MCP Gitlab vs GitLab MCP Server

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Gitlab and GitLab MCP Server 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.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose MCP Gitlab when:

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

Explore MCP Gitlab Details

G

Choose GitLab MCP Server when:

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

Explore GitLab MCP Server Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	MCP Gitlab Version Control	G GitLab MCP Server Version Control
Summary	Secure MCP server for GitLab projects, merge requests, issues, and pipelines	GitLab MCP server with 44 tools for projects, MRs, pipelines, and more
Category & Scope	Version Control	Version Control
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

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).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-gitlab": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-gitlab-crunchtools"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gitlab-mcp-server-2": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "gitlab-mcp-server-2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Related MCP Server Comparisons