Schemity

Schemity is database design software for engineers who need to understand schema changes before applying them. It fits developers who want local, version-controlled design files and a deliberate migration checkpoint. Its one-time license is compelling, but live database work and Context Views stop after the trial without activation.

Overview

Schemity connects to a live database, shows the proposed changes and their effects, and waits for an explicit click on Migrate before executing anything. That makes it better suited to engineers who want to review a migration rather than send changes straight from a model to production. Supported systems are PostgreSQL, Supabase, MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server and SQLite.

Desktop projects are plain JSON files stored locally, so teams can place them under Git version control. The desktop application has no cloud backend, accounts, analytics or telemetry. It does send an automatically generated machine ID and country code for license verification, which is a limited but relevant consideration for tightly controlled environments.

Key features

Design and migration control

• ERD design and imports: Visual entity-relationship modeling, inferred relationships, and SQL or DBML import support both new designs and existing schemas.
• Schema structure: Check constraints and junction-table generation cover common relational patterns without requiring every element to be drawn manually.
• Linting: Checks across 26 problem classes can expose design issues during modeling, giving engineers a review aid beyond the diagram itself.
• Forward and reverse engineering: Schemity can read an existing database and export SQL for planned structures, making it useful for maintaining as well as creating schemas.
• Version history: Built-in history complements Git-based JSON storage when users need to track design changes.

AI connections and security

The local MCP server provides 16 tools and works with Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, OpenCode and other MCP hosts. It listens only on the user's machine, keeps its token in the operating-system keychain, and does not provide an AI agent with database credentials. That is a practical route to assisted schema work for teams that want AI access without handing credentials to the agent.

Pricing

Plan	Price	What it includes
Lite	free	Browser-based schema design and share-by-link.
Education license	free	All features, one year of updates; request with a .edu address.
License	$129, paid once	All features, one year of updates; use forever after updates expire; optional updates renewal at 69 USD per year.

The two-week desktop trial unlocks every feature and requires no credit card. Once it ends, offline design continues, but live database features and Context Views pause until a license is active. Lite is therefore best for browser-only modeling and link sharing, not ongoing live-database work. The education license is the strongest fit for eligible students and educators. The $129 License suits individual engineers or teams that prefer a perpetual version; the trade-off is that continued updates cost $69 per year, while the initial purchase remains usable after updates expire. Team buyers can contact the creator about invoices, offline activation, security review and volume licensing.

Platforms

Schemity is offered on Linux, macOS, Windows and the web. Deployment spans web and desktop, so browser-based sharing can coexist with local desktop projects.

Who it's for

Schemity is aimed at software engineers designing and maintaining production schemas. It is a strong choice for developers working across the listed relational databases who want migration impact previews, local files and an approval step before execution. It is less suitable if browser-only collaboration is the priority, if you need live features after the trial without buying a license, or if your database platform is outside its supported list.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Migration previews and click-to-run execution keep review separate from applying changes.
• Plain local JSON files work naturally with Git-based version control.
• Six named database systems, reverse and forward engineering, SQL export and 26 linting classes cover a broad engineering workflow.
• Local MCP integration supports several major AI clients without exposing database credentials.
• A perpetual $129 license avoids mandatory ongoing subscription payments for the licensed version.

Cons

• The free Lite plan is browser-based and limited to design and link sharing.
• Live database features and Context Views require an active license after 14 days.
• Desktop license verification still transmits a machine ID and country code.
• Updates beyond the first year require an optional $69-per-year renewal.

Alternatives

MySQL is the better pick when you need a database platform itself, including SQL and NoSQL applications, replication and high-availability components, rather than a schema-design review tool.

Hackolade Studio suits modelers who want a community tier capped at 50 model objects or a 14-day Workgroup trial.

DbSchema is worth choosing when its Pro and Architect packaging, including saved design files and schema synchronization, matches your workflow.

pgModeler is an alternative for PostgreSQL-focused users comparing single-user terms with team lifetime licensing.

Database Workbench fits users seeking Basic, Professional or Enterprise editions for at least one database system on Linux or Windows.

SQL Power Architect is a free GPL v.3 option for users comfortable with Java Runtime 8.

ChartDB is preferable for self-hosted or web-based work with a free tier capped at one user, one database, 10 tables per diagram and two private diagrams.

DB Designer is the simpler web choice when a free Starter plan with two models and 10 tables per model is enough.

Verdict

Choose Schemity if you are an engineer who needs live-schema inspection, migration impact review and local, Git-friendly design files, especially with one of its supported databases. The main reason to look elsewhere is the post-trial licensing boundary: serious live work requires activation, while browser-only users may find Lite sufficient.