dbdiagram.io vs SchemaCrawler
dbdiagram.io
dbdiagram.io
SchemaCrawler
schemacrawler.comSide by side
| Figure | dbdiagram.io | SchemaCrawler |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $20/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Data Modeling Software | 8.4 (#5) | 7.7 (#13) |
| Integrations | Its VS Code extension also supports Cursor, Windsurf, and other Open VSX based editors, and provides live ERD previews from DBML files. | The site documents integrations with Apache Maven, GitHub Actions, GitLab pipelines, Docker, Graphviz, and templating engines including Velocity, Thymeleaf, FreeMarker, and Mustache. |
| Purpose | dbdiagram.io creates database relationship diagrams by typing DBML, its Database Markup Language. | SchemaCrawler is a free database schema discovery and comprehension tool for database documentation and data governance. |
| Security | Holistics reports SOC 2 Type II compliance and says dbdiagram encrypts data in transit and at rest, with servers hosted in Frankfurt, EU. | The security guidance says SchemaCrawler cannot vouch for the security of scripts it executes and recommends removing the scripting JAR if scripting is not needed. |
| Support | Support is available by email or form Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Singapore time, excluding weekends and Singapore public holidays. | Community support is available on Stack Overflow, while professional support packages provide direct access to the author and can cover project advice or consulting. |
Plans
dbdiagram.io
- FreeFree
- Personal Pro$20 a month
- Team$60 a month
- CustomPriced on request
In their own words
dbdiagram.io
dbdiagram.io creates database relationship diagrams by letting users describe schemas in DBML, its Database Markup Language. Developers and data analysts can design diagrams in the web app, while its cloud version imports and exports SQL. Supported databases include PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake, and BigQuery; Oracle import uses Oracle 19c syntax. Free users can filter tables in the default view, while saving multiple customized views requires Personal Pro. Personal Pro also includes an AI Assistant for schema design, modification, and optimization through natural language, with a monthly token quota. The editor extension supports VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and other Open VSX-based editors, with live ERD previews from DBML files. A CLI syncs local DBML files with diagrams and can publish documentation to dbdocs.io from a terminal or CI pipeline. Free diagrams allow public link sharing; password protection and private mode require Personal Pro or Team. Free costs nothing; Personal Pro is $20 a month and Team is $60 a month. A 7-day Team trial requires a payment method and automatically charges when it ends.
SchemaCrawler
SchemaCrawler is free, open-source software for discovering database schemas, documenting them, and supporting data governance. Its command-line tools output metadata as plain text, HTML5, HTML5 with embedded diagrams, JSON, or YAML. These formats are intended to make differences between database schemas easier to identify. SchemaCrawler can generate entity-relationship diagrams and execute JavaScript or Python against a live database connection. It supports almost any database with a JDBC driver, although some proprietary drivers require separate downloads. Integrations documented by the project include Apache Maven, GitHub Actions, GitLab pipelines, Docker, Graphviz, and several templating engines. The AI MCP Server allows natural-language exploration of database structures, table relationships, and SQL query generation. SchemaCrawler runs on operating systems supporting Java SE 17 or newer and can be self-hosted. The software is free; bundled JDBC-driver distributions are GPL v3, and commercial-use licensing terms can be arranged.