A side-by-side look at the MCP Server and Tickstem MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose MCP Server for monitoring work as a local process; choose Tickstem MCP for monitoring as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
MACKEREL_APIKEY.list_alerts, get_alert, get_alert_logs.TICKSTEM_API_KEY, TICKSTEM_BASE_URL.list_jobs, get_job, register_job.Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | M MCP Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Monitoring | Monitoring |
| Quality signal | 60/100 · Good | 55/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | API key required |
| Pricing | BYOK (pay the provider) | Not declared |
| Required env vars | MACKEREL_APIKEY | TICKSTEM_API_KEYTICKSTEM_BASE_URL |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 7 | 2 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 16 | 26 |
| Full listing | View MCP Server | View Tickstem MCP |
list_alertsRetrieve alerts.get_alertRetrieve a specific alert.get_alert_logsRetrieve logs for a specific alert.list_dashboardsRetrieve dashboards.get_dashboardRetrieve a specific dashboard.update_dashboardUpdate a specific dashboard.list_hostsRetrieve hosts.get_host_metricsRetrieve metrics data for a specific host.list_servicesRetrieve services.get_service_metricsRetrieve metrics data for a specific service.list_monitorsRetrieve monitor configurations.get_monitorRetrieve a specific monitor configuration.list_jobsList all cron jobs in the accountget_jobGet a cron job by IDregister_jobRegister a new cron job (name, schedule, endpoint)update_jobUpdate an existing job — only provided fields changepause_jobPause a job so it no longer firesresume_jobResume a paused or failing jobdelete_jobPermanently delete a job and its execution historylist_executionsList execution history for a job, most recent firstlist_monitorsList all monitors — status, URL, interval, SSL expiry, assertionscreate_monitorCreate a monitor with optional response assertions (status code, response time, body)get_monitorGet a monitor by IDpause_monitorPause a monitor so it stops pollingPaste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-server-180": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@mackerel/mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"MACKEREL_APIKEY": "YOUR_MACKEREL_APIKEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"tickstem-mcp": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"tickstem"
],
"env": {
"TICKSTEM_API_KEY": "YOUR_TICKSTEM_API_KEY_HERE",
"TICKSTEM_BASE_URL": "YOUR_TICKSTEM_BASE_URL_HERE"
}
}
}
}