People often believe that personal databases are obsolete. If they do have a database, it’s typically stored in a spreadsheet application like Excel. While I appreciate databases, I have a substantial amount of information stored in them on my Mac. Consequently, I require database applications to update and operate these databases. I possess several database applications, but I need to choose one. Maintaining multiple database applications is becoming increasingly expensive.

The database Apps I use are as follows:

Ninox and Memento offer desktop applications, but your data is stored online. You can access your data from any web browser. Both applications require a subscription fee. They lack robust tools for designing an app-like interface for a database.

FileMaker Pro, a long-standing standalone desktop application, allows you to create visually appealing application databases directly on your computer. Here’s an example of how that looks.

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FileMaker Pro is the best for database App design. It is powerful, but at over $300 per license, it is costly.

Panorama X, developed by Provue Development, is a powerful and sophisticated database application that has been around for a long time. I’ve been using it for years and it can create database applications. Here’s an example of one:

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Panorama may not be as sophisticated as FileMaker Pro for designing database applications, but it offers significantly more powerful features for manipulating database information. Additionally, it is more cost-effective, with a lower annual cost compared to other applications.

Going forward, I intend to continue using Panorama. It is actively supported and offers a wide range of functionalities for handling database information. Consequently, I will have to cancel the Ninox and Memento subscriptions.

I’m a big fan of databases. As long as there are macOS apps that can handle databases, I’ll definitely own one.

Doug

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