Both are free. NoSQL Workbench is AWS's tool for designing DynamoDB data models. DB Connect is built for the daily work that follows: querying, editing, cost-checking and administering live tables.
| Feature | DB Connect | NoSQL Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Maker | Independent developer | AWS |
| Platforms | macOS (universal), Windows x64 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Engines | DynamoDB, MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redshift, Redis, MongoDB, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch | DynamoDB |
| Data modeller (tables, GSIs, facets, sample data) | No | Yes |
| Code generation from operations | No | Yes |
| DynamoDB Local | Yes (custom endpoint) | Yes (bundled) |
| Visual Scan / Query / GetItem builder, GSI-aware | Yes | Operation builder |
| PartiQL with paging | Yes | Check vendor docs |
| Per-query cost (RCUs, items scanned vs returned) | Yes — on every query | Not a focus |
| Typed items without number precision loss | Yes | — |
| Batch delete with dry run | Yes | Not in the same form |
| Table admin (capacity, GSIs, TTL, PITR, backups, streams) | Yes | Create tables from a model |
| Assume-role with MFA | Yes | — |
| Production confirmation gates, read-only connections | Yes | Not built in |
NoSQL Workbench details as of 2026 — check AWS's NoSQL Workbench documentation. A dash means we did not verify it; check the vendor.
Define tables, keys and GSIs, add sample data and visualise how items lay out for each access pattern — before you write any code. DB Connect has no modeller.
Free from AWS and built only for DynamoDB, so it follows the service closely.
The operation builder can generate SDK code for the request you built, ready to paste into your application.
It can run DynamoDB local for you and it runs on Linux. DB Connect connects to DynamoDB Local but you start it yourself, and it is macOS and Windows only.
Every Scan, Query and PartiQL statement reports items returned, items scanned, scan efficiency and RCUs consumed, and warns when DynamoDB stopped at its 1 MB page.
Items are edited with their DynamoDB types and numbers keep full precision — no silent rounding of large IDs.
Query a table or any GSI without writing expressions, or write PartiQL with autocomplete and page through results with Load more.
Batch delete with a dry run first, and JSON import/export behind a cost gate. Production-tagged connections ask before destructive statements.
Create and delete tables, change capacity, manage GSIs, TTL, point-in-time recovery, backups and streams.
Access keys, SSO profiles, the instance/task role and default credential chain, and assume-role with MFA. Plus MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redshift, Redis, MongoDB and Elasticsearch/OpenSearch in the same app.
you are designing a new table, want to share a data model with your team, want generated SDK code, or work on Linux.
you operate live tables every day — querying, editing, checking cost, running admin tasks across accounts with assume-role and MFA — or you also work with SQL databases. A natural pairing: model in NoSQL Workbench, operate in DB Connect.
See also: DB Connect as a DynamoDB GUI · DB Connect vs Dynobase
Yes. DB Connect is a free DynamoDB GUI for macOS and Windows with a GSI-aware query builder, PartiQL with paging, typed item editing, per-query cost and table admin. It is built for operating tables rather than modelling them.
DB Connect shows items returned, items scanned, scan efficiency and RCUs consumed for every Scan, Query and PartiQL statement, and warns when DynamoDB stopped at its 1 MB page.
Yes. Set a custom endpoint URL in the connection form and point it at your DynamoDB Local instance.
Yes. There is a PartiQL editor with table and attribute autocomplete, and Load more continues through results page by page.
Yes. Access keys, SSO profiles, the instance/task role and default credential chain, and assume-role with MFA.
No. DB Connect has no data modeller. Use NoSQL Workbench to design tables and access patterns, and DB Connect to query and administer the live tables.
Free for personal and commercial use. No account required.
macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later
Intel & Apple Silicon
xattr -cr /Applications/DBConnect.app
Prefer Homebrew? brew install --cask shubhesh07/db-connect/db-connect