The dbdiagram.io Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about dbdiagram.io in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
dbdiagram.io
The Insider’s Guide
Draw database ER diagrams by writing DBML code
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from dbdiagram.io’s own pages.
Made by Holistics Software · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from dbdiagram.io’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on dbdiagram.io’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 43 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
dbdiagram.io turns text written in DBML, an open schema language, into entity-relationship diagrams as you type. It can import and export SQL, publish schema documentation through its sister product dbdocs, and map data lineage. It is aimed at developers and data analysts.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about dbdiagram.io, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is a web app where you have to learn DBML before you get a diagram.
- 1
Best for database diagrams written as code
dbdiagram.io draws an ER diagram as you type DBML, a text schema language, and it imports and exports SQL.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per month, billed monthly (annual billing saves up to 42%).
- 3
There is a free plan
Up to 10 diagrams and doc projects, a single editor, SQL import and export, and PDF, PNG and SVG export.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Diagrams from DBML
Typing DBML produces an ER diagram as you write, so a schema is kept as text that can live in version control.
- 6
SQL import and export
A schema can be imported from a database or SQL script and exported as SQL, PDF, PNG or SVG.
- 7
Published documentation
dbdocs publishes a schema as a browsable web reference, with a schema changelog of 14 days on the free plan.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 43 of 98
That is against the other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
Nothing dbdiagram.io does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
dbdiagram.io at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8 per month, billed monthly (annual billing saves up to 42%)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of the Team plan
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Holistics Software
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for database diagrams written as code
dbdiagram.io draws an ER diagram as you type DBML, a text schema language, and it imports and exports SQL. The free plan stops at 10 diagrams and one editor, version history and private sharing need Personal Pro at $8 a month, and it only draws database schemas, so it won't stand in for a general whiteboard.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Personal Pro is $8 a month billed monthly, close to the $8.25 middle for whiteboard tools. Team is $75 a month for 3 editors, and extra editors are $5 each. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free covers 10 diagrams and doc projects, SQL import and export, and PDF, PNG and SVG export. One editor only, though, and version history is paid. |
| Features | C | Does the one job of database diagrams fully: DBML, SQL in and out, published docs, a CLI. It is a smaller job than a whiteboard, and the listing says it has no sticky notes or freehand drawing. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. It is a web app where you have to learn DBML before you get a diagram. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with dbdocs, a CLI and CI/CD hooks, plus Holistics. No desktop or phone app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who dbdiagram.io is for
- Fits if you keep your database schema as text in version control
- Works for developers who want ER diagrams from SQL they already have
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a whiteboard with sticky notes or freehand drawing
- Tight if you stay free: 10 diagrams, one editor and no version history
- Pricey if you work in a team: $75 a month for 3 editors, then $5 for each extra one
- Watch out: the Team trial is 7 days, and annual prices were not shown on the page we read
Good to know
Good for
- Developers who prefer writing a schema as code over dragging boxes
- Teams documenting a database for new colleagues
- Students and researchers, who can get Personal Pro free
Worth knowing
- This is a database diagramming tool, not a general whiteboard with sticky notes or freehand drawing.
- The free plan allows a single editor and 10 diagrams; version history needs a paid plan.
- The Team plan includes 3 editors, and each extra editor costs $5 a month.
- Annual prices were not shown in the page text; the figures here are the monthly-billing ones.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8
A month to start. There is a free plan too
dbdiagram.io has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per month, billed monthly (annual billing saves up to 42%).
One editor only, though, and version history is paid.
Free
$0
Up to 10 diagrams and doc projects, unlimited viewers, one editor, public sharing and embeds.
Personal Pro
$8
per month for 1 editor, billed monthly
Unlimited diagrams, version history, private and password-protected sharing, limited collaboration.
Team
$75
per month for 3 editors, billed monthly
Everything in Personal Pro plus a collaborative workspace and unified billing; extra editors are $5 a month.
Custom Plan
Custom
10 editors, SAML SSO, procurement review and custom payment terms; sold through sales.
The free plan
Up to 10 diagrams and doc projects, a single editor, SQL import and export, and PDF, PNG and SVG export.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of the Team plan
Read from dbdiagram.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save up to 42% with annual billing
The pricing page has an annual billing toggle labelled as saving up to 42% compared with monthly billing.
Stated on dbdiagram.ioEducation
Free Personal Pro for education
Students, teachers and researchers get Personal Pro free for 12 months, renewable while they are still at an institution.
Stated on dbdiagram.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Draw database ER diagrams by writing DBML code. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, diagrams.
Does the one job of database diagrams fully: DBML, SQL in and out, published docs, a CLI.
- Diagrams from DBML
- Typing DBML produces an ER diagram as you write, so a schema is kept as text that can live in version control.
- SQL import and export
- A schema can be imported from a database or SQL script and exported as SQL, PDF, PNG or SVG.
- Published documentation
- dbdocs publishes a schema as a browsable web reference, with a schema changelog of 14 days on the free plan.
- Data lineage
- Pipelines can be declared in DBML to show how one table is built from another, at table or column level.
- AI assistant (beta)
- Prompts generate and edit diagrams; usage is capped on Personal Pro and Team, and the plan table shows it as unlimited on Custom.
- CLI and CI/CD
- A command-line tool lets a diagram or doc project be updated from a CI/CD pipeline.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- dbdocs
- Holistics
dbdiagram.io is made by Holistics Software.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
43/98
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
dbdiagram.io's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 43 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 14.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 71 of 98) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 34 of the 69 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 14 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. dbdiagram.io’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 11 of 98
- BFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 98
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 98
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 98
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 35 of 98
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 88 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. dbdiagram.io is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Nothing dbdiagram.io does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
It costs $96 a year.
What you could not
- A diagram editor.
- It plugs into other products, dbdocs and Holistics among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. dbdiagram.io’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
DrawSQL, PlantUML, Eraser, Mermaid and Structurizr
The 5 tools dbdiagram.io is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
DrawSQL
Free plan · from $19/mo
Browser-based database schema diagrams for dev teams.
- DrawSQL also covers templates.
- 3.0GPA
PlantUML
Free
Draw UML and other diagrams from plain-text descriptions.
- Only PlantUML lists a browser extension.
- PlantUML is open source, according to its own site.
- PlantUML also covers Gantt & timelines and mind mapping.
- 2.4GPA
Eraser
Free plan · from $45/mo
AI diagramming and docs canvas for engineering teams.
- Eraser also covers Markdown and documents.
- 2.4GPA
Mermaid
Free plan · from $10/mo
Text-based diagramming platform with AI and a visual editor.
- Mermaid also covers presentations.
- 2.6GPA
Structurizr
Free plan · from £300/mo
Open-source models-as-code tool for C4 architecture diagrams.
- Structurizr is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is dbdiagram.io free?
dbdiagram.io has a free plan. Up to 10 diagrams and doc projects, a single editor, SQL import and export, and PDF, PNG and SVG export.
How much does dbdiagram.io cost?
dbdiagram.io lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does dbdiagram.io work on?
dbdiagram.io is available on Web.
Does dbdiagram.io offer any discounts?
dbdiagram.io publicly lists the following: Save up to 42% with annual billing; Free Personal Pro for education.
Does dbdiagram.io have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. dbdiagram.io is listed for Web.
Does dbdiagram.io have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. dbdiagram.io is listed for Web.
Is dbdiagram.io open source?
dbdiagram.io is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does dbdiagram.io have an API?
Yes. dbdiagram.io offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does dbdiagram.io integrate with?
dbdiagram.io's listing names dbdocs and Holistics. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does dbdiagram.io have a student discount?
Free Personal Pro for education. Students, teachers and researchers get Personal Pro free for 12 months, renewable while they are still at an institution.
Does dbdiagram.io have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of the Team plan.
Who makes dbdiagram.io?
dbdiagram.io is made by Holistics Software.
What are the alternatives to dbdiagram.io?
The closest alternatives to dbdiagram.io in our directory are DrawSQL, PlantUML, Eraser, Mermaid and Structurizr.
How does dbdiagram.io compare with other whiteboard and mind map tools?
dbdiagram.io's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 43 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 14.
Is dbdiagram.io good value for money?
ToolGPA grades dbdiagram.io C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 34 of the 69 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of dbdiagram.io?
Nothing dbdiagram.io does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from dbdiagram.io’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from dbdiagram.io's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Holistics Software. Prices change, so check dbdiagram.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- dbdiagram.io, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/dbdiagram-io
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "dbdiagram.io: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dbdiagram-io
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dbdiagram-io/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after dbdiagram.io, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Whiteboard Insider's GuideFree collaborative canvas built into Microsoft 365 and Teams3.4 GPA
- draw.io Insider's GuideFree diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose3.2 GPA
- tldraw Insider's GuideFree online whiteboard with a local desktop app3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what dbdiagram.io’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. dbdiagram.io is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Holistics Software. Prices and plans change: check dbdiagram.io before you buy.