DBHub vs MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server

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	MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server Query local DuckDB files, in-memory DBs, S3, or MotherDuck cloud with read/write SQL. Verified stdio (local) API key Python
Category	Databases	Databases
Language	TypeScript	Python
Transport	stdio (local)	stdio (local)
Auth	None	API key
GitHub stars	3.0k	800
Last commit	1 month ago	2 months ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`npx @bytebase/dbhub@latest --transport stdio --dsn "postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/dbname"`	`uvx mcp-server-motherduck --db-path md: --read-write`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick DBHub if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want zero-setup with no API key.

Pick MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server if you want the official, vendor-maintained server, and you want a verified, documented setup.

Add DBHub

Install / run

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 MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server

Install / run

uvx mcp-server-motherduck --db-path md: --read-write

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "motherduck-duckdb-mcp-server": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-motherduck",
        "--db-path",
        "md:"
      ],
      "env": {
        "motherduck_token": "<your-motherduck-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Requires `uv` (the Python package runner). Install it from https://docs.astral.sh/uv/ if `uvx` is not found.

FAQ

DBHub or MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server — which is better?

Pick DBHub if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want zero-setup with no API key. Pick MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server if you want the official, vendor-maintained server, and you want a verified, documented setup.

Can I use both DBHub and MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server?

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 MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

Both do. Copy the per-client config below into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf.

View DBHub →View MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server →More comparisons →