# Private DB — SQLite Database Viewer

> Mobile SQLite database viewer for importing, searching, and sorting data. (iPhone/iPad app by Portable Databases.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-db/id406410237 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Portable Databases](https://appshunter.io/developer/333398128)
- Category: Business, Productivity
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 69 App Store ratings · 10 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 9.0 · 21 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2011-01-05
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-db/id406410237/reviews.md

## What is Private DB?

Private DB lets you load and view databases on your mobile devices. You can import CSV or tab-delimited text files from the web, email, Dropbox, or share them from iTunes into tables in your database.

NOTE: You can view and sort and search tables with this app, but cannot add, edit or delete rows. To do that, please use General DB. 

With Private DB, your rows are:
* Searchable
* Sortable
* Selectable

This app is great for IT managers who want to distribute company data in table form, and don't want to worry about their users modifying the data.

It is also ideal for publishers of reference data tables, who do not want their users tampering with the data.

Some capabilities:
- Download and import tab-delimited or CSV text files
- Download from the web or Dropbox, or share from iTunes
- Import text files from the Mail app
- Download and execute SQL files
- Download and switch to SQLite databases
- Sort on up to three fields
- Search on any field
- Execute SQL commands in the SQL Console
- Create views on tables to reorder or select a subset of fields

## Key features

- Import CSV and tab-delimited text files
- Load databases from web, email, Dropbox, iTunes
- Searchable and sortable tables
- Execute SQL commands
- Create views on tables
- Sort on up to three fields

## Recent user reviews (10 of 10)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-db/id406410237/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Limited Usecases

*2024-04-13*

Would be nice, in addition to beng able to create a table from scratch (which seems to work fine), to be able to add rows with data.

### 5/5 — Awesome and Full Featured App

*2020-10-20*

Awesome app. Simply it just works! It’s also fully featured. I’m Python developer. When working with Pythonista I can easily create and manage my SQLite DB’s.
Thanks for an awesome app!

**Developer response:** Thanks for the review wilderness family 78! Python is cool too!

### 2/5 — Images can cause crashing

*2019-03-20*

A reasonably laid out app that functions well enough on my iPad when displaying ‘basic’ tables from my SQLite databases.
However, it crashes every single time I touch a record in a table view that includes a jpg image file in a BLOB field.

**Developer response:** Sorry about that Tutankhamen. By touching a record do you mean executing an UPDATE? Please contact us on our support page so we can correct the issue before the next release.

### 4/5 — Small enhancements would make this great

*2018-02-14*

First, when importing CSV or TSV, the first row should be allowed to be the field names in place of “Field 1” etc. To be fair, this is covered on the product support page. Second, field widths should either be manually controllable or auto-width with some upper limit. Third, displaying text fields enclosed in quotes is a waste of screen real estate.

Suppose you have the first field as a 6 letter ID, followed by a second field of 64 characters of text description. It would be useful for the screen widths occupied by these two fields to be either manually (preferably permanently) set and/or automatically preset individually to some width that reasonably makes the content visible (perhaps with some way to set an upper width limit). Now all fields are the same (unhelpful) width without any obvious way to change. Changing field widths is not obvious, not standard, and not covered on your support page.

Given the narrow field widths, the inclusion of quote characters enclosing the characters of fields, and thereby wasting field display space, adds insult to injury. All text and date fields are displayed enclosed in double quotes. Your support page, under the “Rows” section, even shows an example of a date, exactly as it would be displayed in the product.

One further annoyance is that horizontal scrolling operates in chunks via the ‘<‘ and ‘>’ buttons rather than the more precise iOS standard horizontal swipe. The result is that if you want the third through seventh columns to be simultaneously visible, you’re out of luck. This requirement is quite common in practice, and may be possible, but it’s not obvious how.

**Developer response:** Hi, you can already designate the first row in a file to be the field names. On the Text File view, in the first section where it says "1st line", change it to "Field names".

Are you referring to the iPad version? You can change the field widths by tapping the button with the picture of a lock on it one the right side of the blue separator bar.  Then the vertical separators between fields will turn blue and you can drag and resize them.

There are quote characters enclosing the fields? Can you send us a screenshot?

### 3/5 — Good app, but needs iPhone 6 Plus screen size

*2016-01-15*

This seems to be a well developed app and it is nice to use on my iPad.
However, the screen resolution needs updating for the iPhone 6! At the moment it looks awfully enlarged.

### 1/5 — Garbage

*2013-11-21*

Complete waste of time.  Importing anything, even a flat text file, the app will "import" it and the preview looks perfect but then it provides nothing but disjointed code remnants for the rows and columns.   Seems to display the same garbage after the import no matter what I tried importing.  The same ~120 rows of programming code appears in lieu of the data.  Pure waste of time and glad I didn't pay to try it out.  Avoid.

### 4/5 — Simple but effective app...

*2013-10-22*

Has done the job for me. The ability to search within data was the clincher! I also requested some support & the developer was extremely helpful in sorting out the small issue I was having. Highly recommended.

### 5/5 — Cant edit but still useful

*2012-12-27*

I can download real estate data

### 5/5 — AWESOME APP!!

*2011-07-25*

This app is AWESOME! If you want to check out how it works you should probably start out with the parent app MAJOR GENERAL DB. Its worth well over the price it sells for. Private DB is pretty much a simple and powerful database viewer app that doesn't hog up iPad resources like others. Trust me, I searched high and low downloading every type of database viewing software, an this IS THE BEST!  The app is AWESOME and the Developer is Hands down the best in the biz. He answered every question and bent over backward for me at times. If you need a database solution buy this app and MAJOR GENERAL and you will be unstoppable.. Basically you import your data into MAJOR GENERAL and export the .DB file to PRIVATE DB. this comes in really handy if you want to give friends or co-workers read only database tables with minimum cost and effort......BUY BUY BUY!!!

### 2/5 — Portable database

*2011-07-24*

This thing isn't worth a hoot. All they want to do is move you up the notch to a more pricy app. I uninstalled almost immediately after receiving and setting up. They really need to clean up the interface and include a tutorial of some kind. There are an awful lot of us fourth graders out here trying to get this stuff to work.
MLM.

## Frequently asked questions about Private DB

### Can I edit data in Private DB?

No, Private DB is designed for viewing and sorting data only. You cannot add, edit, or delete rows. For editing capabilities, you would need to use a different application like General DB.

### What file formats can Private DB import?

Private DB can import tab-delimited or CSV text files. It can also load SQLite databases directly.

### Where can I import data from with Private DB?

You can import data from the web, email clients, Dropbox, or share files from iTunes. It also supports importing from the Mail app.

### Does Private DB allow sorting and searching?

Yes, Private DB allows you to search any field within your tables and sort your data on up to three fields. You can also create views to reorder or select specific subsets of fields.

### What is the age rating for Private DB?

Private DB has an age rating of 17+, indicating it is intended for mature users. This is likely due to the technical nature of database management.

### How often is Private DB updated?

The latest version of Private DB is 5.12, which was last updated on July 1, 2021. While not frequently updated, it has been available since 2011.

### Is Private DB available on Android?

Based on the provided data, Private DB is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. There is no information indicating support for Android devices.

### Does Private DB have ads?

No, Private DB does not contain advertisements. It is a free application without any ad interruptions.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.12 — 2021-07-01

- Regular expressions in SQL, such as:
      SELECT * FROM Maintenance WHERE Description REGEXP '^Fixed'
- SQLite 3.36.0

### 5.11.1 — 2021-05-28

- If you open a database that has a field value that cannot be displayed as a text string, then a special string is displayed instead. This is to prevent unexpected behavior when binary data is in the field but the Raw field format is not selected.
- Bug fixes
- SQLite 3.35.5

### 5.11 — 2021-04-06

Includes SQLite 3.35.4:
- Built-in math functions, such as sin() and log()
- ALTER TABLE DROP COLUMN
- Generalized UPSERT
- RETURNING clause lets you see the values after an INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE.

NOTE: This is a major release. If you have critical databases, you must back them up using iTunes or iCloud or Dropbox before updating this app!

### 5.10.1 — 2021-01-15

Fix for selecting field values in Date and Time formats in iOS 13.4 and above.

### 5.10 — 2021-01-05

- SQLite 3.34
- The generate_series() virtual table is now built in to this app. As an example, the SQL executed below would make a virtual table of 6 rows with even values starting from 0 up to 10:
SELECT value FROM generate_series(0, 10, 2)
- Bug fix for importing large files

Note: Backing up your databases before a major software update is good practice and recommended. To backup your databases, sync your phone with iCloud or your computer, or go to the Files tab and Share your databases with another computer.

## Apps similar to Private DB

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| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Confidence Real Estate](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/confidence-real-estate/id6444905425) | 4.6 (10) | Free | Business |
| [Database Manager for MS Access](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/database-manager-for-ms-access/id837019622) | 2.3 (3) | $9.99 | Business |
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## More apps by Portable Databases

- [General DB](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/general-db/id333398125)
- [Area Code Directory](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/area-code-directory/id357420195)
- [Use By Date](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/use-by-date/id524192596)
- [Antibiograms](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/antibiograms/id606986316)
- [Antimicrobial Guide](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/antimicrobial-guide/id1032955474)

All apps by Portable Databases: https://appshunter.io/developer/333398128

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*