PostgreSQL (hardened, read Only) vs Airtable MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the PostgreSQL (hardened, read Only) and Airtable MCP 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 PostgreSQL (hardened, read Only) when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
• Primary tools included: explain_query, analyze, database_health.

Explore PostgreSQL (hardened, read Only) Details

Choose Airtable MCP when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the Databases domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).
• You have access to required keys: AIRTABLE_TOKEN.
• Primary tools included: list_bases, describe, query.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	PostgreSQL (hardened, read Only) Databases	Airtable MCP rashidazarang Databases
Summary	Read-only PostgreSQL over MCP. Writes refused at the parsed SQL, plus a READ ONLY transaction.	Connect AI tools directly to Airtable. Query, create, update, and delete records using natural language. Features include base management, table operations, schema manipulation, record filtering, and data migration through a standardized MCP interface.
Category & Scope	Databases

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": {
    "postgresql-hardened-read-only": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "postgres-mcp-hardened"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rashidazarang-airtable-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@rashidazarang/airtable-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "AIRTABLE_TOKEN": "YOUR_AIRTABLE_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

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