Database clients
Reviewed
Markdown ↓🐬
Picking a database GUI.
fortrabbit does not offer a hosted phpMyAdmin. A native database client connects you to your remote MySQL database, to your local databases, and to any other engines you work with — PostgreSQL, MariaDB, SQLite, and more.
Benefits of MySQL clients
- safe — the connection is tunneled over SSH using your existing key pair, so credentials and query traffic never cross the public internet in the clear. The same key that deploys your app authenticates the database session.
- fast — a native desktop app handles large result sets, complex joins, schema diffs, and multi-megabyte imports without the lag of a browser tab. Big tables stay scrollable; long-running queries can be cancelled.
- smart — SQL auto-completion, query history, saved snippets, syntax highlighting, and connection bookmarks shorten the loop between thinking and shipping. Most clients also remember tabs across restarts.
- unified — one tool for your local development databases and your fortrabbit remote, side by side. You stop juggling phpMyAdmin tabs, command-line clients, and a separate desktop app per project.
By operating system
| Client | macOS | Windows | Linux | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sequel Ace | ✓ | — | — | Free, open source, MySQL/MariaDB only |
| TablePro | ✓ | — | — | Free, open source, multi-engine, AI |
| TablePlus | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Freemium, multi-engine, native feel |
| MySQL Workbench | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Free, official Oracle tool |
| phpMyAdmin | web | web | web | Free, runs locally as a PHP app |
| DBeaver Community | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Free, broadest engine support |
| DataGrip | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Paid, JetBrains, all major engines |
| HeidiSQL | — | ✓ | — | Free, MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL/SQL Server |
| Beekeeper Studio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Free Community + paid Ultimate |
Free, freemium, paid
Most app developers do not need a paid client to manage one MySQL database. Reach for a commercial tool when you spend hours a day in the database, work across many engines, or want refactoring, schema diffs, and version-control integration.
- Free and open source — Sequel Ace, TablePro, MySQL Workbench, DBeaver Community, HeidiSQL, phpMyAdmin, DB Browser for SQLite, pgAdmin, Chat2DB Community.
- Freemium — TablePlus (one-tab and one-window limit on the free tier), Beekeeper Studio (Ultimate unlocks team features and saved queries beyond the free cap).
- Paid — DataGrip (JetBrains subscription), Navicat (perpetual or subscription), TablePlus full license.
Beyond MySQL
fortrabbit ships a managed MySQL component and that covers most apps. Many teams still touch other engines on the side: an external database provider, a local SQLite file shipped with a Laravel project, a PostgreSQL side project, or a Redis cache. A multi-engine client saves you from installing one tool per database.
| Engine | Best free pick | Best paid pick |
|---|---|---|
| MySQL / MariaDB | Sequel Ace, DBeaver | TablePlus, DataGrip |
| PostgreSQL | pgAdmin, DBeaver | TablePlus, DataGrip |
| SQLite | DB Browser for SQLite | TablePlus, DataGrip |
| Redis | RedisInsight | TablePlus, Medis |
| MongoDB | MongoDB Compass | Studio 3T, DataGrip |
| SQL Server | Azure Data Studio | DataGrip, Navicat |
DBeaver and DataGrip cover the widest range of engines in a single window. TablePlus covers fewer engines but feels more at home on macOS. TablePro is open source and macOS-only, with an engine span comparable to DBeaver and a native SwiftUI feel.
AI-assisted clients
A newer generation of database clients ships with built-in LLM features: natural-language to SQL, schema explanations, query review, and inline error fixes. They can speed up exploration of an unfamiliar database, but they do not replace reading the schema yourself.
- DataGrip — JetBrains AI Assistant writes queries, explains execution plans, and refactors SQL.
- DBeaver — AI Assistant (beta) for natural-language to SQL across all supported engines.
- Outerbase — AI-native cloud client; chat with your database and generate dashboards from prompts. Unmaintained?
- Chat2DB — open-source, AI-first SQL client with multi-engine support.
- SQLChat — chat-based, browser-based interface; bring your own OpenAI key.
- Beekeeper Studio — optional AI shell for query generation in the Ultimate tier.
- TablePro — built-in AI assistant with chat and inline suggestions; bring your own Claude, OpenAI, GitHub Copilot, or local Ollama key.
Treat AI-generated SQL the same way you treat AI-generated code: read it before running it, point it at a non-production database first, and do not let it touch a production environment without human review.
Integration with fortrabbit
There is no tight integration with fortrabbit for the database client.