Head to head · Databases · October 2026 research run
Neon MCP Server vs Redis MCP
Neon MCP Server scores 72.5 (BB) on agent readiness against Redis MCP's 54.9 (C), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Redis MCP leads on payments & pricing. Both do databases.
Best database, file and memory tools for AI agents · All 97 databases comparisons
Which one, for what
Best for Agents building on Neon Postgres in development, especially branch-per-change workflows. supabase-mcp and planetscale-mcp are the nearest listings; Neon itself advises against pointing it at production.
Ahead on
- Reliability, 72 against 52
- Schema & documentation, 90 against 64
- Agent ergonomics, 79 against 39
- Security & auth, 69 against 54
- Maintenance & community, 80 against 47
Also in its favour
- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better
- A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install
Watch for
138 tools listed when no category or project is set
Best for Teams with a Redis database that want an agent to read and write keys, streams, JSON documents and vector indexes on a developer's machine.
Ahead on
- Payments & pricing, 60 against 40
Also in its favour
- Runs on your own machine
- Open source
Watch for
53 tools load at once, with no toolsets and no read-only subset. Pull request #161 for a tool allowlist has been open since 28 July 2026
Why the edge
Each category where one leads by five points or more, with the reason behind each side's score from its assessment. The numbers are in the table below; this is what they stand for.
Agent ergonomics Neon MCP Server +40
Neon MCP Server 79
138 tools with no grant, far over 30 (5), with category, projectId and readonly to cut the list (plus 10). List tools take limits and cursors from the API, and describe_branch returns a tree (16). API errors return with their kind and status, path errors are tool errors, and unknown categories come back as a notice (16). readOnlyHint and destructiveHint on every definition, and the grant filter tells the model never to run destructive tools autonomously (18). Official TypeScript and Python SDKs for the Neon API; a no-auth tool preview endpoint (14). 15 + 16 + 16 + 18 + 14 = 79.
Redis MCP 39
53 tools load at once, about 15,700 characters of descriptions, with no toolsets, dynamic loading or read-only subset. Pull request #161 for an allowlist has been open since 28 July 2026 (5 of 25). scan_keys pages with a cursor, lrange and zrange take ranges, xrange and xreadgroup take a count, read_messages caps at 100 and the vector tools take k. scan_all_keys, hgetall, smembers and json_get return everything with no limit (12 of 20). Failures come back as ordinary results, a string starting Error or a dictionary with an error key, carrying the Redis error text. Input checks return clear messages, such as the refusal of block_ms=0. Nothing marks a result as an MCP error and no error list is documented (9 of 20). No tool declares readOnlyHint, destructiveHint or idempotentHint, and pull request #181 adding them was opened on 8 October 2026. No retry guidance was found, and lpush, xadd and publish are not safe to repeat (3 of 20). Most tools need one or two arguments and defaults are stated in the descriptions. The server is a Python package only (10 of 15).
Maintenance & community Neon MCP Server +33
Neon MCP Server 80
v2.0.0 on 5 November 2026, one day before this check (30). 1.0.0 (registry, 17 September) and 2.0.0 in the 90 days, two releases (10). 53 open issues and pull requests, with commits most days; reply times weren't measured (15). com.neon/mcp in the official registry, a domain-verified namespace, at 2.0.0 (15). Unit, integration and end-to-end test suites, knip and lint in CI (10). 30 + 10 + 15 + 15 + 10 = 80.
Redis MCP 47
0.5.1 was tagged on 4 August 2026 and published on GitHub and PyPI on 5 August, 91 days before this check, and no release has followed (10). No release in the 90 days from 6 August. The 32 commits since 0.5.1, up to 3 November, are dependency updates and the removal of an unused dev dependency, with the version still 0.5.1 (0). 19 open items per the 9 October check, when Redis staff had answered #156, #163 and #169 within weeks and merged the mcp pin the day it was reported, while #174, #137 and #31 had no reply and #45 on streamable HTTP had been open since August 2025 (14 of 25). Listed in the official MCP registry as io.github.redis/mcp-redis, a GitHub-verified namespace, with 0.5.1 marked latest per the 9 October check, and the repository's server.json still names it (15). Dependabot updates merged up to 3 November 2026, a lock file and the mcp dependency pinned below 2 (8 of 10).
Schema & documentation Neon MCP Server +26
Neon MCP Server 90
Every tool has a JSON Schema, many generated from the Neon OpenAPI spec (25). neon.com serves llms.txt and Markdown pages (10). Descriptions say when and when not ("branch_id is a branch id, not a branch name. Call list_branches to resolve a name", "NEVER run autonomously") (18). Typed inputs with enums such as access read_only or read_write, and path arguments checked for . and .. since 2.0.0 (13). Examples in the README and docs, and API 4xx errors classified by kind (11). CHANGELOG with dated releases and a registry version (13). 25 + 10 + 18 + 13 + 11 + 13 = 90.
Redis MCP 64
Each tool is built from a typed Python signature through FastMCP, so inputs carry JSON Schema, read from the source since we do not run vendor software. get_vector_from_hash has no return type, several tools return either a value or an error string, and there are no output schemas (21 of 25). redis.io serves llms.txt and a Markdown form of each docs page, and the README is Markdown (10). Most descriptions are one line plus an argument list. scan_keys, scan_all_keys, hybrid_search and xreadgroup say when to use them and what to avoid, and the rest do not (11 of 20). Required fields and defaults are typed, but there are no enums (distance_metric and the info section are free strings) and the bounds on block_ms, timeout_ms and max_messages are checked in code, not declared in the schema (8 of 15). The README and docs pages give client configuration examples. Tool examples exist only inside a few descriptions, and no list of error responses was found (6 of 15). Tagged versions and GitHub release notes, with no changelog file. The 0.4.0 notes name the docs tool search_documents where the source has search_redis_documents, and Redis's docs page still links a Smithery install that the README dropped in 0.3.5 (8 of 15).
Reliability Neon MCP Server +20
Neon MCP Server 72
Hosted reading. neonstatus.com on status.io with components per region, though no MCP component (20). The page shows only the last 30 days, three incidents, a partial disruption of monitoring data on 21 October (1 hour 22 minutes), slow compute starts in us-east-2 on 2 November (2 hours 14 minutes) and 26 minutes of console and API errors on 2 November; August and September weren't readable (15). The Neon API publishes 700 requests a minute with a 40-a-second burst per route (15). 429 with exponential backoff advice and 423 Locked for overlapping operations with retry guidance, but no idempotency keys (12). An uptime SLA on Scale only, with no percentage on the pricing page (5). The docs give the server no status label and the README says it isn't recommended for production (5). 20 + 15 + 15 + 12 + 5 + 5 = 72.
Redis MCP 52
Scored as local software, since the owner runs it over stdio. Official PyPI package redis-mcp-server with Python 3.10 to 3.14 stated in the metadata, though the README badge says 3.14 and later (20). The CI workflow runs on pushes, pull requests and nightly, on a five-version Python matrix against a live Redis with pytest and an 80 per cent coverage floor, but its run results couldn't be read on 4 November 2026 (GitHub's pages and API answered 403), so 15 under this run's reading for test CI with an unreadable result. Fresh PyPI installs failed to start from 28 July to 5 August 2026 after mcp 2.0.0 removed the module the server imports, fixed in 0.5.1 (issues #163 and #169). Issue #156, where the console command ignores REDIS_HOST and REDIS_PORT, was open with two unmerged fixes per the 9 October check (13 of 25). Tagged releases with numbers in semantic form, but no changelog file, release notes that are lists of pull request titles, and a patch release (0.5.1) that changed the unsubscribe input and added six tools. Issue #137 asking for semver tags had no reply (4 of 15). Version 0.5.1 with the classifier Development Status :: 4 - Beta (0).
Payments & pricing Redis MCP +20
Neon MCP Server 40
No x402, MPP or L402 (0). Per-unit prices are public, compute per CU-hour and storage per GB-month (20). Free plan with no card (20). A person signs up and authorises in a browser; the CLI can mint a key only after a login (0). 0 + 20 + 20 + 0 = 40.
Redis MCP 60
Read with the self-hosted rule. The server is free under the MIT licence and needs no signup of its own, so 20 + 20 + 20. No x402, MPP or L402 (0). It needs a Redis database, which can be free Redis Open Source on the owner's machine. Redis Cloud prices were not checked. No hosted version of this server was found on the pages read.
Security & auth Neon MCP Server +15
Neon MCP Server 69
OAuth 2.1 with read and write scopes, per-project and per-role fixed grants, Client ID Metadata Documents and RFC 9207 iss on redirects, or API keys (28). Read-only mode keeps SQL in READ ONLY transactions and withholds connection strings, roleName limits SQL to a role's grants, and destructive tools ask the model to confirm with the user; with an API key anyone who can edit the URL can widen the grant (17). The README warns to review every action and keep the server away from production, but we found no prompt-injection guidance for query results (5). Neon has project audit logs, but we didn't read whether MCP calls appear (5). SOC 2 Type II with a public SOC 3, ISO 27001 and 27701, HIPAA; no security.txt on neon.com (14). 28 + 17 + 5 + 5 + 14 = 69.
Redis MCP 54
The server holds one Redis username and password, which Redis ACL rules can scope to keys and command categories and an admin can revoke, or Entra ID credentials for Azure Managed Redis with token renewal. TLS certificate checks are required by default. The README's main example passes the password inside --url on the command line, and every caller shares the one user (22 of 30). The server has no read-only mode, no allowlist and no confirmation before delete, json_del, xdel or xgroup_destroy. The README gives an ACL example for a read-only user, and no tool runs an arbitrary command, so FLUSHALL, CONFIG and EVAL are out of reach (9 of 20). Stored values, pub/sub messages and docs search results reach the model as they are. No injection guidance was found in the README or the docs pages read (2 of 15). Logging goes to stderr at WARNING by default, so calls are not recorded unless the level is lowered. The connection names itself redis-py(mcp-server_v0.5.1), which Redis shows in CLIENT LIST (6 of 15). Redis has a valid security.txt, a HackerOne disclosure programme, and SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001 on its trust centre. CI runs Bandit and hardened runners, and Dependabot updates are merged within days. The repository has no SECURITY.md and no published advisories (15 of 20).
Score by category
| Category | Weight this run | Neon MCP Server | Redis MCP | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reliability | 16%20 | 72 | 52 | Neon MCP Server +20 |
| Performance | 10%pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13%16.2 | 90 | 64 | Neon MCP Server +26 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13%16.2 | 79 | 39 | Neon MCP Server +40 |
| Security & auth | 14%17.5 | 69 | 54 | Neon MCP Server +15 |
| Payments & pricing | 10%12.5 | 40 | 60 | Redis MCP +20 |
| Task success | 10%pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7%8.8 | 80 | 47 | Neon MCP Server +33 |
| Transparency & trust | 7%8.8 | 75 | 77 | Redis MCP +2 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | BB 72.5/100 | C 54.9/100 |
Facts side by side
| Fact | Neon MCP Server | Redis MCP |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | MCP server | MCP server |
| Vendor | Neon (Databricks) | Redis |
| Hosted endpoint | https://mcp.neon.tech/mcp | no (local only) |
| Transports | Streamable HTTP | stdio |
| Auth | OAuth | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Free |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| Tools exposed | 138 | 53 |
| Read-only variant documented | yes | yes |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| MCP registry | com.neon/mcp | io.github.redis/mcp-redis |
| Last release | 2026-11-05 | 2026-08-04 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-10-14 | no document linked |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-01-09 | no document linked |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not read yet |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | not read yet |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | not read yet |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | not read yet |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | not read yet |
| Popularity | 663 stars | 633 stars |
How the scores have moved
Neon MCP Server
No score change since it was listed.
Verdicts
Neon MCP Server
OAuth with read or write scopes, per-project and per-role grants, read-only SQL in READ ONLY transactions, and migrations tried on temporary branches. With no grant it lists 138 tools, the README advises against production use, and it sends account name and email to Segment with no opt-out for hosted users.
Redis MCP
Redis's server, under the MIT licence, maps 53 tools onto Redis commands, with typed inputs and a CI workflow that tests five Python versions against a live Redis. It has no read-only mode, tool annotations or changelog file, no release has followed 0.5.1 of 4 August 2026, and PyPI installs failed to start from 28 July to 5 August.
Before you call either
Neon MCP Server
- Connect with ?category=querying&category=schema&projectId=... or untick Allow writes at consent to cut 138 tools to a handful
- Use prepare_database_migration and complete_database_migration for schema changes, and ask the user before completing
- Pass branch IDs (br-...), not names; call list_branches to resolve a name
- On 429 back off exponentially, and on 423 Locked wait for the running operation to finish
Redis MCP
- Pass the connection with
--urlor explicit flags. Theredis-mcp-servercommand overridesREDIS_HOST,REDIS_PORT,REDIS_DB,REDIS_SSLandREDIS_CLUSTER_MODEwith its own defaults when flags are absent - Use
scan_keyswith the returned cursor until it is 0.scan_all_keys,hgetall,smembersandjson_getreturn everything they match with no limit - Read failures from the text. Tools return strings such as
Error ...or anerrorkey in place of an MCP error result - Keep the
subscription_idfromsubscribeorpsubscribeand pass it toread_messagesandunsubscribe. Idle subscriptions close after 300 seconds - Connect as a Redis ACL user limited to the keys and command categories needed, since the server has no read-only switch and
deleteruns without confirmation
Questions
Which is better for AI agents, Neon MCP Server or Redis MCP?
Neon MCP Server scores 72.5 (BB) on agent readiness against Redis MCP's 54.9 (C), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Redis MCP leads on payments & pricing.
Do Neon MCP Server and Redis MCP need an API key?
Neon MCP Server uses an OAuth sign-in. Redis MCP takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.
Can an agent call Neon MCP Server and Redis MCP without installing anything?
Neon MCP Server has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.neon.tech/mcp. Redis MCP runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed.
Are Neon MCP Server and Redis MCP open source?
No open-source release is listed for Neon MCP Server. Redis MCP is open source (MIT).
Other comparisons with Neon MCP Server or Redis MCP
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- ClickHouse MCP Server vs Neon MCP Server
- DBHub vs Neon MCP Server
- MCP Toolbox for Databases vs Neon MCP Server
- Neon MCP Server vs ObsessionDB
- Neon MCP Server vs PlanetScale MCP Server
- Neon MCP Server vs Postgres MCP Pro
- Neon MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)
- Neon MCP Server vs Snowflake-managed MCP server
- Neon MCP Server vs Supabase API + MCP
- ClickHouse MCP Server vs Redis MCP
- DBHub vs Redis MCP
- MongoDB MCP Server vs Neon MCP Server
- ObsessionDB vs Redis MCP
- PlanetScale MCP Server vs Redis MCP
- Postgres MCP Pro vs Redis MCP
- PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) vs Redis MCP
- Redis MCP vs Snowflake-managed MCP server
- MCP Toolbox for Databases vs Redis MCP
- MongoDB MCP Server vs Redis MCP
Machine-readable
- This page as Markdown
/compare/neon-mcp-vs-redis-mcp.md· slim.min.md· JSON.json(or sendAccept: text/markdown) - Each listing in full
/api/v1/tools/neon-mcp.json·/api/v1/tools/redis-mcp.json - From a terminal
anchor compare neon-mcp redis-mcp(the CLI) - Over MCP
compare_tools {"a": "neon-mcp", "b": "redis-mcp"}at/mcp, no key