pgModeler vs Schemity
pgModeler
pgmodeler.ioSchemity
schemity.comSide by side
| Figure | pgModeler | Schemity |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $59.90/mo | $2.42/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 8 |
| Spec score · Database Design Tools | 8.2 (#11) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Reverse engineering | pgModeler Plus can connect to a live PostgreSQL server and reconstruct a full schema model. | The desktop app reverse-engineers live schemas and re-syncs them when diagrams open, preserving existing layout while showing database changes for review. |
| Security | Connections support SSL modes, client certificates, Kerberos server settings, and GSSAPI authentication. | The maker says the MCP server listens only on the user's machine, stores its token in the OS keychain, and does not give an AI agent database credentials. |
| Support | The project directs feature requests and bug reports to its GitHub issues page. | The maker invites users to contact the creator directly about team purchase needs such as invoices, offline activation, security review, or volume licensing. |
Plans
pgModeler
- Single user · 6 monthsPriced on request
- Single user · 12 monthsPriced on request
- Team lifetime · PerpetualPriced on request
- pgModeler CommunityFree
- pgModeler Plus · Single user · 6 months$59.90 a month
- pgModeler Plus · Single user · 12 monthsPrice not published
- pgModeler Plus · Team lifetimePrice not published
Schemity
- EducationFree
- Education licenseFree
- Free trialFree
- LiteFree
- Schemity LiteFree
- Updates renewal$29 a year
- License$129, paid once
- Licensed desktop$129, paid once
In their own words
pgModeler
pgModeler is a locally installed PostgreSQL schema engineering tool for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It supports visual design, reverse engineering, schema comparison and synchronization, and command-line deployment automation. Its relationship engine can propagate foreign-key columns, constraints, and indexes when tables are linked, and it supports more than 30 PostgreSQL object types. Models can be exported as SQL, PNG, SVG, HTML data dictionaries, or directly to a PostgreSQL server. The command-line interface can export DDL, run diffs, validate models, and automate CI/CD deployments. Models use human-readable XML; Plus adds a Git-powered versioning workflow. The software runs on the user's machine without an account, cloud dependency, or required internet connection. The community software is GPL v3 and free forever. Plus provides pre-built binaries and professional workflow features. Its listed single-user, six-month plan is $59.90 per month, billed from $59.90/6 months. Documentation warns that connection passwords are stored in plain text in the settings directory.
Schemity
Schemity is database design software that connects to live databases and previews proposed schema changes before they are applied. It lists PostgreSQL, Supabase, MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, and SQLite support. A migration displays its proposed changes and effects, and runs only when the user clicks Migrate. Design tools include ERD creation, inferred relationships, SQL and DBML import, check constraints, junction table generation, and schema linting across 26 problem classes. Its local MCP server offers 16 tools for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, OpenCode, and other MCP hosts. The desktop app stores work in plain JSON files that can be version-controlled with Git. It has no cloud backend, accounts, analytics, or telemetry, but transmits an automatically generated machine ID and country code for license verification. A two-week desktop trial unlocks every feature without a credit card. After it ends, offline design remains available, while live database features and Context Views pause until a license is active. Lite is free; the License is $129 one-time.