Field-by-field comparison

Compare the evidence before choosing an MCP.

Each signal stays separate, missing facts remain visible, and the column order follows your selection.

MCPs in this comparison

Uncheck an MCP to remove it. Comparing two or three keeps each signal in its own row.

Open canonical comparison link

Comparable alternatives

Shown only when capability or industry context overlaps.

Side-by-side MCP evidence comparison
Evidence fieldBasic MemoryWatchlist candidateMCPVault for ObsidianMCP100 Selected
Task fit
Best for
  • Users who want persistent, inspectable AI memory backed by local notes or an optional cloud workspace.
  • Obsidian users who want local search and supervised note maintenance
  • Vaults protected by version control or reliable backups
  • Users able to expose only a dedicated, bounded vault
Not ideal for
  • Users who need a broadly proven, low-risk, fully mature Selected-grade integration today.
  • Unbacked-up personal knowledge bases
  • Read-only research where a simpler filesystem search is sufficient
  • Enterprise knowledge requiring centralized authorization and audit controls
Avoid when
  • Avoid high-impact or sensitive production use unless the documented authentication, permissions, rollback, and data handling match your environment.
  • The vault contains secrets, regulated data, or material that cannot reach the selected AI provider
  • Write, move, and delete tools cannot be confirmed by a human
  • The vault path cannot be narrowed to a dedicated directory
Provenance
Provenance details

First-party MCP

io.github.basicmachines-co · Publisher source ↗

Community implementation

BitBonsai · Publisher source ↗

Maintenance
Maintenance details

Stale

Repo: Not documented

Package: Not documented

Repo: Aug 13, 2026

Package: Aug 9, 2026

Popularity evidence
GitHub starsNot documented

1,613

GitHub stars · checked 2026-08-14T18:46:26.000Z

Package downloads / 30 daysNo reliable download data

64,139

package downloads / 30 days · checked 2026-08-14T18:46:26.000Z

External adoption evidenceNot documented
  • npm: package downloads: 64,139Exact attributable signal.npm: package downloads · Rolling 30 days · checked 2026-08-14T18:46:26.000ZEvidence source ↗
Client coverage
Client coverage detailsNot documented
Claude Code✓ Local stdio
Claude Desktop✓ Local stdio
Codex✓ Local stdio
VS Code✓ Local stdio
Cursor✓ Local stdio
OpenCode✓ Local stdio
Client coverage noteLocal stdio runs on your computer. Streamable HTTP connects to a remotely hosted MCP server.
Access and data
AuthenticationLocal mode can operate without hosted auth; cloud mode uses the Basic Memory account/workspace connection.None at the local stdio layer.
CostLocal open-source use is available; cloud service pricing is publisher-defined.MCPVault is MIT licensed and free to run locally. MCP-host, model, backup, and storage costs remain.
PermissionsCan mutate or delete memory notes/projects exposed to the configured Basic Memory project.The server has filesystem read and write access within the supplied vault root, including note creation, overwrite or patch, frontmatter changes, moves, tags, and deletion. Operating-system permissions and the configured vault path are the primary boundary.
Data handlingLocal mode stores memory in local Markdown/project data; cloud routing can synchronize/store content in Basic Memory Cloud.Vault content and metadata are read locally and returned to the MCP client and model. Changes are written directly to local files. MCPVault states that it does not receive, store, or transmit vault data, while the selected AI provider still processes content sent by the client.
Limitations
Tradeoffs
  • Persistent write/delete memory authority and cloud/local synchronization need stronger governance evidence for Selected.
  • Local stdio avoids a hosted MCP service, but note contents still enter the MCP host and model context.
  • Frontmatter-aware writes are more useful than generic file access but increase integrity risk.
  • npx makes setup simple, while stricter environments may prefer a pinned and reviewed package version.
  • Version 0.16.0 migrated to MCP TypeScript SDK v2 / protocol 2026-07-28 while retaining dual-era stdio compatibility.
Risk contextPersistent write/delete memory authority and cloud/local synchronization need stronger governance evidence for Selected.A selected vault can contain a large body of private knowledge, and write tools can overwrite, move, or delete it. Use a dedicated vault, reliable backups or version control, an absolute path, a reviewed package version, and explicit approval for writes.
Evidence date
Editorial review2026-09-13T00:00:00Z2026-09-05
Candidate evidence2026-09-13T00:00:00Z2026-09-05T00:00:00.000Z

Popularity, maintenance, fit, permissions, and client support are independent evidence fields.

Read the evidence method →
Compare MCPs | MCP100 Index