MongoDB MCP Server vs MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery)

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

	MongoDB MCP Server Let LLMs query, inspect, and manage MongoDB databases through natural language. Unverified stdio (local) No auth Stale TypeScript	MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) Google's official MCP server with prebuilt BigQuery tools, querying datasets via Application Default Credentials. Verified stdio (local) OAuth Go
Category	Databases	Databases
Language	TypeScript	Go
Transport	stdio (local)	stdio (local)
Auth	None	OAuth
GitHub stars	173	16k
Last commit	1 year ago	15 days ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`npx -y @smithery/cli install mongo-mcp --client claude`	`brew install mcp-toolbox && toolbox --prebuilt bigquery --stdio`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick MongoDB MCP Server if you want zero-setup with no API key.

Pick MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) if you want the official, vendor-maintained server, and you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option.

Add MongoDB MCP Server

Install / run

npx -y @smithery/cli install mongo-mcp --client claude

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mongodb-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mongo-mcp",
        "mongodb://<username>:<password>@<host>:<port>/<database>?authSource=admin"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery)

Install / run

brew install mcp-toolbox && toolbox --prebuilt bigquery --stdio

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-toolbox-for-databases-bigquery": {
      "command": "/absolute/path/to/toolbox",
      "args": [
        "--prebuilt",
        "bigquery",
        "--stdio"
      ],
      "env": {
        "BIGQUERY_PROJECT": "<your-gcp-project-id>"
      }
    }
  }
}

FAQ

MongoDB MCP Server or MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) — which is better?

Pick MongoDB MCP Server if you want zero-setup with no API key. Pick MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) if you want the official, vendor-maintained server, and you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option.

Can I use both MongoDB MCP Server and MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery)?

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 MongoDB MCP Server and MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

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

View MongoDB MCP Server →View MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) →More comparisons →