InstantDB MCP vs DuckDB MCP Server

A side-by-side comparison of two Databases servers — tools, transport, auth, maintenance, and copy-paste config for each.

	InstantDB MCP Create, manage, and query your InstantDB apps, schemas, permissions, and data from your AI editor. Unverified HTTP (remote) OAuth TypeScript	DuckDB MCP Server Query and manage a local DuckDB database from your LLM via the Model Context Protocol. Unverified stdio (local) No auth Stale Python
Category	Databases	Databases
Language	TypeScript	Python
Transport	HTTP (remote)	stdio (local)
Auth	OAuth	None
GitHub stars	10k	177
Last commit	1 month ago	1 year ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`npx -y @instantdb/mcp --token <token>`	`npx -y @smithery/cli install mcp-server-duckdb --client claude`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick InstantDB MCP if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a hosted/remote server with nothing to install.

Pick DuckDB MCP Server if you want a local (stdio) server that keeps data on your machine, and you want zero-setup with no API key.

Add InstantDB MCP

Install / run

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.

Add DuckDB MCP Server

Install / run

npx -y @smithery/cli install mcp-server-duckdb --client claude

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "duckdb-mcp-server": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-duckdb",
        "--db-path",
        "~/mcp-server-duckdb/data/data.db"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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

FAQ

InstantDB MCP or DuckDB MCP Server — which is better?

Pick InstantDB MCP if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a hosted/remote server with nothing to install. Pick DuckDB MCP Server if you want a local (stdio) server that keeps data on your machine, and you want zero-setup with no API key.

Can I use both InstantDB MCP and 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 InstantDB MCP and DuckDB MCP Server work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

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

View InstantDB MCP →View DuckDB MCP Server →More comparisons →