This article is a comparison of data modeling tools which are notable, including standalone, conventional data modeling tools and modeling tools supporting data modeling as part of a larger modeling environment.
General
edit| Tool | Creator | Target Business Size | License | Supported Database Platforms | Supported OSs | Standalone or bundled into a larger toolkit | Launch Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astah | Change Vision | Enterprises | Proprietary | MySQL, Oracle, | Windows, macOS, Linux | Standalone | 2006 |
| Database Workbench | Upscene Productions | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, Firebird, InterBase, SQL Anywhere, NexusDB, MariaDB | Windows, Linux and FreeBSD (both through Wine) | Standalone | 2001 |
| DbSchema | Wise Coders GmbH | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | MS SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, Firebird, InterBase, SQL Anywhere, NexusDB, MariaDB, SQLite, PostgreSQL, Sybase | Windows, Linux, macOS | Standalone | 2018 |
| Enterprise Architect | Sparx Systems | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | IBM Db2, Firebird, InterBase, Informix, Ingres, Access, MS SQL Server, MySQL, SQLite, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Sybase | Windows, Linux (Wine), macOS (via CrossOver) | Data modeling is supported as part of a complete modeling platform. | 2000 |
| ER/Studio | Embarcadero (acquired by IDERA) | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | Access, Snowflake, Microsoft Azure IBM Db2, Informix, Hitachi HiRDB, Firebird, Interbase, MySQL, MS SQL Server, Netezza, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Sybase, Teradata, Visual Foxpro and others via ODBC/ANSI SQL | Windows | Standalone | 1998 |
| Erwin Data Modeler | Logic Works (now Quest) | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | Access, IBM Db2, Informix, MySQL, MS SQL Server, Netezza, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Sybase, and others via ODBC/ANSI SQL | Windows | Standalone | 1998 |
| MagicDraw | No Magic | Enterprises, SMBs, personal | Proprietary | MS SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, IBM Db2 | Windows, Linux, macOS | Standalone | 1995 |
| SQL Server Management Studio | Microsoft | Unknown | Proprietary | MS SQL Server | Windows | Standalone | 2005 |
| ModelRight | ModelRight | Enterprises, SMBs, personal | Proprietary | Access, MS SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, IBM Db2 | Windows | Standalone | 2005 |
| MySQL Workbench | MySQL (An Oracle Company) | SMBs - personal | Proprietary or GPL | MySQL | Linux, Windows, macOS | Standalone | 2006 |
| Navicat Data Modeler | PremiumSoft | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | MySQL, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQLite | Windows, macOS, Linux | Standalone | 2012 |
| NORMA Object-Role Modeling | Terry Halpin | SMBs and enterprises | Open source (CPL) | MySQL, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, IBM Db2 | Windows | Visual Studio Extension | 2005 |
| Open ModelSphere | Grandite | Enterprises - SMBs - personal | Open source (GNU GPL3) | MS SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, IBM Db2 | Windows, macOS, Linux | Standalone with Data, UML, and process modeling | 2008 |
| Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler | Oracle | Enterprises | Proprietary | Oracle, MS SQL Server, IBM Db2 | Cross-platform | Standalone | 2009 |
| PowerDesigner | SAP | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | Access, Greenplum, Apache Hive, HP Neoview, IBM Db2, Informix, Ingres, Interbase, MySQL, Netezza, NonStop SQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Red Brick Warehouse, SAP business Suite, SAP Hana, SAP Adaptive Server Enterprise, SAP IQ, SAP SQL Anywhere, MS SQL Server, Teradata | Windows | Standalone | 1989 |
| Software Ideas Modeler | Dusan Rodina | Enterprises, SMBs, personal | Proprietary | MS SQL Server, MySQL | Windows | Standalone | 2009 |
| SQLyog | Webyog, Inc. | Enterprises, SMBs, personal | Proprietary | MySQL, MariaDB | Windows and Linux (using Wine) | Standalone | 2001 |
| Toad Data Modeler | Quest Software | SMBs and enterprises | Proprietary | Access, IBM Db2, Informix, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, MS SQL Server, SQLite, Oracle | Windows | Standalone | 2005 (before this date known as CaseStudio) |
| Tool | Creator | Target Business Size | License | Supported Database Platforms | Supported OSs | Standalone or bundled into a larger toolkit | Launch Date |
Features
edit| Tool | Supported data models (conceptual, logical, physical) | Supported notations | Forward engineering | Reverse engineering | Model/database comparison and synchronization | Teamwork/repository |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Database Workbench | Conceptual, logical, physical | IE (Crow’s foot) | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | No |
| Enterprise Architect | Conceptual, Logical & Physical + MDA Transform of Logical to Physical | IDEF1X, UML DDL, Information Engineering & ERD | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | Multi-user collaboration using File, DBMS or Cloud Repository (or transfer via XMI, CVS/TFS or Difference Merge). |
| ER/Studio | Logical, physical, ETL | IDEF1X, IE (Crow’s feet) | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | ER/Studio Repository and Team Server (formerly Portal/CONNECT) for web based publishing collaboration and model management, with Business Glossary as standard. |
| MagicDraw | Conceptual, Logical & Physical + MDA Transform of Logical to Physical | IDEF1X, UML DDL, Information Engineering & ERD | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | Multi-user collaboration using File, DBMS or (transfer via XMI, CVS/TFS or Difference Merge). |
| MySQL Workbench | Physical | IDEF1X, IE (Crow’s feet), UML, and more | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | No |
| Navicat Data Modeler | Conceptual, Logical & Physical | IE (Crow’s foot) | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | No |
| NORMA Object-Role modeling | Conceptual (ORM), Logical, Physical | ORM, Relational(Crow’s foot option), Barker | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | No |
| Open ModelSphere | Conceptual, Logical, physical | IDEF1X, IE (Crow’s foot), and more | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | No |
| Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler | Logical, physical | Barker, IE (Crow’s foot), and Bachman | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | Yes |
| PowerDesigner | Conceptual, logical, physical | IDEF1X, IE (Crow’s foot), and more | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | Yes |
| Software Ideas Modeler | Conceptual, logical, physical | IDEF1X, IE (Crow’s foot), UML and more | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | Yes |
| Toad Data Modeler | Logical, physical | IDEF1X, IE (Crow’s foot), and more | Yes | Yes | Update database and/or update model | Yes |