mcp-tunnels vs Cta
mcp-tunnels is a plugin bundle for AI coding tools published by Anthropic. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Claude Code: claude-plugins-official). Cta is an MCP server published by pipeworx-io. Marketplaces we read that list it: 1 (Official MCP Registry). As of our marketplace pass on 2026-11-13. 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 |  Cta | |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code: claude-plugins-official | Listed Version: not stated Forks (GitHub): 4 886 Stars (GitHub): 47 083 Not marked · First seen |
Not listed |
| Official MCP Registry | Not listed | Listed Version: 0.2.1 Downloads/month (npm): 892 Downloads/week (npm): 109 Forks (GitHub): 0 Stars (GitHub): 0 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 | mcp-tunnels | Cta |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces that list it | 1 | 1 |
| Stars (GitHub) (differs) | 47 083 (better) | 0 (worse) |
| Forks (GitHub) (differs) | 4 886 (better) | 0 (worse) |
| Last release (differs) | Not published | 2026-10-31 |
| Where it runs (differs) | Installs as a plugin bundle | Remote server (gateway.pipeworx.io/cta/mcp) |
| Transport (differs) | Not stated | Streamable HTTP |
| Tools it declares | Not published | Not published |
| Environment variables it asks for (differs) | Not published | 1, secrets among them: 1 |
| Parts of the bundle (differs) | 1 | Not a bundle |
| Licence | Not stated | Not stated |
| Repository (differs) | github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official | github.com/pipeworx-io/mcp-cta |
| Changes in the last 7 days | 0 | 0 |
| First seen | 2026-10-11 | 2026-10-11 |
| Endpoint at the last check (differs) | no remote endpoint we check | Responded 11 h ago |
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
mcp-tunnels
Connect Claude to a private MCP server through an Anthropic MCP tunnel. The /create-docker-mcp-tunnel command drives the Docker Compose quickstart end to end: certificates, proxy config, cloudflared, and a verifiable sample server.
Cta
CTA MCP — Chicago Transit Authority real-time trains ('L') + buses
How to run each
mcp-tunnels As a Claude Code plugin
/plugin install mcp-tunnels@claude-plugins-officialCta As a remote MCP server
claude mcp add --transport http cta https://gateway.pipeworx.io/cta/mcpRequires: PIPEWORX_API_KEY (secret)
Commands built only from what the marketplaces declare; the full set for every client is on each card.
Only Cta has a remote endpoint we check. How we check endpoints
Tools each declares
Neither the marketplaces of mcp-tunnels nor its endpoint list any tools, so we do not compare tools.
Settings each asks for
The marketplaces of mcp-tunnels publish no settings it asks for, so we do not compare settings.
What it can do: mcp-tunnels · What it can do: Cta · Compare two other plugins
Data comes from the public marketplace file https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-official/blob/HEAD/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json. 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.