What is the key difference between MCP Gateway and ThornGuard?

MCP Gateway belongs to the Monitoring category with local stdio execution, while ThornGuard belongs to the Monitoring category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution.

How do I install MCP Gateway or ThornGuard 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 MCP Gateway and ThornGuard free or paid?

MCP Gateway operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). ThornGuard operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

MCP Gateway lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. ThornGuard lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both MCP Gateway and ThornGuard 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 MCP Gateway or ThornGuard 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 MCP Gateway and ThornGuard free to use, or do they require API keys?

MCP Gateway is listed under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . ThornGuard 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 MCP Gateway and ThornGuard at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both mcp-gateway and thornguard 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, MCP Gateway has a Quality Score of 27 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars. ThornGuard holds a Quality Score of 30 /100 ( Emerging ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 0 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

MCP Gateway vs ThornGuard

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Gateway and ThornGuard 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

MCP Gateway

Monitoring · Local stdio

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

ThornGuard

Monitoring · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 30/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose MCP Gateway if you need specialized Monitoring tools running via a local process. Choose ThornGuard if your workspace requires Monitoring integration with remote web transport. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose MCP Gateway when:

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

Explore MCP Gateway Details

Choose ThornGuard when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Monitoring domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore ThornGuard Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	M MCP Gateway Monitoring	T ThornGuard Monitoring
Summary	Multi-tenant MCP platform with OAuth 2.1, Entra SSO, RBAC and audit logging.	Remote MCP security gateway for auth, redaction, policy enforcement, and audit logging.
Category & Scope	Monitoring	Monitoring
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

MCP Gateway Tools (0)

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

ThornGuard 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).

MCP Gateway Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

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

ThornGuard Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "thornguard": {
      "url": "https://qwady.wiki/thornguard/quickstart"
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

MCP Gateway is categorized under Monitoring and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, ThornGuard belongs to Monitoring using remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. Select MCP Gateway when you need capabilities focused on monitoring and ThornGuard when you require tools for monitoring.

More alternatives to MCP Gateway More alternatives to ThornGuard Monitoring category hub