MCP Marketplaces Compared: Smithery vs OMA-AI vs Direct
Which platform should you publish your MCP to? A breakdown of Smithery, OMA-AI, and the trade-offs of going direct.
MCP Marketplaces Compared: Smithery vs OMA-AI vs Direct
You have built an MCP. Now the question: where do you publish it?
The Three Options
1. Direct (Your Own Website)
You host the MCP, handle auth, billing, and marketing yourself. Full control but zero discoverability.
2. Smithery.ai
A managed MCP marketplace with SDK integration. Built-in user base but 40% revenue share for paid MCPs.
3. OMA-AI
Open MCP marketplace with x402 micropayments. 90% revenue share for publishers. Gasless payments built in.
Quick Comparison Table
| | Direct | Smithery | OMA-AI | |--|-------|---------|--------| | Platform fee | 0% | 40% | 5% | | Setup complexity | High | Medium | Low | | Payment handling | DIY | Built-in | Built-in (x402) | | Discoverability | None | Medium | Growing | | Self-hostable | N/A | No | Yes |
The x402 Advantage
OMA-AI's x402 micropayments change the economics. Traditional subscription models mean you either overpay for rarely-used MCPs or publishers under-earn. With x402, pay exactly what you use at sub-cent resolution.
For AI agents making 10,000 calls per day to various MCPs, micropayments save hundreds per month vs subscription models.
Recommendation
For most developers: publish to OMA-AI for the low friction and revenue share, also list on Smithery for additional discoverability. The platforms are not mutually exclusive — many publishers multi-list.