Compare
Wharfbase and DbGate
DbGate is a cross-platform database client for many SQL and NoSQL engines, as a desktop app or a web app, open source with a paid Premium edition.
| DbGate | Wharfbase | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Desktop app, or a web app in Docker | A web app on your server, plus the `wb` CLI |
| Finding databases | You add connections (it can read some from environment variables) | Finds them in your containers by itself, and keeps up as they change |
| Engines | Many SQL and NoSQL engines | Six on Community, sixteen on Pro |
| Data tools | Rich: data grid, query designer, ERD, schema compare, data import and export | Data grid, SQL editor with Explain, ERD, import and export; no schema compare yet |
| What uses a database, what’s wrong with it | — | Consumers, exposed ports, missing passwords, end-of-life versions |
| Server-side safety | Depends on how you deploy it | Socket proxy for Docker, read-only production, audit log, encrypted credentials |
| Pricing model | Premium per user | Per instance: Pro €120 a year, users included up to the plan’s limit |
Use DbGate when
- You want a desktop client on your own machine.
- You need schema comparison and its query designer today.
Use Wharfbase when
- The databases live in Docker on a server, and you want them found, checked and opened from one place.
- A team shares one instance, with roles and an audit log, priced per server rather than per seat.
They also work side by side: Wharfbase doesn't mind other clients, and shows them as consumers.
Checked in October 2026 against DbGate's own documentation. Something out of date? Tell us.