This comparison is part of our MCP comparisons, within The MCP Guide. Facts are checked against each vendor's own documentation and pricing pages on the date shown.
Pick Merge Agent Handler if you want managed, ready-made connectors with sensitive-data scanning and you can afford its Pro tier. Pick Nango if your engineers want to write their own integration logic, connect customers to outside MCP servers, and start at a lower monthly price. Both help software products give AI agents scoped access to customer apps over MCP (Model Context Protocol).
Checked against: Merge's Agent Handler page and Nango's agent sessions docs on 28 October 2026. eSEOspace did not test either product.
Key Takeaways
- Merge describes Agent Handler as "production-ready MCP connectors for AI agents," with Tool Packs that limit what each agent can see.
- Nango's agent sessions give each agent its own MCP endpoint, and the agent "cannot change the scope of its own session."
- Merge says every tool call's inputs and outputs are scanned for sensitive data, with rules to block, redact or mask it.
- Nango's MCP Auth lets your users sign in to outside MCP servers, such as Notion, Linear or HubSpot, through your app.
- Merge Pro is $1,000 a month for 25,000 credits; Nango pay as you go is $50 a month including $50 of credits.
At a glance
| Item | Merge Agent Handler | Nango |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Managed MCP connectors for agents | Integrations platform for products and agents |
| How agents connect | Remote MCP server with Tool Packs | Per-session MCP URL (Streamable HTTP, bearer token) |
| Scoping | Tool Packs by agent type, customer tier or environment | Session = tenant + toolset + discovery |
| Outside MCP servers | Can import public MCP servers | MCP Auth for catalog or any server with automatic client registration |
| Custom logic | Custom connector builds on Enterprise | Functions you write, alongside catalog actions |
| Data loss prevention | Scans every tool call input and output | Not documented on pages checked |
| Self-hosting | On-prem on Enterprise | Self-hosting on Enterprise; source available under Elastic License |
| Free tier | 2,000 credits a month | Hard-capped, includes 10 connections and 10 compute hours |
| Entry paid plan | Pro, $1,000/month | Pay as you go, $50/month |
Where Merge is stronger
Managed connectors with less engineering
Merge's Agent Handler page advertises "thousands of pre-built tools" across "hundreds of enterprise systems," naming Salesforce, Jira, Slack, GitHub and HubSpot. Merge maintains them. You group connectors into Tool Packs, so each agent only sees the tools it is allowed to call.
Sensitive-data scanning
Merge says tool-call inputs and outputs are scanned for sensitive data. Policies can "block, redact, or mask" it before it reaches a model or third-party system. This is data loss prevention (DLP). Nango's pages we checked did not describe an equivalent.
Tools for IT teams and individuals too
Merge names three audiences: teams building agent products, IT and security teams governing employee AI with SCIM provisioning, and individuals. The page says it works with Claude, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT "or any tool that supports remote MCP servers." Our Merge spotlight covers each use.
Where Nango is stronger
Connecting users to outside MCP servers
Nango's MCP Auth docs say it lets your application authorize end users to access external MCP servers. Catalog servers like HubSpot, Notion and Linear are preconfigured. A generic option works with other servers, though Nango notes it "currently only works with MCP servers that support automatic client registration." It supports static registration, dynamic client registration and Client ID Metadata Documents.
Tight, code-defined sessions
Nango's agent sessions docs define each session by tenant ("on whose behalf the agent can call integrations"), toolset and discovery. The endpoint "speaks Streamable HTTP and authenticates with the session_token as a bearer token." Sessions are immutable and expire on their own. Toolsets can mix Nango catalog actions, functions your team writes and tools from MCP servers your tenant connected.
Lower starting price and open code
Nango's paid tier starts at $50 a month. Its GitHub repository is source available under the Elastic License, so your team can read the code. Our Nango spotlight explains the license limits.
Pricing
Both pricing pages were checked on 28 October 2026.
Merge Agent Handler (pricing):
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2,000 credits a month, unlimited registered users and Tool Packs, pre-built connectors |
| Pro | $1,000/month | 25,000 credits; tiers up to 100,000 credits; email support; overages billed at month end |
| Enterprise | Custom | On-prem and custom deployments, custom connectors, SIEM log streaming, dedicated Slack channel |
Merge says credits are "spent with every tool call" but does not say how many credits one call uses. Ask before you estimate costs.
Nango (pricing):
| Plan | Price | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Hard caps reset monthly: 10 connections, 10 compute hours, 10 GB |
| Pay as you go | $50/month, includes $50 in credits | $0.29 per connection a month, $0.72 per compute hour, $0.50 per GB |
| Enterprise | Custom | Commitment discounts, self-hosting, MSA, SLA |
A Growth add-on is listed at $450 a month for faster integration delivery and a private Slack channel. A connection is one authorized user account.
Security and admin controls
- Credentials. Nango says the agent never gets raw credentials. Merge runs a guided sign-in flow when an agent needs a connector the user has not authorized.
- Scope. Merge uses Tool Packs. Nango sessions fix the tenant and toolset, and the agent cannot widen them.
- Audit. Merge says full audit logs are on all plans, recording identity, arguments, downstream API calls and outcome. Nango's pricing page lists an audit trail without naming the plan.
- Identity. Nango lists SAML SSO, SCIM and RBAC, plan not stated. Merge mentions SCIM provisioning through Okta or Azure AD for IT teams.
- Compliance. Merge reports SOC 2, regular penetration tests and weekly automated scans. Nango lists SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA with a Business Associate Agreement.
Ask both vendors which features sit on which plan before you sign. Our MCP security hub lists what to check.
Which to choose
- Pick Merge if you want maintained connectors to large enterprise systems with minimal engineering.
- Pick Merge if sensitive-data scanning on every call is a hard requirement.
- Pick Nango if your engineers want to write custom tool logic and control each session in code.
- Pick Nango if your users need to connect their own outside MCP servers through your app.
- Pick Nango if budget matters early; its paid tier starts at $50 a month versus Merge Pro at $1,000.
See other options in our MCP integration platforms list and more MCP comparisons.
Next step
List the five systems your customers ask for most and check each vendor's catalog for them. If neither fits, our MCP development team can help you scope a custom server.
Frequently asked questions
Is Merge Agent Handler built on MCP?
Yes, per Merge. The page says it runs on MCP, works with any agent framework and can import public MCP servers.
Can I self-host Nango or Merge?
Nango lists self-hosting on Enterprise, and its code is source available under the Elastic License. Merge lists on-prem and other custom deployments on Enterprise.
What does a Merge credit cost?
Merge Pro is $1,000 a month for 25,000 credits. The pricing page does not say how many credits a single tool call uses, so confirm with Merge.
What is a Nango connection?
Nango defines a connection as one authorized user account. On pay as you go it costs $0.29 a month, prorated.
