The DrawSQL Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about DrawSQL 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.
DrawSQL
The Insider’s Guide
Browser-based database schema diagrams for dev teams
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from DrawSQL’s own pages.
Made by DrawSQL · 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 DrawSQL’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DrawSQL’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
1.8
GPA, above 2 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
DrawSQL is an online editor for database schema diagrams. A schema can be built on the canvas or imported from SQL, then grouped, annotated, versioned and edited together with teammates. It supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server and MariaDB and exports SQL, Laravel migrations, JSON and images.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about DrawSQL, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A web app where the work is building the schema itself.
- 1
Best for database schema diagrams for developers
DrawSQL is a visual editor for database schemas that imports SQL and has an AI review.
- 2
Paid plans start at $19 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $19 per month for 1 user, billed monthly ($171 billed yearly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited public diagrams of up to 15 tables, with SQL import and the full visual editor.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Import from SQL
Pasting CREATE TABLE statements renders a diagram with tables, columns and foreign keys.
- 6
Export
Diagrams export as SQL for MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQL Server, as Laravel migrations, as JSON and as images.
- 7
Real-time multiplayer
Several people can edit one live diagram together; this starts on the Growth plan.
- 8
A 1.8 GPA, above 2 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
The plain part of DrawSQL you could make: templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
DrawSQL at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $19 per month for 1 user, billed monthly ($171 billed yearly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- DrawSQL, since 2018
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for database schema diagrams for developers
DrawSQL is a visual editor for database schemas that imports SQL and has an AI review. The free plan only makes public diagrams of up to 15 tables, so anything private starts at $19 a month, which is well above what other whiteboard tools charge.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Private diagrams start at $19 a month for 1 user, or $171 a year, against $8.25 in the middle for whiteboard tools. Growth is $59 for up to 5 users. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free gives unlimited diagrams of up to 15 tables with SQL import and the full editor, but every free diagram is public. There is no trial on record. |
| Features | C | SQL import, export, notes, groups, version history and an AI review with a diff. The listing names the gaps: MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server and MariaDB only, and nothing beyond database diagrams. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. A web app where the work is building the schema itself. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with a Laravel integration and API access on paid plans. 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 DrawSQL is for
- Fits if you design a MySQL or PostgreSQL schema and want it drawn visually
- Works for a Laravel developer who wants diagrams made from their migrations
Who it is not for
- Skip it if the schema is private and you won't pay: free diagrams are public
- Tight if you stay free: 15 tables a diagram
- Pricey if you are one person: $19 a month for 10 private diagrams and 50 tables each
- Not for you if you work on a team of more than one, because real-time editing starts at Growth, $59 a month for up to 5 users
- Watch out: only four databases are listed as supported
Good to know
Good for
- Dev teams reviewing schema changes on a shared live diagram
- Laravel, Rails or Django projects that want a schema picture
- Solo developers who need a few private diagrams
Worth knowing
- This is a database diagramming tool, not a general whiteboard.
- Free diagrams are public and capped at 15 tables; private diagrams need a paid plan.
- The Starter plan is for one user; real-time collaboration starts at Growth with up to 5 users.
- The pricing FAQ lists MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server and MariaDB as supported databases.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$19
A month to start. There is a free plan too
DrawSQL has a free plan. Paid plans start at $19 per month for 1 user, billed monthly ($171 billed yearly).
Free
$0
Unlimited public diagrams, up to 15 tables each; no private diagrams.
Starter
$19
per month for 1 user, billed monthly ($171 billed yearly)
10 private diagrams, 50 tables per diagram, API access and 500 DrawSQL AI credits a month.
Growth
$59
per month for up to 5 users, billed monthly ($531 billed yearly)
Unlimited private diagrams, 100 tables per diagram and real-time multiplayer editing.
Large
$179
per month for up to 25 users, billed monthly ($1,790 billed yearly)
Everything in Growth with unlimited tables per diagram.
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited users, SSO and SAML, audit trail and priority support; sold through sales.
The free plan
Unlimited public diagrams of up to 15 tables, with SQL import and the full visual editor.
Read from drawsql.app on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Yearly billing saves 2 to 3 months
Starter and Growth are $171 and $531 a year (3 months free), and Large is $1,790 a year (2 months free).
Stated on drawsql.appEducation
Discounts for students and educators
The pricing FAQ says discounted plans exist for students and educators, and free access for established open-source projects.
Stated on drawsql.app
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
Browser-based database schema diagrams for dev teams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, real-time collaboration, templates, diagrams.
SQL import, export, notes, groups, version history and an AI review with a diff.
- Import from SQL
- Pasting CREATE TABLE statements renders a diagram with tables, columns and foreign keys.
- Export
- Diagrams export as SQL for MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQL Server, as Laravel migrations, as JSON and as images.
- Real-time multiplayer
- Several people can edit one live diagram together; this starts on the Growth plan.
- Groups and notes
- Tables can be grouped by domain and annotated with sticky notes to keep large schemas readable.
- AI review with a diff
- DrawSQL AI reviews, generates and renames parts of a schema; paid plans include 500 credits a month.
- Templates and version history
- Over 200 schema templates are provided, and paid plans keep earlier versions of a diagram.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Laravel
DrawSQL is made by DrawSQL, and has been around since 2018.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
2/98
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
DrawSQL's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 2 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (C, above 10 of 98) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $19 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 59 of the 69 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 59 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. DrawSQL’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 98
- CFree plan and trialAbove 10 of 98
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 98
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 98
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 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. DrawSQL 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
The plain part of DrawSQL you could make: templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 91 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools grade higher. It costs $228 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A diagram editor.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, Laravel among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. DrawSQL’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
dbdiagram.io, Eraser, PlantUML, Visual Paradigm and Lucidchart
The 5 tools DrawSQL is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
dbdiagram.io
Free plan · from $8/mo
Draw database ER diagrams by writing DBML code.
- DrawSQL also covers templates.
- 2.4GPA
Eraser
Free plan · from $45/mo
AI diagramming and docs canvas for engineering teams.
- DrawSQL also covers templates.
- Eraser also covers Markdown and documents.
- 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.
- DrawSQL also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Visual Paradigm
Free plan · from $6/mo
Desktop and online modeling suite for UML, BPMN and architecture.
- Only Visual Paradigm lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Visual Paradigm can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- DrawSQL also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Lucidchart
Free plan · from $9/mo
Browser-based diagramming for flowcharts, org charts and systems.
- Only Lucidchart lists iOS and Android apps.
- Lucidchart also covers mind mapping.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 DrawSQL free?
DrawSQL has a free plan. Unlimited public diagrams of up to 15 tables, with SQL import and the full visual editor.
How much does DrawSQL cost?
DrawSQL lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does DrawSQL work on?
DrawSQL is available on Web.
Does DrawSQL offer any discounts?
DrawSQL publicly lists the following: Yearly billing saves 2 to 3 months; Discounts for students and educators.
Does DrawSQL have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. DrawSQL is listed for Web.
Does DrawSQL have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. DrawSQL is listed for Web.
Is DrawSQL open source?
DrawSQL is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does DrawSQL have an API?
Yes. DrawSQL offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does DrawSQL integrate with?
DrawSQL's listing names Laravel. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does DrawSQL have a student discount?
Discounts for students and educators. The pricing FAQ says discounted plans exist for students and educators, and free access for established open-source projects.
Who makes DrawSQL?
DrawSQL is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2018.
What are the alternatives to DrawSQL?
The closest alternatives to DrawSQL in our directory are dbdiagram.io, Eraser, PlantUML, Visual Paradigm and Lucidchart.
How does DrawSQL compare with other whiteboard and mind map tools?
DrawSQL's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 2 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 5.
Is DrawSQL good value for money?
ToolGPA grades DrawSQL D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $19 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 59 of the 69 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of DrawSQL?
The plain part of DrawSQL you could make: templates. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DrawSQL’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 DrawSQL'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 DrawSQL. Prices change, so check drawsql.app 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
- DrawSQL, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/drawsql
- 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, "DrawSQL: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/drawsql
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/drawsql/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after DrawSQL, 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 DrawSQL’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. DrawSQL is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by DrawSQL. Prices and plans change: check drawsql.app before you buy.