MySQL MCP Server vs MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery)

A side-by-side comparison of two Databases servers — tools, transport, auth, maintenance, and copy-paste config for each.

	MySQL MCP Server Secure, structured access to MySQL databases for AI clients — query, sample, and inspect schemas via MCP. Unverified stdio (local) No auth Python	MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) Google's official MCP server with prebuilt BigQuery tools, querying datasets via Application Default Credentials. Verified stdio (local) OAuth Go
Category	Databases	Databases
Language	Python	Go
Transport	stdio (local)	stdio (local)
Auth	None	OAuth
GitHub stars	1.3k	16k
Last commit	11 days ago	15 days ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`pip install mysql-mcp-server`	`brew install mcp-toolbox && toolbox --prebuilt bigquery --stdio`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick MySQL MCP Server if you want zero-setup with no API key.

Pick MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) if you want the official, vendor-maintained server, and you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option.

Add MySQL MCP Server

Install / run

pip install mysql-mcp-server

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mysql-mcp-server": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "path/to/mysql_mcp_server",
        "run",
        "mysql_mcp_server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MYSQL_HOST": "localhost",
        "MYSQL_PORT": "3306",
        "MYSQL_USER": "your_username",
        "MYSQL_PASSWORD": "your_password",
        "MYSQL_DATABASE": "your_database"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery)

Install / run

brew install mcp-toolbox && toolbox --prebuilt bigquery --stdio

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-toolbox-for-databases-bigquery": {
      "command": "/absolute/path/to/toolbox",
      "args": [
        "--prebuilt",
        "bigquery",
        "--stdio"
      ],
      "env": {
        "BIGQUERY_PROJECT": "<your-gcp-project-id>"
      }
    }
  }
}

FAQ

MySQL MCP Server or MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) — which is better?

Pick MySQL MCP Server if you want zero-setup with no API key. Pick MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) if you want the official, vendor-maintained server, and you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option.

Can I use both MySQL MCP Server and MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery)?

Yes — MCP clients let you enable multiple servers at once. Add both configs to your client's mcpServers and use whichever tool fits the task.

Do MySQL MCP Server and MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

Both do. Copy the per-client config below into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf.

View MySQL MCP Server →View MCP Toolbox for Databases (BigQuery) →More comparisons →