DbSchema vs DBX

DbSchema is a desktop tool for designing, documenting and working with SQL and NoSQL databases on Linux, macOS and Windows. It connects to more than 70 databases through JDBC and can download the needed driver. Users can build interactive schema diagrams, split designs into subsystem diagrams, or create physical schemas while offline and save them as local.dbs files. For connected databases, schema synchronization compares the model with the database and can produce migration SQL for review. The SQL editor offers schema-aware autocomplete, and a visual query builder lets users arrange tables, joins and filters and inspect generated SQL before execution. DbSchema can also publish interactive HTML5 schema documentation that opens in a browser without an installation or license. Connections run directly from the user's computer to the database, with configured SSL and SSH tunnels available. Community Edition is free forever. Pro Monthly is $29.40 a month, and Architect Monthly is $47.04 a month, plus taxes. The shared installer requires no registration and includes a 15-day Architect trial that can be extended by 15 days.

DBX is a free, open-source workspace for database connections, object browsing, SQL editing, data changes, schema work, and automation. It supports more than 100 databases and data systems across relational, NoSQL, vector, time-series, embedded, and messaging categories. The CodeMirror 6 SQL editor includes metadata-aware autocomplete, formatting, selected-query execution, diagnostics, history, and saved snippets. Other tools cover virtualized data grids, schema browsing and comparison, ER diagrams, field lineage, imports, exports, and transfers between connections. Its AI SQL assistant works with Claude, OpenAI, local models through Ollama, and OpenAI-compatible endpoints. DBX also has MCP integrations for compatible agents and a command-line interface. It runs as a desktop app on macOS, Windows, and Linux, or as a self-hosted Docker web deployment. Safeguards include read-only connections, confirmations for production writes, reviewable SQL changes, MCP access policies, and encrypted configuration exports. Stored credentials are encrypted, and the plugin store offers signed, sandboxed extensions.