diff --git a/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.generated.ts b/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.generated.ts
index b86a03a392..43ff82de6b 100644
--- a/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.generated.ts
+++ b/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.generated.ts
@@ -3896,7 +3896,7 @@ export interface PluginsManageParams {
   accept_capabilities?: boolean | null
   values?: Record<string, unknown> | null
 }
-export type PluginsAction = 'list' | 'toggle' | 'install' | 'update' | 'remove' | 'settings'
+export type PluginsAction = 'list' | 'toggle' | 'install' | 'update' | 'remove' | 'settings' | 'onboarding'
 /** ``list`` → ``plugins`` + counts; ``toggle`` → ``ok``/``unchanged``/``restart_required``/``name`` (the canonical key written)/``plugin``; ``install`` → ``hermes_cli.plugins_cmd.dashboard_install_plugin``'s ok payload; ``toggle``/``install``/``update`` that loaded a plugin also carry ``gateway_reloaded`` (the running gateway picked it up and re-wired its handlers) and ``activation`` — the honest split of what is live now vs deferred, so ``restart_required`` is True only when no gateway answered; ``update`` → ``ok``/``unchanged``/``sha``, or ``ok=false`` + ``consent_required`` with the ``delta`` (``{surface: [added...]}``) / ``delta_lines`` a widened pin adds — nothing changed until the client retries with ``accept_capabilities``; ``remove`` → ``ok``/``name`` plus ``cleared_memory_provider`` when the removed plugin was the live ``memory.provider``. */
 export interface PluginsManageResult {
   plugins?: AgentPluginRow[] | null
@@ -3922,6 +3922,7 @@ export interface PluginsManageResult {
   delta_lines?: string[] | null
   error?: string | null
   written?: string[] | null
+  onboarding?: OnboardingCatalogPlugin[] | null
 }
 /** ``methods_tools._plugin_rows`` + ``plugins_cmd_catalog.catalog_row_fields`` provenance. */
 export interface AgentPluginRow {
@@ -3988,6 +3989,16 @@ export interface PluginLiveSkill {
   name: string
   description?: string
 }
+/** A catalog plugin curated for the onboarding card (``onboarding: true``) that this OS runs. ``app_state`` is the pinned ``plugin.json`` declaration judged on this host; ``sentence`` names what is missing (empty when present or unknown). */
+export interface OnboardingCatalogPlugin {
+  name: string
+  title: string
+  description: string
+  tier: CatalogTier
+  platforms: string[]
+  app_state: CatalogAppState
+  sentence: string
+}
 /** Single question: ``question`` / ``choices`` (/ ``multi_select``); batch: ``questions``. ``answers`` rides only on a reconnect replay (locks the server already accepted). */
 export interface ClarifyRequestParams {
   session_id: string
diff --git a/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.openrpc.json b/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.openrpc.json
index 87065298e9..a505d9c96a 100644
--- a/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.openrpc.json
+++ b/apps/shared/src/gateway-contract.openrpc.json
@@ -17602,6 +17602,52 @@
         "title": "OnboardingAnswers",
         "type": "object"
       },
+      "OnboardingCatalogPlugin": {
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "description": "A catalog plugin curated for the onboarding card (``onboarding: true``) that this OS runs.\n``app_state`` is the pinned ``plugin.json`` declaration judged on this host; ``sentence`` names what\nis missing (empty when present or unknown).",
+        "properties": {
+          "name": {
+            "title": "Name",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "title": "Title",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "description": {
+            "title": "Description",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "tier": {
+            "$ref": "#/components/schemas/CatalogTier"
+          },
+          "platforms": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "title": "Platforms",
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "app_state": {
+            "$ref": "#/components/schemas/CatalogAppState"
+          },
+          "sentence": {
+            "title": "Sentence",
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "name",
+          "title",
+          "description",
+          "tier",
+          "platforms",
+          "app_state",
+          "sentence"
+        ],
+        "title": "OnboardingCatalogPlugin",
+        "type": "object"
+      },
       "OnboardingEnsureSetupProfileResult": {
         "additionalProperties": false,
         "description": "``created`` is false when an existing setup profile was found (and returned untouched).",
@@ -20019,7 +20065,8 @@
           "install",
           "update",
           "remove",
-          "settings"
+          "settings",
+          "onboarding"
         ],
         "title": "PluginsAction",
         "type": "string"
@@ -20493,6 +20540,21 @@
             ],
             "default": null,
             "title": "Written"
+          },
+          "onboarding": {
+            "anyOf": [
+              {
+                "items": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/OnboardingCatalogPlugin"
+                },
+                "type": "array"
+              },
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              }
+            ],
+            "default": null,
+            "title": "Onboarding"
           }
         },
         "title": "PluginsManageResult",
diff --git a/hermes_cli/plugin_catalog.py b/hermes_cli/plugin_catalog.py
index 6a0d15a4cf..e9a89cb8ba 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/plugin_catalog.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/plugin_catalog.py
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ class PluginCatalogEntry:
     screenshots: List[str] = field(default_factory=list)  # GitHub-hosted https URLs; gallery on /docs/plugins/<name>
     readme: bool = False         # docs site renders the README from the pinned commit on the entry's page
     platforms: List[str] = field(default_factory=list)  # empty = all OSes
+    title: str = ""              # human name ("NVIDIA App"); empty = derived from ``name``
+    onboarding: bool = False     # curated: offered on the desktop onboarding card
     capabilities: CatalogCapabilities = field(default_factory=CatalogCapabilities)
 
     @property
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ class PluginCatalogEntry:
             "requires_hermes": self.requires_hermes,
             "subdir": self.subdir, "docs_url": self.docs_url, "version": self.version, "image": self.image,
             "screenshots": list(self.screenshots), "readme": self.readme,
-            "platforms": list(self.platforms),
+            "platforms": list(self.platforms), "title": self.title, "onboarding": self.onboarding,
             "capabilities": {
                 "provides_tools": list(caps.provides_tools), "provides_hooks": list(caps.provides_hooks),
                 "provides_middleware": list(caps.provides_middleware), "requires_env": list(caps.requires_env),
@@ -164,6 +166,7 @@ def entry_from_mapping(data: Any, label: str) -> Optional[PluginCatalogEntry]:
         subdir=str(data.get("subdir") or "").strip(), docs_url=str(data.get("docs_url") or "").strip(),
         version=version, image=image, screenshots=screenshots, readme=data.get("readme") is not False,
         platforms=_str_list(data.get("platforms")),
+        title=str(data.get("title") or "").strip(), onboarding=data.get("onboarding") is True,
         capabilities=CatalogCapabilities(
             provides_tools=_str_list(caps.get("provides_tools")), provides_hooks=_str_list(caps.get("provides_hooks")),
             provides_middleware=_str_list(caps.get("provides_middleware")),
@@ -403,11 +406,12 @@ def _live_generated_time(data: Dict[str, Any]) -> Optional[float]:
 
 
 def _prefer_in_tree_entry(tree: PluginCatalogEntry, live: PluginCatalogEntry, tree_is_newer: Optional[bool]) -> bool:
-    """For one entry present in both sources with a different pin: the newer catalog wins. Newer is
+    """For one entry present in both sources that differs (a new pin, or new metadata such as ``title`` or
+    ``onboarding`` at the same pin): the newer catalog wins. Newer is
     decided by the checkout's catalog commit time vs the doc's ``generated_at`` when both resolve;
     otherwise by the entries' ``version`` labels when both parse; otherwise the live doc wins (a release
     install's in-tree copy is frozen at release time)."""
-    if tree.sha == live.sha:
+    if tree == live:
         return False
     if tree_is_newer is not None:
         return tree_is_newer
@@ -421,8 +425,8 @@ def _prefer_in_tree_entry(tree: PluginCatalogEntry, live: PluginCatalogEntry, tr
 
 
 def load_catalog_live() -> List[PluginCatalogEntry]:
-    """Entries from the live (or cached) catalog, else the in-tree catalog. When both name an entry at
-    different pins the NEWER source supplies it — right after ``hermes update`` bumps an in-tree pin,
+    """Entries from the live (or cached) catalog, else the in-tree catalog. When both name an entry and
+    disagree the NEWER source supplies it — right after ``hermes update`` bumps an in-tree pin,
     a cache fetched before the bump must not re-install the old one (see :func:`_prefer_in_tree_entry`)."""
     data = fetch_live_catalog()
     if data is None:
diff --git a/hermes_cli/plugin_catalog_presence.py b/hermes_cli/plugin_catalog_presence.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..509dd2e693
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hermes_cli/plugin_catalog_presence.py
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+"""Whether the desktop app a catalog plugin drives is on this machine, before the plugin is installed.
+
+A portable plugin declares its app in ``plugin.json`` (``extensions.com.nousresearch.hermes.servers``).
+The catalog pins the commit, so the declaration is read once per pin from the repo at that commit and
+judged by the same ``hermes_platform`` resolver the installer and the Plugins-tab pill use. Nothing is
+installed, spawned or connected. Any failure to read the declaration is ``unknown``, never a guess.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import logging
+import re
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Any, Dict, Optional, Tuple
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+_GITHUB = re.compile(r"^https://github\.com/([A-Za-z0-9_.-]+)/([A-Za-z0-9_.-]+?)(?:\.git)?/?$")
+_TIMEOUT = 5.0
+_MAX_BYTES = 256 * 1024
+# (repo, sha, subdir) -> manifest dict, or None when the pin has no readable plugin.json. A pin is
+# immutable, so the process keeps the answer.
+_manifests: Dict[Tuple[str, str, str], Optional[Dict[str, Any]]] = {}
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Presence:
+    """``state`` uses the card's vocabulary (``CatalogAppState``); ``sentence`` is empty when present or unknown."""
+
+    state: str
+    sentence: str = ""
+
+
+UNKNOWN = Presence("unknown")
+
+
+def _raw_manifest_url(repo: str, sha: str, subdir: str) -> Optional[str]:
+    match = _GITHUB.match(repo.strip())
+    if not match:
+        return None
+    path = "/".join(p for p in (subdir.strip("/"), "plugin.json") if p)
+    return f"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/{match.group(1)}/{match.group(2)}/{sha}/{path}"
+
+
+def _pinned_manifest(repo: str, sha: str, subdir: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    key = (repo, sha, subdir)
+    if key in _manifests:
+        return _manifests[key]
+    url = _raw_manifest_url(repo, sha, subdir)
+    manifest: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None
+    if url:
+        try:
+            import httpx
+
+            resp = httpx.get(url, timeout=_TIMEOUT, follow_redirects=True)
+            if resp.status_code == 200 and len(resp.content) <= _MAX_BYTES:
+                data = json.loads(resp.content)
+                manifest = data if isinstance(data, dict) else None
+            elif resp.status_code != 404:
+                return None  # transient: do not remember
+        except Exception as exc:
+            logger.debug("plugin catalog presence: %s unreadable: %s", url, exc)
+            return None
+    _manifests[key] = manifest
+    return manifest
+
+
+def _server_presence(decl: Any, liveness_raw: Any, title: str) -> Presence:
+    from hermes_platform.host import facts
+    from hermes_platform.resolver.app import AppResolver
+    from hermes_platform.resolver.availability import availability
+    from hermes_platform.resolver.base import Effort
+    from tools.mcp_liveness import parse_liveness
+
+    available = availability(decl)
+    if available.state == "no_requirements":
+        return UNKNOWN
+    if available.state in ("missing_app", "unsupported_os"):
+        return Presence("missing_app", f"needs {title}")
+    if available.state == "version_too_old":
+        found = f" (found {available.version})" if available.version else ""
+        return Presence("missing_app", f"needs {title} {available.min_version} or newer{found}")
+    try:
+        live = parse_liveness(liveness_raw) if liveness_raw is not None else None
+    except ValueError:
+        live = None
+    if live is None or live.kind == "static":
+        return Presence("present")
+    if live.kind == "interactive_session":
+        return Presence("present") if facts.interactive_session() else Presence(
+            "app_not_running", f"{title} needs an interactive desktop session")
+    definition = decl.app_for(facts.os_family())
+    if definition is None:
+        return Presence("missing_app", f"needs {title}")
+    resolver = AppResolver(live.app_definition(definition))
+    probe = resolver.probe(resolver.locate(), effort=Effort.LOCAL)
+    return Presence("present") if probe.running.value is True else Presence(
+        "app_not_running", f"{title} is not running")
+
+
+def presence(entry: Any) -> Presence:
+    """The app state of one catalog entry on this host. The worst server wins (missing, then not running)."""
+    from hermes_cli.agent_plugins import _server_declarations
+
+    manifest = _pinned_manifest(entry.repo, entry.sha, entry.subdir)
+    if not manifest:
+        return UNKNOWN
+    raw_servers = (manifest.get("extensions") or {}).get("com.nousresearch.hermes", {}).get("servers") or {}
+    if not isinstance(raw_servers, dict) or not raw_servers:
+        return UNKNOWN
+    try:
+        declarations = _server_declarations(manifest, {name: {} for name in raw_servers})
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.debug("plugin catalog presence: %s declaration invalid: %s", entry.name, exc)
+        return UNKNOWN
+    title = getattr(entry, "title", "") or entry.name
+    rank = {"missing_app": 0, "app_not_running": 1, "present": 2, "unknown": 3}
+    found = [_server_presence(d.declaration, d.liveness, title) for d in declarations.values()]
+    return min(found, key=lambda p: rank[p.state]) if found else UNKNOWN
+
+
+def onboarding_entries() -> list[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Catalog entries curated for the onboarding card (``onboarding: true``) that this OS can run,
+    each with its app state. Platform mismatch is the only exclusion; a missing app is reported."""
+    from hermes_cli.plugin_catalog import load_catalog_live
+    from hermes_cli.plugins_cmd_catalog import normalized_platforms
+    from hermes_platform.host.facts import os_family
+
+    here = os_family()
+    rows = []
+    for entry in load_catalog_live():
+        if not entry.onboarding or (entry.platforms and here not in normalized_platforms(entry.platforms)):
+            continue
+        found = presence(entry)
+        rows.append({
+            "name": entry.name,
+            "title": entry.title or entry.name,
+            "description": _first_sentence(entry.description),
+            "tier": entry.tier,
+            "platforms": list(entry.platforms),
+            "app_state": found.state,
+            "sentence": found.sentence,
+        })
+    return rows
+
+
+def _first_sentence(text: str) -> str:
+    text = " ".join(str(text or "").split())
+    head, dot, _rest = text.partition(". ")
+    return f"{head}." if dot else text
diff --git a/plugin-catalog/blender.yaml b/plugin-catalog/blender.yaml
index 9fabbc0570..209f38609d 100644
--- a/plugin-catalog/blender.yaml
+++ b/plugin-catalog/blender.yaml
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ description: >-
   prepare the uv environment before connecting. Disclosure: tools execute
   arbitrary Python in Blender with the user's privileges. No automatic
   application/version/liveness gate; server discovery does not prove scene readiness.
+title: Blender
 maintainer: NousResearch
 tier: official
 category: tools
 docs_url: https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-plugin-blender#readme
 platforms: [windows, macos, linux]
+onboarding: true
 capabilities:
   provides_tools: []
   provides_hooks: []
diff --git a/plugin-catalog/nvidia-app.yaml b/plugin-catalog/nvidia-app.yaml
index 71f78cf046..6a1e3ff832 100644
--- a/plugin-catalog/nvidia-app.yaml
+++ b/plugin-catalog/nvidia-app.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ description: "NVIDIA App control through its local MCP server: overlay capture a
   The plugin reads the endpoint and token NVIDIA App publishes in its own McpServer server.json on every
   connection, so a changed port or token needs no reconfiguration. Disclosure: the tools read and change
   NVIDIA App settings on this machine; nothing leaves loopback."
+title: NVIDIA App
 maintainer: NousResearch
 tier: official
 category: tools
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ requires_hermes: ">=0.21.4"
 docs_url: https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-nvidia/tree/main/nvidia-app
 version: "0.1.0"
 platforms: [windows]
+onboarding: true
 capabilities:
   provides_tools: []
   provides_hooks: []
diff --git a/plugin-catalog/nvidia-broadcast.yaml b/plugin-catalog/nvidia-broadcast.yaml
index f5be9a6af4..f30eb92831 100644
--- a/plugin-catalog/nvidia-broadcast.yaml
+++ b/plugin-catalog/nvidia-broadcast.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ description: "NVIDIA Broadcast control through its local MCP gateway: camera, mi
   refused when the app is absent, and the tools appear while NVIDIA Broadcast is running in the user's
   desktop session. Disclosure: the tools change live audio and video effects on this machine; nothing
   leaves loopback."
+title: NVIDIA Broadcast
 maintainer: NousResearch
 tier: official
 category: tools
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ requires_hermes: ">=0.21.4"
 docs_url: https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-nvidia/tree/main/nvidia-broadcast
 version: "0.1.0"
 platforms: [windows]
+onboarding: true
 capabilities:
   provides_tools: []
   provides_hooks: []
diff --git a/scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py b/scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py
index cd537e9cc0..992cff2ea8 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_plugin_catalog.py
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ KNOWN_KEYS = {
     "readme",
     "platforms",
     "capabilities",
+    "title",
+    "onboarding",
 }
 # Cosmetic labels attached to the pin. ``version`` is never parsed; ``image`` and ``screenshots``
 # may only point at GitHub so the Desktop catalog browser and the docs site never fetch from
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugin_catalog_presence.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugin_catalog_presence.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b8c2ef2342
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugin_catalog_presence.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+"""The onboarding card's catalog plugins: curated flag, platform filter, and the pinned app declaration."""
+
+import pytest
+
+from hermes_cli import plugin_catalog as pc
+from hermes_cli import plugin_catalog_presence as presence_mod
+
+SHA = "0" * 40
+NEEDS_APP = {"extensions": {"com.nousresearch.hermes": {"servers": {"srv": {
+    "app": {"darwin": {"presence": "executable", "location": "/nonexistent/fx-app"},
+            "linux": {"presence": "executable", "location": "/nonexistent/fx-app"},
+            "win32": {"presence": "executable", "location": "C:/nonexistent/fx-app.exe"}},
+    "requires": {"app": True}}}}}}
+
+
+def _entry(name, *, onboarding=True, platforms=(), title=""):
+    return pc.entry_from_mapping({"name": name, "repo": f"https://github.com/fx/{name}", "sha": SHA,
+                                  "description": f"{name} does things. More.", "maintainer": "fx",
+                                  "tier": "official", "category": "tools", "platforms": list(platforms),
+                                  "onboarding": onboarding, "title": title}, name)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def catalog(monkeypatch):
+    from hermes_platform.host import facts
+
+    here = {"darwin": "macos", "win32": "windows"}.get(facts.os_family(), "linux")
+    other = "windows" if here != "windows" else "macos"
+    entries = [_entry("everywhere", title="Everywhere App"), _entry("not-curated", onboarding=False),
+               _entry("here-only", platforms=[here]), _entry("elsewhere", platforms=[other])]
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pc, "load_catalog_live", lambda: entries)
+    manifests = {"everywhere": NEEDS_APP, "here-only": {"name": "here-only"}}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(presence_mod, "_pinned_manifest", lambda repo, sha, subdir: manifests.get(repo.rsplit("/", 1)[-1]))
+    return entries
+
+
+def test_onboarding_rows_are_curated_entries_this_os_runs(catalog):
+    rows = {r["name"]: r for r in presence_mod.onboarding_entries()}
+    assert set(rows) == {"everywhere", "here-only"}
+    assert rows["everywhere"]["title"] == "Everywhere App" and rows["here-only"]["title"] == "here-only"
+
+
+def test_app_state_comes_from_the_pinned_declaration(catalog):
+    rows = {r["name"]: r for r in presence_mod.onboarding_entries()}
+    # A declared app that is absent greys the row with a reason; no declaration is unknown, never "present".
+    assert rows["everywhere"]["app_state"] == "missing_app" and "Everywhere App" in rows["everywhere"]["sentence"]
+    assert rows["here-only"]["app_state"] == "unknown" and rows["here-only"]["sentence"] == ""
diff --git a/tools/connectors/catalog.py b/tools/connectors/catalog.py
index 8e98cab4c1..8d14fce106 100644
--- a/tools/connectors/catalog.py
+++ b/tools/connectors/catalog.py
@@ -277,8 +277,10 @@ def target_declared_env(fact: Any) -> List[str]:
 def _plugin_row(entry: Any) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     requirements = [f"Hermes {entry.requires_hermes}"] if entry.requires_hermes else []
     requirements += [f"{name} environment variable" for name in entry.capabilities.requires_env]
+    from hermes_cli.plugin_catalog_presence import presence
+
     row: Dict[str, Any] = {
-        "display": _display(entry.name),
+        "display": getattr(entry, "title", "") or _display(entry.name),
         "description": _first_sentence(entry.description),
         "tier": entry.tier if entry.tier in _TIERS else "community",
         "repo": entry.repo,
@@ -286,6 +288,7 @@ def _plugin_row(entry: Any) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         "requirements": requirements,
         "has_desktop_half": False,
         "target_profile": DEFAULT_PROFILE,
+        "app_state": presence(entry).state,
     }
     if entry.platforms:
         row["platforms"] = list(entry.platforms)
diff --git a/tui_gateway/contracts/tools_mcp_plugins.py b/tui_gateway/contracts/tools_mcp_plugins.py
index ff7be024ef..35e268911e 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/contracts/tools_mcp_plugins.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/contracts/tools_mcp_plugins.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from pydantic import Field
 
 from .base import JsonValue, Params, Result, WireEnum
 from .common import OpenModel, ProfileParams, SessionLiveInfo
+from .connectors_operation import CatalogAppState, CatalogTier
 from .registry import method
 
 
@@ -585,6 +586,7 @@ class PluginsAction(WireEnum):
     update = "update"
     remove = "remove"
     settings = "settings"
+    onboarding = "onboarding"
 
 
 class PluginsManageParams(ProfileParams):
@@ -708,6 +710,20 @@ class PluginActivation(Result):
     deferred: dict[str, list[str]] = Field(default_factory=dict)
 
 
+class OnboardingCatalogPlugin(Result):
+    """A catalog plugin curated for the onboarding card (``onboarding: true``) that this OS runs.
+    ``app_state`` is the pinned ``plugin.json`` declaration judged on this host; ``sentence`` names what
+    is missing (empty when present or unknown)."""
+
+    name: str
+    title: str
+    description: str
+    tier: CatalogTier
+    platforms: list[str]
+    app_state: CatalogAppState
+    sentence: str
+
+
 class PluginsManageResult(Result):
     """``list`` → ``plugins`` + counts; ``toggle`` → ``ok``/``unchanged``/``restart_required``/``name``
     (the canonical key written)/``plugin``; ``install`` → ``hermes_cli.plugins_cmd.dashboard_install_plugin``'s
@@ -742,6 +758,8 @@ class PluginsManageResult(Result):
     delta_lines: list[str] | None = None
     error: str | None = None
     written: list[str] | None = None
+    # ``onboarding`` → the curated catalog plugins for the onboarding card.
+    onboarding: list[OnboardingCatalogPlugin] | None = None
 
 
 method("plugins.manage", params=PluginsManageParams, result=PluginsManageResult,
diff --git a/tui_gateway/methods_tools.py b/tui_gateway/methods_tools.py
index fb1720a060..5456de09d4 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/methods_tools.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/methods_tools.py
@@ -1696,7 +1696,12 @@ def _plugins_settings(rid, params):
     return _ok(rid, {"ok": True, "name": canonical, "written": written, "plugin": row})
 
 
-_PLUGINS_ACTIONS = {"list": _plugins_list, "toggle": _plugins_toggle, "install": _plugins_install,
+def _plugins_onboarding(rid, params):
+    """Catalog plugins curated for the onboarding card that this OS runs, each with its app state."""
+    return _ok(rid, {"onboarding": _tools_mod("hermes_cli.plugin_catalog_presence").onboarding_entries()})
+
+
+_PLUGINS_ACTIONS = {"list": _plugins_list, "onboarding": _plugins_onboarding, "toggle": _plugins_toggle, "install": _plugins_install,
                     "update": _plugins_update, "remove": _plugins_remove, "settings": _plugins_settings}
 
 
diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/features/plugin-catalog.md b/website/docs/user-guide/features/plugin-catalog.md
index 928e599b76..dc7e0d3caa 100644
--- a/website/docs/user-guide/features/plugin-catalog.md
+++ b/website/docs/user-guide/features/plugin-catalog.md
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ directory of the hermes-agent repository, declaring:
 | `capabilities` | Declared tools, hooks, middleware, and required env vars |
 | `requires_hermes` | Minimum Hermes version, e.g. `>=0.19` (optional) |
 | `platforms` | OS restrictions, empty = all (optional) |
+| `title` | Human name shown on cards, e.g. `NVIDIA App` (optional; defaults to `name`) |
+| `onboarding` | `true` offers the plugin on the desktop onboarding card, beside the hosted connectors, on the platforms it lists. Curated: official entries only (optional, default `false`) |
 | `docs_url` | External documentation link (optional) |
 | `version` | Human-readable label for the pinned sha, e.g. `"1.4.0"`; shown as `1.4.0 @ abcd1234` in the CLI, on the catalog card and on the Desktop **Update to** button (optional, cosmetic) |
 | `image` | Banner image for the catalog card and the plugin page hero, shown at 2:1 (1200×600 works; other shapes are centre-cropped); an `https` URL on `raw.githubusercontent.com`, `github.com` or `*.githubusercontent.com` (optional). Pin it to the entry's commit (`raw.githubusercontent.com/owner/repo/<sha>/...`) so it never changes under the review |