Best Navicat alternative for MySQL and MariaDB databases

Navicat is a popular brand of GUI tools that help handle a number of tasks related to database development and management. Moreover, these tools work across a wide variety of the world's biggest relational database systems, including, among others, MySQL and MariaDB.

But what if you're a user of Navicat who is considering something more powerful? Well, the market always has quite a few alternative solutions to offer, especially if your scope of tasks ventures beyond the basics of SQL coding and data management to more complex things like database design and refactoring, data aggregation and analysis, comparison and synchronization of database structures and actual table data, and even version control.

If that's the case, we can offer you a fine solution—an IDE called dbForge Studio for MySQL, which most probably delivers everything you've been looking for. To see if it's so, read on and check the detailed feature-by-feature comparison of Navicat and dbForge Studio below.

Navicat vs dbForge Studio

Navicat is a series of tools for various database systems, including MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, MongoDB, and Redis. These tools provide features for SQL coding, database modeling, data management and synchronization, as well as test data generation. You can give them a free go during a 14-day trial.

On the other hand, there is dbForge Studio for MySQL, an IDE that has virtually everything you might need to manage MySQL and MariaDB databases with maximum efficiency and minimum effort. It's got an intuitive interface, it's just as easy to work with, and the very range of its features goes far beyond the essentials delivered by its counterpart. The free 30-day trial—twice as long as that of Navicat—will also come in handy if you decide to explore it.

Navicat vs dbForge Studio

One tool for MySQL and MariaDB databases

dbForge Studio for MySQL covers both MySQL and MariaDB, helping effectively handle a rich variety of tasks comprising
database design, development, testing, and administration, as well as data analysis and management.

Visual Query Builder

Query Builder is an invaluable tool that helps you draw queries of any complexity on diagrams, with no need for manual SQL coding whatsoever.

  • Construct even the most complex queries without coding
  • Work with a variety of query types and subqueries
  • Edit JOINs and WHERE conditions visually
  • Build query execution plans directly from query documents
  • Export query execution results to files

Source Control

One of the Studio's killer features is Source Control, which delivers integration with all major version control systems, including Azure DevOps Server (previously known as Team Foundation Server), Apache Subversion (SVN), TFVC, Git (including GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket), Mercurial (Hg), Perforce (P4), and SourceGear Vault.

  • Version-control database schemas and static table data
  • Manage database versioning under the dedicated or shared development model
  • Commit and revert changes with dependency awareness
  • Run fast comparisons of database versions
  • View conflicts and resolve inconsistencies visually
  • View the history of changes

Database backup and recovery

The Studio's database backup and recovery tools effectively provide the much-needed safety of your entire databases and the data they contain.

  • Schedule regular database backups
  • Back up database structures, data, or both
  • Make selective backups
  • Back up and restore databases from the command line

Database comparison and synchronization

dbForge Studio helps you easily find, inspect, and analyze differences in database structures and table data. Moreover, you can synchronize source databases to target ones with conveniently autogenerated scripts.

  • Identify and analyze differences in table data
  • View differences per record
  • Save and load comparison settings
  • Generate data synchronization scripts
  • Create comparison reports in multiple formats
  • Automate comparison and synchronization tasks from the command line

Data analysis and reporting

In case you deal with data analysis, the Studio will help you with a number of tools for data aggregation, observation, and reporting.

  • Explore data trends by summarizing and analyzing your data in pivot tables
  • Use the integrated Master-Detail Browser to scrutinize the data of tables linked together with foreign keys or user-defined interrelations
  • Visualize data using the integrated Chart Designer
  • Generate compelling data reports in different formats

Database administration

Finally, dbForge Studio for MySQL boasts a hefty selection of administration tools that help you keep full control over your databases in the most effortless way.

  • Manage user accounts and privileges using Security Manager
  • Migrate MySQL/MariaDB databases between different environments
  • Perform table maintenance
  • Monitor server sessions with Session Manager
  • Administer several MySQL servers with Service Control

Feature comparison table

The following table contains a detailed feature comparison of dbForge Studio for MySQL v10.0.150 (Enterprise Edition), Navicat for MySQL 16.3, and Navicat for MariaDB 16.3, with the functionality of the latter two tools being identical. For quick navigation, please use the side menu.

Connectivity

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
MySQL 5.5 or later
Yes
Yes
No
MariaDB 5.5 or later
Yes
Yes
Yes
OurDelta and Percona Server
Yes
Yes
No
Amazon RDS
Yes
Yes
Yes
Amazon Aurora
Yes
Yes
No
Oracle Cloud
Yes
Yes
No
Google Cloud
Yes
Yes
No
Microsoft Azure
Yes
Yes
No
Alibaba Cloud
Yes
Yes
No
Tencent Cloud
Yes
Yes
Yes
Aiven Cloud
Yes
No
No
DigitalOcean Managed Database
Yes
No
No

SQL Editing and Execution

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
SQL editor with syntax coloring
Yes
Yes
Yes
Automatic SQL syntax check
Yes
No
No
Code outlining
Yes
Yes
Yes
Code snippets
Yes
Yes
Yes
Customizable SQL formatting
Yes
Yes
Yes
Execute current statement
Yes
Yes
Yes
Quick access to favorite templates from the SQL editor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bookmarks
Yes
No
No
Text search
Yes
Yes
Yes
Document Outline window for quick navigation through large scripts
Yes
No
No
One-step access to the database object editor from the code ('Go to definition')
Yes
No
No
SQL history
Yes
Yes
Yes
Execution warnings
Yes
No
No
GUI transaction support
Yes
Yes
Yes

Code Completion

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Context-aware code completion
Yes
Yes
Yes
Code snippets and Snippets Manager
Yes
Yes
Yes
One-click access to schema object definitions
Yes
No
No
On-the-fly renaming of database objects
Yes
No
No
Auto-generation of table aliases
Yes
No
No
Quick information about database objects
Yes
No
No
Parameter information for stored routines
Yes
No
No
Auto-generation of JOIN clauses
Yes
No
No

Visual Query Builder

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Support for the SELECT statement
Yes
Yes
Yes
Support for the INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements
Yes
No
No
State-of-the-art diagrams with zooming and keyboard support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Diagram preview and printing
Yes
No
No
Visual addition of sub-queries to any part of the main query
Yes
No
No
Query outline (displayed in the Document Outline window)
Yes
No
No
Visual editing of sub-queries
Yes
Yes
Yes
Expression builder for creating complex conditions
Yes
Yes
Yes
Drag-and-drop tables
Yes
Yes
Yes
Copy/Paste tables to diagrams
Yes
No
No
Undo/Redo
Yes
No
No

Database Design

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Visual Database Designer
Yes
Yes
Yes
Visualization of tables and views
Yes
Yes
Yes
Visualization of stored procedures and functions
Yes
No
No
Easy access to database objects for viewing their properties
Yes
Yes
Yes
Support for IDEF1X and IE notations
Yes
Yes
Yes
Customizable diagram view with skin support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Smart ER diagram layout
Yes
Yes
Yes
Diagram export to different image formats
Yes
Yes
Yes
Search for database objects on the diagram
Yes
Yes
Yes
Reorganization of diagram shapes with containers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Customizable diagram printing with a rich set of options
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional display of table constraints, indexes, and triggers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Integration with the Document Outline window
Yes
No
No
Diagram navigation with the Diagram Overview window
Yes
Yes
Yes
Notes for adding comments to the diagram
Yes
Yes
Yes
Zoom in/out
Yes
Yes
Yes
Save/Load diagrams
Yes
Yes
Yes

Table Designer

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Flat table editor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Convenient editor for foreign keys
Yes
Yes
Yes
Partitioning
Yes
Yes
Yes
Full-text search on the column grid
Yes
Yes
Yes
Preview of changes in schemas
Yes
Yes
Yes
Heuristics that helps define the data types of new columns
Yes
Yes
Yes

Object Editor

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Check constraints
Yes
Yes
Yes
Foreign keys
Yes
Yes
Yes
Indexes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Stored functions
Yes
Yes
Yes
Stored procedures
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tables
Yes
Yes
Yes
Triggers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Views
Yes
Yes
Yes
Undo option for the object editor
Yes
Yes
Yes

Debugger

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Script debugging
Yes
No
No
Step Into, Step Over, and Step Out commands for step-by-step execution
Yes
No
No
Breakpoints for procedures, functions, triggers, and scripts
Yes
No
No
Breakpoints window
Yes
No
No
Call Stack window with navigation
Yes
No
No
Watches window for the evaluation of variables
Yes
No
No

Database Explorer

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Multiple database connections
Yes
Yes
Yes
Browse and navigate through objects
Yes
Yes
Yes
Detailed object properties and data browsing in the Object Viewer window
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dependency tree browsing for each object
Yes
No
No
Quick template script generation for selected objects: SELECT, INSERT, etc.
Yes
No
No
'Send To' command for quick sending of tables to Query Builder, Data Report, and other tools
Yes
Yes
Yes
Refactoring of database objects
Yes
Yes
Yes

Data Editor

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Copying of data with column headers for quick paste to spreadsheets
Yes
Yes
Yes
Custom data filters of any complexity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data Viewer window for browsing images, RTF, and binary cell values
Yes
No
No
Date/time editor with a visual interface
Yes
Yes
Yes
Foreign key lookup editor for easy editing of fields referencing other tables
Yes
No
No
Free copying of any block of data to the clipboard
Yes
Yes
Yes
Full-text search (Ctrl+F) in the data grid
Yes
Yes
Yes
Graphical card view
Yes
Yes
Yes
Grouping by arbitrary columns
Yes
No
No
Incremental search (Ctrl+I) through the data grid
Yes
No
No
Large objects (LOB) editor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Multi-table query result set editing
Yes
No
No
Paginal data browsing for large result sets
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data printing
Yes
No
No
Quick filter available for each data cell
Yes
Yes
Yes
Record numbering option
Yes
Yes
Yes
Read-only state indication
Yes
No
No
Report, chart, and pivot building directly from the data editor
Yes
No
No
Visible column picker
Yes
Yes
Yes

Schema and Data Comparison and Synchronization

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Comparison and synchronization of data in databases of virtually any size
Yes
Yes
Yes
Comparison of tables, views, procedures, functions, triggers, and events
Yes
Yes
Yes
Custom comparison keys
Yes
No
No
Filtering of comparison results
Yes
No
No
Generation of data synchronization scripts
Yes
Yes
Yes
Viewing of data differences per record
Yes
Yes
Yes
Exclusion of tables and records from synchronization
Yes
Yes
Yes
Saving and loading of comparison settings
Yes
Yes
Yes
Command-line interface for data comparison and synchronization
Yes
No
No
Generation of accurate comparison reports in HTML and Excel formats
Yes
No
No
Generation of comments
Yes
No
No
Specific options for tables, script objects, triggers, indexes, and constraints
Yes
No
No
Inclusion\exclusion of objects by mask
Yes
No
No
Schema and Data Compare: Save Command Line
Yes
No
No

Data Export

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
CSV
Yes
Yes
Yes
XML
Yes
Yes
Yes
TXT
Yes
Yes
Yes
XLS
Yes
Yes
Yes
XLSX
Yes
Yes
Yes
PDF
Yes
No
No
DBF
Yes
Yes
Yes
HTML
Yes
Yes
Yes
RTF
Yes
No
No
JSON
Yes
Yes
Yes
Google Sheets
Yes
No
No
MDB (Microsoft Access)
Yes
No
No
ODBC
Yes
No
No
SQL
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data export from multiple tables
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data export from the command line
Yes
No
No
Data export templates
Yes
Yes
Yes

Data Import

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
CSV
Yes
Yes
Yes
XML
Yes
Yes
Yes
TXT
Yes
Yes
Yes
XLS
Yes
Yes
Yes
XLSX
Yes
Yes
Yes
DBF
Yes
Yes
Yes
JSON
Yes
Yes
Yes
Google Sheets
Yes
No
No
MDB (Microsoft Access)
Yes
Yes
Yes
ODBC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data import from the command line
Yes
No
No
Data import templates
Yes
Yes
Yes

Database Projects

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
New project wizard with import from an existing database
Yes
No
No
Project Explorer window for managing project files
Yes
No
No
Schema View window for browsing logical project structures
Yes
No
No
Project export to one of the multiple scripts
Yes
No
No
Multiple build configurations
Yes
No
No
Single-click project deployment on the server
Yes
No
No
Workspace saving
Yes
No
No
Comparison of projects with live databases
Yes
No
No

Data Analysis

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Display of table data with parent-child dependencies in Master-Detail Browser
Yes
No
No
Database diagrams
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data report generation wizard
Yes
No
No
Data report designer
Yes
No
No
Pivot table designer
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chart building wizard
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data search on a live database
Yes
Yes
Yes
Automated generation and distribution of reports from the command line
Yes
No
No
Data Reports: Save Command Line
Yes
No
No

Source Control

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Integration with Git, GitHub, SVN
Yes
No
No
Shared and dedicated database development models
Yes
No
No
Conflict resolution: Get Local and Get Remote
Yes
No
No
Version control of static data
Yes
No
No
History of changes
Yes
No
No

Performance Tuning

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Visual SQL EXPLAIN plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Session statistics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Query plan displayed in the tree view
Yes
Yes
Yes
Profiling history that can be saved for further analysis
Yes
No
No
Comparison of profiling results with highlighted differences
Yes
No
No
Printing of profiling results
Yes
No
No

Test Data Generation

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Support for all column data types
Yes
Yes
Yes
Multiple generators with data customization
Yes
Yes
Yes
SQL data integrity support
Yes
No
No
Multiple ways to populate databases with test data
Yes
No
No
Meaningful generators
Yes
Yes
Yes
User-defined generators
Yes
Yes
Yes
Real-time preview of generated data
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data Generator: Save Command Line
Yes
No
No

Database Documenter

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Broad picture of database structure
Yes
No
No
Rich customization features
Yes
No
No
HTML format
Yes
No
No
PDF format
Yes
No
No
Markdown format
Yes
No
No
Documentation customization with style templates
Yes
No
No
Viewing of inter-object and inter-database dependencies
Yes
No
No
Database Documenter: Save Command Line
Yes
No
No

Administration

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Copy databases
Yes
No
No
Backup/Restore databases
Yes
Yes
Yes
Database backup to SQL and ZIP
Yes
Yes
Yes
Database backup as a scripts folder
Yes
No
No
Backup: Save Command Line
Yes
No
No

User and Session Management

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Comprehensive Security Manager for handling user accounts and privileges
Yes
Yes
Yes
Session Manager for monitoring active server connections and tracing user sessions
Yes
No
No

User Interface

dbForge Studio
Navicat for MySQL
Navicat for MariaDB
Start Page with fast access to main product features
Yes
No
No
Rich user settings
Yes
Yes
Yes
UI skins
Yes
Yes
Yes
Customizable window layout
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tool windows with 'auto-hide' and 'float' modes
Yes
No
No
Multiple shortcut schemes with full shortcut customization
Yes
No
No
Syntax highlighting customization
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tabbed groups for documents
Yes
No
No
Toolbar customization
Yes
No
No
Wizard for sharing common code standards and templates
Yes
No
No

Your ultimate MySQL IDE

dbForge Studio for MySQL is an all-encompassing integrated environment whose unique and versatile features make it a perfect choice for the development, management, and administration of MySQL and MariaDB databases.

dbForge Studio for MySQL

Get a free 30-day trial of dbForge Studio to evaluate all of its capabilities hidden under a sleek user interface.
Download free 30-day trial

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