Free Database Design Tools 2026: Free Tiers Compared

You need a diagram of your database, and a way to change the schema from it, without buying a license. Start with DbSchema Community Edition. DbSchema is a database design tool that connects to your database and reverse-engineers the tables into an interactive ER diagram. Each change you make on the diagram then runs in the database. The Community Edition is free, has no expiry date, and opens every database DbSchema supports.

Nine other tools below have a free tier too. Every limit was read on the vendor's own page on 2026-11-11. Free tiers change, so check that date before you rely on a limit.

Three kinds of free tool

Free design tools differ most in where the diagram comes from. A desktop tool connects to your database, reads its tables, and can run your changes in it. A browser tool works on a copy of the schema that you paste or type, and gives you SQL to run yourself. A drawing tool draws tables as shapes, and the result is a picture.

If your schema already lives in a database, you need the first kind. A browser tool keeps the schema as it was when you imported it. After the next migration on the database, that copy is out of date until you import it again. A drawing never knew the schema at all.

Free tiers compared

Each vendor charges for something different. DbSchema charges for keeping the design in a model file. dbdiagram.io, QuickDBD and ChartDB charge for size, and drawDB charges for storage in its cloud.

Tools that connect to your database

DbSchema Community Edition

DbSchema Community connects to more than 100 SQL and NoSQL databases, MongoDB included, and reverse-engineers the schema into a diagram. On the diagram, you edit tables, columns and foreign keys. The SQL Editor runs your queries on the same connection.

While DbSchema is connected, each change that you confirm runs in the database at once (Tables, Columns and Indexes). The database keeps every table you change, so DbSchema Community needs no file to keep them. DbSchema Community also writes HTML5, PDF or Markdown documentation for a diagram of up to 12 tables. The diagram image in that documentation carries "DbSchema Trial" across it.

DbSchema Pro keeps the design apart from the database. It saves the model to a .dbs file that Git can version, and schema synchronization compares that file with a database before any change runs. Pro also documents a diagram of any size, and adds the Query Builder, the Data Generator and the Data Importer. Logical design is in DbSchema Architect, the edition above Pro. The purchase page has the prices.

DBeaver Community Edition

DBeaver Community is free and open source under the Apache License 2.0, and it connects to any database that has a JDBC driver (about DBeaver). It is a database client with an SQL editor, a data editor, and an ER diagram drawn from the open connection.

DBeaver PRO adds NoSQL databases such as MongoDB and Redis, and cloud databases such as Redshift and BigQuery (download page). Mock data generation and the comparison of data and schemas are PRO features too. DbSchema Community connects to MongoDB at no cost, and to the SQL databases on the same terms.

MySQL Workbench Community Edition

MySQL Workbench Community is Oracle's free edition, under the GPL (downloads). Its data modeling draws a model of the schema, and reverse- and forward-engineers it against a live MySQL database (MySQL 26.10 manual). Documentation generation is in the paid Commercial Edition.

Workbench models MySQL only. Its migration wizard moves tables and data into MySQL from SQL Server, Sybase ASE, SQLite, SQL Anywhere and PostgreSQL. The current Workbench is a new release, and Oracle marks every earlier release as end of life (product page). DbSchema Community covers MySQL on the same free terms, and a second engine in your stack needs no second tool.

pgModeler Community Edition

pgModeler designs PostgreSQL databases. Its Community Edition is the source code, free under the GPL v3, and the pre-built binaries come with the paid Plus edition (pgmodeler.io). To run Community, you compile it.

The Community build covers more than 30 PostgreSQL object types, validation with automatic fixes, a command-line interface and PostGIS. pgModeler exports a model to SQL, PNG, SVG or HTML files, or creates it on a live server. Reverse engineering from a live database, incremental diff and sync, and SSH tunneling are in Plus.

So pgModeler Community can create a schema on a server, but cannot read a schema back from one. DbSchema Community reverse-engineers PostgreSQL from an installer, with nothing to compile.

Browser tools that work on a copy of the schema

dbdiagram.io free plan

In dbdiagram.io you write the schema in DBML, a short text language, and the diagram draws itself as you type. The free plan holds up to 10 diagrams and documentation projects in total. It includes SQL import and export, and export to PDF, PNG and SVG. You can share a free diagram publicly as view-only, or keep it private.

Version history, password-protected sharing, the AI assistant and a shared team workspace are paid. The pricing page publishes no limit on the number of tables.

QuickDBD

QuickDBD (Quick Database Diagrams) draws a diagram from text that you type. Its free Basic plan holds 1 diagram of up to 10 tables, shared publicly, and exports images, SQL and PDF (plans). The Pro plan holds 10 diagrams with any number of tables.

drawDB free

drawDB runs in the browser with no account, and its source is open under the AGPL-3.0 (GitHub). You import a schema as a SQL script, DBML or JSON, and export the same formats. The SQL dialects are MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle and a generic one (drawdb.app).

A free diagram is stored in your browser's IndexedDB, so clearing the browser's site data deletes it. Export a copy, or run drawDB on your own server with Docker. Cloud storage, sharing and live collaboration are in the Pro plans.

ChartDB free

ChartDB imports a schema without a connection. ChartDB supplies one query, and you run it on your database. You paste the JSON that the query returns into ChartDB, so ChartDB never needs your database password (README).

The free plan covers 1 user and 1 database of up to 10 tables. Schema export and the DBML editor are in Pro, and auto-sync, versioning, Snowflake and BigQuery are in Team. The self-hosted build is open source under the AGPL-3.0.

ERDPlus

ERDPlus draws ER diagrams, relational schemas and star schemas in the browser (erdplus.com). It converts an ER diagram into a relational schema, generates SQL from it, and saves your diagrams on its servers. It has no paid features.

draw.io, a drawing tool with ER shapes

draw.io is a free diagram editor with no sign-up, and its source is under the Apache 2.0 license (drawio.com). Its Entity Relation shapes draw tables with crow's foot lines. To turn CREATE TABLE statements into table shapes, choose Arrange → Insert → Advanced → SQL and paste them (manual). You draw the relationship lines yourself.

Tools with no free tier

Some tools in other roundups have no free plan. SqlDBM's pricing page publishes no plans or prices and sends you to sales. Vertabelo, now named Redgate Data Modeler, offers a 14-day trial and no free edition (editions).

A trial is not a free tier. DbSchema starts with a 15-day trial of DbSchema Architect, which has every feature, and then continues as the free Community Edition (installation). For the paid tools, see Best Database Design Tools, and for PostgreSQL alone, Top Free PostgreSQL ER Diagram Tools.

Download DbSchema at https://dbschema.com/download.html and connect it to your database. The free Community Edition reverse-engineers the schema into a diagram and runs the changes you make on it. Saving the design as a model file, schema synchronization and documentation of any size are in DbSchema Pro.