MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server vs Neon MCP Server

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

	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	Neon MCP Server Manage serverless Postgres on Neon with natural language: projects, branches, migrations, and SQL. Verified HTTP (remote) OAuth TypeScript
Category	Databases	Databases
Language	Python	TypeScript
Transport	stdio (local)	HTTP (remote)
Auth	API key	OAuth
GitHub stars	800	2.1k
Last commit	1 month ago	1 month ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`uvx mcp-server-motherduck --db-path md: --read-write`	`npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.neon.tech/mcp`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server if you want a local (stdio) server that keeps data on your machine.

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

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.

Add Neon MCP Server

Install / run

npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.neon.tech/mcp

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "neon-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.neon.tech/mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop connects to remote servers through the `mcp-remote` proxy (installed on first run via npx). Restart Claude Desktop after saving.

FAQ

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

Pick MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server if you want a local (stdio) server that keeps data on your machine. Pick Neon MCP Server if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a hosted/remote server with nothing to install.

Can I use both MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server and Neon 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 MotherDuck / DuckDB MCP Server and Neon MCP Server work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

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

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