Your database tool
shouldn't live on your laptop
Desktop database clients served us well for years. But they tie you to one machine, one set of SSH configs, and one more app to keep updated. DBEverywhere gives you phpMyAdmin and Adminer in any browser, from any device, with nothing to install.
The desktop problem
Install on every machine
Work laptop, personal machine, new hire's computer. Every device needs the app installed, configured, and kept up to date.
SSH tunnels per device
Each machine needs its own SSH key, tunnel config, and connection profile. One config change means updating everywhere.
Crashes and bloat
MySQL Workbench freezes on large result sets. DBeaver consumes 500MB+ of RAM on startup. These are well-documented pain points the community has complained about for years.
Expensive licenses
DataGrip costs $99/year. TablePlus is $89 for a license. Per seat. And that's before you factor in the time spent managing installations across your machines.
The tools you're comparing
Every tool here is good software. The question is whether you need it installed locally.
MySQL Workbench
Free / Oracle
DBeaver
Free + Pro
TablePlus
$89 license
DataGrip
$99/yr
Beekeeper Studio
Free + $7/mo
When desktop wins
- → Offline access. No internet? Desktop tools still work with local databases.
- → Massive datasets. Exporting 10 million rows is better handled by a native app with direct disk access.
- → Keyboard-heavy workflows. DataGrip's refactoring tools and custom keybindings are hard to beat in a browser.
- → Advanced schema design. ERD diagrams, visual schema diff, and migration generators are desktop strengths.
When browser wins
- ✓ Any device, instantly. Laptop, iPad, Chromebook, a friend's computer. Open a browser and you're connected.
- ✓ Zero install, zero config. No downloads, no Java runtimes, no driver dependencies.
- ✓ Static IP whitelisting. One IP to add to your firewall. Desktop tools change IP with every network you join.
- ✓ SSH tunnels handled for you. No per-machine SSH key setup. DBEverywhere manages the tunnel server-side.
- ✓ Nothing to update. Always on the latest version. No changelogs, no breaking changes to your config.
Feature comparison
How DBEverywhere stacks up against typical desktop database clients.
| Desktop Tools | DBEverywhere | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to $99/yr per seat | Free or $5/mo |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | Any browser (incl. iPad, Chromebook) |
| Setup time | Download, install, configure | Sign up, connect |
| Multi-device access | Install on each device | Any device, one login |
| Update maintenance | Manual or auto-update per device | Always current, zero effort |
| SSH tunnel config | Per-device SSH keys and config | Server-side, configure once |
| IP whitelisting | Changes with each network | One static IP |
| Local resource usage | 200MB-1GB+ RAM | A browser tab |
| Credential storage | Saved locally (varies by tool) | Session-only or AES-256 encrypted |
| Offline access | ✓ | ✕ |
| ERD / visual schema design | ✓ | ✕ |
| Large dataset export | Better for 10M+ rows | Best for quick exports |
| Supported databases | Varies by tool | MySQL, Postgres, Mongo, SQLite, MSSQL, Oracle, more |
Use both
This isn't an either-or decision. Most developers benefit from having both options available.
DBEverywhere for
- → Quick lookups and data checks
- → Connecting from any device
- → On-call debugging from your phone or tablet
- → Stable IP whitelisting for production databases
- → Sharing access without installing anything
Desktop tools for
- → Heavy schema design and migration work
- → Exporting very large datasets
- → Complex multi-table joins with visual builders
- → Offline development against local databases
- → Deep keyboard-driven workflows
Try browser-based database management
Free unlimited sessions. No credit card. No install.
Get started free