PgDesigner vs pgModeler

Feature comparison

Feature	PgDesigner	pgModeler
PostgreSQL version	PG18 full spec	PG18 initial (v1.2.2+)
UI	Browser-based	Qt desktop
Git-friendly diffs	Yes (single-line XML)	Plus only (split model)
Diff/ALTER engine	Yes	Yes
Hazard detection	Yes (6 hazard codes)	No
Schema lint	75 rules, 15 autofix	Basic validation
Sample data generator	Yes (30 heuristics)	No
Reverse engineering	Yes (pg_catalog)	Yes
Import PDD/DBS/DM2	Yes	No
Views/functions diff	Planned (Phase 2)	Yes
SSH tunneling	No	Plus only
Plugin system	No	Yes
CLI	Yes (single binary)	Yes (requires Qt)

Pricing

	PgDesigner	pgModeler
Individual	$19 one-time	From $49.90
Free tier	Non-commercial, forever	Build from source (GPLv3)
Updates	$9/yr renewal	3/6-month or perpetual license
Binaries	GitHub Releases (public)	Paid download only

Where pgModeler is stronger

• Maturity — 19 years of development, battle-tested in production at scale
• Views and functions diff — pgModeler diffs views, functions, triggers. PgDesigner has this planned for Phase 2
• Plugin system — custom extensions without modifying core code
• SSH tunneling — connect to remote databases through SSH (Plus edition)
• Database administration — built-in SQL execution and data browsing

Where PgDesigner is stronger

• Hazard detection — 6 hazard codes (DELETES_DATA, TABLE_REWRITE, TABLE_RECREATE, BACKFILL_REQUIRED, DETACH_PARTITION, REATTACH_PARTITION) warn you before risky ALTER statements
• 75 lint rules with autofix — vs basic validation in pgModeler
• Git-friendly by default — single-line diffs in the free version. pgModeler's split model is Plus-only
• Sample data generator — FK-aware, 30 name heuristics, reproducible with seed
• Import from 5 sources — MicroOLAP .pdd, DbSchema .dbs, Toad .dm2, SQL, live DB
• Browser-based UI — no installation, opens on any OS
• Price — $19 vs $49.90+, with free non-commercial forever
• Zero-dependency binary — single static binary vs Qt dependency chain

Honest assessment

pgModeler is the more mature tool. If you need views/functions diff, SSH tunneling, or a plugin system today — pgModeler is the better choice. PgDesigner's strengths are in the DBA-focused workflow: hazard detection, deep linting, sample data generation, and a git-native format. If your team reviews schema changes in PRs, PgDesigner fits that workflow better.