MCP Trace vs Simpletel
A side-by-side look at the MCP Trace and Simpletel MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
M
MCP TraceMonitoringQuery OpenTelemetry traces from agent runs through MCP.47FairAuth: no auth requiredS
SimpletelMonitoringQuery your simpletel OpenTelemetry traces and account usage from a coding agent.45FairAuth: not declaredVerdict: choose MCP Trace for monitoring work; choose Simpletel for monitoring. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
MChoose MCP Trace when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Monitoring domain.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
list_runs, run_summary, span_tree.
SChoose Simpletel when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Monitoring domain.
- You have the keys it needs:
SIMPLETEL_ENDPOINT, SIMPLETEL_TEAM, SIMPLETEL_ADMIN_TOKEN, SIMPLETEL_TOKEN, SIMPLETEL_CONFIG. - You want tools like
get_traces, get_trace, verify.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | M MCP Trace | S Simpletel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Monitoring | Monitoring |
| Quality signal | 47/100 · Fair | 45/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Not confirmed yet | Not confirmed yet |
| Transport | — | — |
| Auth | No auth required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | SIMPLETEL_ENDPOINTSIMPLETEL_TEAMSIMPLETEL_ADMIN_TOKENSIMPLETEL_TOKENSIMPLETEL_CONFIG |
Tools & capabilities
MCP Trace tools 12
list_runsStarting out — recent runs with task, model, duration, cost, decision countsrun_summaryOne run at a glance (accepts trace-id prefix)span_tree"What did the agent actually do?" — nested shape of the runslowest_spans"Why was it slow?" — top-k spans by durationapproval_logHITL audit — every approve/deny/**edit**, who decided, and *the rationale*token_usageCost questions — aggregated across runs or per-runsearch_spansFind spans by tool name, file path, "denied", …failure_reportFind actionable, bounded, redacted errors and failed tool calls.tool_statsRank tools by volume, error rate, denials, and latency.security_auditAudit caller identity, tenant, server provenance, risk, and approval evidence.recent_activityPoll new spans with a cursor while a run is active.compare_runsCompare selected traces for regressions across models or versions.
Simpletel tools 4
get_tracesLists this team's traces newest-first. The JSON document `simpletel get traces --format json` produces. Use it to find a failing or slow request.get_traceFetches one trace in full — spans, span events, and correlated log records. The JSON document `simpletel get trace <id> --format json` produces.verify
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 Trace
No confirmed install command for MCP Trace yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.
Simpletel
No confirmed install command for Simpletel yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.
Frequently asked questions
MCP Trace is categorized under Monitoring and uses an install path we have not confirmed yet. Simpletel belongs to Monitoring and uses an install path we have not confirmed yet. Pick MCP Trace for monitoring work and Simpletel for monitoring.
Neither server has a confirmed install command yet, so we don't publish a guessed config. Follow each project's own setup instructions, linked from its listing page.
MCP Trace is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Simpletel has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. 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-trace and simpletel as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, MCP Trace has a quality signal of 47/100 (Fair) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. Simpletel has 45/100 (Fair) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.