--- title: "Arcade.dev" img: https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/unified-article-images/arcade_dev-icon.webp date: 2025-06-15T00:00:00.000Z updated: 2026-10-09T01:08:42.942Z tag: Product description: "Arcade.dev is an actions runtime for AI agents, it runs vendor-specific tools, such as sending a Gmail message, on behalf of each signed-in user, and its..." url: "https://unified.to/blog/arcade_dev" --- # Arcade.dev ------ _June 15, 2025_ ![arcade.png](https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/unified-article-images/arcade_dev-0.png) [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) is an actions runtime for AI agents: it runs vendor-specific tools, such as sending a Gmail message, on behalf of each signed-in user, and its Enterprise plan can be self-hosted. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) is a [unified API](/technology) with a hosted [MCP](/mcp) server, [Unified MCP](/mcp), through which agents and backends read and write normalized objects such as Contact, Candidate and Invoice across 1231 integrations and receive change events through native or virtual webhooks. Choose [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) for agents that act in tools like Gmail, Google Docs or Figma, or when you need Helm, cloud-marketplace or air-gapped deployment; choose [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) when your agent or product needs the same CRM, HR, ATS or accounting data from whichever vendor each customer uses. ## How do [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) and [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) compare? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) and [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) differ most on data model, change events, payload logging and hosting, and are closest on MCP transport and bring-your-own OAuth. All figures below come from each vendor's own pricing page and docs, read on 8 October 2026. [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/) **and** [**Unified.to**](http://unified.to/) **at a glance (checked 8 October 2026)** | | [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) | [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | What it is | Actions runtime that runs vendor-specific tools for each signed-in user | Unified API with a hosted MCP server and one normalized model per category | | Data model | One toolkit per vendor; no cross-vendor schema | Normalized objects per category, plus passthrough to each vendor's API | | Catalogue | 8,224 tools on 126 live catalogue entries in Arcade's docs; 85% sit in Unoptimized (auto-generated) toolkits | 1231 integrations in 33 categories; 22,566 MCP tools | | Writes | Per-vendor write tools, such as `Slack.SendMessage` or HubSpot's CreateContact | Writes in the normalized model; passthrough for anything outside it | | Change events | None documented | Native webhooks; virtual webhooks at a 1-minute minimum interval on paid plans (60 minutes on the trial) | | Sync to your database | None | Database Sync to MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL or MariaDB | | Hosted MCP | MCP gateways over Streamable HTTP; stateless 2026-07-28 revision supported | One host per region over Streamable HTTP; stateless core of 2026-07-28 supported | | Tool payload logging | Arcade Cloud records tool inputs and outputs, 7 days by default (90 maximum) | No customer records stored; logs hold operational metadata only (60 days on Grow and Pro, 365 on Scale) | | Hosting and regions | Arcade Cloud, United States only; self-hosting, VPC and air-gapped on Enterprise | Hosted in one region per workspace (US, EU or AU); on-prem or single-tenant hosting on Enterprise | | End-user authorization | Per-user OAuth; your own OAuth app on any provider; Arcade default apps for many providers | Per-connection OAuth; your own OAuth app supported; authorization CNAME on Pro and Scale | | Client SDKs | Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, Java | TypeScript, Python, PHP, Java, Go, C#, Ruby | | Pricing | Free $0; Team $25 a month plus usage; Enterprise custom | Grow from $750 a month, Pro from $1,500, Scale from $3,000, Enterprise custom; 30-day free trial | | Compliance | SOC 2 Type II announced August 2025; no HIPAA BAA published | SOC 2 Type II report; GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, PIPEDA and HIPAA compliance stated; HIPAA BAA on Scale | ## How do the architectures and data models differ? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) calls one vendor's API per tool at the moment an agent asks, with no shared data model across vendors. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) also [reads and writes at request time](https://unified.to/blog/pass_through_vs_sync_based_unified_apis_architecture_trade_offs_in_2026), but maps every integration in a category to one normalized model and adds change events and Database Sync on top. [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/)**.** The Arcade Engine dispatches each tool call to the MCP server that owns the tool, which calls the vendor's API with the end user's token ([Arcade architecture docs](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/operate/deploy/architecture)). Each toolkit belongs to one vendor. Arcade publishes two kinds: Optimized tools, reshaped around chat intent ("designed to match the typical data models expected in AI-powered chat interfaces"), and Unoptimized tools, where "each tool mirrors one HTTP endpoint". [**Unified.to**](http://unified.to/)**.** [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) maps each category to one normalized model: a `crm_contact` read returns the same fields whether the customer connects Salesforce, HubSpot or Pipedrive. Passthrough reaches any vendor endpoint outside the model. Native webhooks deliver changes where the source sends them; where it does not, [virtual webhooks](https://unified.to/blog/what_are_virtual_webhooks_how_they_differ_from_sync_based_webhooks) detect changes and deliver events at a minimum interval of 1 minute on paid plans (60 minutes on the trial). Support varies by integration; check the integration's Feature Support tab. For a worked CRM example, see the [CRM API integration guide](https://unified.to/blog/crm_api_integration_real_time_customer_data_across_sales_pipelines). ### Which one supports data pipelines and background sync? [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) supports data pipelines through change events and Database Sync, which writes records into your own MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL or MariaDB database. [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) documents neither a webhook, trigger or change-event feature for third-party data nor a database sync, and Arcade's own buyer's guide draws the same line: "Choose a unified API when your primary need is ongoing background sync (e.g., keeping a database/vector store updated) and normalized objects across vendors. Choose an agent runtime when the primary need is safe, reliable tool execution initiated by an LLM." ([Arcade, July 2026](https://www.arcade.dev/blog/ai-agent-integration-platforms/)) ## Which integration categories does each one cover? As of 8 October 2026, [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/)'s catalogue is deepest in productivity, communication and developer tools and thin in the categories a unified API normalizes: its live HR toolkit covers Workday time off, its ATS toolkit covers Ashby, and its accounting coverage is two auto-generated toolkits. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) covers each of these categories with one normalized model across many vendors. **Category coverage (checked 8 October 2026)** | Category | [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) (live toolkits) | [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | CRM | Attio, HubSpot, Insightly, Salesforce; Pipedrive coming soon | 177 integrations | | HR and directory | Workday time-off tools only; BambooHR coming soon | 576 integrations | | ATS | Ashby | 157 integrations | | Accounting | Xero and Zoho Books as Unoptimized (auto-generated) toolkits; QuickBooks coming soon | 226 integrations | | Payments | Stripe | 98 integrations | | Commerce | None live; Shopify coming soon | 186 integrations | | Messaging and calendar | Optimized toolkits for Gmail, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Calendar and others | 66 messaging and 49 calendar integrations | Source: [Arcade integrations catalogue](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/resources/integrations); [Unified.to integrations](https://unified.to/integrations). ## How do [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) and Unified MCP compare for AI agents? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) and Unified MCP are both hosted MCP servers over Streamable HTTP that support the stateless 2026-07-28 revision (Unified MCP its stateless core), and both can filter an agent's tools through the end user's identity provider. They differ in what a tool is: an Arcade tool belongs to one vendor, such as `Gmail.SendEmail`, while a Unified MCP tool works on a normalized object across a category, so one tool lists or creates a contact in any connected CRM. **MCP and agent tooling (checked 8 October 2026)** | | [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) | Unified MCP | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Hosted endpoint | One URL per MCP gateway on [api.arcade.dev](http://api.arcade.dev/); gateways generally available since October 2025 | One host per region: [mcp-api.unified.to](http://mcp-api.unified.to/) (US), [mcp-api-eu.unified.to](http://mcp-api-eu.unified.to/) (EU), [api-au.unified.to](http://api-au.unified.to/) (AU) | | Transport | Gateways: Streamable HTTP. arcade-mcp framework: stdio and Streamable HTTP | Streamable HTTP only (SSE removed 23 September 2026); stdio-only clients connect through `mcp-remote` | | What a tool is | One vendor action, Optimized or Unoptimized | A normalized-object operation per category; `include_external_tools` adds each vendor's own endpoints | | Tool count | 8,224 in the docs: 1,197 Optimized, 7,009 Unoptimized, 18 Community | 22,566 | | How the agent authenticates | Gateway sign-in through Arcade Auth, your identity provider (User Source) or Arcade Headers | Connection-scoped signed URL, or enterprise-managed authentication through your identity provider | | Limiting what the agent sees | Tools chosen per gateway; per-user visibility and before and after hooks through Contextual Access | `permissions` and `tools` set in the URL; identity-provider scopes under enterprise-managed authentication | | Sensitive data | PII redaction through a post-execution hook you implement | `hide_sensitive` strips names, emails and phone numbers before results reach the model | | Build your own MCP servers | Yes: `arcade-mcp` framework (MIT); Arcade Deploy hosts your server on Arcade Cloud | No; Unified MCP serves [Unified.to](http://unified.to/)'s own tools | | Third-party MCP servers | Registers any remote MCP server, such as a vendor's own, and governs it beside Arcade's tools | Not supported | | Self-hosting | Hybrid MCP servers on your network; full platform on Enterprise | Hosted; on-prem on Enterprise | | Tool lists outside MCP | Tool definitions in OpenAI format | `GET /tools` in OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Cohere, Grok and Groq formats | | Billing | Each tool call routed to a worker is billed, including failed ones ($0.01 on Team) | Each tool call counts as one API call on your plan | ### How does [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/)'s MCP stack work? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/)'s MCP stack has three parts: the actions runtime (the Arcade Engine), hosted MCP gateways, and the open-source `arcade-mcp` framework for building your own servers. Arcade calls itself "the enterprise-ready actions runtime for AI agents", and the Engine handles each user's OAuth, policy checks and tool execution. - **Gateways.** An MCP gateway is one URL that bundles the tools you choose. End users sign in through Arcade, through your own OIDC identity provider (User Source, which Arcade recommends for production) or with Arcade Headers. Since 7 October 2026, opening a gateway URL in a browser shows its Private Registry of tools ([MCP gateway docs](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/operate/governance/mcp-gateways)). - **Policy hooks.** Contextual Access calls your server at three points: before a user sees tools, before a call runs and after it returns. You can hide tools per user, change inputs or redact PII from outputs ([Contextual Access docs](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/operate/governance/contextual-access)). - **Remote MCP servers.** Any remote MCP server, including vendor-hosted servers from Salesforce, ServiceNow and GitHub, can be registered once to a project or organization and governed beside Arcade's own tools, with OAuth or a custom `Authorization` header ([remote MCP servers docs](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/operate/governance/remote-mcp-servers)). - **arcade-mcp.** The framework is MIT-licensed on GitHub and runs servers over stdio or Streamable HTTP. A server you host yourself can act as an OAuth 2.1 protected resource, but that setting is opt-in and an `arcade-mcp` server is unsecured by default. Arcade Deploy is a separate feature that hosts your own server on Arcade Cloud. - **Tool counts.** As of 8 October 2026, Arcade's docs list 8,224 tools on 126 live catalogue entries. 1,197 of those tools are in 80 Optimized toolkits; 7,009 (85%) are in 40 Unoptimized toolkits that Arcade labels "auto-generated" and says "are not subject to evaluation suites". Arcade's marketing pages give 7,000+, 7,500+ and 8,000+ ([Arcade integrations catalogue](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/resources/integrations)). ### How does Unified MCP work? Unified MCP is a hosted MCP server on top of the Unified API, in one region per workspace (US, EU or AU), and a credential works only on its own region's host. Unified MCP serves 22,566 tools, and each tool call counts as one API call on your plan, checked against your workspace rate limit before the tool runs. - **Connection-scoped URLs.** Unified MCP generates a URL with a signed token good for one connection and nothing else, so the workspace API key stays on your side. `permissions` (named scopes, such as read-only CRM) and `tools` (tool IDs or patterns) are set in the URL, so the agent sees only the tools you allow. - **Sensitive data.** `hide_sensitive` strips names, emails and phone numbers from results before they reach the model. - **Enterprise-managed authentication.** Added on 23 September 2026 and enabled per workspace on request: your identity provider issues an ID-JAG for the end user, which is exchanged at `POST /oauth/token` for an `ema_` bearer token whose scopes, such as `crm.read`, filter the tools offered. It is not available for the passthrough, auth, SAML, SCIM or metadata categories, or with `include_external_tools`. - **Tool loading.** `defer_tools` tells the model to defer loading listed tools, and the same tools are available outside MCP through `GET /tools` in six LLM formats ([Unified MCP documentation](https://docs.unified.to/mcp)). ## How do authorization and credentials work? Both [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) and [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) run each end user's OAuth flow and store encrypted tokens. [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) authorizes per user at each tool call and offers Arcade-branded default OAuth apps; [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) authorizes per connection and lets Pro and Scale customers keep credentials in their own secrets manager. [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/)**.** When a tool needs a scope the user has not granted, the Engine prompts the user and runs the OAuth flow. Tokens are stored with additional AES-256 encryption, and "LLMs and MCP clients never see OAuth tokens". Every Arcade OAuth provider accepts your own OAuth app, and Arcade "recommends this for all production use cases". Arcade's default apps get users connected without registering your own, but users "will see the Arcade brand (name and logo) on the auth screen" and share provider rate limits with other Arcade customers; ServiceNow, Zendesk, Spotify and Twitch have no default app ([Arcade auth providers](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/references/auth-providers)). Arcade documents no custom domain for the authorization flow on Arcade Cloud. [**Unified.to**](http://unified.to/)**.** [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) supports OAuth 2.0 and 2.1 across its integrations, your own OAuth app, embedded authorization components for React, Angular, Vue, Svelte and plain JavaScript, and an authorization CNAME on Pro and Scale. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) stores encrypted connection credentials unless you use your own secrets manager. If you leave, the API returns each connection's tokens; tokens issued to your own OAuth app keep refreshing after you leave, so your customers don't reconnect. More detail: [how to handle OAuth across many integrations](https://unified.to/blog/how_to_handle_oauth_across_many_integrations). ## What happens to your customers' data? [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) stores no customer records and logs only operational metadata. [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) keeps no synced records either, but as of 8 October 2026 Arcade Cloud records the inputs and outputs of each tool call and lists tool inputs and results as training data unless the customer opts out. - [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/) **tool-call logging.** "Arcade also records the inputs a tool received and the outputs it returned. Both can be large and can carry credentials or end-user data." Recording is on by default on Arcade Cloud, kept 7 days by default and up to 90, and visible only to project admins; you can turn it off, shorten the window or purge ([Arcade tool executions](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/operate/governance/tool-executions)). - [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/) **training data.** Arcade's Arcade Cloud page lists tool queries, inputs and "outputs returned from tools, including data returned from external services" as training data, kept up to 5 years, with "Opt-out is available anytime". Arcade's privacy policy (effective 10 September 2026) says it does not use Google user data for training unless the user explicitly requests it, and a February 2026 comparison page mentions a "zero-day data retention option" the docs do not describe ([Arcade Cloud docs](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/operate/deploy/arcade-cloud)). - [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/) **other retention.** Arcade Cloud keeps application logs, audit trails, metrics and traces up to 1 year. - [**Unified.to**](http://unified.to/)**.** [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) routes each authorized request to the source API. Its logs hold operational metadata only (endpoint, timing, status, workspace), never payloads, kept 60 days on Grow and Pro and 365 days on Scale. ## Where can each one run? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) can run on Arcade Cloud or, on its Enterprise plan, inside your own infrastructure. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) is hosted in the US, EU or AU region you choose for each workspace, and its Enterprise plan offers on-prem or single-tenant hosting. - **Arcade Cloud.** Arcade's managed platform, on Free, Team and Enterprise. "All of Arcade Cloud's infrastructure is located in the United States, including data storage and processing." VPC peering is available to Enterprise customers on request. - [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/) **in your cloud.** As of 8 October 2026, the full platform deploys with Helm onto Kubernetes you manage, as an Arcade-operated managed app in your Azure subscription (Azure Marketplace, available now) or through an AWS private offer; a GCP listing is in progress ([Arcade deployment options](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/operate/deploy)). Arcade's pricing page places VPC and air-gapped deployment in Enterprise; air-gapped is claimed on Arcade's product and pricing pages, with no installation guide in its docs. - [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/) **hybrid servers.** An MCP server can run on your own network while Arcade's cloud Engine handles identity, routing and governance. The documented method exposes the server through a public URL; an outbound-only tunnel, Warp Pipes, is in early access. - [**Unified.to**](http://unified.to/)**.** On Grow, Pro and Scale, [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) runs the API and MCP server and you do not deploy or operate either; Multi-Region Sync is on Scale. As of 8 October 2026, the Enterprise plan adds on-prem hosting or single-tenant environments with isolated servers and databases, arranged on request ([Unified.to security](https://unified.to/security)). ## Which SDKs does each one offer? As of 8 October 2026, [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/)'s docs list four client SDKs, for Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go and Java; [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) has seven official SDKs, for TypeScript, Python, PHP, Java, Go, C# and Ruby. Arcade notes that "MCP-compatible versions of these clients are in development" ([Arcade SDK references](https://docs.arcade.dev/en/references)), and also publishes guides for ten agent frameworks, including OpenAI Agents, LangChain and Vercel AI SDK. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) adds embedded authorization components for React, Angular, Vue, Svelte and plain JavaScript, and other languages can be generated from its OpenAPI spec. ## How does pricing compare? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) has a free plan and a $25-a-month entry plan billed by usage; [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) starts at $750 a month with a 30-day free trial, priced on API calls with unlimited connections on Grow, Pro and Scale. Both as of 8 October 2026. At Arcade Team's published rates, 750,000 tool calls a month cost $7,525 before auth events (Arcade does not publish what Team includes), while Grow includes 750,000 API calls for $750; below roughly 72,500 calls a month, Team costs less. Arcade also bills $0.10 per auth event, the authorization that connects an end user's account, so cost rises with the number of end users, while [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) includes unlimited connections on Grow, Pro and Scale. | Plan | [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) | [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Entry | Free: $0; 2,000 auth events and 2,000 tool calls a month; Arcade Cloud only | 30-day free trial | | First paid plan | Team: $25 a month plus $0.10 per auth event and $0.01 per tool call; included usage not published | Grow: from $750 a month; 750,000 API calls a month, then $1.00 per 1,000; unlimited connections | | Mid plan | None | Pro: from $1,500 a month; 2,000,000 API calls a month, then $0.75 per 1,000; unlimited connections | | Upper plan | Enterprise: custom, annual bundles of auth events and tool calls | Scale: from $3,000 a month; 6,000,000 API calls a month, then $0.50 per 1,000; unlimited connections. Enterprise: custom | | Billed unit | Auth events and tool calls | API calls (each MCP tool call counts as one) | Sources: [Arcade pricing](https://www.arcade.dev/pricing/); [Unified.to pricing](https://unified.to/pricing). Arcade lists SSO, RBAC, audit logs and private registry access under Enterprise, while its docs say audit logs are on by default; the gating is unresolved. On [Unified.to](http://unified.to/), SAML SSO, customer secrets managers, IP restriction, authorization CNAME and log shipping are on Pro and Scale; HIPAA BAA, 365-day logs and Multi-Region Sync are on Scale. ## How do security and compliance compare? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) announced SOC 2 Type II in August 2025 and [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) has a SOC 2 Type II report; [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) adds a HIPAA BAA on Scale and EU and AU regions, while [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) adds VPC and air-gapped deployment on Enterprise. - [**Arcade.dev**](http://arcade.dev/)**.** Arcade announced SOC 2 Type II on 18 August 2025; the report period is not public, and its trust portal requires an access request. Its privacy policy sets out GDPR and CCPA rights, and personal data is transferred to and processed in the United States. As of 8 October 2026, Arcade publishes no DPA, HIPAA BAA or ISO 27001. Arcade Cloud uses AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.2 or later in transit, and Arcade exports audit logs to your SIEM through OpenTelemetry ([Arcade docs](https://docs.arcade.dev/llms.txt)). - [**Unified.to**](http://unified.to/)**.** [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) has a SOC 2 Type II report, states GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, PIPEDA and HIPAA compliance, and signs a HIPAA BAA on Scale ([Unified.to security](https://unified.to/security)). SAML SSO, IP restriction, customer secrets managers and log shipping are on Pro and Scale. ## Which should you choose? Choose [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) when your agent acts inside each user's own productivity and developer tools, or when you need Helm, cloud-marketplace or air-gapped deployment. Choose [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) when your agent or product needs consistent data and actions across many vendors in the same category. ### When is [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) the better choice? [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) is the better choice when the agent's targets sit outside unified-API categories, when every customer uses the same vendor, or when control over where the runtime runs outweighs data consistency. [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) wins on: - **Documented self-hosting.** Arcade's Enterprise plan deploys the full platform with Helm, in your Azure subscription or through an AWS private offer, and offers VPC and air-gapped options. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/)'s Enterprise plan offers on-prem or single-tenant hosting, arranged on request. - **Governing other MCP servers.** Arcade registers vendors' own remote MCP servers beside its tools under one audit trail, and exports audit logs to your SIEM. - **A free plan.** Arcade's Free plan is $0 with no stated time limit; [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) offers a 30-day trial. - **Default OAuth apps.** Arcade's default apps for HubSpot, Google, Microsoft and about 18 more let users connect before you register your own OAuth app, with Arcade's brand on the consent screen and shared rate limits. - **Per-user authorization hooks.** Contextual Access lets your server allow or deny tools per user and change inputs and outputs before and after every call. - **Action targets outside unified-API categories.** Toolkits for Gmail, Google Docs, Figma, Vercel and Spotify have no normalized-model equivalent. - **Building your own servers.** The MIT-licensed `arcade-mcp` framework, with Arcade Deploy to host the result. ### When is [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) the better choice? [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) is the better choice when the agent or product needs the same object from whichever vendor each customer connects, or needs to react to changes. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) wins on: - **One tool shape per category.** A Unified MCP tool reads or writes a normalized contact, candidate or invoice across every connected vendor in that category, instead of one tool per vendor. - **Change events.** Native webhooks, plus virtual webhooks at a 1-minute minimum interval on paid plans; Arcade documents no change events. - **Data in your own database.** Database Sync to MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL or MariaDB; Arcade's own guide points this need to a unified API. - **Region and HIPAA.** One region per workspace (US, EU or AU) and a HIPAA BAA on Scale; Arcade Cloud runs only in the United States. - **No payload logging.** Logs hold operational metadata only; Arcade Cloud records tool inputs and outputs by default. A product can use both: [Arcade.dev](http://arcade.dev/) for agent actions in tools like Gmail, and [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) for normalized CRM, HR, ATS and accounting data. Because Arcade accepts remote MCP servers with a custom `Authorization` header, Unified MCP can be registered in an Arcade project and its tools governed beside Arcade's own. [Unified.to](http://unified.to/) gives agents and products normalized objects, change events and a hosted MCP server across 1231 integrations in 33 categories ([full integration list](https://unified.to/integrations)). [Read the Unified MCP documentation](https://docs.unified.to/mcp), [**start your 30-day free trial**](https://app.unified.to/login) or [**book a demo**](https://calendly.com/d/cph9-g8n-jzg/connect-with-unified). --- _Written by Mallory Greene._ _About the author: Mallory Greene is Head of Marketing at_ [_Unified.to_](http://unified.to/)_. She writes about integration infrastructure, unified APIs, and MCP for technical teams. Based in Toronto._