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ER Diagram Tool Alternatives
How SQL to ER Diagram compares with dbdiagram.io, DrawSQL, ChartDB and drawDB: what each one is built for, and when the other tool is the better choice.
Open SQL to ER Diagram →No signup · nothing uploaded · free and open source (MIT)
At a glance
- What it is
- SQL to ER Diagram is a free, open-source browser tool that turns a schema you already have into an interactive entity-relationship (ER) diagram.
- Input
- SQL DDL for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake and BigQuery, plus Prisma, DBML, Mermaid, PlantUML, SQLAlchemy and Sequelize schemas.
- Output
- An interactive ER diagram you can rearrange, then export as PNG, SVG, Mermaid, DBML or PlantUML, or share as a link.
- Cost
- Free. MIT-licensed open source. No account or signup.
- Privacy
- Runs entirely in your browser. The schema is never uploaded, and share links carry the diagram in the URL fragment, which is not sent to a server.
- Limits
- It never connects to your database itself: you paste schema text, or run one read-only catalog query in your own client and paste the result. There are no accounts, so there is no real-time multi-user editing; diagrams are kept in your browser, as a saved file, or as a share link. Layout stays smooth at around 300 tables.
Which tool is built for what
| Tool | Built for | Details |
|---|---|---|
| SQL to ER Diagram | Getting a diagram from SQL, Prisma, DBML or ORM code you already have, with no account and nothing uploaded. | This site |
| dbdiagram.io | Writing a schema in DBML and collaborating on it online. | Comparison |
| DrawSQL | Designing a schema visually with a team, in real time. | Comparison |
| ChartDB | Generating a diagram with AI, or from a query run against a live database. | Comparison |
| drawDB | Drawing a schema from scratch and generating SQL from it. | Comparison |
Comparisons
- SQL to ER Diagram vs dbdiagram.ioBoth tools turn text into an ER diagram. dbdiagram.io is an editor built around the DBML language; SQL to ER Diagram is a free, open-source page that reads the schema you already have and never uploads it.
- SQL to ER Diagram vs DrawSQLDrawSQL is a visual database design tool for engineering teams, with real-time collaboration. SQL to ER Diagram is a free, open-source page that draws the diagram from schema text you already have, without an account and without uploading anything.
- SQL to ER Diagram vs ChartDBBoth are open-source database diagram tools. ChartDB imports a schema with a single query you run against your database, and adds an AI diagram generator; SQL to ER Diagram reads pasted schema text in many formats and keeps everything in your browser.
- SQL to ER Diagram vs drawDBBoth are free, open-source tools that run in the browser. drawDB is a visual editor for building a schema and generating SQL from it; SQL to ER Diagram goes the other way, from existing schema text to a diagram.
What SQL to ER Diagram is
- Free and open source under the MIT license. There are no paid plans.
- No signup. There are no accounts; you open the page and paste a schema.
- Runs entirely in your browser. The schema is parsed and drawn locally and is never uploaded to a server.
- Reads the schema you already have: SQL DDL for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake and BigQuery, plus Prisma, DBML, Mermaid, PlantUML, SQLAlchemy, Sequelize, TypeORM entities and Django models.
- Imports from a live database without connecting to it: you run one read-only catalog query in your own client and paste the result.
- Converts and migrates: exports the schema as DDL for another SQL dialect, and compares two versions to produce migration SQL.
- Exports PNG, SVG, Mermaid, DBML and PlantUML, copies the diagram to the clipboard, and makes share-ready snapshot images.
- Share by URL: a share link encodes the whole diagram in the URL fragment, which browsers do not send to a server.
- Editor features: undo/redo, a ⌘K command palette that jumps to any table or column, a minimap, and a clickable list of parse problems.
- Works offline after the first visit, and stays smooth at around 300 tables because layout runs in a Web Worker.
- Headless CLI that turns a schema file into an SVG, for docs and CI.
What it does not do
- It has no accounts and no server, so there is no real-time multi-user editing and no cloud workspace. Diagrams and their version history live in your browser, in a file you save, or in a link you share.
- It never connects to your database itself: you paste schema text, or run one read-only catalog query in your own client and paste its result.
FAQ
What is a free alternative to paid ER diagram tools?
SQL to ER Diagram is free and MIT-licensed open source. There are no accounts or paid plans: you paste a schema and get an interactive ER diagram in your browser.
Which ER diagram tool does not upload my schema?
SQL to ER Diagram parses and draws the schema entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and share links carry the diagram in the URL fragment, which is not sent to a server.
Does SQL to ER Diagram support team collaboration?
Not in real time. There are no accounts or shared workspaces; you share a diagram by sending a link or a saved file. If your team needs to edit the same saved diagram together, a hosted tool with accounts is the better fit.
This comparison is written by the maintainers of SQL to ER Diagram. It describes other products only in general terms and lists no prices or plan limits, because those change. Check each product’s own site for its current features and pricing. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners.