--- title: MySQL Workbench canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/mysql-workbench/ category: Database Client Software points: 55 rank: 12 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # MySQL Workbench Oracle's visual tool for MySQL, with a free GPL Community edition, data modelling and visual query plans. 55 points out of 100. #12 of 12 database clients. Vendor: Oracle. Website: https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/ - The Community edition is free under the GPL; a Commercial edition is also offered [3][12]. - Desktop packages cover Windows, macOS and Linux, with Ubuntu 24.04 and Red Hat 8 and 9 families listed as supported [3][7]. - It connects to MySQL servers only; other databases such as PostgreSQL and SQL Server appear as migration sources [2]. - Release notes list version 8.0.47 on 2026-04-23, and the download page offers 26.7.0 [3][6]. - Visual Explain, EER diagram modelling, schema synchronisation and SSH connections are documented [1][8][11][13]. Verdict: MySQL Workbench suits people who work only with MySQL and want a free tool from the server's maker [1][2]. It covers modelling, synchronisation, visual query plans and SSH connections [1][8][11][13]. The catch: it is not a general client, since other databases are migration sources only, and Oracle publishes no price for the Commercial edition [2][12]. Best for: MySQL developers and administrators who want a free, official tool. Status: Oracle says the new MySQL Workbench replaces earlier releases, which have reached end of life; the 8.0 source repository is marked end of life [1][4]. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Other systems | macOS, Linux | 6/6 | Supported-platforms page lists, for Workbench 8.0, macOS 14 and 15, Ubuntu 24.04 and Red Hat or Oracle Linux 8 and 9 [7]. | | Databases | Main SQL engines | MySQL or MariaDB | 3/15 | Connects to MySQL servers; SQL Server, PostgreSQL and SQLite appear only as migration sources [2]. | | Databases | NoSQL and cloud engines | None | 0/8 | No MongoDB, Redis, BigQuery or Snowflake connection is named in the manual [5]. | | Databases | JDBC or ODBC drivers | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the manual's contents page [5]. | | Connections and trust | SSH tunnel | Yes | 8/8 | Connects to MySQL Server using TCP/IP over an SSH connection, with SSH host, user, password and key file [8]. | | Connections and trust | Open-source apps | Yes | 6/6 | Community edition is offered under the GPL, and the source is in a public repository [3][4]. | | Connections and trust | Recent release | Yes | 3/3 | Release notes list version 8.0.47 dated 2026-04-23 [6]. | | Tools | SQL code completion | Yes | 4/4 | The manual says code completion assists writing SQL in the editor; Oracle's page mentions updated auto-completion [1][10]. | | Tools | Visual query builder | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the manual's contents page or editor page [5][10]. | | Tools | ER diagrams | Yes | 4/4 | Manual says models build EER diagrams, and you can reverse engineer a live database into a model [13]. | | Tools | Schema or data compare | Yes | 4/4 | Synchronize With Any Source compares models, databases and SQL files and shows differences [11]. | | Tools | Import from CSV or Excel | Yes | 4/4 | Table Data Import accepts CSV and JSON; the result grid also imports CSV [9]. | | Tools | Export formats | CSV, Excel, JSON | 3/3 | Export types include CSV, JSON and Excel XML; we count Excel XML as Excel [9]. | | Tools | Query plan viewer | Yes | 4/4 | Visual Explain and Visual Explain Analyze show query execution plans [1]. | | Tools | AI assistant | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the product page or the manual's contents page [1][5]. | | Price | Free edition | Yes | 6/6 | Community edition is free of charge under the GPL, with no time limit stated [3][12]. | | Price | Perpetual licence | Not published | 0/5 | Licence terms of the paid Commercial edition are not published on the vendor's pages [12]. | | Price | Cheapest paid plan | Not published | 0/10 | The paid Commercial edition has no published price; the free Community edition is not a paid plan [12]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Community | Free [3][12] | $0 | | Commercial | Quote [2][12] | - | Oracle's pages list no price for the Commercial edition [12]. ## Strengths - Free Community edition under the GPL, with source code on GitHub [3][4]. - Documents SSH connections, with host, user, password and key file settings [8]. - Includes Visual Explain and Visual Explain Analyze for query plans [1]. - Table export and import handle CSV and JSON [9]. ## Limits - Works with MySQL servers; PostgreSQL, SQL Server and others are migration sources only [2]. - The manual lists no visual query builder [5]. - Oracle publishes no price for the Commercial edition [12]. - Oracle names the 8.0 releases end of life, replaced by the new Workbench [1][4]. ## Vendor claims (not scored) - Oracle says Workbench is a unified visual tool for MySQL developers, DBAs and architects [1]. ## Sources 1. [MySQL Workbench](https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [General Information (MySQL Workbench manual)](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/wb-intro.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [MySQL Workbench downloads](https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/workbench/), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [mysql/mysql-workbench](https://github.com/mysql/mysql-workbench), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [MySQL Workbench manual](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [MySQL Workbench release notes](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/workbench/en/), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [Supported platforms: MySQL Workbench](https://www.mysql.com/support/supportedplatforms/workbench.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [Standard TCP/IP over SSH connection](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/wb-mysql-connections-methods-ssh.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [Data export and import](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/wb-admin-export-import.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 10. [Visual SQL Editor](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/wb-sql-editor.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 11. [Database synchronization](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/wb-database-synchronization.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 12. [MySQL Workbench editions](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/wb-editions.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08 13. [Data modeling (MySQL Workbench manual)](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/wb-data-modeling.html), MySQL, accessed 2026-10-08