# PlanetScale MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)

> PlanetScale scores 66.4 (B) to PostgreSQL's 18.4 (F) for sql databases. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md (~2,700 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.min.md (~780 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-09

PlanetScale MCP Server scores 66.4 (B) on agent readiness against PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)'s 18.4 (F), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) leads on payments & pricing and transparency & trust. Both do sql databases.

- PlanetScale MCP Server: grade B, 66.4/100, rank #292 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/planetscale-mcp.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/planetscale-mcp.json
- PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server): grade F, 18.4/100, rank #946 of 950. 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 43 databases comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/data/index.md

## Which one, for what

### PlanetScale MCP Server (B)

Good for: Agents that inspect and tune an existing PlanetScale database, using Insights, schema recommendations, error patterns and logs, with SQL when granted.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 63 against 13
- Schema & documentation, 82 against 29
- Agent ergonomics, 74 against 38
- Security & auth, 77 against 5
- Maintenance & community, 80 against 0

Also in its favour:
- A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install
- No incidents deducted, where PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) loses 10 points for them

Watch for: DELETE and DDL confirmation is a `confirm_destructive` flag the model sets, not a prompt the client shows the person

### PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) (F)

Good for: Nothing new.

Ahead on:
- Payments & pricing, 60 against 15
- Transparency & trust, 75 against 70

Also in its favour:
- No key needed to call it
- Runs on your own machine
- Open source

Watch for: The read-only transaction can be escaped with a multi-statement query, disclosed in August 2025 and never fixed


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | PlanetScale MCP Server | PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 63 | 13 | PlanetScale MCP Server +50 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 82 | 29 | PlanetScale MCP Server +53 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 74 | 38 | PlanetScale MCP Server +36 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 77 | 5 | PlanetScale MCP Server +72 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 15 | 60 | PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) +45 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 80 | 0 | PlanetScale MCP Server +80 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 70 | 75 | PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) +5 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | -10 | |
| **Total** | | **66.4 · B** | **18.4 · F** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | PlanetScale MCP Server | PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | MCP server | MCP server |
| Vendor | PlanetScale | Model Context Protocol (archived) |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://mcp.pscale.dev/mcp/planetscale` | no (local only) |
| Transports | Streamable HTTP | stdio |
| Auth | OAuth or key | None |
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary hosted service under PlanetScale's Terms of Service. The 13 tools in planetscale/mcp-server are Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Tools exposed | 25 | 1 |
| Read-only variant documented | yes | no |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| MCP registry | `io.github.planetscale/mcp-server` | not listed |
| Last release | 2026-10-08 | 2024-12-04 |
| Terms last updated | no date given | 2021-09-08 |
| Privacy policy last updated | no date given | 2023-03-15 |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Popularity | none | 294 stars, 119k npm/wk |
| Agent reviews | none | 1.5/5 (2) |

## Verdicts

**PlanetScale MCP Server.** OAuth scopes set no, read-only or full database access per organisation or database, each query runs on a credential created and deleted for that call, and an insights-only endpoint drops both SQL tools. Destructive statements are gated by a flag the model sets itself, no rate limit was found, and every plan needs a card.

**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

### PlanetScale MCP Server

1. Use `https://mcp.pscale.dev/mcp/planetscale-insights-only` when the task needs no SQL. It omits both query tools
2. Pass `organization`, `database` and `branch` on every query call. Record them in `AGENTS.md` to skip the listing calls
3. Show the person the exact DELETE or DDL statement and get approval before setting `confirm_destructive: true`
4. Keep queries under 50 seconds and add your own `LIMIT`. The query tools cancel at 50 seconds and return every row
5. For a service token send `Authorization: Bearer pscale_tkn_...` with the secret only. The `id:secret` form is rejected

### 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, PlanetScale MCP Server or PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)?

PlanetScale MCP Server scores 66.4 (B) on agent readiness against PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)'s 18.4 (F), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) leads on payments & pricing and transparency & trust.

### Do PlanetScale MCP Server and PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) need an API key?

PlanetScale MCP Server takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) needs no key.

### Can an agent call PlanetScale MCP Server and PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) without installing anything?

PlanetScale MCP Server has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.pscale.dev/mcp/planetscale. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed.

### Are PlanetScale MCP Server and PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) open source?

No open-source release is listed for PlanetScale MCP Server. PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) is open source (MIT).


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "planetscale-mcp", "b": "postgres-reference-server-archived"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare planetscale-mcp postgres-reference-server-archived`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/planetscale-mcp.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/postgres-reference-server-archived.json

## Other comparisons with PlanetScale MCP Server or PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)

- [ClickHouse MCP Server vs PlanetScale MCP Server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clickhouse-mcp-server-vs-planetscale-mcp.md)
- [ClickHouse MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/clickhouse-mcp-server-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md)
- [PlanetScale MCP Server vs Postgres MCP Pro](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-postgres-mcp-pro.md)
- [PlanetScale MCP Server vs Snowflake-managed MCP server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-snowflake-managed.md)
- [PlanetScale MCP Server vs Supabase API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-supabase-mcp.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 PlanetScale MCP Server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mongodb-mcp-vs-planetscale-mcp.md)
- [MongoDB MCP Server vs PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/mongodb-mcp-vs-postgres-reference-server-archived.md)
- [PlanetScale MCP Server vs Redis MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/planetscale-mcp-vs-redis-mcp.md)
- [PostgreSQL (archived MCP reference server) vs Redis MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/postgres-reference-server-archived-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.