U.S. Government Open Data vs Watchmode
A side-by-side look at the U.S. Government Open Data and Watchmode MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose U.S. Government Open Data for aggregators work as a local process; choose Watchmode for aggregators as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose U.S. Government Open Data when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Aggregators domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You want tools like
bea_gdp_national, bea_gdp_by_state, bea_personal_income.
Choose Watchmode when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Aggregators domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
PLATFORM_WATCHMODE_KEY.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Aggregators | Aggregators |
| Quality signal | 68/100 · Great | 43/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | PLATFORM_WATCHMODE_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 113 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 356 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View U.S. Government Open Data | View Watchmode |
Tools & capabilities
U.S. Government Open Data tools 356
bea_gdp_nationalGet U.S. national GDP data from the NIPA tables. Shows GDP, GDP growth, components (consumption, investment, government, net exports), and deflators. Common table names: - T10101: GDP and major components (real) - T10106: GDP and major components (nominal) - T10111: GDP percent change - T20100: Personal income and its disposition - T30100: Government receipts and expendituresbea_gdp_by_stateGet gross domestic product for U.S. states from BEA Regional dataset. Table options: - SAGDP1: State annual GDP summary (default) - SAGDP9: Real GDP by state - SQGDP1: State quarterly GDP summary GeoFips: 'STATE' for all states, or 5-digit FIPS (e.g. '06000' for CA)bea_personal_incomeGet personal income data by state from BEA Regional dataset. Table options: - SAINC1: Personal income summary (income, population, per capita) — default - SAINC3: Per capita personal income only - SAINC4: Personal income by major component (wages, dividends, transfers) LineCode for SAINC1: 1=personal income, 2=population, 3=per capita income (default) LineCode for SAINC4: 1=total, 50=wages, 45=dividends/interest/rent, 47=transfer receiptsbea_gdp_by_industryGet GDP contribution by industry sector nationally from BEA GDPbyIndustry dataset. TableID options: - 1: Value added by industry (default) - 5: Contributions to percent change in real GDP - 6: Value added percent shares - 25: Real value added by industry Industry='ALL' returns all sectors.bea_dataset_infoDiscover BEA datasets, parameters, and valid parameter values. Essential for exploring the BEA API before making data requests. Actions: - list_datasets: List all available BEA datasets - list_parameters: List parameters for a dataset (requires dataset_name) - get_values: Get valid values for a parameter (requires dataset_name + parameter_name) - get_filtered_values: Get values filtered by other params (requires dataset_name + target_parameter + filters) Datasets: NIPA, NIUnderlyingDetail, FixedAssets, MNE, GDPbyIndustry, Regional, ITA, IIP, InputOutput, UnderlyingGDPbyIndustry, IntlServTradebea_nipa_underlying_detailGet NIPA underlying detail data — more granular national account breakdowns. BEA caution: these detailed estimates are lower quality than published aggregates. Common tables: U20305 (PCE current $), U70205S (auto sales/production monthly), U001A (GDP), U20304 (PCE by type). Use bea_dataset_info to discover all tables.bea_fixed_assetsGet Fixed Assets data — net stock, depreciation, and investment tables. Covers private/government fixed assets, equipment, structures, and IP products. Annual data only, updated once per year (late August – early October). Common tables: FAAt101 (current-cost net stock by type), FAAt201 (private equipment), FAAt401 (private nonresidential by industry), FAAt801 (current-cost depreciation). Use bea_dataset_info to discover all table names.bea_international_transactionsGet U.S. international transactions (balance of payments) data. Tracks all transactions between U.S. and foreign residents: goods/services trade, current account, financial account, capital transfers. Indicator examples: - BalGds: Balance on goods (default) - BalServ: Balance on services - BalCurAcct: Current account balance - ExpGds/ImpGds: Exports/Imports of goods - PfInvAssets: Portfolio investment assets Frequency: A=annual, QSA=quarterly seasonally adjusted, QNSA=not adjustedbea_international_investmentGet U.S. international investment position (IIP) data. Shows end-of-period accumulated stocks of U.S. financial assets and liabilities. TypeOfInvestment examples: - FinAssetsExclFinDeriv: U.S. assets excl derivatives (default) - FinLiabsExclFinDeriv: U.S. liabilities excl derivatives - DirInvAssets: Direct investment assets - FinLiabsFoa: Liabilities to foreign official agencies Component: 'Pos' (position), 'ChgPosTrans' (change from transactions), 'ChgPosPrice' (from price changes), 'ChgPosXRate' (from exchange rates)bea_intl_services_tradeGet U.S. international trade in services data (annual). IMPORTANT: BEA requires either a specific TypeOfService or a specific AreaOrCountry. You cannot use 'All' for both simultaneously. TypeOfService: 'All' (default), or specific: 'Telecom', 'Travel', 'Transport', 'Insurance', 'Financial', 'Comp', 'ChargesForTheUseOfIpNie', etc. Use bea_dataset_info to discover all values. TradeDirection: 'All' (default), 'Exports', 'Imports', 'Balance', 'SupplementalIns' Affiliation: 'All' (default), 'AllAffiliations', 'Affiliated', 'Unaffiliated', 'UsParents', 'UsAffiliates'bea_multinational_enterprisesGet data on Direct Investment (DI) and Activities of Multinational Enterprises (AMNE). DirectionOfInvestment (required): - 'Outward': U.S. investment abroad / foreign affiliates - 'Inward': Foreign investment in U.S. / U.S. affiliates - 'State': U.S. affiliates at state level (AMNE only) - 'Parent': U.S. parent enterprises (AMNE only) Classification (required): 'Country', 'Industry', 'CountryByIndustry' For AMNE stats, also set ownership_level ('0'=majority-owned, '1'=all) and non_bank_affiliates_only ('0'=both, '1'=nonbank only).bea_input_outputGet Input-Output statistics — Make Tables, Use Tables, and Requirements tables. Shows interrelationships between U.S. producers and users. Use bea_dataset_info (action='get_values', dataset_name='InputOutput', parameter_name='TableID') to discover available table IDs.- +344 more on the listing page
Watchmode tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
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.
U.S. Government Open Data
{
"mcpServers": {
"u-s-government-open-data": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"us-gov-open-data-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Watchmode
{
"mcpServers": {
"watchmode": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pipeworx/mcp-watchmode"
],
"env": {
"PLATFORM_WATCHMODE_KEY": "YOUR_PLATFORM_WATCHMODE_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
U.S. Government Open Data is categorized under Aggregators and uses a local stdio subprocess. Watchmode belongs to Aggregators and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick U.S. Government Open Data for aggregators work and Watchmode for aggregators.
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.
U.S. Government Open Data has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Auth: api key required. Watchmode 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 u-s-government-open-data and watchmode as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, U.S. Government Open Data has a quality signal of 68/100 (Great) with 1 views, 0 installs and 113 GitHub stars. Watchmode has 43/100 (Fair) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.