MySQL SQL Editor: Browser-Based MySQL Client

Last updated May 19, 2026 · By the SaturnSQL team

SaturnSQL is a browser-based MySQL and MariaDB editor for teams that have outgrown phpMyAdmin and do not want every analyst running their own copy of MySQL Workbench. Connect MySQL once, share it with role-based access, and write queries in a fast editor with schema-aware autocomplete and a shared library that the whole team can search.

On other databases? See our editors for PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Redshift, and DynamoDB.

Why use SaturnSQL for MySQL

MySQL has more clients than almost any other database, but most fall into two camps. Desktop apps (MySQL Workbench, HeidiSQL, Sequel Pro/Ace, DBeaver, TablePlus) are powerful but live on a single machine, which means credentials, query history, and saved queries are stuck on someone's laptop. The classic web client, phpMyAdmin, is great for one-off database admin but is essentially single-user and not built for shared team libraries or scheduling.

SaturnSQL is built for the middle ground: a browser-based editor with proper team semantics. Connect a MySQL or MariaDB instance once, control who can see and edit it via role-based access, and save queries to a shared library that the whole team can search and reuse. No more "can you send me that query you ran last week" in Slack.

Because MariaDB speaks the MySQL wire protocol, the same connection flow works for both. Aurora MySQL, RDS, Cloud SQL, PlanetScale, and self-hosted MySQL or MariaDB all connect the same way: hostname, port, user, password, allowlist our egress IPs, done.

What you get

• ✓ Browser-based MySQL editor with schema-aware autocomplete
• ✓ MariaDB support via the shared MySQL wire protocol
• ✓ Shared query library across the whole team
• ✓ Scheduled queries pushed to Google Sheets daily, weekly, or on cron
• ✓ CSV and Excel export for ad-hoc results
• ✓ Encrypted credentials at rest, TLS in flight
• ✓ Role-based access for analysts, engineers, and read-only stakeholders
• ✓ Multiple result tabs, query history, and saved snippets
• ✓ Works with managed MySQL: RDS, Aurora, Cloud SQL, Azure Database, PlanetScale

On the Pro plan (Coming Soon) an AI assistant drafts and explains queries against your schema. Pricing: €19/user/month on Starter, €29/user/month on Pro.

Comparison with MySQL Workbench, phpMyAdmin, and HeidiSQL

MySQL Workbench is Oracle's official desktop tool. Free, cross-platform, and powerful for schema design, EER diagrams, and DBA tasks like user management and server config. The editor itself is functional but dated, and there is no team library or scheduling. Best for solo DBAs and developers doing schema work.

phpMyAdmin is the classic PHP-based web client for MySQL, usually bundled with shared hosting. Free, runs in the browser, good for basic admin and small ad-hoc queries. Trade-offs: single account model, no role-based access for a team, no shared query library, no scheduling, dated UI. Fine for one developer on a side project, awkward for a team.

HeidiSQL is a fast, free Windows client for MySQL, MariaDB, and a handful of other databases. Loved by Windows developers for its speed and simplicity. No macOS or Linux build, no team library, no scheduling.

DBeaver and Sequel Pro/Sequel Ace are excellent local clients (DBeaver universal, Sequel Ace macOS-only). Best for solo developers. Same trade-offs as the rest: per-machine setup, no shared team layer.

Pick SaturnSQL if you want a browser-based MySQL editor with shared queries, scheduled Sheets exports, and team access controls. Pick MySQL Workbench for schema design and DBA work. Pick phpMyAdmin only if you already have it bundled with your hosting and need basic admin. Pick HeidiSQL or Sequel Ace if you are a solo developer on Windows or macOS respectively.

Setup overview

Sign up, create a MySQL connection, paste the hostname, port, database, user, and password. Allowlist our egress IPs on the RDS security group, Cloud SQL authorized networks list, or your firewall. Test the connection. The whole setup takes about two minutes for managed MySQL services. The full walkthrough with IP allowlist details and security recommendations is in Connecting a database.

Use cases

WordPress and WooCommerce reporting. Agencies running multiple WordPress sites on MySQL schedule weekly order, traffic, and inventory queries into a shared Google Sheet for each client, replacing brittle PHP cron jobs.

Backend ops on Rails or Laravel apps. Most Rails and Laravel apps run on MySQL. Engineering teams point SaturnSQL at a read replica and build a shared library of debugging queries (find user, audit log, billing state) that support and ops can run safely without shell access.

Aurora and PlanetScale teams. Cloud-native MySQL on Aurora or PlanetScale already lives outside the LAN, so a browser-based editor with IP allowlisting fits the security model better than asking every analyst to set up SSH tunnels.

MariaDB shops without a SaaS option. MariaDB users get the same browser-based, team-friendly workflow that MySQL users get, without paying for a tool built around proprietary Oracle features.

Frequently asked questions