MCP Comparison
Compare features, tools, and capabilities of these MCP servers side by side.
MarkItDown MCP
MarkItDown-MCP is a lightweight MCP (Model Context Protocol) server provided as the markitdown-mcp package. It exposes a STDIO, Streamable HTTP, and SSE MCP server designed for calling MarkItDown to convert content to Markdown. The package focuses on simplicity and accessibility, enabling you to run the MCP server locally via a simple CLI, or in Docker for containerized workflows, with integration options for Claude Desktop. The core capability is exposed through a single tool, convert_to_markdown(uri), which accepts a URI in http:, https:, file:, or data: schemes to fetch content and convert it to Markdown. This MCP server is easy to install with pip and can be used in various transport modes, including STDIO and HTTP/SSE, making it a flexible choice for automations and integrations.
Claude Skills MCP Server
Claude Skills MCP Server is an MCP server that enables intelligent search and retrieval of Claude Agent Skills using vector embeddings and semantic similarity. It implements a progressive disclosure architecture so AI applications can discover and load skills in stages (metadata → full content → files) while remaining fast and local. The server can load skills from multiple sources, including Official Anthropic Skills, K-Dense AI Scientific Skills, and local directories, providing a zero-configuration experience out of the box for Cursor or standalone usage. The architecture is split into a lightweight frontend and a heavy backend, enabling instant startup and background backend download, with no API keys required and the ability to connect to remote hosted backends if desired.
| Feature | MarkItDown MCP | Claude Skills MCP Server |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | ||
| Official | ||
| Tools Available | 2 | 3 |
| Has Installation Guide | ||
| Has Examples | ||
| Website | ||
| Source Code |
- convert_to_markdown(uri)
- mcpinspector
- find_helpful_skills
- read_skill_document
- list_skills
Can't decide? Check out both MCP servers for more details.