DBHub vs InstantDB MCP
A side-by-side comparison of two Databases servers — tools, transport, auth, maintenance, and copy-paste config for each.
| DBHub Zero-dependency, token-efficient database MCP server for Postgres, MySQL, SQL Server, MariaDB, and SQLite. Unverified stdio (local) No auth TypeScript | InstantDB MCP Create, manage, and query your InstantDB apps, schemas, permissions, and data from your AI editor. Unverified HTTP (remote) OAuth TypeScript | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Databases | Databases |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Transport | stdio (local) | HTTP (remote) |
| Auth | None | OAuth |
| GitHub stars | 3.0k | 10k |
| Last commit | 1 day ago | 1 day ago |
| Verified | ||
| Actively maintained | ||
| Install | npx @bytebase/dbhub@latest --transport stdio --dsn "postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/dbname" | npx -y @instantdb/mcp --token <token> |
| Repo | Open | Open |
Verdict
Pick DBHub if you want a local (stdio) server that keeps data on your machine, and you want zero-setup with no API key.
Pick InstantDB MCP if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a hosted/remote server with nothing to install.
Add DBHub
npx @bytebase/dbhub@latest --transport stdio --dsn "postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/dbname"Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"dbhub": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@bytebase/dbhub@latest",
"--transport",
"stdio",
"--dsn",
"postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/dbname"
]
}
}
}Add InstantDB MCP
npx -y @instantdb/mcp --token <token>Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"instantdb-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.instantdb.com/mcp"
]
}
}
}Claude Desktop connects to remote servers through the `mcp-remote` proxy (installed on first run via npx). Restart Claude Desktop after saving.
FAQ
DBHub or InstantDB MCP — which is better?
Pick DBHub if you want a local (stdio) server that keeps data on your machine, and you want zero-setup with no API key. Pick InstantDB MCP if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a hosted/remote server with nothing to install.
Can I use both DBHub and InstantDB MCP?
Yes — MCP clients let you enable multiple servers at once. Add both configs to your client's mcpServers and use whichever tool fits the task.
Do DBHub and InstantDB MCP work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?
Both do. Copy the per-client config below into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf.