Originally published at devtoolpicks.com MySQL Workbench is the default answer to "how do I look at my database." It ships free with MySQL, runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and does the job. Most developers install it once and forget to question it. The problem is that spending real time in MySQL Workbench in 2026 is a specific kind of frustration. It is slow to launch. It crashes on newer versions of macOS. The interface looks exactly like it did in 2014. It runs on Java, which means memory usage that feels wildly out of proportion to what it is actually doing. None of that is controversial. The r/PHP thread that prompted this comparison had 79 comments and near-universal agreement: Workbench works, but nobody actually likes it. The alternatives are genuinely better. One is completely free. One costs $79 once and you keep it. One comes free with your JetBrains subscription if you already have one. Here is how they compare.…