DataGrip vs MySQL Workbench: Which to Use (2026)

Quick verdict

Short answer

Pick DataGrip if you are a developer who keeps SQL in files, wants inspections and refactoring, works with MariaDB or other engines alongside MySQL, and either qualifies for the free non-commercial licence or can pay for a commercial one. Pick MySQL Workbench if you look after MySQL servers and want Oracle's free tool for server status, users and grants, performance reports and Visual Explain, or if you want SQL Notebooks with JavaScript and TypeScript. Workbench 26 is a rebuild that targets MySQL 8.4 LTS and later, so check it covers your server version and the 8.0 features you rely on.

How we know: This comparison is research-based: versions, platforms, licence terms and features were checked against JetBrains' DataGrip pages and documentation and Oracle's MySQL download page, product page, manual and MySQL blog on 7 October 2026. We have not run either product or measured performance.

DataGrip is JetBrains' database IDE for Windows, macOS and Linux. It connects to more than 25 engines, MySQL and MariaDB among them, and its focus is SQL as code: schema-aware completion, inspections with quick fixes, rename and extract refactorings, local history and version control. For MySQL it documents EXPLAIN plans in tree, diagram and flame graph views, and dumping and restoring through mysqldump and the mysql client. Commercial use needs a paid subscription; since 1 October 2025 there is a free licence for non-commercial use. See our DataGrip review.

MySQL Workbench is Oracle's official graphical tool for MySQL. The current release on the MySQL download page is MySQL Workbench 26.7.0, a new generation built on the MySQL Shell foundation that combines SQL, JavaScript and TypeScript development with administration and analysis. Oracle states earlier Workbench releases have reached end of life, and that Workbench 26 targets MySQL 8.4 LTS and later. The Community edition is free under the GPL. See our MySQL Workbench review.

Side by side

Aspect	DataGrip	MySQL Workbench
Free version	Free for non-commercial use; 30-day trial for commercial evaluation	Community edition free under the GPL, including commercial use
Paid model	Commercial subscription for individuals or organisations, or a JetBrains multi-product subscription	Commercial edition with MySQL Enterprise features, through Oracle's MySQL commercial offerings
Platforms	Windows 10/11, macOS 15/26, listed Linux distributions	Windows (x86, 64-bit), macOS, Debian Linux and generic Linux packages
Supported databases	25+ engines, including MySQL and MariaDB	MySQL only; Workbench 26 targets MySQL 8.4 LTS and later
SQL code assistance	Schema-aware completion, inspections with quick fixes, rename and extract-to-CTE refactorings	Script Editor and SQL Notebooks, with SQL, JavaScript and TypeScript
Execution plans	EXPLAIN plans for MySQL and MariaDB as tree, diagram or flame graph	Visual Explain, plus Performance Reports on slow queries, waits, memory and table sizes
Server administration	No documented MySQL server status, user management or performance report screens	Server status and configuration, users and grants, client connections
Backup	Dump and restore via mysqldump and the mysql client	MySQL Enterprise Backup integration for full and incremental backup, scheduling and restore
Version control	Git, SVN, Mercurial and others built in	None documented on the product page
Main trade-off	Stronger SQL editing across engines, but paid for commercial use and light on MySQL administration	Free and built for MySQL administration, but MySQL only and mid-transition to the rebuilt 26 series

Key differences

Code intelligence versus MySQL administration

DataGrip's documentation is about the SQL you write. It resolves tables and columns as you type, flags unresolved objects and probable bugs with quick fixes, renames objects with a preview of their usages, extracts subqueries into CTEs, and keeps local history of your files and consoles. For a developer maintaining migration scripts, stored procedures or reporting queries against MySQL, that is the main reason to choose it.

Workbench is about the MySQL server. Oracle's product page lists server status and configuration, user and grant management, investigation of client connections, Performance Reports on slow queries, statement execution-time distribution, table sizes, memory use and waits, and MySQL Enterprise Backup integration. We did not find equivalent screens in DataGrip's documentation; in DataGrip you would do that work through SQL against MySQL's system and Performance Schema tables.

Licence model

Workbench Community is free under the GPL for any use, including at work. DataGrip is free only for non-commercial use: learning, hobby projects, content creation and open source work without commercial benefit. That licence lasts a year, renews if you keep using DataGrip, needs online activation and requires sending anonymous usage statistics. Commercial use needs a paid subscription after a 30-day trial.

In our view, a MySQL developer at a company has to weigh DataGrip's code tooling against a recurring licence cost, while Workbench is already free. A common split is DataGrip for writing SQL and Workbench for server administration.

Workbench 26 is a new generation

Oracle describes Workbench 26 as a ground-up rebuild on the MySQL Shell foundation. It adds SQL Notebooks that mix queries, results and notes, with JavaScript and TypeScript alongside SQL. Oracle states that Workbench 8.0 is no longer maintained, that not every Workbench 8 capability is available yet, and that the new release targets MySQL 8.4 LTS and later. The current product page does not list EER modelling or the Migration Wizard.

This matters for the comparison. If you still run an older MySQL server or relied on Workbench 8.0's modelling, DataGrip may cover the query side, but it does not replace a modeller either: its documentation describes diagrams that show existing structure rather than a schema design tool. Oracle also lists MySQL Shell for VS Code as discontinued, with its capabilities moved into Workbench 26.

MySQL only, or MySQL and MariaDB and more

Workbench is a single-engine tool, and Oracle does not list MariaDB as a supported server. DataGrip supports MySQL and MariaDB as separate data sources, with EXPLAIN plan support documented for both, and the same IDE covers PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle and others. If your MySQL work sits next to a MariaDB or PostgreSQL service, DataGrip lets you keep one tool.

Pricing and licensing

MySQL Workbench. The Community (OSS) edition is free under the GPL from the MySQL download page. Oracle's documentation also describes a commercial edition with additional Enterprise features, which comes with Oracle's commercial MySQL offerings; Oracle does not publish a separate Workbench price.

DataGrip. Free for non-commercial use under JetBrains' non-commercial terms, with a 30-day trial for commercial evaluation. Commercial use requires a paid subscription, sold separately for individuals and organisations, and DataGrip is included in JetBrains' multi-product subscriptions. We could not read the exact current figures reliably from the JetBrains pricing page, so we do not quote them; see the DataGrip pricing page.

Pricing checked on the vendors' official pages on 7 October 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.

Where each one leads

DataGrip strengths

Inspections, quick fixes and rename and extract refactorings for SQL
Version control (Git, SVN, Mercurial and others) built in
MySQL and MariaDB both supported, plus 25+ other engines
EXPLAIN plans as tree, diagram or flame graph
Free with all features for non-commercial use

MySQL Workbench strengths

Official Oracle tool, free under the GPL for any use
Server status, configuration, users and grants in one place
Visual Explain and Performance Reports for MySQL query tuning
SQL Notebooks with JavaScript and TypeScript in Workbench 26
MySQL Enterprise Backup integration for full and incremental backups

Limitations

DataGrip limitations

Commercial use always needs a paid subscription
Non-commercial licence requires online activation and accepted telemetry
No documented MySQL server status, user management or performance report screens
Diagrams show existing structure; no documented schema modelling
System requirements list 8 GB of RAM

MySQL Workbench limitations

MySQL only; Oracle does not list MariaDB as supported
Workbench 26 targets MySQL 8.4 LTS and later, and 8.0 is end of life
Oracle says not every Workbench 8 capability is available yet
EER modelling and the Migration Wizard are not listed on the Workbench 26 product page
Less SQL refactoring and code analysis than a full IDE

When to choose each

Choose DataGrip if

You write a lot of MySQL SQL and want inspections, refactoring and version control
You also use MariaDB, PostgreSQL or other engines
You want EXPLAIN plans in several views across engines
You are learning or doing non-commercial work and want a full IDE free
Your team already uses JetBrains IDEs

Choose MySQL Workbench if

You administer MySQL 8.4 LTS or newer servers
You tune MySQL with Visual Explain and Performance Reports
You need a free tool for commercial MySQL work
You use MySQL Enterprise Backup or other Oracle MySQL commercial products
You want SQL Notebooks that mix SQL with JavaScript or TypeScript

When neither is right

You want a free, open source client for MySQL and other engines for commercial use: DBeaver, see DBeaver vs MySQL Workbench and DBeaver vs DataGrip.
You want a lighter Windows client focused on MySQL and MariaDB: HeidiSQL, see HeidiSQL vs MySQL Workbench.
You want a commercial suite with synchronisation, backup and scheduling: see DataGrip vs Navicat, or a native lightweight client: DataGrip vs TablePlus.
You want a wider shortlist: see the best MySQL GUI tools, the best MySQL Workbench alternatives and the best DataGrip alternatives.

Final recommendation

Bottom line

MySQL Workbench is the tool for running MySQL: it is free, official and built around server status, users, performance reports and Visual Explain, though Workbench 26 is a rebuild and its feature set and supported server versions differ from 8.0. DataGrip is the stronger editor for developers who treat SQL as code or use MariaDB and other engines too, but it costs money for commercial use and does not replace Workbench's administration screens. If you can justify the licence, DataGrip for development and Workbench for administration is a sensible split.

Frequently asked questions

Can DataGrip replace MySQL Workbench?

For writing and running SQL against MySQL, often yes, with stronger code analysis and refactoring. For administration, no: DataGrip's documentation does not describe server status, user and grant management or performance report screens like Workbench's.

Is DataGrip free for MySQL work?

Only for non-commercial use. JetBrains offers a free, renewable one-year licence for learning, hobby and non-commercial open source work. Work for an employer or client needs a paid subscription. MySQL Workbench Community is free for any use.

Does MySQL Workbench 26 still support MySQL 8.0?

Oracle states that Workbench 26.7 targets MySQL 8.4 LTS and later server versions, and that Workbench 8.0 is end of life. If you run an older MySQL server, check Oracle's release notes before upgrading the tool.

Which is better for MariaDB?

DataGrip lists MariaDB as a supported data source; Oracle does not list MariaDB for Workbench. Free alternatives that list MariaDB include DBeaver and HeidiSQL. See also MariaDB vs MySQL.

Can DataGrip design a MySQL schema visually?

DataGrip's documentation describes diagrams that show existing database structure and relations; it does not document a diagram-based schema designer. The Workbench 26 product page does not list EER modelling either, so for visual modelling see the best ER diagram tools.

Sources

Checked October 2026.

How we research comparisons: our editorial method.