PortBayvsDBngin
DBngin is a focused tool: a free macOS app from the TablePlus team that launches MySQL, Postgres, MariaDB, Redis and MongoDB versions side by side. PortBay covers the same database surface and brings everything else with it — web server, PHP, Node, HTTPS, real local domains, Mailpit and public tunnels — so your databases are part of your project rather than a separate app you remember to start.
Which one is right for you
You want the full stack, open source.
You want databases that boot with your project, with credentials wired into your .env and clean teardown when you remove the project. You want web, mail and tunnels in the same place — not three apps to remember.
It already fits your workflow.
You only need databases. You already use Valet or a hand-rolled stack for the rest, you live in TablePlus, and you want a free utility that does one thing.
Feature by feature
Every row sourced from the live product page. We mark partial support honestly — including where the other side wins.
Coming from DBngin
PortBay's per-project databases replace DBngin's standalone instances. On import, PortBay picks up your existing databases by name and offers to attach them to a project, so you don't have to dump and restore. From then on, the database boots and shuts down with the project — credentials land in your .env automatically and clean up when you remove the project.
PortBay vs DBngin, in plain terms
Is PortBay a replacement for DBngin?
Yes for most workflows. PortBay runs MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL the same way DBngin does, with per-project isolation and credentials wired into your .env automatically. If you also run Redis or MongoDB locally, DBngin covers more engines today; both are on PortBay's roadmap.
Can PortBay and DBngin run side by side?
Yes. They bind to different default ports per project, so you can keep DBngin running for legacy connections while you migrate. Once your projects are in PortBay, you can stop or remove DBngin.
Does PortBay work with TablePlus or other DB clients?
Yes. PortBay surfaces standard connection strings for every per-project database, so you can open the same database in TablePlus, Sequel Ace, DBeaver or any psql/mysql client — no special driver required.
Why pay for PortBay if DBngin is free?
PortBay is free for up to 6 projects with the full feature set — databases, HTTPS, mail and tunnels. The $10/month Pro plan removes the project limit. DBngin is free because its scope is intentionally limited to launching database engines; PortBay's pitch is replacing the whole local-dev stack.
Will I lose snapshots or schemas moving from DBngin?
No. Your databases stay on disk. PortBay can attach to existing data directories during import; you can also export from DBngin and import via a standard SQL dump if you prefer to start clean per project.
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