Skip to content

Compare

Desktop phpMyAdmin Alternative for Mac.

phpMyAdmin is a free GPL-licensed PHP web app for MySQL and MariaDB. The current release (5.2.x as of late 2025) ships with most cPanel hosts. It's a recurring CVE target when exposed publicly. TablePro is a desktop client. SSH-tunnel through your existing server access; no public web surface.

Feature
TablePro
phpMyAdmin
Price
Free
Free
Open Source
GPL
Type
Desktop app
Web app (PHP)
Install Location
Your Mac
Server (PHP runtime)
Technology
Native (SwiftUI)
PHP + JavaScript
Auth Method
SSH tunnel + native
Web cookie session
Public Attack Surface
None
Yes (web exposed)
Databases
18+
MySQL & MariaDB
PostgreSQL Support
MongoDB Support
AI Assistant
iOS App
Browser
iCloud Sync
SSH Tunneling
Inline Editing
Native macOS UX

Benchmarks

The numbers.

Cold start

~1sTablePro
Browser loadphpMyAdmin

RAM idle

~80 MBTablePro
PHP + browserphpMyAdmin

Download size

~30 MBTablePro
Server installphpMyAdmin

Summary

Strengths of each.

TablePro

  • No public web surface to attack
  • SSH-tunneled, not /phpmyadmin?token=...
  • Native macOS UX with Touch ID and dark mode
  • 18+ databases, not just MySQL
  • AI SQL assistant
  • iOS app with iCloud sync

phpMyAdmin

  • Pre-installed on most cPanel hosts
  • Browser-based, works on any device
  • 20+ years of MySQL feature coverage
  • Free and open source (GPL)

Migration

Switch from phpMyAdmin.

  1. 1

    Install TablePro on your Mac

    brew install --cask tablepro. Nothing to install on the server.

  2. 2

    Add an SSH-tunneled connection

    New Connection > MySQL. Fill DB credentials. Open the SSH tab and add your bastion or server credentials.

  3. 3

    Block /phpmyadmin in nginx

    Once TablePro works, deny public access to /phpmyadmin in nginx or Apache. SSH tunneling replaces it.

TablePro

See it in action.

TablePro interface showing the data grid and SQL editor

Decision

Which one is right for you?

Choose TablePro if...

you ssh to your servers and want a real desktop client.

Choose phpMyAdmin if...

you only have browser access to your server (no SSH) or use shared hosting.

Verdict

phpMyAdmin is the default on shared hosts. TablePro is the safer, faster choice when SSH is on the table.

FAQ

Common questions.

Why move from phpMyAdmin?

Two reasons: security (phpMyAdmin is a recurring CVE target when exposed) and UX (a real desktop app beats a web form). If you can SSH, you can stop exposing /phpmyadmin.

Does TablePro need a server install?

No. TablePro runs on your Mac. Connects to MySQL directly or through SSH.

Can I tunnel through a bastion?

Yes. Password, key, or agent. Jump hosts and custom ports work.

Will I lose phpMyAdmin features?

Core ones, no: SQL editor, table browser, structure editor, import/export, query history. Some niche features (designer view, GIS plot) aren't in TablePro yet.

Is TablePro free like phpMyAdmin?

Yes. AGPLv3 open source.

Try TablePro for free.

Free and open-source. No account required.

Download for Mac