
    {
      "employee_id": "emp_2041",
      "name": "Maja Kowalska",
      "team": "Marketing",
      "position": "Content Lead",
      "supervisor": "Tom Becker",
      "status": "active",
      "hired_at": "2024-03-01"
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": "eyJvZmZzZXQiOjEwMH0"
}
```

### get_employee

One employee profile with the fields your role may read. Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/employees/{employee_id}`. MCP: `personio_read → get_employee`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `employee_id` | string | yes | Employee ID from list_employees. |

Returns the Personal Info fields of one profile that your role may read, such as name, work email, team, position, supervisor and employment dates. Fields hidden from your role, for example salary without the right permission, are left out, not blanked. The result is the same data the profile page shows you.

Example response:

```json
{
  "employee_id": "emp_2041",
  "name": "Maja Kowalska",
  "email": "maja.kowalska@example.com",
  "team": "Marketing",
  "position": "Content Lead",
  "supervisor": "Tom Becker",
  "employment_start": "2024-03-01",
  "weekly_hours": 40
}
```

### list_time_off_types

Time off types you can use, with their unit (days or hours). Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/time-off-types`. MCP: `personio_read → list_time_off_types`.

No parameters.

Returns the time off types available to your account, for example Vacation or Sick leave, and whether each is booked in days or hours. Use the name from this list as time_off_type in request_time_off. A type missing here is not assigned to your role or policy.

Example response:

```json
{
  "time_off_types": [
    {
      "name": "Vacation",
      "unit": "days",
      "half_days": true
    },
    {
      "name": "Sick leave",
      "unit": "days",
      "half_days": false
    }
  ]
}
```

### get_time_off_balance

Remaining balance of one employee for one time off type. Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/employees/{employee_id}/time-off-balance`. MCP: `personio_read → get_time_off_balance`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `employee_id` | string | yes | Employee ID from list_employees. |
| `time_off_type` | string | yes | Name from list_time_off_types. |

Returns the balance Personio shows on the Time off page of the profile: entitlement, taken and remaining for the time off type. Needs permission to see that employee's time off. Use it before request_time_off to avoid a negative balance.

Example response:

```json
{
  "employee_id": "emp_2041",
  "time_off_type": "Vacation",
  "entitled": 25,
  "taken": 7,
  "remaining": 18,
  "unit": "days"
}
```

### list_time_off

Time off periods in a date window, with status, newest first. Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/time-offs`. MCP: `personio_read → list_time_off`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `from` | string | yes | Window start, YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `to` | string | yes | Window end, YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `employee_id` | string | no | Only this employee. |
| `team` | string | no | Only this team. |
| `status` | string | no | 'approved' or 'pending'. Default both. |
| `cursor` | string | no | Next page cursor from the previous call. |

Lists time off periods that overlap the window you give, newest first. Each item has the employee, the type, the dates and a status of approved or pending. Filter by employee or team to check who is away. Pages hold up to 100 items; pass next_cursor back as cursor.

Example response:

```json
{
  "time_off": [
    {
      "time_off_id": "to_93a1",
      "employee_id": "emp_2041",
      "name": "Maja Kowalska",
      "time_off_type": "Vacation",
      "start_date": "2026-12-24",
      "end_date": "2026-12-26",
      "days": 3,
      "status": "approved"
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": null
}
```

### list_attendance

Attendance periods of employees in a date window. Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/attendances`. MCP: `personio_read → list_attendance`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `from` | string | yes | Window start, YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `to` | string | yes | Window end, YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `employee_id` | string | no | Only this employee. |
| `cursor` | string | no | Next page cursor from the previous call. |

Returns work periods and breaks recorded in the Attendance tab for the window you give, newest first, with the status the entry has (confirmed or waiting for approval). Employees with no entry on a working day simply have no item. Needs view permission for attendance of those employees.

Example response:

```json
{
  "attendance": [
    {
      "attendance_id": "att_7d20",
      "employee_id": "emp_2041",
      "date": "2026-10-12",
      "start": "09:00",
      "end": "17:30",
      "break_minutes": 30,
      "status": "confirmed"
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": null
}
```

### list_approval_requests

Requests waiting for you in the Personio Inbox. Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/approval-requests`. MCP: `personio_read → list_approval_requests`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `kind` | string | no | 'time_off', 'attendance' or 'employee_data'. Default all. |
| `cursor` | string | no | Next page cursor from the previous call. |

Returns the approval tasks in your Inbox: time off, attendance and employee data change requests, oldest first. Only requests you are an approver for appear, including ones delegated to you. Filter by kind to get only time off. Pages hold up to 50 items; pass next_cursor back as cursor.

Example response:

```json
{
  "requests": [
    {
      "request_id": "apr_41c7e2",
      "kind": "time_off",
      "employee": "Maja Kowalska",
      "summary": "Vacation, 2026-11-03 to 2026-11-05",
      "submitted_at": "2026-10-15T08:12:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": null
}
```

### get_approval_request

Details of one request: dates, balance after approval, team overlap. Access: read. REST: `GET /api/v1/personio/requests/{request_id}/approval-request`. MCP: `personio_read → get_approval_request`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `request_id` | string | yes | Approval request ID from list_approval_requests. |

Returns what the request page shows. For time off: date range, whether it is open-ended, the remaining balance after approval, team members who are away on the same days, and the approval chain when there is more than one step. For employee data: the fields with old and new values.

Example response:

```json
{
  "request_id": "apr_41c7e2",
  "kind": "time_off",
  "employee": "Maja Kowalska",
  "time_off_type": "Vacation",
  "start_date": "2026-11-03",
  "end_date": "2026-11-05",
  "days": 3,
  "open_ended": false,
  "balance_after": 15,
  "overlaps": [],
  "approval_chain": [
    "Tom Becker"
  ]
}
```

### request_time_off

Request time off for yourself or, with the right permission, for another employee. Access: write, asks the user first. REST: `POST /api/v1/personio/time-off/request`. MCP: `personio_write → request_time_off`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `time_off_type` | string | yes | Name from list_time_off_types. |
| `start_date` | string | yes | First day, YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `end_date` | string | no | Last day, YYYY-MM-DD. Leave out for open-ended time off. |
| `employee_id` | string | no | Book for this employee. Default: you. |
| `half_day_start` | boolean | no | First day is a half day. Only for types with half days. |
| `half_day_end` | boolean | no | Last day is a half day. Only for types with half days. |
| `comment` | string | no | Note for the approver. |

Creates a time off request of the given type and dates. Without employee_id the request is for your own profile. Personio then applies its approval rules: Propose permissions send the request to the approver, Edit permissions skip approval. Half days work only where the type allows them. Returns the new request and its status. By default you confirm each call; you can switch that off for this tool.

Example response:

```json
{
  "time_off_id": "to_93a1",
  "employee_id": "emp_2041",
  "time_off_type": "Vacation",
  "start_date": "2026-12-24",
  "end_date": "2026-12-26",
  "days": 3,
  "status": "pending"
}
```

### approve_request

Approve one request from your Inbox. Access: write, asks the user first. REST: `POST /api/v1/personio/requests/{request_id}/approve`. MCP: `personio_write → approve_request`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `request_id` | string | yes | Approval request ID from list_approval_requests. |
| `comment` | string | no | Optional note for the requester. |

Approves a time off, attendance or employee data request you are an approver for. If the approval chain has more steps, the request moves to the next approver; otherwise Personio applies the change and notifies the requester. Fails if the task was already handled by you or a delegate. By default you confirm each call; you can switch that off for this tool.

Example response:

```json
{
  "request_id": "apr_41c7e2",
  "status": "approved",
  "next_step": null,
  "approved_at": "2026-10-16T07:45:00Z"
}
```

### reject_request

Reject one request from your Inbox, with an optional comment. Access: write, asks the user first. REST: `POST /api/v1/personio/requests/{request_id}/reject`. MCP: `personio_write → reject_request`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `request_id` | string | yes | Approval request ID from list_approval_requests. |
| `comment` | string | no | Reason shown to the requester. |

Rejects a request you are an approver for. The comment is optional and the requester reads it in the Inbox notification about the rejection. A rejected request cannot be re-opened; the employee has to send a new one. By default you confirm each call; you can switch that off for this tool.

Example response:

```json
{
  "request_id": "apr_41c7e3",
  "status": "rejected",
  "rejected_at": "2026-10-16T07:46:00Z"
}
```

### log_attendance

Add a work period with an optional break to an employee's attendance. Access: write, asks the user first. REST: `POST /api/v1/personio/employees/{employee_id}/attendances`. MCP: `personio_write → log_attendance`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `employee_id` | string | yes | Employee ID from list_employees. |
| `date` | string | yes | Day, YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `start` | string | yes | Start time, HH:MM. |
| `end` | string | yes | End time, HH:MM. |
| `break_minutes` | integer | no | Unpaid break in minutes. Default 0. |

Adds one attendance period for the day, with start, end and break. Periods cannot overlap another period of that employee. With Propose permissions the entry goes to approval; with Edit permissions it is saved without approval. Returns the new period and its status. By default you confirm each call; you can switch that off for this tool.

Example response:

```json
{
  "attendance_id": "att_7d21",
  "employee_id": "emp_2041",
  "date": "2026-10-13",
  "start": "09:00",
  "end": "17:30",
  "break_minutes": 30,
  "status": "pending"
}
```

### update_employee

Change fields on an employee profile. Access: write, asks the user first. REST: `PATCH /api/v1/personio/employees/{employee_id}`. MCP: `personio_write → update_employee`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `employee_id` | string | yes | Employee ID from list_employees. |
| `fields` | object | yes | Field names and new values, for example {"team": "Customer Success"}. |
| `effective_from` | string | no | Date the change takes effect, YYYY-MM-DD. Default today. |

Updates the Personal Info fields you name on one profile, and returns old and new values. With Propose permissions the change goes to approval; with Edit permissions it is saved. Fields your role cannot edit are rejected by name. Compensation and other fields outside your permissions are never touched. By default you confirm each call; you can switch that off for this tool.

Example response:

```json
{
  "employee_id": "emp_2041",
  "changed": {
    "team": {
      "from": "Marketing",
      "to": "Customer Success"
    },
    "supervisor": {
      "from": "Tom Becker",
      "to": "Sam Okafor"
    }
  },
  "status": "saved"
}
```

## How do I connect Personio to Claude Code, Codex or Cursor?

Connecting Personio takes three steps: sign up, sign in to Personio once in your Cloud Browser and enable it for agents, then add one MCP server or call the REST API with the same key.

### Connect Personio to your agent.

1. **Create an account** Sign up and add Personio in the console. Your API key is there too.

2. **Sign in to Personio in your Cloud Browser** Open your Cloud Browser in the console: your own Chrome in the cloud. Sign in to Personio there yourself, the way you always do, then press Enable for agents, read only or read and write. We never save your password, and your agent keeps working even when your computer is off.

3. **Add Cotlet to your agent** Paste the snippet for your client. The same server and key serve every app you connect, so you do this once.

   Claude Code:

```
claude mcp add --transport http cotlet \
  https://cotlet.dev/mcp/v1 \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $COTLET_API_KEY"
```

   Cursor:

```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cotlet": {
      "url": "https://cotlet.dev/mcp/v1",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${COTLET_API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

   Codex:

```
# ~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.cotlet]
url = "https://cotlet.dev/mcp/v1"
bearer_token_env_var = "COTLET_API_KEY"
```

4. **Ask your agent** Ask in plain words. Your agent finds the Personio tools on the server and calls them for you; anything that reaches other people waits for your OK unless you switch that off for a tool.

```
Go through my pending Personio time off requests. Approve vacation of 5 working days or fewer when no other team member is off on those days, reject nothing, and leave everything else for me with a one-line reason.
```

### Call Personio from your scripts.

1. **Export your API key** Your scripts use the same API key as your agent. Keep it in an environment variable, never in your code.

```
export COTLET_API_KEY="cotlet_..."
```

2. **Call a tool** Every tool is an endpoint under /api/v1/personio with its own method and path, listed with the endpoints above. Path parameters go in the URL; the other parameters go in the query for GET and DELETE and in a JSON body otherwise.

```
curl -X POST https://cotlet.dev/api/v1/personio/time-off/request \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $COTLET_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"employee_id":"emp_2041","time_off_type":"Vacation","start_date":"2026-12-24","end_date":"2026-12-26"}'
```

3. **Read the result** You get plain JSON back, ready for your script. A failed call costs nothing.

```
{
  "time_off_id": "to_93a1",
  "employee_id": "emp_2041",
  "time_off_type": "Vacation",
  "start_date": "2026-12-24",
  "end_date": "2026-12-26",
  "days": 3,
  "status": "pending"
}
```

## Why use Cotlet for Personio?

**Built for agents**

- One MCP server for every app you connect.
- The same tools as a REST API for scripts and cron jobs.
- Works with Claude Code, Codex and Cursor.

**Your login stays yours**

- You sign in to Personio yourself, in your own Cloud Browser. We never save your password; the profile is encrypted with AES-256-GCM, the cipher 1Password uses.
- A+ on Qualys SSL Labs, securityheaders.com and Mozilla Observatory.
- The model never sees a login.
- No stored passwords, no CAPTCHA solving, no MFA bypass.

**You stay in control**

- Scope each API key: its apps, its tools, read only or read and write.
- Anything that reaches other people waits for your OK, so a leaked key cannot post or message as you.
- Every background request listed in your Background activity. Disable for agents in one click.

**Kept working for you**

- We test every integration every 6 hours.
- When Personio changes, the tool pauses until we fix it.
- Failed calls cost nothing.

## Is it safe to connect Personio to Cotlet?

Yes. You sign in to Personio yourself, in your own Cloud Browser, and we never save your password. Your agents only get Personio once you enable it, and every background request is listed. The browser profile is stored encrypted with AES-256-GCM, the same cipher 1Password uses for its vaults and Apple for iCloud Keychain. Independent public scanners grade cotlet.dev A+ and find it clean; click a result to rerun it yourself.

- **A+ on Qualys SSL Labs**: Encryption in transit: TLS setup and certificates, on all four server addresses. [Live result](https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=cotlet.dev)
- **A+ on securityheaders.com**: Browser protections sent with every page, all six headers present. [Live result](https://securityheaders.com/?q=cotlet.dev&followRedirects=on)
- **A+ on Mozilla Observatory**: Mozilla's web security baseline: score 120 of 100, 12 of 12 tests passed. [Live result](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/observatory/analyze?host=cotlet.dev)
- **Clean on Sucuri SiteCheck**: No malware, spam or defacement, and not on any of 9 blocklists, Google Safe Browsing included. [Live result](https://sitecheck.sucuri.net/results/cotlet.dev)

[How Cotlet protects your access](https://cotlet.dev/security.md)

### Common concerns

**Who runs Cotlet?**

Cotlet is run by Take Group, a Polish software company working since 2019. Take Group runs about 3,200 websites on its own systems and has its own DevOps team for infrastructure security. We built and used integrations like this inside the company for years before opening them as Cotlet.

**Is this an official Personio integration?**

No, Cotlet is independent of Personio. Personio's own API is too limited for this work. Cotlet works through your own Personio account, the way you use Personio in the browser, so you need no partner approval and no developer setup.

**What about client data and GDPR?**

Cotlet is run from the EU and follows the GDPR. Cloud Browsers run in Finland, a Tier 1 country in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024. Data passes through a call and is not kept after it.

**Can I start with read only?**

Yes. Enable the app for agents as read only, or make the API key read only, and anything that reaches other people waits for your OK unless you switch that off per tool.

**Is it reliable?**

Every Cotlet service is checked every 3 minutes from Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. The live results and any outage are public at status.cotlet.dev.

**How do I stop?**

Press Disable for agents next to Personio in your console: your agents lose access at once and you stay signed in. Signing out of Personio in the browser works too, and Reset browser deletes the whole profile.

## Is there a Personio MCP server on GitHub?

Yes. Community Personio MCP servers exist on GitHub, usually maintained by one person. You install one yourself, create API client credentials in Personio and keep it running; when Personio changes its API, it stops working until you or the maintainer fix it. Cotlet hosts the same kind of server for you, signs in as you, and our team keeps it working.

|  | GitHub MCP server | Cotlet |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Clone the repo, install it, create API credentials in Personio, add it to each MCP client | Sign up, sign in to Personio once, add one MCP server or API key |
| Access in Personio | Company-wide client credentials with the attributes an admin allowed | Your own session and your own permissions; no API credentials to create |
| When Personio changes | It breaks until you or the maintainer fix it | Our team tests it daily and fixes it for you; failed calls are free |
| Your credentials | In a config file on your computer, readable by any program you run | Signed in inside your own Cloud Browser in the EU, profile encrypted, only for the apps you enable, disabled for agents in one click |
| When access expires | Tools fail until you rotate or fix the credentials by hand | Your Cloud Browser keeps you signed in; if Personio logs you out, your agent gets a link to sign in again |
| Upkeep | You update, monitor and debug it yourself | Nothing to host or update |
| Where it runs | Your computer, while it is on | Hosted: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, n8n and scripts, also on a schedule |
| Price | Free, paid for with your time | Free 7-day trial, then pay-as-you-go credit packs, no subscription |

### Which one fits you

**Pick Cotlet if**

- you are not a developer, or you do not want to maintain a server
- you need it to keep working when Personio changes, without checking it yourself
- your agent or a script should run it on a schedule, also while your computer is off

**Pick an open-source server if**

- you are comfortable installing, updating and fixing it yourself
- you want your sign-in to stay on your own computer
- you only need it now and then, from one MCP client

## How much does the Personio API cost?

Free 7-day trial with 2,000 credits, no card needed. After that, the Personio API is pay as you go with no limit on apps: Credit packs from $29 for 5,000 credits, one-time, no subscription. A successful call uses 20 to 30 credits (25 for most tools, about $0.10 to $0.15), your Cloud Browser uses 50 credits a day while it has an app enabled for agents, however many apps that is, and an agent driving the browser itself uses 5 credits a minute. Credit packs stay valid for 12 months and stack, so unused credits carry over.

| Credits | Price, one time | Calls at 25 credits | Per 1,000 credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 | $29 | 200 | $5.80 |
| 15,000 | $79 | 600 | $5.27 |
| 32,000 | $149 | 1,280 | $4.66 |
| 60,000 | $249 | 2,400 | $4.15 |

Only successful calls use credits; failed calls and timeouts cost nothing. At a balance of 0 calls pause, never a surprise charge. Authenticate with the `Authorization: Bearer` header. [See full pricing](https://cotlet.dev/pricing.md)

## How Cotlet holds your access

Cotlet hosts MCP servers and REST APIs for apps with no usable API. Your agent works in your own Personio account.

- **Company details:** Cotlet is run by Take Group sp. z o.o., a company registered in Poland. Its full address and registration numbers are in the Terms of service. [Terms of service](https://cotlet.dev/terms)
- **Your sign-in:** You sign in to Personio yourself, in your own Cloud Browser: a Chrome we run for you in the EU, one per app. We never save your password (password saving is off), the profile is stored encrypted with AES-256-GCM, and your agents get Personio only after you enable it. When Personio signs you out, your agent gives you a link to sign in again. [Security](https://cotlet.dev/security.md)
- **Revoking access:** Press Disable for agents next to Personio, sign out of Personio in your Cloud Browser, or reset the browser. Every background request is listed in your Background activity. Actions that reach other people wait for your OK unless you switch that off per tool.
- **What we never do:** Store passwords, solve CAPTCHAs or bypass MFA.
- **Personio's terms:** You use your own Personio account and stay responsible for following Personio's terms. Cotlet is independent and not affiliated with Personio. [Terms](https://cotlet.dev/terms)
- **Contact:** Questions about the company, security or an app: [contact@cotlet.dev](mailto:contact@cotlet.dev)

## Frequently asked questions

**How do I get access?**

Sign up free, open Personio in the console and press Request access. Then you create your API key and connect Personio there.

**Do I need to be technical?**

No. You sign in to Personio once in your Cloud Browser, a normal Chrome you open from the console, and paste one command into your agent, or one URL into n8n. Your agent can walk you through it. There is no server to install, update or fix.

**Is it safe to connect Personio to Cotlet?**

Yes. You sign in to Personio yourself, in your own Cloud Browser in the EU, and we never save your password. Your agents only get Personio once you enable it, every background request is listed, and the browser profile is stored encrypted with AES-256-GCM, the cipher 1Password uses for its vaults. The AI model never sees a login, posts and messages wait for your OK, and Disable for agents cuts access in one click. Independent scanners grade cotlet.dev A+ on Qualys SSL Labs, securityheaders.com and Mozilla Observatory; live results are on https://cotlet.dev/security.

**Is a hosted server safer than a local one? My Personio sign-in would leave my computer.**

On Cotlet you sign in inside your own Cloud Browser, which only you open, and its profile is stored encrypted with AES-256-GCM in the EU. Agents get only the apps you enable, and every background request is listed. A local server keeps your Personio cookie in a plain file on your computer, readable by any program you run, and stops when your computer is off.

**Why does Cotlet send requests instead of clicking in my browser?**

To be fast, Cotlet doesn't click through Personio's pages. It sends the same requests your browser would, from your browser's IP with its cookies, without opening a window. Personio sees the same browser and IP you signed in with, and every request is listed in your Background activity.

**What if someone gets my Cotlet API key?**

The key holds no Personio login or cookies, it only asks Cotlet to run a tool. It can call only the apps and tools you gave it, and a read-only key changes nothing. Anything that reaches other people, like posts, comments or messages, waits for your OK in the dashboard by default, so a leaked key cannot post or message as you. When you switch approval off for a scheduled job, give that job its own key limited to that one tool. Every call is in your activity log, and deleting the key ends access at once.

**Why a signed-in browser and not OAuth, like other integration platforms?**

Personio offers no OAuth token you can simply grant for these tools: its official API leaves them out or needs a developer app, a plan or an approval first (see the official API section above). That is why Cotlet sets the limits itself: per key, per tool, with your approval before anything reaches other people. Cotlet is run by Take Group sp. z o.o., an EU company (VAT PL6342984273).

**Which Personio permissions does my agent need?**

The agent acts with your own permissions. To approve time off you need to be an approver with View permission for the time off type; to book hours or time off for others you need Propose or Edit permissions, and Edit skips approval. Personio's own MCP beta works the same way: each person's access follows their permissions.

**Does Personio approve time off automatically?**

Only through approval rules. An Administrator sets a default rule and group rules per time off type, and a request with no applicable approval step is approved at once. Rules choose approvers; they do not check balance or team overlap.

**Can my agent post or send messages in Personio without asking me?**

No. Every call to request_time_off, approve_request, reject_request, log_attendance or update_employee waits for your OK by default. For scheduled automations you can switch confirmation off per tool in your dashboard, for example only for approvals.

**Can I use the Personio API in n8n?**

Yes. Add https://cotlet.dev/mcp/v1 with your API key in n8n's MCP Client node, or call its endpoints under https://cotlet.dev/api/v1/personio from the HTTP Request node.

---

Give your AI agents your signed-in browser.

**Product:** [Integrations](https://cotlet.dev/integrations.md) · [Use cases](https://cotlet.dev/use-cases.md) · [How it works](https://cotlet.dev/how-it-works.md) · [Pricing](https://cotlet.dev/pricing.md) · [Security](https://cotlet.dev/security.md)

**Resources:** [Blog](https://cotlet.dev/blog.md) · [API docs](https://cotlet.dev/docs.md) · [Help center](https://cotlet.dev/help.md) · [Changelog](https://cotlet.dev/changelog.md) · [GitHub](https://github.com/cotletdev/cotlet)

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**Elsewhere:** [Status page](https://status.cotlet.dev) · [Cotlet on GitHub](https://github.com/cotletdev) · [Cotlet on X](https://x.com/cotletdev) · [Cotlet on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cotletdev) · [Cotlet on Product Hunt](https://www.producthunt.com/products/cotlet) · [Cotlet on Crunchbase](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/cotlet) · [Cotlet on SaaSHub](https://www.saashub.com/cotlet)

Cotlet is an independent service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of the products listed on this site. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

## For AI agents: sign your user up

Is your user asking you to sign them up for Cotlet? You can do it for them, no account or key needed.

1. Read the fields and their allowed values: GET https://cotlet.dev/api/v1/access-requests
2. Ask the user for each value: email, apps, what you will do with them. If they leave the password to you, generate a strong one and show it to them.
3. Show the user what you will send, then POST it as JSON to https://cotlet.dev/api/v1/access-requests.

One call creates the account and sends the access request; we email the user when access is granted.