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MCP gateway servers compared

MCP gateway and proxy servers that aggregate and route multiple MCP servers behind one endpoint, compared on trust, setup, and safety.

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Bifrost logoBifrost MCP Gateway

Open-source AI gateway that can connect to downstream MCP servers and expose their aggregated tools through a single HTTP or SSE MCP endpoint for Claude Desktop, Cursor, and other MCP clients.

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MetaMCP logoMetaMCP Gateway

Docker-deployed MCP gateway that aggregates downstream MCP servers into namespaces, endpoints, SSE, Streamable HTTP, OpenAPI, auth, and rate limits.

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tbxark MCP Proxy Server

MIT-licensed MCP proxy server that aggregates multiple downstream MCP servers behind one HTTP service, exposing each configured server through SSE or Streamable HTTP endpoints with auth tokens and tool filtering.

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Install riskReview firstReview firstReview first
Notes Safety ✓ Privacy ✓ Safety ✓ Privacy ✓ Safety ✓ Privacy ✓
BrandBifrost logoBifrostMetaMCP logoMetaMCP—
Categorymcpmcpmcp
Sourcesource-backedsource-backedsource-backed
Authormaximhqmetatool-aitbxark
Added2026-06-062026-06-052026-06-06
Platforms
Claude CodeClaude Desktop
Claude CodeClaude Desktop
Claude CodeClaude Desktop
Source repo———
Safety notes✓Bifrost can expose all selected downstream MCP tools through one `/mcp` gateway endpoint, so treat the endpoint like an access layer for every connected tool. The docs state that default LLM tool calls are suggestions until an explicit tool execution API call is made, but agent mode can enable configured automatic execution. Gateway-mode auto-approval is controlled by the external MCP host, such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline, or a custom client, not by Bifrost's `tools_to_auto_execute` setting. Stdio connections spawn local commands inside the Bifrost runtime; Docker deployments need images that include the requested executables. Use virtual keys, per-tool allowlists, auth headers, OAuth, per-user credentials, and network controls to limit which clients can reach high-impact tools.✓MetaMCP can start, aggregate, and expose multiple downstream MCP servers through a single managed endpoint. Public endpoints and public API keys can expose tool surfaces broadly if bootstrap settings or UI registration controls are left permissive. The README notes that APP_URL and CORS settings must match the URL used to access the service. Stdio-only clients generally need a proxy such as `mcp-proxy` to reach MetaMCP's remote endpoints. Rate limits, endpoint ownership, namespace visibility, OIDC, and registration controls should be configured before production use.✓tbxark MCP Proxy Server can spawn stdio subprocess MCP servers and connect to remote SSE or Streamable HTTP MCP endpoints. Every exposed route inherits the permissions of its downstream server; use per-server `authTokens` and tool filters instead of exposing all tools broadly. The docs support remote config URLs and an `--insecure` TLS flag; avoid untrusted configs and do not disable TLS verification outside controlled testing. Token-in-route fallback can expose credentials through browser history, proxy logs, metrics, and referrers; prefer authorization headers when clients support them. Logging can be enabled globally or per server, so review logs before routing secrets, prompts, tool arguments, or tool outputs.
Privacy notes✓Bifrost may process provider prompts, model responses, MCP tool names, tool arguments, tool results, headers, virtual keys, OAuth tokens, per-user credentials, logs, traces, metrics, and downstream server metadata. Per-user auth stores credentials against a signed-in user, virtual key, or session identity; review credential lifecycle, revocation, and orphaned-session behavior. Logs, config stores, provider settings, MCP sessions, and gateway analytics can contain sensitive operational or user data. Keep real provider keys, virtual keys, OAuth secrets, MCP endpoint URLs, and upstream service credentials in environment variables or secret stores, not committed config.✓MetaMCP can receive prompts, tool names, tool arguments, resource data, downstream MCP responses, endpoint metadata, API keys, OAuth tokens, user identifiers, and logs. Downstream stdio server environment variables may include secrets that are resolved from the MetaMCP container environment. Postgres persistence, file logs, bootstrap configuration, API keys, namespace definitions, and endpoint settings may retain sensitive operational data. Do not commit real `.env` files, bootstrap passwords, API keys, OIDC secrets, downstream service credentials, or exported gateway configs.✓The proxy may process downstream server commands, environment variables, headers, auth tokens, remote config URLs, tool names, tool arguments, tool outputs, prompts, resources, logs, and route keys. Stdio subprocesses inherit configured environment variables and can access whatever local paths, network services, or credentials those commands can reach. Remote config files can reveal internal MCP server names, endpoint URLs, auth headers, tool filters, and secret placeholders. Keep config files, tokens, `.env` values, logs, and Docker volume mounts out of public repositories and shared support output.
Prerequisites
  • Node.js with `npx`, Docker, or another supported Bifrost Gateway deployment path.
  • Bifrost Gateway version `v1.4.0-prerelease1` or newer for MCP gateway mode.
  • Downstream MCP server commands or HTTP/SSE endpoint URLs prepared before registering clients.
  • Provider API keys, virtual keys, gateway auth settings, and governance policies reviewed before sharing the endpoint.
  • Docker and Docker Compose available for the recommended deployment.
  • Postgres storage, app URL, CORS, bootstrap users, API keys, and registration settings reviewed before first start.
  • Downstream MCP server commands, environment variables, and secrets prepared for the MetaMCP container runtime.
  • [object Object]
  • Go toolchain for source install, or Docker for the GHCR image deployment path.
  • A v2 JSON configuration file defining `mcpProxy` and downstream `mcpServers`.
  • Downstream MCP server commands, URLs, headers, environment variables, and secrets prepared before proxy startup.
  • Public base URL, bind address, route type, auth token policy, logging policy, and tool filters reviewed before exposing the proxy beyond localhost.
Install
npx -y @maximhq/bifrost
git clone https://github.com/metatool-ai/metamcp.git && cd metamcp && cp example.env .env && ${EDITOR:-vi} .env
go install github.com/tbxark/mcp-proxy@latest
Config
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bifrost": {
      "url": "BIFROST_MCP_URL",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${BIFROST_VIRTUAL_KEY}"
      },
      "type": "http"
    }
  }
}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "metamcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-proxy",
        "--transport",
        "streamablehttp",
        "METAMCP_ENDPOINT_MCP_URL"
      ],
      "env": {
        "API_ACCESS_TOKEN": "${METAMCP_API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}
{
  "mcpProxy": {
    "baseURL": "MCP_PROXY_BASE_URL",
    "addr": ":9090",
    "name": "MCP Proxy",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "type": "streamable-http",
    "options": {
      "authTokens": [
        "REPLACE_WITH_PROXY_TOKEN"
      ]
    }
  },
  "mcpServers": {
    "fetch": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-fetch"
      ],
      "options": {
        "toolFilter": {
          "mode": "allow",
          "list": [
            "fetch"
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
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