A DBeaver alternative that's
self-hosted, browser-based, and pay-once.

QueryGlow is a self-hosted DBeaver alternative: a browser-based database GUI you run on your own server. Your rows never leave it, not even to the AI.

DBeaver Community is free. DBeaver's paid editions start at $113 per user per year (Lite). QueryGlow is $79 once, with every 1.x update included.

Try the live demo

Try the live demo first: the real app on a sample database, read-only, AI switched off, no signup.

  • “I was looking at DBeaver and yours looked a little easier for what I was looking for.”
    Mike, verified customer
https://db.your-company.com
QueryGlow Data Browser showing a customers table on a production PostgreSQL connection

Where QueryGlow differs from DBeaver

Access from anywhere

DBeaver is a desktop app. QueryGlow is a URL. Open it in a browser from whatever machine you are at.

Your rows stay on your server

QueryGlow runs on your infrastructure. Your rows never leave your server. No cloud account. No telemetry, no tracking.

AI writes your SQL

Describe what you need in plain English. Your schema is sent, never your rows. Use your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Google key; keys go in the app, encrypted.

What Changes When You Switch

A Java Desktop App

DBeaver is a Java desktop app on Eclipse RCP and bundles its own JDK. QueryGlow runs in a Docker container on your server, capped at 512 MB RAM, and opens in the browser.

One Install per Machine

Every developer installs DBeaver and sets up connections on their own machine; web access needs the separate CloudBeaver. QueryGlow is one install your whole team opens in the browser.

Connections in One Step

QueryGlow has the drivers bundled. Paste a connection URL and the form fills itself, or list the databases on a server and add them all at once.

AI That Never Sees Rows

QueryGlow generates SQL from plain English with your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Google key. It sends your schema and your prompt, never your rows.

Eclipse RCP vs a Web App

DBeaver is built on the Eclipse RCP platform in Java: a desktop application framework with a large plugin ecosystem, which is also why DBeaver can do so much.

QueryGlow is a Next.js web app. It runs on your server and opens in the browser, so there is nothing to install on the machines your team uses.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Architecture

DBeaver

Java desktop app on Eclipse RCP

QueryGlow

Web-based (no desktop client)

Runtime

DBeaver

Bundles its own JDK

QueryGlow

Docker container capped at 512 MB RAM

AI SQL Generation

DBeaver

AI Chat and @ai command in Community; more AI in PRO

QueryGlow

Ask AI with your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Google key, entered in the app and stored encrypted; schema only

Access From

DBeaver

Desktop app; web access needs the separate CloudBeaver

QueryGlow

Any browser, from one install

Hosting & Your Data

DBeaver

Local desktop install

QueryGlow

Self-hosted: your rows stay on your server

Database Support

DBeaver

100+ databases

QueryGlow

6 databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, CockroachDB, TimescaleDB)

SSH Tunnel

DBeaver

Yes

QueryGlow

Built in: private key plus passphrase; host key pinned on first use

Query Guard

DBeaver

Production connection type confirms queries; read-only connections

QueryGlow

Safe Mode: DROP DATABASE always blocked; DROP TABLE, TRUNCATE, DELETE/UPDATE without WHERE blocked by default; asks before writes on production

Themes

DBeaver

Yes (Eclipse theme)

QueryGlow

Light, dark or system; six accent colors or your own

EXPLAIN Visualizer

DBeaver

Execution plan viewer

QueryGlow

Visual plans; CREATE INDEX hints on PostgreSQL and MySQL family

SQL Autocomplete

DBeaver

Yes

QueryGlow

Tables, columns with types, dot notation

Updates

DBeaver

In-app update check downloads and runs the installer

QueryGlow

./queryglow update: backup first, automatic rollback if the new version does not come up

Price

DBeaver

Free / from $113 per user per year

QueryGlow

$79 once, whole team, every 1.x update

DBeaver features and prices as listed on dbeaver.io and dbeaver.com, September 2026.

See it on a real database before you decide

$79 once for your whole team, every 1.x update included.

Try the live demo

Stripe checkout. You'll enter your GitHub username for the repo invite. No refunds, so try the read-only demo first.

What QueryGlow Does Differently

EXPLAIN Warnings

QueryGlow's EXPLAIN view flags sequential scans and row estimate errors and suggests a CREATE INDEX or ANALYZE.

AI SQL Generation

Describe what you want in plain English. Only your schema is sent, never your rows. Keys go in the app, encrypted.

CSV Import With a Preview

Three strategies: insert, upsert, or replace. Auto-detects delimiters. Preview before commit.

Web-Based Access

Open it from any machine with a browser. No installation on client machines. Your team shares one install behind one login.

SSH With Pinned Host Keys

Paste your private key, connect. No SSH config files, no port forwarding. The host key is pinned on first use; a changed key is refused.

Make It Yours

Theme, accent color, rows per page up to 500, how NULL looks, your time zone and date format, and your own shortcuts for run, explain, Ask AI and save.

Desktop App vs Web App

DBeaver (Desktop)

  • Install on every machine you use
  • Community stores connections locally
  • Web access needs the separate CloudBeaver
  • Each team member needs their own setup
  • In-app update check downloads and runs the installer
WEB APP

QueryGlow (Web)

  • Deploy once, open it from any browser
  • Connections stored centrally (AES-256-GCM)
  • Works in any modern browser
  • Team shares one instance behind one login
  • ./queryglow update: backup first, automatic rollback if the new version does not come up

Which One Fits You?

Stick with DBeaver If...

  • You need databases QueryGlow doesn't support (Oracle, DB2, Teradata, etc.)
  • You need ER diagram generation or data modeling features
  • Your company mandates desktop apps only
  • You lean on DBeaver's mature ecosystem: more than a decade of development, ~51k GitHub stars, and a community that has already solved nearly any problem you'll hit

Switch to QueryGlow If...

  • You use PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, CockroachDB, or TimescaleDB
  • You want AI to help write your SQL without sending your rows
  • You want web-based access from any browser
  • You want a confirmation before writes on production
  • You want protection against dangerous queries (Safe Mode)

Free vs $79 Once

$79

One-time investment

DBeaver Community is free to license; DBeaver Lite is $113 per user per year. QueryGlow is $79 once for the whole team.

DBeaver Lite: $113 per user per year (subscription)

QueryGlow: $79 once, every 1.x update included

How the free route usually goes

  1. Month 1You SSH-tunnel and make it work.
  2. Month 3Your PM needs numbers, so you're writing their queries at 11pm.
  3. Month 6The rest of the team wants the same view of production, without installing anything.

That's usually when one shared web GUI starts to make sense. The demo costs nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is QueryGlow a good DBeaver alternative?
Yes, if your databases are among the six it supports. QueryGlow is a browser-based GUI you run on your own server, with Ask AI using your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Google key (schema only, never rows) and built-in SSH tunnels. DBeaver supports more databases; QueryGlow covers PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, CockroachDB and TimescaleDB.
What is DBeaver built on, and what is QueryGlow built on?
DBeaver is a Java desktop app built on the Eclipse RCP platform and bundles its own JDK. QueryGlow is a Next.js web app that runs in a Docker container on your server (capped at 512 MB RAM) and opens in the browser. The database drivers come bundled: paste a connection URL or find local servers and connect.
What does QueryGlow do differently from DBeaver?
QueryGlow runs in the browser from one self-hosted install, so your whole team uses it behind one shared login. Ask AI sends only your schema, never rows. Safe Mode always blocks DROP DATABASE and by default blocks DROP TABLE, TRUNCATE and DELETE or UPDATE without WHERE, and the Query Editor asks before writes on production connections.
Does DBeaver have AI features?
Yes. DBeaver Community has AI Chat and an @ai command, and the PRO editions add more AI features. QueryGlow's Ask AI uses your own key, entered in the app and stored encrypted, and sends your database type, table and column names with their types, and your prompt. Never rows.
Is DBeaver free and QueryGlow paid?
DBeaver Community is free, but DBeaver's paid editions are subscriptions starting at $113 per user per year (Lite). QueryGlow is $79 once, with no recurring fees: your whole team, the full source code, and every 1.x update.

In their own words

  • “Beautiful interface and very intuitive.”
    Jean-Francois, Mildor Violon, verified customer
  • “Quite frankly, for a one-time payment you really can't go wrong.”
    Jean-Francois, Mildor Violon, verified customer

Ready to Try It in the Browser?

Try the demo first, then decide whether QueryGlow earns its $79.

Try the live demo

One-time payment. No subscription. Try the demo first.

Compare QueryGlow with Others

See how we stack up against the alternatives.

Prefer nothing to install on your laptop? QueryGlow is a web-based SQL client: installed on your server with one command, then Postgres, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, CockroachDB and TimescaleDB from any browser.

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