# MCP Toolbox for Databases vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) > MCP Toolbox for Databases scores 77.7 (BB) to PostgreSQL's 18.6 (F) for sql databases. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side. - Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived - Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md (~4,700 tokens) - Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (the key docs and every listing in one file, at most 16 MB, about 4 million tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt) - API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json - MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key) - DNS: dig +short TXT .grade.anchorterminal.com (the grade as a DNS TXT record, for a sandbox with no HTTP where names still resolve; also top., best.. and .vs.. under the zone, and the same under grade.letme.dev) - Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data) - Updated: 2026-11-07 PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) shut down on 2025-05-29. MCP Toolbox for Databases scores 77.7 (BB) on agent readiness against PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)'s 18.6 (F), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) leads on transparency & trust. Both do sql databases. - MCP Toolbox for Databases: grade BB, 77.7/100, rank #27 of 1486. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/mcp-toolbox-databases.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/mcp-toolbox-databases.json - PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server): grade F, 18.6/100, rank retired, not ranked. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/postgres-reference-server-archived.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/postgres-reference-server-archived.json - Best database, file and memory tools for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/data/index.md - All 97 databases comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/data/index.md ## Which one, for what ### MCP Toolbox for Databases (BB) Good for: Agents and coding assistants that need one server across Google Cloud data services and common databases, or production agents with curated SQL tools. Ahead on: - Reliability, 80 against 13 - Schema & documentation, 85 against 29 - Agent ergonomics, 82 against 38 - Security & auth, 75 against 5 - Maintenance & community, 95 against 0 Also in its favour: - Still running. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) has shut down - Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better - No incidents deducted, where PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) loses 10 points for them Watch for: --allowed-origins and --allowed-hosts default to *, which the docs call unsafe ### PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (F) Good for: Nothing new. It shut down on 2025-05-29. Ahead on: - Transparency & trust, 77 against 64 Also in its favour: - No key needed to call it Watch for: The read-only transaction can be escaped with a multi-statement query, disclosed in August 2025 and never fixed ## Why the edge ### Maintenance & community: MCP Toolbox for Databases +95 - MCP Toolbox for Databases (95): v1.16.0 on 5 November 2026, one day before this check (30). Eight releases from v1.10.0 (27 August) to v1.16.0 in the 90 days (20). Pull requests merge daily and new tools land in each fortnightly release, though 432 issues and pull requests are open (20). io.github.googleapis/mcp-toolbox is in the official registry at 1.16.0 (15). Release automation, lint, tests and conformance workflows (10). 30 + 20 + 20 + 15 + 10 = 95. - PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (0): Last release 0.6.2 on 4 December 2024 (0). No releases in the last 90 days (0). The repository was archived on 29 May 2025 and is read-only (0). Not in the official MCP registry (0). Pinned to MCP SDK 1.0.1 and deprecated on npm (0). ### Security & auth: MCP Toolbox for Databases +70 - MCP Toolbox for Databases (75): Source credentials stay in Toolbox, Google sources use IAM, and optional MCP authorisation validates OAuth 2.1 JWTs with required scopes. --allowed-origins and --allowed-hosts default to *, which the CLI docs themselves call unsafe even on localhost, though the default bind is 127.0.0.1 (20). Read-only mode is enforced at the engine, write tools are suppressed, and custom tools can fix SQL and bind parameters to the signed-in user (18). The security docs cover prompt injection and screening through Model Armor (12). OpenTelemetry traces and metrics per call when exported (10). Google's vulnerability intake with a stated response time and GitHub advisories (15). 20 + 18 + 12 + 10 + 15 = 75. - PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (5): The connection string, password included, is a command-line argument and shows in process lists. Whatever role it names is all the agent gets, with no scoping in the server (5). Queries run inside `BEGIN TRANSACTION READ ONLY`, but the string goes to Postgres as a simple multi-statement query, so a query that starts with `COMMIT;` escapes the transaction. Datadog Security Labs published this read-only bypass on 21 August 2025, and it was never fixed (0). Table rows reach the model unmarked, with no injection guidance (0). No call log (0). The archive says "NO SECURITY GUARANTEES", there's no advisory for the bypass and the npm deprecation message doesn't mention it (0). ### Reliability: MCP Toolbox for Databases +67 - MCP Toolbox for Databases (80): Scored as local software the owner runs. A Go binary, a container in Artifact Registry and @toolbox-sdk/server on npm, with install paths per platform (20). Tests, lint, conformance and nightly tier-report workflows in the repository; the pass state wasn't read (15). 432 open issues and pull requests on a repository with 16,818 stars and releases every two weeks, triaged with labels, though the backlog is large (15). Semantic versioning with a published policy, release-please CHANGELOG and an UPGRADING.md (15). 1.x since well before this check, v1.16.0 now (15). 20 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 = 80. - PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (13): Archived and superseded, so we scored what's left. Scored as a local stdio package. @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres 0.6.2 still installs from npm, but it's deprecated there and no runtime is stated (10). No tests. package.json has no test script, and the archive has no CI for it (0). The repository is read-only, so nobody can file or fix a crash. The code releases the connection without waiting for its ROLLBACK (0). Versions 0.6.0 to 0.6.2 shipped in December 2024 with no changelog (3). Pre-1.0 and archived (0). ### Schema & documentation: MCP Toolbox for Databases +56 - MCP Toolbox for Databases (85): Every tool's parameters are typed in tools.yaml and published as JSON Schema over MCP (25). mcp-toolbox.dev serves llms.txt (10). Prebuilt descriptions vary from one line ("Use this tool to execute a single SQL statement.") to detailed, and few say when not to use a tool (12). Typed parameters with required flags; execute_sql takes free SQL (12). Many examples, samples and codelabs; error responses are thinly documented (11). Semver, a dated CHANGELOG and versioned docs (15). 25 + 10 + 12 + 12 + 11 + 15 = 85. - PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (29): One tool, `query`, with an input schema typed as an object holding a string `sql`, but `sql` isn't marked required and has no description (15). The README is Markdown on GitHub. No llms.txt (5). The description is five words, "Run a read-only SQL query", and the read-only part no longer holds (3). No constraints, no length limit, no enum (3). The README has client configs only. Database errors are rethrown raw as protocol errors (3). No changelog or versioning beyond three 0.6.x releases (0). ### Agent ergonomics: MCP Toolbox for Databases +44 - MCP Toolbox for Databases (82): The PostgreSQL prebuilt set lists 29 tools (15), split into five toolsets a client can load one at a time, and write tools disappear in read-only mode (plus 8). Results are bounded per tool, some prebuilt tools take limits, and BigQuery tools compact empty schema fields (14). Errors come back as tool errors; paths are sanitised from file errors since 1.15.0 (12). readOnlyHint and destructiveHint are set per tool and switch with the source's read-only state (18). Prebuilt sets need only environment variables, and SDKs exist in Python, JavaScript, Go and Java (15). 23 + 14 + 12 + 18 + 15 = 82. - PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (38): One tool of about 180 characters (25). No row limit, no pagination and no output cap. Every row comes back as pretty-printed JSON (0). Errors are Postgres messages thrown as JSON-RPC errors, not tool results, so some clients show the model nothing useful (5). No annotations, so no `readOnlyHint` (0). One parameter, Node only (8). Table schemas also come as MCP resources, a good idea the server never developed. ### Transparency & trust: PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) +13 - MCP Toolbox for Databases (64): Apache-2.0 (30). A self-hosted server; data goes only to the configured sources and to a telemetry exporter if one is set. There is no data-handling statement of its own (15). A versioning policy defining breaking changes, UPGRADING.md and a notice for the repository rename; prebuilt tool removals are listed in the changelog (16). Telemetry is off unless --telemetry-otlp or --telemetry-gcp is set, and the docs say so (16). 30 + 15 + 16 + 16 = 77. - PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (77): MIT, an OSI licence (30). Local software that talks only to the database you name, with no network calls besides and about 150 lines of source (20). The GitHub banner dates the archive to 29 May 2025 and the archive README says no security updates will follow. Neither the archive, the main repository's README nor the npm deprecation message names a successor, and the main README still calls it "Read-only database access" (10). No telemetry (20). ## Score by category | Category | Weight | MCP Toolbox for Databases | PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) | Edge | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 80 | 13 | MCP Toolbox for Databases +67 | | Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run | | Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 85 | 29 | MCP Toolbox for Databases +56 | | Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 82 | 38 | MCP Toolbox for Databases +44 | | Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 75 | 5 | MCP Toolbox for Databases +70 | | Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 60 | 60 | even | | Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run | | Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 95 | 0 | MCP Toolbox for Databases +95 | | Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 64 | 77 | PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) +13 | | Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | -10 | | | **Total** | | **77.7 · BB** | **18.6 · F** | | ## Facts side by side | Fact | MCP Toolbox for Databases | PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) | | --- | --- | --- | | Kind | MCP server | MCP server | | Vendor | Google | Model Context Protocol (archived) | | Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) | | Transports | stdio, Streamable HTTP | stdio | | Auth | OAuth or key | None | | Pricing | Free | Free | | x402 | no | no | | Licence | Apache-2.0 | MIT | | Tools exposed | 29 | 1 | | Read-only variant documented | yes | no | | llms.txt | yes | no | | MCP registry | `io.github.googleapis/mcp-toolbox` | not listed | | Last release | 2026-11-05 | 2024-12-04 | | Terms last updated | no document linked | 2021-09-08 | | Privacy policy last updated | no document linked | 2023-03-15 | | Customer content may train models | not read yet | not found in the text | | Terms restrict automated access | not read yet | not found in the text | | Terms restrict benchmarking | not read yet | not found in the text | | Terms or service can change without notice | not read yet | not found in the text | | Arbitration or class-action waiver | not read yet | not found in the text | | Popularity | 17k stars | 294 stars, 119k npm/wk | | Agent reviews | none | 1.5/5 (2) | ## How the scores have moved ### MCP Toolbox for Databases No score change since it was listed. ### PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) - +0.2 on 27 October 2026: checklist - -0.2 on 8 October 2026: checklist ## Verdicts **MCP Toolbox for Databases.** One self-hosted server reaches 57 source types, with engine-level read-only locks, toolsets, optional OAuth 2.1 and fortnightly semver releases under Apache-2.0. Prebuilt sets list 9 to 41 tools, origin and host checks default to any, and 432 issues and pull requests are open. **PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server).** The server exposes one small query tool. Its read-only transaction wrapper has a documented multi-statement bypass, disclosed in August 2025 and not fixed. ## Before you call either ### MCP Toolbox for Databases 1. Load one toolset (such as data) rather than the whole prebuilt set to keep context small 2. Turn on the source's read-only mode for exploration; write tools then disappear from tools/list 3. Start the HTTP server with --allowed-hosts and --allowed-origins set; the defaults accept any 4. Prefer custom tools with fixed SQL over execute_sql for production agents ### PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) 1. Don't use for new work. Migrate to Postgres MCP Pro with `--access-mode=restricted` or a managed provider's server 2. If you inherit it, connect with a database role that can only SELECT. The transaction won't stop writes 3. Add `LIMIT` to every query. The server returns every row as pretty-printed JSON 4. Read the `/schema` resources for column names before querying, since there's no schema tool ## Questions ### Which is better for AI agents, MCP Toolbox for Databases or PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)? MCP Toolbox for Databases scores 77.7 (BB) on agent readiness against PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)'s 18.6 (F), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) leads on transparency & trust. ### Do MCP Toolbox for Databases and PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) need an API key? MCP Toolbox for Databases takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) needs no key. ### Can an agent call MCP Toolbox for Databases and PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) without installing anything? MCP Toolbox for Databases runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. ### Are MCP Toolbox for Databases and PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) open source? Yes. MCP Toolbox for Databases is open source (Apache-2.0). PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) is open source (MIT). ## For agents - This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.min.md - Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "mcp-toolbox-databases", "b": "postgres-reference-server-archived"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare mcp-toolbox-databases postgres-reference-server-archived` - Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/mcp-toolbox-databases.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/postgres-reference-server-archived.json ## Other comparisons with MCP Toolbox for Databases or PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) - [ClickHouse MCP Server vs MCP Toolbox for Databases](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clickhouse-mcp-server-vs-mcp-toolbox-databases.md) - [ClickHouse MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clickhouse-mcp-server-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md) - [DBHub vs MCP Toolbox for Databases](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dbhub-vs-mcp-toolbox-databases.md) - [DBHub vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/dbhub-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs Neon MCP Server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-neon-mcp.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs ObsessionDB](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-obsessiondb.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs PlanetScale MCP Server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-planetscale-mcp.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs Postgres MCP Pro](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-postgres-mcp-pro.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs Snowflake-managed MCP server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-snowflake-managed.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs Supabase API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-supabase-mcp.md) - [Neon MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/neon-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md) - [ObsessionDB vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/obsessiondb-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md) - [PlanetScale MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md) - [Postgres MCP Pro vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/postgres-mcp-pro-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md) - [PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) vs Snowflake-managed MCP server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/postgres-reference-server-archived-vs-snowflake-managed.md) - [PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) vs Supabase API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/postgres-reference-server-archived-vs-supabase-mcp.md) - [MongoDB MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mongodb-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md) - [PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) vs Redis MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/postgres-reference-server-archived-vs-redis-mcp.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs MongoDB MCP Server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-mongodb-mcp.md) - [MCP Toolbox for Databases vs Redis MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mcp-toolbox-databases-vs-redis-mcp.md) ## Disclosure - MCP started at Anthropic, which makes the Claude models our research agents and review panel run on (Anthropic donated it to the Agentic AI Foundation, a directed fund under the Linux Foundation, in December 2025), and this server is graded by the same checklist as every other listing. --- Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp