DBConvert Streams

DBConvert Streams is a database workbench paired with migration and change-data-capture tools. It is best suited to developers, DBAs, and small teams working mainly with MySQL or PostgreSQL who want to explore and move data in a desktop or self-hosted environment. Its breadth is useful, but CDC and clean Load output require separate paid plans.

Overview

The product brings SQL exploration together with one-time Load migrations and ongoing CDC replication. MySQL streams use binlog replication and PostgreSQL streams use logical replication; two-way replication and data transformations are supported. CDC runs without Kafka, Zookeeper, or Kubernetes, with NATS bundled in the desktop app or Docker Compose stack. That reduces the infrastructure a small team must assemble, while server deployments still call for someone to manage the host or VM.

Key features

Query and file workflows

Connectors include MySQL, PostgreSQL, Snowflake, local files, S3-compatible storage, and federated queries. Embedded DuckDB lets a single federated SQL statement join multiple databases with file or object-storage sources, which is useful for exploration before committing to a migration. Local-file workflows accept CSV, JSON, JSONL, and Parquet; CSV, JSONL, and Parquet are supported as target formats.

Development and operations

The AI assistant and MCP tools inspect live workspace data; MCP operations are read-only, a useful boundary for teams wary of automated changes. The REST API has more than 80 endpoints, an OpenAPI 3.0 specification, and WebSocket language servers, giving teams several routes for integration. Passwords, SSL/TLS and client certificates, and API keys are encrypted. Docker deployments can optionally use HashiCorp Vault.

Assisted setup is offered for a first migration or CDC stream, with a response promised within one business day. That may help teams getting a first pipeline running, but it does not change the trial's narrow scope: CDC lasts seven days from the first stream and covers up to three tables. Load also marks text fields outside keys and relationships after 50 rows per table, so the trial is a limited evaluation rather than proof of a full-scale workflow.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and includes the IDE, browser viewers and editor extensions, federated queries over two sources, five AI questions per day with an account, and a seven-day CDC trial. It is a reasonable starting point for exploration, but the source cap and daily AI allowance constrain sustained use, and the CDC trial is not an ongoing free stream.

PRO costs $9 a month, billed Or $89 a year. It removes the federated-source and AI-question caps, adds PNG/SVG diagram export, and permits three devices per licence. This fits users focused on the IDE and federated queries, but does not include a continuing CDC stream or clean Load output.

CDC costs $99 a month, billed Or $990 a year per pipeline. It includes PRO and one CDC stream at a time per pipeline, counted across all devices. It suits a team that needs ongoing replication, though the per-pipeline price and single-stream limit matter when planning more than one concurrent stream.

Load pass costs $149, paid once, billed 30 days, nothing renews. It provides clean Load output and unlimited runs for 30 days, with PRO included. This is a time-limited option for a concentrated migration rather than an ongoing migration entitlement.

Platforms

DBConvert Streams runs as native Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop applications, or as a Docker deployment on a server, VPS, bare metal, or cloud VM. The broader platform listing also includes API, extension, and web. The choice between desktop and self-hosted server deployment gives teams control over where the tools run, while the server option brings host-operation responsibility.

Who it's for

Developers and DBAs who work primarily with MySQL and PostgreSQL and want SQL exploration near migration and replication are the clearest fit. Small teams can also benefit from bundled CDC infrastructure and file or S3-compatible workflows. It is less compelling for buyers seeking an uncapped free CDC service, since the free CDC window is brief and paid CDC is priced per pipeline.

Pros and cons

• Pros: One environment covers database exploration, Load migration, and CDC, reducing the need to switch between separate tools.
• Pros: DuckDB-powered federated SQL can combine databases and file or object-storage sources without first moving them into one database.
• Pros: CDC avoids Kafka, Zookeeper, and Kubernetes prerequisites, and NATS is bundled in desktop and Docker Compose deployments.
• Cons: The CDC trial is limited to seven days and three tables, which restricts evaluation of larger or longer-running streams.
• Cons: Ongoing CDC and clean Load output are separate purchases, so the IDE alone does not cover those production workflows.
• Cons: CDC allows one stream per pipeline, counted across devices, which can make multi-stream needs more expensive to accommodate.

Alternatives

For a wider replication-software comparison, start with Database Replication Software.

• SymmetricDS is a freemium option with a free Community plan, a free trial, and a broad platform range including mobile; consider it if those deployment choices matter.
• dsync offers a free-forever open-source plan aimed at small projects and testing, with best-effort support and commercial support as an add-on; choose it if that model fits better.
• NineData has a free Community plan for on-premise deployment, up to 10 data sources and 10 replication tasks, and single-node Docker deployment; it is worth considering when those caps suit the workload.
• Artie offers a free plan capped at 1M billable rows per month and two active pipelines, with backfills, Slack Community support, and SOC 2 Type II; choose it if that pipeline and volume allowance fits.
• Google Cloud Datastream has a free tier covering 100 GiB of CDC data per month per billing account for AlloyDB and Spanner sources to BigQuery; it suits that specific source-and-target combination.
• Oracle GoldenGate offers a free perpetual license with a recipe-driven interface and Docker deployment; consider it if a perpetual-license option is the priority.
• PeerDB has a free open-source plan for individuals with Docker setup, CDC, streaming query, and query-layer features; it is an alternative for individual use.
• Striim offers a Developer plan with 25 million events per month; consider it if that stated event allowance aligns with the need.

Verdict

DBConvert Streams is a strong fit for MySQL- and PostgreSQL-focused developers, DBAs, and small teams that want exploration, migration, and CDC in a desktop or self-hosted tool without assembling a Kafka-based stack. Its main advantage is that combined workflow; look elsewhere if ongoing replication across multiple concurrent streams or a generous free CDC tier is central to the decision.