Arcade.dev is an MCP runtime focused on secure, per-user agent authorization, letting agents act on behalf of specific users without exposing tokens. But depending on whether you need SaaS tool-calling, enterprise-grade auth, or governed access to enterprise data, another option may fit better.
The best alternatives to Arcade.dev are CData Connect AI, Composio, Nango, Klavis AI, WorkOS, and Pipedream. This guide breaks down what each is best for, where it falls short, and how to choose.
Key takeaways
Arcade.dev leads on secure per-user auth and tool execution, but its connector breadth skews to SaaS apps rather than broad enterprise data sources.
For governed, live access to enterprise data, databases and warehouses included, CData Connect AI is the closer fit.
Composio competes on developer tool-calling; Nango and WorkOS on integration and enterprise auth infrastructure.
Klavis AI and Pipedream offer hosted MCP-server infra and app-action tool-calling.
Match the tool to whether you need auth, app actions, or governed enterprise data access.
Understanding Arcade.dev
Arcade.dev provides an MCP runtime and a Python framework for building tools, with a standout "zero token exposure" OAuth flow so agents act on behalf of specific users securely; it co-authored the MCP URL Elicitation spec with Anthropic. It targets developers building production agents that need delegated authorization.
Teams look for Arcade.dev alternatives when they need broader enterprise data connectivity, a larger managed toolkit catalog, self-hosted integration infrastructure, or enterprise identity beyond agent auth.
The best Arcade.dev alternatives
1. CData Connect AI
CData Connect AI is a managed Model Context Protocol (MCP) platform for enterprise data. With Connect AI, your AI agents and assistants gain governed, live access to hundreds of enterprise data sources through a single endpoint. Rather than copying data into a new system, Connect AI queries each source directly and passes through the user's existing roles and permissions, so agents inherit the governance an organization already trusts.
Key advantages
One managed MCP endpoint to hundreds of sources: databases, cloud warehouses, SaaS apps, APIs, and files. AI-agnostic across Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Cursor, LangChain, n8n, and any MCP-capable client.
Semantic intelligence: full-fidelity access to each service's data model, including custom objects and fields, so LLMs can find and use relationships within and across services, query push-down and a lean token footprint, universal tools for the most exploratory, probabilistic workflows, and custom MCP toolkits for deterministic workflows (covering every level of the spectrum of autonomy).
Passthrough authentication so agents inherit each user's roles and permissions (with downscoping available); RBAC; complete, user-attributed audit logging; OAuth 2.1/PKCE, SSO, and TLS 1.3.
No data copies, certified SOC 2 Type II and ISO/IEC 27001, with governed, traceable write-back. A free Developer Edition and an open-source Python SDK round out the managed remote MCP servers. See the Quick Start Guide to set up your first connection.
Best for: Enterprise teams that need agents to reach real business data (databases, warehouses, and SaaS apps) under existing governance, without building or maintaining connectors themselves.
Trade-offs: It's a connectivity and governance layer, not an agent builder or workflow suite. You bring your own agent framework or AI client on top.
2. Composio
Composio is a developer-first tool-calling platform with hosted MCP, offering a large toolkit catalog, a Tool Router endpoint, and managed OAuth so agents can call SaaS tools without hand-built integrations.
Best for: Developers wiring agents to SaaS tools quickly in code, with managed auth and a large toolkit catalog.
Trade-offs: Oriented to SaaS app actions and developer workflows rather than governed access to databases and warehouses; enterprise RBAC and audit are lighter.
3. Nango
Nango is an open-source integration platform with a broad library of API integrations, per-user OAuth token management, and observability.
Best for: Developers who need managed auth and integration infrastructure to build agent tools on.
Trade-offs: Integration and auth infrastructure rather than a governed enterprise-data query layer, you build on top of it.
4. Klavis AI
Klavis AI is MCP-server infrastructure for deploying and managing hosted MCP servers with built-in OAuth.
5. WorkOS
WorkOS is an enterprise-authentication provider extending into agent authentication and identity.
Best for: Developers adding enterprise-grade auth, SSO, and identity to their agents.
Trade-offs: Focused on auth and identity, not data connectivity, a complementary piece rather than a connectivity layer.
6. Pipedream
Pipedream is a developer-centric automation platform whose Connect product offers managed auth and a large library of API integrations, exposed to agents via MCP.
Best for: Developers embedding API integrations and agent tool-calling directly in code.
Trade-offs: Acquired by Workday (Nov 2025), so independent roadmap is uncertain; developer-first and SaaS-action-oriented rather than enterprise-data-governed.
Arcade.dev alternatives compared
| Best for | Connectivity (source types) | Governance & auth | Data approach | Deployment |
CData Connect AI | Governed agent access to enterprise data | Databases, warehouses, SaaS, files, APIs | Passthrough auth, RBAC, full audit, SOC 2 / ISO | Live query, no copies | Managed + embedded SaaS |
Arcade.dev | Per-user agent authorization | SaaS app tools | Per-user OAuth ("zero token exposure") | MCP runtime / tool exec | Managed / self-hosted |
Composio | Fast agent tool-calling in code | SaaS app toolkits | Managed OAuth, lighter RBAC | Hosted MCP / tool-calling | Managed cloud |
Nango | Managed auth + integration infra | API integrations | Per-user OAuth, observability | Integration infra (build on) | Managed / self-hosted (OSS) |
Klavis AI | Deploying hosted MCP servers | Hosted MCP servers | Built-in OAuth | MCP server infra | Managed cloud |
WorkOS | Enterprise + agent auth | Identity/auth (not data) | SSO, enterprise auth | Auth service | Managed cloud |
Pipedream | Developer automation + tool-calling | API integrations | Managed auth | Workflows / code | Managed cloud |
How to choose an Arcade.dev alternative
Governed live access to enterprise data for agents → CData Connect AI
Developer SaaS tool-calling → Composio or Pipedream
Open-source auth/integration infra → Nango
Hosted MCP-server infrastructure → Klavis AI
Enterprise identity and auth → WorkOS
Frequently asked questions
What are the best alternatives to Arcade.dev?
The strongest alternatives include CData Connect AI (governed data connectivity for agents), Composio (tool-calling), Nango and WorkOS (auth/integration infra), Klavis AI (hosted MCP servers), and Pipedream (app-action tool-calling).
What's the best Arcade.dev alternative for enterprise data access?
CData Connect AI, which gives agents governed, live access to hundreds of enterprise sources, including databases and warehouses, with passthrough auth and full audit.
Is CData Connect AI a good alternative to Arcade.dev?
For data access, yes. Arcade.dev excels at per-user agent authorization for SaaS tools; Connect AI reaches broad enterprise data under existing governance. Teams needing both auth depth and data breadth may combine approaches.
How do I choose between Arcade.dev and its alternatives?
Decide whether you need secure per-user auth (Arcade.dev, WorkOS), SaaS tool-calling (Composio, Pipedream), integration/MCP infra (Nango, Klavis AI), or governed enterprise data access (Connect AI).
Does Arcade.dev support MCP?
Yes, Arcade.dev is an MCP runtime and co-authored the MCP URL Elicitation spec. Its catalog centers on SaaS tools; for governed, live access to enterprise databases and warehouses, a connectivity layer like Connect AI complements it.
Connect AI: the governed data layer for your agents
If your goal is to give AI agents trustworthy, governed access to enterprise data, not just handle agent auth, CData Connect AI provides live, permissioned connectivity to hundreds of sources through a single MCP endpoint. Learn more about CData Connect AI.
Explore CData Connect AI today
See how Connect AI excels at streamlining AI and business processes for real-time insights and action.
