Close vs ai.explorium/mcp-explorium
Close is an MCP server published by docker. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Docker MCP Catalog). ai.explorium/mcp-explorium is an MCP server published by explorium.ai. Marketplaces we read that list it: 2 (Official MCP Registry, Docker MCP Catalog). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-10-17. This pair was picked by a reader, not by our comparison rule, so search engines are asked not to index the page.
Where each is published
| Marketplace |  Close |  ai.explorium/mcp-explorium |
|---|---|---|
| Docker MCP Catalog | Listed Version: not stated No figure published Not marked · First seen |
Listed Version: sha256:48f0b580857b Forks (GitHub): 4 Pulls (Docker Hub): 12 926 Stars (Docker Hub): 0 Stars (GitHub): 21 Not marked · First seen |
| Official MCP Registry | Not listed | Listed Version: 1.0.1 Forks (GitHub): 4 Stars (GitHub): 21 Not marked · First seen |
Each figure is the marketplace's own and is never added up across marketplaces. A marketplace that publishes no figure shows none: no number is not zero.
The facts side by side
| Fact | Close | ai.explorium/mcp-explorium |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it (differs) | 1 (worse) | 2 (better) |
| Stars (GitHub) (differs) | No figure on GitHub | 21 |
| Pulls (Docker Hub) (differs) | No figure on Docker Hub | 12 926 |
| Forks (GitHub) (differs) | No figure on GitHub | 4 |
| Last release | Not published | Not published |
| Where it runs (differs) | Remote server (mcp.close.com/mcp) | Remote server or your machine |
| Transport (differs) | Streamable HTTP | Streamable HTTP, stdio |
| Tools it declares (differs) | Not published | 12 |
| Environment variables it asks for | 1, secrets among them: 1 | 1, secrets among them: 1 |
| Licence (differs) | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Repository (differs) | Not stated | github.com/explorium-ai/mcp-explorium |
| Changes in the last 7 days | 0 | 0 |
| First seen | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-11 |
| Endpoint at the last check (differs) | Responded 15 h ago, requires a key | Responded 11 h ago, requires a key |
Lines where the two differ have a tinted background and bold values. Where the data itself says which value is better (more marketplaces, a larger figure of the same marketplace, a fresher release, a verified mark on a marketplace that lists both), the better one is also marked green with ▲ and the worse one red with ▼. Where it runs, the transport, the tools, the settings, hooks, the bundle's parts, the licence and the week's changes are marked only as different: more or fewer is not better in itself.
What each says it does
Close
Streamline sales processes with integrated calling, email, SMS, and automated workflows for small and scaling businesses.
ai.explorium/mcp-explorium
Access live company and contact data from Explorium's AgentSource B2B platform.
How to run each
Close As a remote MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http close https://mcp.close.com/mcpRequires: CLOSE_API_KEY (secret)
ai.explorium/mcp-explorium As a remote MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http mcp-explorium https://mcp-github-registry.explorium.ai/mcpCommands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Both endpoints responded at the last daily check. How we check endpoints
Tools each declares
The marketplaces of Close publish no list of tools, so we do not compare tools.
Settings each asks for
Only Close asks for
CLOSE_API_KEY (secret)
Only ai.explorium/mcp-explorium asks for
API_ACCESS_TOKEN (secret)
Settings as each marketplace publishes them. Asking for fewer is not better in itself.
What it can do: Close · What it can do: ai.explorium/mcp-explorium · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from the Docker MCP Catalog (desktop.docker.com/mcp/catalog) and Docker Hub. Data comes from the Official MCP Registry (registry.modelcontextprotocol.io), CC0 1.0. Figures come from our own regular passes over the marketplaces, last read on . We publish no contact details for plugin publishers.