Memory (Reference) vs claude-mem
Memory (Reference) is an MCP server published by modelcontextprotocol. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Docker MCP Catalog). claude-mem is a plugin bundle for AI coding tools published by thedotmack. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Claude Code: claude-plugins-community). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-10-12. 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Docker MCP Catalog | Listed Version: sha256:db0c2db07a44 Forks (GitHub): 11 780 Pulls (Docker Hub): 553 917 Stars (Docker Hub): 26 Stars (GitHub): 91 180 Not marked · First seen |
Not listed |
| Claude Code: claude-plugins-community | Not listed | Listed Version: 13.15.0 Forks (GitHub): 8 742 Stars (GitHub): 99 711 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 | Memory (Reference) | claude-mem |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it | 1 | 1 |
| Stars (GitHub) (differs) | 91 180 (worse) | 99 711 (better) |
| Pulls (Docker Hub) (differs) | 553 917 | No figure on Docker Hub |
| Forks (GitHub) (differs) | 11 780 (better) | 8 742 (worse) |
| Last release | Not published | Not published |
| Where it runs (differs) | On your machine (mcp/memory) | Installs as a plugin bundle |
| Transport (differs) | stdio | Not stated |
| Tools it declares (differs) | 9 | Not published |
| Environment variables it asks for | Not published | Not published |
| Licence (differs) | NOASSERTION | Apache-2.0 |
| Repository (differs) | github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers | github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem |
| Changes in the last 7 days | 0 | 0 |
| First seen | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-11 |
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
Memory (Reference)
Knowledge graph-based persistent memory system.
claude-mem
Persistent memory system for Claude Code - seamlessly preserve context across sessions
How to run each
Memory (Reference) As a local MCP server: Docker image
claude mcp add --transport stdio memory -- docker run -i --rm mcp/memoryclaude-mem
No data for an automatic command: what its marketplaces declare does not say unambiguously how to connect it.
Commands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Tools each declares
The marketplaces of claude-mem publish no list of tools, so we do not compare tools.
Settings each asks for
Neither one's marketplaces publish the settings it asks for.
What it can do: Memory (Reference) · What it can do: claude-mem · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from the Docker MCP Catalog (desktop.docker.com/mcp/catalog) and Docker Hub. Data comes from the public marketplace file https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/HEAD/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json. Figures come from our own regular passes over the marketplaces, last read on . We publish no contact details for plugin publishers.