Crossref vs Crates — MCP Server Comparison | AllMCPs
Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison
Crossref vs Crates
In-depth architectural comparison of the Crossref and Crates 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
Crossref
Developer Tools · Local stdio
Quality: 27/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required
Crates
Developer Tools · Local stdio
Quality: 25/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required
Verdict Summary: Choose Crossref if you need specialized Developer Tools tools running via a local process. Choose Crates if your workspace requires Developer Tools integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.
Which MCP Server Should You Choose?
C
Choose Crossref when:
You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Crossref is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Crates belongs to Developer Tools using local stdio subprocess. Select Crossref when you need capabilities focused on developer tools and Crates when you require tools for developer tools.