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Best ERD Designer Alternatives in 2026

Free#20 of 34 in Database Design Tools

The top ERD Designer alternatives are DbSchema, SqlDBM and Hackolade Studio: 15 database design tools our editors would look at instead of ERD Designer, in our ranking order.

7.4/10Editor score
Visit ERD Designer
ERD Designer7.4 Visit ERD Designer

ERD Designer: A capable free ERD tool for web-based schema design, DDL workflows, and exports. Where it falls short: google drive sharing does not support simultaneous editing.

Switching from ERD Designer? For most database design tools buyers the best ERD Designer alternative is DbSchema, built for broad, cross-platform database modeling. On a budget, WorksCove ERD starts at $10/mo.

Why People Look for an ERD Designer Alternative

  • Google Drive sharing does not support simultaneous editing
  • AI agent plugin and MCP server are experimental
  • Collaboration is centered on shared files rather than live co-editing

Quick Picks by What You Need

All 15 ERD Designer Alternatives, Ranked

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

  1. DbSchema

    Best forBroad, cross-platform database modeling

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 9.4 vs 7.4

    A broad cross-platform modeler for database design, migration, documentation, and review.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan · 15-day trial Our DbSchema verdict → Visit DbSchema
    9.4/10★★★★★
    Visit DbSchema
  2. SqlDBM

    Best forCollaborative analytics and warehouse modeling

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 9.2 vs 7.4

    A broad modeling workspace for teams aligning schemas, warehouses, lineage, and documentation.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Pricing on request Our SqlDBM verdict → Visit SqlDBM
    9.2/10★★★★★
    Visit SqlDBM
  3. Hackolade Studio

    Best forMulti-model enterprise data architecture

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 9.1 vs 7.4

    A broad modeling workspace for teams managing complex, multi-model data architecture.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan · 14-day trial Our Hackolade Studio verdict → Visit Hackolade
    9.1/10★★★★★
    Visit Hackolade
  4. drawDB

    Best forOpen-source teams wanting self-hosted ER modeling

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 9.0 vs 7.4

    A capable ER modeling tool for open-source teams that need local control and flexible exports.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan Our drawDB verdict → Visit drawDB
    9.0/10★★★★☆
    Visit drawDB
  5. ERBuilder Data Modeler

    Best forProfessional Windows database modeling

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.9 vs 7.4

    A feature-rich Windows modeler with flexible licensing and a free plan.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan · 15-day trial Our ERBuilder Data Modeler verdict → Visit ERBuilder
    8.9/10★★★★☆
    Visit ERBuilder
  6. DB Designer

    Best forAffordable collaborative web modeling

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.8 vs 7.4

    Affordable web-based modeling with collaboration, version history, and SQL workflows.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan Our DB Designer verdict → Visit DB Designer
    8.8/10★★★★☆
    Visit DB Designer
  7. WorksCove ERD

    Best forAffordable teams wanting validation and history

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.7 vs 7.4

    Affordable browser-based database modeling with validation, history, and collaboration.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan · 30-day trial Our WorksCove ERD verdict → Visit WorksCove ERD
    8.7/10★★★★☆
    Visit WorksCove ERD
  8. dbdiagram.io

    Best forWeb-based diagramming and documentation

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.6 vs 7.4

    A focused, accessible choice for DBML-based schema diagrams and documentation.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan · 7-day trial Our dbdiagram.io verdict → Visit dbdiagram.io
    8.6/10★★★★☆
    Visit dbdiagram.io
  9. ChartDB

    Best forCollaborative teams needing flexible deployment

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.5 vs 7.4

    A flexible database design workspace with import, export, collaboration, and self-hosting.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan Our ChartDB verdict → Visit ChartDB
    8.5/10★★★★☆
    Visit ChartDB
  10. DBModeler

    Best forFree web modeling across many database engines

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.4 vs 7.4

    A free web modeler with broad engine coverage and strong SQL workflow features.

    • Version history
    • Reverse engineering
    • Forward engineering
    Free plan Our DBModeler verdict → Visit DBModeler
    8.4/10★★★★☆
    Visit DBModeler
  11. DrawSQL

    Best forCollaborative teams modeling common SQL databases

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.3 vs 7.4

    A collaborative schema design tool with strong SQL workflows and four supported database systems.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Free plan Our DrawSQL verdict → Visit DrawSQL
    8.3/10★★★★☆
    Visit DrawSQL
  12. Navicat Data Modeler

    Best forCross-platform teams needing broad model types

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.2 vs 7.4

    A broad cross-platform modeler whose $1,299 perpetual license limits its value.

    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    • Forward engineering
    Free plan · 14-day trial Our Navicat Data Modeler verdict → Visit Navicat
    8.2/10★★★★☆
    Visit Navicat
  13. Redgate Data Modeler

    Best forTeams wanting collaborative web modeling

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.1 vs 7.4

    A web modeling workspace with reverse engineering, validation, collaboration, and SQL generation.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    14-day trial Our Redgate Data Modeler verdict → Visit Redgate
    8.1/10★★★★☆
    Visit Redgate
  14. DeZign for Databases

    Best forMature Windows modeling with traditional engineering

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 8.0 vs 7.4

    A mature Windows desktop modeler for designing, comparing, documenting, and generating database schemas.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    14-day trial Our DeZign for Databases verdict → Visit DeZign
    8.0/10★★★★☆
    Visit DeZign
  15. Quest Data Modeler

    Best forEnterprise teams modeling modern data platforms

    • Better than ERD Designer:
    • Editor score 7.9 vs 7.4

    A collaboration-focused modeler for teams designing and governing modern data platforms.

    • Version history
    • Team collaboration
    • Reverse engineering
    Pricing on request Our Quest Data Modeler verdict → Visit Quest Modeler
    7.9/10★★★★☆
    Visit Quest Modeler

ERD Designer Alternatives: Common Questions

What is the best alternative to ERD Designer?

DbSchema: #1 in our Database Design Tools ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad cross-platform modeler for database design, migration, documentation, and review.

Is there a free alternative to ERD Designer?

Yes. DbSchema, Hackolade Studio, drawDB, ERBuilder Data Modeler and DB Designer have a free plan or a free tier (11 of the 15 alternatives on this page).

What is the cheapest paid alternative to ERD Designer?

Of the alternatives here that publish a price, WorksCove ERD starts lowest, at $10/mo.

Why do people look for ERD Designer alternatives?

Google Drive sharing does not support simultaneous editing; AI agent plugin and MCP server are experimental; Collaboration is centered on shared files rather than live co-editing.

How do I switch from ERD Designer?

Export your data from ERD Designer (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel ERD Designer.

How to Switch from ERD Designer

  1. Export your data from ERD Designer (most tools have an export in their settings).
  2. Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
  3. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
  4. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel ERD Designer.

ERD Designer vs Each Alternative

#ToolFree planPaid fromReverse engineeringForward engineeringSQL exportSupported databasesScore
20ERD DesignerYesFreeYesYesYesPostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MS SQL Server, SQLite, BigQuery, Snowflake7.4
1DbSchemaYesYesYesYesAccess, Amazon Athena, Amazon Timestream, Apache Drill, Apache Druid, Apache Ignite, Apache Pinot, Apache Solr, Aurora MySQL, Aurora PostgreSQL, Azure Synapse, Azure SQL, Cache, Cassandra, ClickHouse, Cockroach, Couchbase, CrateDB, CSV Files, CTreeAce, CUBRID, DaffodilDb, Databricks, Dataverse, Db2, DBF/FoxPro/xBase, Derby, DocumentDB, Dremio, DuckDB, DynamoDB, Elasticsearch, EnterpriseDB, Exasol, Fabric Lakehouse, FileMaker, Firebird, Firebolt, FrontBase, Google AlloyDB, Google BigQuery, Google Cloud Spanner, Greenplum, H2, HBase, Hive, Hologres, HSQL, Impala, InfluxDB, Informix, Ingres, Interbase, JDataStore, Kafka, MariaDB, MarkLogic, MemSQL, Mimer, MonetDB, MongoDB, MySQL, Neo4j, Neon, NuoDB, Oracle, OrientDB, Pervasive, PlanetScale, PointBase, PostgreSQL, QuestDB, Redis, Redshift, Salesforce, SAP Adaptive Server, SAP HANA, SAP MaxDB, ScyllaDB, SingleStore, SnappyData, Snowflake, SQL Anywhere, SQLBase, SQLite, SQL Server, Starburst, Supabase, TarantoolDB, Teradata, ThoughtSpot, Tibero, TiDB, TimescaleDB, Transbase, Trino, Vertica, VoltDB, Xata, Yellowbrick, YugabyteDB9.4
2SqlDBMYesYesYesSnowflake, Azure Synapse, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, AlloyDB, Databricks, BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, Oracle, MySQL, Teradata9.2
3Hackolade StudioYes€1,750/seat/yrYesYesYesGoogle BigQuery, Cassandra, Couchbase, Cosmos DB, Databricks, DocumentDB, DynamoDB, Elasticsearch, HBase, Hive, MariaDB, MarkLogic, MongoDB, MySQL, Neo4j, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Redshift, ScyllaDB, Snowflake, SQL Server, Synapse Analytics, Teradata, TinkerPop, YugabyteDB9.1
4drawDBYesYesYesYesMySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, generic dialect9.0
5ERBuilder Data ModelerYes$139/user/yrYesYesYesOracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Firebird, Microsoft Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Dedicated SQL Pool, Amazon Redshift, Amazon RDS8.9
6DB DesignerYesYesYesYesMySQL, MS SQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQLite8.8
7WorksCove ERDYes$10/moYesYesYesMySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server8.7
8dbdiagram.ioYesYesYesYesPostgreSQL, MySQL, MSSQL (SQL Server), Oracle, Snowflake, BigQuery8.6
9ChartDBYes$25/user/moYesYesYesPostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, MariaDB, SQLite, Cloudflare D1, CockroachDB, ClickHouse8.5
10DBModelerYesFreeYesYesYesPostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite, IBM Db2, Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, CockroachDB, YugabyteDB, TiDB, DuckDB8.4
11DrawSQLYes$171/yrYesYesYesMySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MariaDB8.3
12Navicat Data ModelerYes$1,299 one-timeYesYesYesMySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, Snowflake8.2
13Redgate Data ModelerNo$189/user/yrYesYesYesPostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite, IBM Db2, HSQLDB, Amazon Redshift, Google BigQuery, Snowflake8.1
14DeZign for DatabasesNo€19/user/moYesYesYesdBase, DBISAM, Firebird, FoxPro, Google BigQuery, IBM DB2, InterBase, Informix, MS Access, Azure SQL, MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, Paradox, Pervasive, PostgreSQL, Snowflake, SQLite, Sybase ASE8.0
15Quest Data ModelerNoYesYesYesSnowflake, Databricks, Microsoft Fabric Warehouse, Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse, PostgreSQL 16, Google BigQuery7.9

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update