saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

database client · Oracle

MySQL Workbench

Oracle's visual tool for MySQL, with a free GPL Community edition, data modelling and visual query plans.

55/100

#12 of 12 database clients
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

Oracle says the new MySQL Workbench replaces earlier releases, which have reached end of life; the 8.0 source repository is marked end of life1,4.

In short

MySQL Workbench suits people who work only with MySQL and want a free tool from the server's maker1,2. It covers modelling, synchronisation, visual query plans and SSH connections1,8,11,13. The catch: it is not a general client, since other databases are migration sources only, and Oracle publishes no price for the Commercial edition2,12.

Best for: MySQL developers and administrators who want a free, official tool.

Where the points come from

Systems6 of 6
Databases3 of 27
Connections and trust17 of 17
Tools23 of 29
Price6 of 21

Systems 6 of 6 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Other systemsmacOS, LinuxSupported-platforms page lists, for Workbench 8.0, macOS 14 and 15, Ubuntu 24.04 and Red Hat or Oracle Linux 8 and 97.6 / 6

Databases 3 of 27 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Main SQL enginesMySQL or MariaDBConnects to MySQL servers; SQL Server, PostgreSQL and SQLite appear only as migration sources2.3 / 15
NoSQL and cloud enginesNoneNo MongoDB, Redis, BigQuery or Snowflake connection is named in the manual5.0 / 8
JDBC or ODBC driversNot publishedNot published on the manual's contents page5.0 / 4

Connections and trust 17 of 17 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
SSH tunnelYesConnects to MySQL Server using TCP/IP over an SSH connection, with SSH host, user, password and key file8.8 / 8
Open-source appsYesCommunity edition is offered under the GPL, and the source is in a public repository3,4.6 / 6
Recent releaseYesRelease notes list version 8.0.47 dated 2026-04-236.3 / 3

Tools 23 of 29 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
SQL code completionYesThe manual says code completion assists writing SQL in the editor; Oracle's page mentions updated auto-completion1,10.4 / 4
Visual query builderNot publishedNot published on the manual's contents page or editor page5,10.0 / 3
ER diagramsYesManual says models build EER diagrams, and you can reverse engineer a live database into a model13.4 / 4
Schema or data compareYesSynchronize With Any Source compares models, databases and SQL files and shows differences11.4 / 4
Import from CSV or ExcelYesTable Data Import accepts CSV and JSON; the result grid also imports CSV9.4 / 4
Export formatsCSV, Excel, JSONExport types include CSV, JSON and Excel XML; we count Excel XML as Excel9.3 / 3
Query plan viewerYesVisual Explain and Visual Explain Analyze show query execution plans1.4 / 4
AI assistantNot publishedNot published on the product page or the manual's contents page1,5.0 / 3

Price 6 of 21 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Free editionYesCommunity edition is free of charge under the GPL, with no time limit stated3,12.6 / 6
Perpetual licenceNot publishedLicence terms of the paid Commercial edition are not published on the vendor's pages12.0 / 5
Cheapest paid planNot publishedThe paid Commercial edition has no published price; the free Community edition is not a paid plan12.0 / 10

The rule behind each line: how we score database clients.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

PlanPrice as listedPer monthNotes
Community1 personFree3,12$0Open source, GPL
CommercialStandard and Enterprise editionsQuote2,12QuoteAdds MySQL Enterprise Backup, Firewall and Audit features

Oracle's pages list no price for the Commercial edition12.

Strengths

  • Free Community edition under the GPL, with source code on GitHub3,4.
  • Documents SSH connections, with host, user, password and key file settings8.
  • Includes Visual Explain and Visual Explain Analyze for query plans1.
  • Table export and import handle CSV and JSON9.

Limits

  • Works with MySQL servers; PostgreSQL, SQL Server and others are migration sources only2.
  • The manual lists no visual query builder5.
  • Oracle publishes no price for the Commercial edition12.
  • Oracle names the 8.0 releases end of life, replaced by the new Workbench1,4.

What Oracle says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

  • Oracle says Workbench is a unified visual tool for MySQL developers, DBAs and architects1.

Other database clients

  1. 1
    DBeaverDevelopers and analysts who work with many database engines
    91/100
    $113/yrcheapest paid plan
  2. 2
    DbVisualizerDevelopers who connect to many engines and want a free edition for basic work
    84/100
    $199/yrcheapest paid plan
  3. 3
    Beekeeper StudioDevelopers who want a multi-engine client with a free open-source edition
    81/100
    $108/yrcheapest paid plan
  4. 4
    DataGripDevelopers who write a lot of SQL and want an IDE-style editor
    81/100
    $121.93/yrcheapest paid plan

All 12 database clients

Sources

  1. MySQL Workbench, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  2. General Information (MySQL Workbench manual), MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  3. MySQL Workbench downloads, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  4. mysql/mysql-workbench, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  5. MySQL Workbench manual, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  6. MySQL Workbench release notes, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  7. Supported platforms: MySQL Workbench, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  8. Standard TCP/IP over SSH connection, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  9. Data export and import, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  10. Visual SQL Editor, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  11. Database synchronization, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  12. MySQL Workbench editions, MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  13. Data modeling (MySQL Workbench manual), MySQL. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: www.mysql.com/products/workbench · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Oracle.