HeidiSQL vs Hex

HeidiSQL is free desktop database client software for connecting to databases and editing their data and structures. It supports MariaDB, MySQL, MS SQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase, Firebird, ProxySQL, and Redshift, with multiple connections in one window. Connections can use SSH tunnels or SSL settings. Users can create and edit tables, views, stored routines, triggers, and scheduled events. The query editor provides customizable syntax highlighting, code completion, SQL reformatting, and query history. Text files can be imported, while table rows can be exported as CSV, HTML, XML, SQL, LaTeX, Textile, PHP, Markdown, or JSON. Data can also be exported directly between servers or databases. Builds are offered for Windows, Linux, and macOS, including Linux x64 and arm64 packages, a macOS arm64 app bundle, and a Windows x64 portable edition. HeidiSQL requires an available database server or SQLite file; the requirements page says running through Wine is currently unstable and suggests native Linux instead.

Hex is a hosted data platform for exploring data, asking questions, and building data applications through notebooks and conversational self-service. It supports SQL, Python, and R, with real-time collaboration and version history. Users can connect data warehouses and local TXT, CSV, JSON, Parquet, Avro, and XLSX files, as well as metadata, semantic-layer, catalog, machine-learning, and workflow tools. Airflow, Dagster, and dbt integrations can trigger analytical flows and app runs from data pipelines. Hex says its agent grounds answers in organizational context and can connect with Claude, Codex, Cursor, Slack, MCP, a CLI, APIs, or custom agents. Users can build apps from prompts, with code underneath and controls for the finished app. Context Studio and Evals provide visibility into topics, trends, and warnings about answer quality. Community is free; Professional costs $36 a month per Editor, and Team costs $75 a month per Editor. Community and Professional allow up to five published apps, while Team and Enterprise allow unlimited published apps. A 14-day trial is listed.