MCP gateways and hosting
An MCP gateway sits between your AI apps and your MCP servers, giving one connection plus control over who can call which tool.
An MCP gateway is a proxy that sits between AI apps and the MCP servers they use. You connect your assistant to the gateway once, and it routes each tool call to the right server while logging it and checking who is allowed.
You do not need a gateway to use one or two hosted servers in Claude or ChatGPT. It starts to pay off when many people share many servers, or when security wants a list of approved servers and a record of every call. Smithery's proxy shut down on October 31, 2026, so it is left out of the ranking.
Good for
- Developers running several local MCP servers who want them boxed in
- IT and security teams that need to approve servers and log every tool call
- Companies rolling out Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor to many people
- Builders who want sign-in to many apps handled for them
Top picks
Ranked by self-hosting first, then per-tool access rules and audit logs as each vendor's own page states them, then GitHub stars as of 2026-11-02. Smithery is left out because its proxy has shut down.
- 1ObotBest to self-hostGateway
Open source (MIT) and built for companies: a registry of approved servers, rules for who can use which tool, and full audit logs.
Self-host or cloudRuns - 2MetorialMost servers built inGateway
Open core, self-host or cloud. Puts 1,100+ MCP servers behind one sign-in, with access policies and audit logs.
Self-host or cloudRuns - 3Docker MCP GatewayBest free pickGateway
Free and open source (MIT). Runs each server in its own Docker container on your machine, so a bad server cannot reach the rest of your system.
LocalRuns - 4GlamaHosting plus gatewayGateway
A hosted proxy that adds logging, per-tool access control and managed sign-in, and can host open-source servers for you.
CloudRuns - 5MCP ManagerCompliance focusGateway
Commercial gateway from Usercentrics, aimed at audit logs for HIPAA, GDPR and DORA, plus role-based access.
- 6ComposioEasiest hostedGateway
Hosted service with 1,500+ apps. It keeps users' passwords and tokens on its side, and the free Hobby plan covers small projects.
CloudRuns - 7ApifyFor web dataGateway
Not a general gateway: one hosted server that lets agents run thousands of Apify scrapers and read the results.
CloudRuns
MCP gateways and hosts
8
- Apify
Apify's hosted MCP server at mcp.apify.com. Lets AI agents find and run Apify Store Actors for scraping and data extraction, and read their results.
- Composio
Hosted tool platform that gives AI agents access to 1,500+ apps through MCP or its SDK, and keeps users' passwords and tokens on its side.
- Docker MCP Gateway
Docker's open-source MCP gateway. Runs each MCP server in its own Docker container and gives your AI client one connection to all of them. Ships with Docker Desktop's MCP Toolkit.
- Glama
MCP directory with a hosted gateway: a reverse proxy in front of MCP servers that adds logging, per-tool access control, managed sign-in and usage stats. Can also host open-source servers.
- MCP Manager
Commercial MCP gateway for AI governance from Usercentrics. Adds audit logs, a custom rules engine and role-based access in front of the MCP servers your company uses.
- Metorial
Open-core MCP and skills gateway that connects agents to 1,100+ MCP servers behind one sign-in, with access policies and audit logs. Self-host or use Metorial Cloud.
- Obot
Open-source MCP gateway and AI control plane. Admins approve servers in a central registry, set who can use which tools, and keep audit logs. Self-host free or use Obot Cloud.
- Smithery
MCP server directory, now part of Arcade. Its MCP proxy and managed identity service shut down on October 31, 2026, so it no longer works as a gateway.
Comparison
Use Docker MCP Gateway on your own machine. For a team, self-host Obot or Metorial, or pay for Glama or MCP Manager if you would rather not run servers.
| Option | Runs | Open source | Access rules | Audit logs | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Docker MCP Gateway | Local | Yes | – | – | 1.6K |
| Obot | HostedLocal | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1.1K |
| Metorial | HostedLocal | Open core | Yes | Yes | 3.4K |
| Composio | Hosted | SDK only | – | – | 30.9K |
| Glama | Hosted | – | Yes | Yes | – |
| MCP Manager | – | – | Yes | Yes | – |
| Apify | Hosted | Server only | – | – | 14.2K |
Verdict
Self-host Obot for a team that needs approved servers, per-tool access rules and audit logs; use the free Docker MCP Gateway on a single computer.
Our pick: Obot
For a company, self-host Obot: it is MIT-licensed and gives you an approved server catalog, per-tool access rules and audit logs. For one developer on one computer, the free Docker MCP Gateway is enough.
MoreLess
The main limit of any gateway: each server still acts with whatever access its token has, so a gateway narrows and records tool calls but does not make a risky server safe.
Best for
- Teams sharing many MCP servers across Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor
- Security teams that need a record of every tool call
- Developers who want local servers boxed in containers
Skip it if
- You only use one or two hosted servers in Claude or ChatGPT
- You expect the gateway to make an over-permissioned server safe
- You need Docker's gateway in Claude on the web: it runs locally, and custom connectors reach servers from Anthropic's cloud
How we ranked these
Gateways are ranked by self-hosting first, then per-tool access rules and audit logs, then GitHub stars as of 2026-11-02, using each vendor's own page. A blank cell means the vendor does not state it.
| Criterion | Weight | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|
| Run it yourself | 35% | Open source and self-hostable ranks above cloud-only, because your tokens and logs stay with you. |
| Control | 35% | Per-tool access rules, approved-server registry and audit logs, as stated on the vendor's own page. |
| Popularity | 20% | GitHub stars of the gateway's repo. Composio's and Apify's repos are their SDK or server, not a gateway product. |
| Still running | 10% | Services that have shut down their gateway are left out of the ranking. |
Data as of 2026-11-02
Questions
What is an MCP gateway?
A proxy between AI apps and MCP servers. The assistant connects to the gateway once, and the gateway passes each tool call to the right server, with logging and access rules on the way.
Do I need an MCP gateway?
Not for a few hosted servers in Claude or ChatGPT. It helps when a team shares many servers, needs an approved list, or must keep a record of every tool call.
Is there a free, open-source MCP gateway?
Yes. Docker MCP Gateway and Obot are open source under the MIT license, and Obot's self-hosted Community edition is free. Metorial is open core with a free Dev plan.
What is the Docker MCP Gateway?
Docker's open-source gateway that runs each MCP server in its own container, starting it only when a tool is called. It comes with Docker Desktop's MCP Toolkit, and you manage it with the docker mcp command.
Can I use an MCP gateway with Claude or ChatGPT?
Yes, if the gateway has a public web address: you add that address as a custom connector or custom MCP server. A gateway that runs only on your laptop, like Docker's, works with Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Cursor instead, because Claude's custom connectors reach servers from Anthropic's cloud.
How is an MCP gateway different from an API gateway?
An API gateway routes ordinary web traffic. An MCP gateway understands MCP tool calls, so it can allow or block single tools and log what the AI asked for, not just which address it hit.
Where can I host an MCP server?
Anywhere that is reachable over the internet, since hosted assistants connect from their own cloud. Glama can build and host open-source servers from its registry for you, and Obot and Metorial offer cloud plans.
Does a gateway make MCP safe?
It helps, but not on its own. It gives you one place to limit tools and review calls, but each server still acts with the access its token has. Give every server the narrowest token that works; see our MCP security guide.
What happened to Smithery's MCP gateway?
Smithery is now part of Arcade, and its MCP proxy and managed sign-in service shut down on October 31, 2026. Its directory of servers is still online.
Sources
Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.
Show all 16Hide
- MCP Gateway · glama.ai
- MCP Gateway · docs.docker.com
- Obot · obot.ai
- Smithery · smithery.ai
- The future of Smithery · smithery.ai
- Metorial · metorial.com
- Composio · composio.dev
- MCP Manager by Usercentrics · mcpmanager.ai
- Apify MCP server · docs.apify.com
- docker/mcp-gateway · github.com
- obot-platform/obot · github.com
- metorial/metorial · github.com
- composiohq/composio · github.com
- apify/apify-mcp-server · github.com
- Use connectors to extend Claude's capabilities · support.claude.com
- Build an MCP server for Claude · claude.com