Why DB Pro instead of pgAdmin?
pgAdmin is the default admin tool for Postgres, and it is free, open source, and capable. It covers the full surface area of Postgres administration, which is exactly why so many people reach for it first. DB Pro takes a different approach: a true native app focused on the daily work of browsing data, writing SQL, and understanding your schema, with a built-in AI assistant alongside it.
The clearest contrast is how each one runs. pgAdmin is browser-based, a local web UI that you open in a tab, and that design tends to feel slow and clunky once you are clicking through tables and running queries all day. DB Pro is a native desktop app, so connecting, browsing, and editing feel immediate. The data browser, record inspector, SQL editor, and schema explorer are built for speed rather than wrapped in a web page.
Scope is the other difference. pgAdmin is Postgres only, while DB Pro works with Postgres plus MySQL, SQLite, and other engines from one consistent interface. DB Pro still fully supports the Postgres features people rely on, including JSON and JSONB, arrays, and custom types, so you are not giving anything up on the Postgres side. You can start on the free plan, and paid plans are currently 50% off with the code save50.
DB Pro vs pgAdmin
Native speed instead of a browser tab
DB Pro is a real native app on macOS, Windows, and Linux, so the data browser, inspector, and SQL editor all respond instantly. There is no local web UI to load, so day-to-day work feels quick rather than sluggish.
Built-in AI for Postgres
DB Pro's assistant writes and explains SQL against your actual tables, columns, and relationships. It understands Postgres features like JSON and JSONB, arrays, and custom types, so you get answers without leaving the app.
One client for every database
Where pgAdmin is Postgres only, DB Pro handles Postgres, MySQL, SQLite, and more from a single interface. You keep one consistent workflow even when a project spans several engines.
Making the switch from pgAdmin
Moving from pgAdmin to DB Pro is mostly a matter of recreating your connections, which takes a few minutes per database since you already have your host, port, and credentials on hand. DB Pro fully supports the Postgres features you use in pgAdmin, including JSON and JSONB, arrays, and custom types, so your tables and queries behave the way you expect. Your data, schemas, and saved SQL stay exactly where they are, because the client is a window onto your databases, not a place that stores them.
The shift in feel is the part you notice first. Instead of clicking through a web UI, you get a native app where browsing and editing are immediate, and you gain an AI assistant that can write queries from a plain-English request or explain unfamiliar SQL using your real schema. If you also work with MySQL or SQLite, you can manage those from the same window, so DB Pro often replaces more than just pgAdmin.
Frequently asked questions
- Is DB Pro free like pgAdmin?
- DB Pro has a free plan you can use for daily work, so you can browse data, run queries, and use the core tools at no cost. pgAdmin is free and open source, and DB Pro adds a paid tier that is currently 50% off with the code save50 when you want the extras.
- Does DB Pro support the Postgres features I use in pgAdmin?
- Yes. DB Pro fully supports the everyday Postgres features people rely on, including JSON and JSONB, arrays, and custom types. Your tables and queries work the way you expect when you connect.
- Why choose a native app over pgAdmin's browser-based interface?
- pgAdmin runs as a local web UI, which tends to feel slow and clunky once you are clicking through tables and running queries all day. DB Pro is a native desktop app, so connecting, browsing, and editing all respond immediately.
- Can DB Pro connect to databases other than Postgres?
- Yes. Where pgAdmin is Postgres only, DB Pro works with Postgres plus MySQL, SQLite, and other engines from one consistent interface. You can manage all of them in the same app.
- Does DB Pro have an AI assistant?
- Yes. DB Pro includes a built-in AI assistant that writes queries from a description and explains existing SQL using your connected schema. pgAdmin does not have a comparable built-in assistant.