MCP Server Motherduck vs MCP Clickhouse
A side-by-side look at the MCP Server Motherduck and MCP Clickhouse 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 Motherduck for databases work as a local process; choose MCP Clickhouse for databases as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose MCP Server Motherduck when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
execute_query, list_databases, list_tables.
Choose MCP Clickhouse when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: other.
- You want tools like
list_databases, list_tables, run_query.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Databases | Databases |
| Quality signal | 56/100 · Good | 67/100 · Great |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | other |
| Pricing | Not declared | Free |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 534 | 890 |
| Directory activity | 3 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 6 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 4 | 3 |
| Full listing | View MCP Server Motherduck | View MCP Clickhouse |
Tools & capabilities
MCP Server Motherduck tools 4
execute_queryExecute SQL query (DuckDB dialect)list_databasesList all databases (useful for MotherDuck or multiple attached DBs)list_tablesList tables and viewslist_columnsList columns of a table/view
MCP Clickhouse tools 3
list_databasesList available ClickHouse databaseslist_tablesList available ClickHouse tables in a database, including schema, comment, row count, and column count. Integers outside [-9007199254740991, 9007199254740991] in table metadata are returned as decimal strings. Pagination tokens are single-use and retained for up to one hour.run_queryExecute SQL queries in ClickHouse. Queries run in read-only mode by default. Bind optional params by name with {name:Type} placeholders, such as {name:String} or {vector:Array(Float32)}. Values may be JSON scalars, nulls, or arrays. Pass exact large integers as decimal strings. JSON lists and objects cannot bind to Tuple and Map types. Python percent formatting and $name$ raw binary parameters are not supported. Parameter values stay out of the MCP server's normal SQL log lines, but may appear in errors and backend logs. Set CLICKHOUSE_ALLOW_WRITE_ACCESS=true to allow DDL and DML operations. Set CLICKHOUSE_ALLOW_DROP=true to additionally allow destructive operations (DROP, TRUNCATE, DELETE, UPDATE, REPLACE TABLE/PARTITION, CREATE OR REPLACE, CLEAR COLUMN/INDEX/PROJECTION, DETACH PERMANENTLY). That gate is a best-effort accident guard, not a security boundary. Integers outside [-9007199254740991, 9007199254740991] are returned as decimal strings. Two optional checks also run through this tool. Use DESCRIBE (<query>) when you need a query's output columns and types; it inspects the result schema and surfaces analysis errors such as an unknown column, but a query that describes cleanly can still fail at runtime. Consider EXPLAIN ESTIMATE <query> before a SELECT that could be expensive; it returns the estimated parts, rows and marks read from MergeTree family tables, which is not run time and not result size. Neither runs the query body, though analysis can execute scalar subqueries.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste 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.
MCP Server Motherduck
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-server-motherduck": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"mcp-server-motherduck"
]
}
}
}
MCP Clickhouse
{
"mcpServers": {
"clickhouse-mcp-clickhouse": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"mcp-clickhouse"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
MCP Server Motherduck is categorized under Databases and uses a local stdio subprocess. MCP Clickhouse belongs to Databases and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick MCP Server Motherduck for databases work and MCP Clickhouse for databases.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
MCP Server Motherduck has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. MCP Clickhouse is listed as free. Auth: other. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add mcp-server-motherduck and clickhouse-mcp-clickhouse as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, MCP Server Motherduck has a quality signal of 56/100 (Good) with 3 views, 0 installs and 534 GitHub stars. MCP Clickhouse has 67/100 (Great) with 6 views, 0 installs and 890 GitHub stars.