ProductBrain vs Squad
A side-by-side look at the ProductBrain and Squad MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
P
ProductBrainProduct Management · Local subprocess (stdio)Drive your ProductBrain product plan (goals, needs, bets, jobs) from any MCP client.53GoodAuth: api key requiredVerdict: choose ProductBrain for product management work as a local process; choose Squad for product management. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
PChoose ProductBrain when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Product Management domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEY, PRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_ID, PRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL. - You want tools like
search, list_nodes, get_tree.
Choose Squad when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Product Management domain.
- You want tools like
list_workspaces, select_workspace, get_workspace_overview.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | P ProductBrain | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Product Management | Product Management |
| Quality signal | 53/100 · Good | 47/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Not confirmed yet |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | — |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | BYOK (pay the provider) | Not declared |
| Required env vars | PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEYPRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_IDPRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL | None listed |
Tools & capabilities
ProductBrain tools 26
searchSemantic search — **use first** for any lookuplist_nodesBulk read, optional type/iteration filterget_treeA node in context (ancestors/siblings/children/subtree)mutateCreate/update/delete nodes + phases; pass `idempotencyKey` to make retries safelist_iterationsPhases; `current:true` for the active onerun_workflowStory-Mapping methodology (add / task-curate / phase-assign)export_okfThe plan as a portable OKF file bundleget_changelogPlan history: every add/update/delete/restore, attributed to the app or a named agentset_viewDrive / read the live canvaslist_projectsProjects you own or are a member of; `includeArchived` for the restcreate_projectBootstrap a brain — seeds the system "Later" phase. Pass an explicit `id`: `addProject` runs before mutate reads `Idempotency-Key`, so it is not retry-saferename_projectChange the display name; the id is immutable- +14 more on the listing page
Squad tools 30
list_workspacesList every organisation and workspace you can access, with the current selection marked.select_workspaceSelect which organisation and workspace subsequent tools operate on.get_workspace_overview
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.
ProductBrain
{
"mcpServers": {
"productbrain": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@productbrain-com/mcp"
],
"env": {
"PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEY": "YOUR_PRODUCTBRAIN_API_KEY_HERE",
"PRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_ID": "YOUR_PRODUCTBRAIN_PROJECT_ID_HERE",
"PRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL": "YOUR_PRODUCTBRAIN_API_URL_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Squad
No confirmed install command for Squad yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.
Frequently asked questions
ProductBrain is categorized under Product Management and uses a local stdio subprocess. Squad belongs to Product Management and uses an install path we have not confirmed yet. Pick ProductBrain for product management work and Squad for product management.
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. Squad has no confirmed install command yet — follow its own setup instructions.
ProductBrain is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. Squad 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 productbrain and squad as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, ProductBrain has a quality signal of 53/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. Squad has 47/100 (Fair) with 0 views, 0 installs and 2 GitHub stars.