What is the key difference between Monitor and Citadel?

Monitor belongs to the Databases category with local stdio execution, while Citadel belongs to the Databases category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Monitor or Citadel in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Monitor and Citadel free or paid?

Monitor operates under a Freemium model (No auth required). Citadel operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Monitor lists 6 tools with 4 views and 1,233 GitHub stars. Citadel lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Monitor and Citadel together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Monitor or Citadel in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Monitor and Citadel free to use, or do they require API keys?

Monitor is listed under a Freemium model with No auth required . Citadel operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Monitor and Citadel at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both betterdb-inc-monitor and citadel as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Monitor has a Quality Score of 64 /100 ( Good ) with 4 views, 0 installs, and 1,233 GitHub stars. Citadel holds a Quality Score of 27 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Monitor vs Citadel

In-depth architectural comparison of the Monitor and Citadel MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Monitor

Databases · Local stdio

Quality: 64/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Citadel

Databases · Local stdio

Quality: 27/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Monitor if you need specialized Databases tools running via a local process. Choose Citadel if your workspace requires Databases integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Monitor when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Freemium).
You have access to required keys: DB_HOST, DB_PORT, DB_PASSWORD, AI_ENABLED.
Primary tools included: Persistent storage of slowlogs, client activity, and anomaly signals, Native support for Valkey COMMANDLOG and cluster SLOT-STATS, Per-thread CPU and I/O metrics visibility.

Explore Monitor Details

Choose Citadel when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Citadel Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Monitor BetterDB-inc Databases	C Citadel Databases
Summary	Valkey-first observability with Redis compatibility. Query real-time metrics, analyze slow commands, detect hot keys, and investigate performance issues directly from AI coding assistants.	Encrypted-first embedded database with vector search and agent memory, exposed as MCP tools
Category & Scope	Databases	Databases

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Monitor Tools (6)

Persistent storage of slowlogs, client activity, and anomaly signals

Native support for Valkey COMMANDLOG and cluster SLOT-STATS

Per-thread CPU and I/O metrics visibility

Live MONITOR capture sessions with filtering and export

Anomaly detection with automatic baseline learning

Prometheus and OpenTelemetry metrics endpoints

Citadel Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Monitor Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "betterdb-inc-monitor": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@betterdb/monitor"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DB_HOST": "YOUR_DB_HOST_HERE",
        "DB_PORT": "YOUR_DB_PORT_HERE",
        "DB_PASSWORD": "YOUR_DB_PASSWORD_HERE",
        "AI_ENABLED": "YOUR_AI_ENABLED_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Citadel Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "citadel": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "citadel"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Monitor is categorized under Databases and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Citadel belongs to Databases using local stdio subprocess. Select Monitor when you need capabilities focused on databases and Citadel when you require tools for databases.

More alternatives to Monitor More alternatives to Citadel Databases category hub