Notes on the MySQL 9.7 LTS release: Hypergraph Optimizer in Community, JSON Duality View DML, Group Replication observability, and Dynamic Data Masking for Enterprise.

Notes on the MySQL 9.7 LTS release

PostgreSQL 19 features I'm excited about: planner advisor framework, DDL extraction, online REPACK, pg_stat_recovery, parallel autovacuum, sequence sync, and 64-bit MultiXact.

PostgreSQL 19 features I'm excited about

What SOC 2 compliance audits actually want from your database audit log — not 'logging enabled' but evidence your auditor will accept. Lessons from going through our own audit.

SOC 2 Audit Log Requirements: Lessons From Our Own Audit

SOX Section 404 requires IT general controls over database changes. Learn the ITGC domains, six audit questions teams fail, and how to build SOX-ready controls

Database Change Management for SOX Compliance

The 10 best data management tools in 2026 — database GUI clients, schema migration tools, data pipelines, and analytics platforms compared with pricing.

Top 10 Data Management Tools in 2026

Postgres-only SQL editors are designed specifically for Postgres databases, providing a more focused and efficient experience for Postgres users. In this post, we are taking a look at the top Postgres-only SQL editors in 2026.

Enterprise Text-to-SQL: Context, Evaluation, and Governance

Database deployment tools for devops teams in 2026.

Database Deployment Tools for DevOps Teams in 2026

Postgres 19 widens MultiXactOffset to 64 bits, eliminating the hidden 4 billion member limit that caused catastrophic outages for high-concurrency workloads.

Postgres 19 Feature Preview: 64-bit MultiXactOffset

A guide to MySQL schema migration best practice.

MySQL Schema Migration Best Practice

Postgres 19 introduces automatic sequence synchronization for logical replication, eliminating manual tracking and making major version upgrades and failover significantly easier.

Postgres 19 Feature Preview: Sequence Synchronization for Logical Replication

A guide to open source sensitive data discovery tools — from NLP libraries like spaCy and Microsoft Presidio to multi-source scanners like Hawk-Eye and full metadata platforms like OpenMetadata.

Top Open Source Sensitive Data Discovery Tools in 2026

Top open-source Postgres backup solutions for 2026.

Open Source Postgres Connection Pooler

PostgreSQL 18 features that change how application developers write and ship code.

What's New in PostgreSQL 18: A Developer's Perspective

Top open-source Postgres authentication solutions for 2025.

Features I Wish Postgres Had but MySQL Already Has

Areas where PostgreSQL shines and MySQL falls short.

Features I Wish MySQL Had but Postgres Already Has

Evaluate several database schema diagram tools, and help you to choose the right one for 2025

Top 4 Free, Open Source Database Schema Diagram Tools to Visualize Database Easier in 2025

An overview of the most popular text-to-SQL AI tools in 2026, including DataGrip, TablePlus, SQL Chat, Vanna.ai, SQLAI.ai, Postgres.new, and DBHub MCP server. Compare features and capabilities to find the best SQL AI assistant for your workflow.

Top 5 Text-to-SQL Query Tools in 2026

Evaluate several TypeScript ORMs, and help you to choose the right one for 2025

Top TypeScript ORM 2025

PostgreSQL 18 features and what they change for running production databases.

What's New in PostgreSQL 18: A DBA's Perspective

Explore alternatives to Amazon RDS, including 

RDS Alternatives in 2025

Infrastructure as Code security tools help organizations identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in their infrastructure definitions. This post explores the top open-source IaC security tools available in 2025.

Top Open Source Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Security Tools in 2025

Compare the price of the mainstream managed PostgreSQL hosting providers

PostgreSQL Hosting Options in 2025: Pricing Comparison

Database governance tools help organizations manage database changes, enforce policies, and maintain data quality. This post explores the top open-source database governance tools available in 2025.

Top Open Source Database Governance Tools in 2025

Workflow orchestration tools help coordinate tasks, handle errors, and monitor execution processes. In this post, we are taking a look at open source workflow orchestration options

Top Open Source Workflow Orchestration Tools in 2025

Compare the price of the mainstream managed MySQL hosting providers

MySQL Hosting Options in 2025: Pricing Comparison

A comprehensive guide to the best open-source Kubernetes cluster management tools in 2025, including Argo CD, Karmada, Sveltos, and Plural.

Top 4 Open Source Kubernetes Cluster Management Tools in 2025

Review the state of the Golang ORM and query builder

Choose the Right Golang ORM or Query Builder in 2025

Overview of MySQL 9 features with spicy comments

What's New in MySQL 9 - a DBA's Perspective

SQL clients makes it safer and easier to manage databases. In this post, we are taking a look at open source SQL clients options for you to try in 2024.

Top Open-Source SQL Parsers in 2025

A comprehensive reference guide to standard port numbers used by popular database systems in 2025

Common Database Port Numbers in 2025

Explore the leading Terraform UI tools of 2026 that enhance IaC workflows with visualization, collaboration, and governance features to streamline infrastructure management.

Top 4 Terraform UI Tools 2026

A comprehensive guide to the best free and open-source PostgreSQL EXPLAIN tools for query performance analysis, including built-in extensions, online visualizers, and integrated GUI solutions.

Top Free, Open Source Postgres Explain Tool to Analyze Database 2025

Top open-source Kubernetes dashboard solutions include K9s, Lens, and KubeDashboard.

Top Free, Open Source Kubernetes Dashboard in 2026

In this post, we will review the top 5 open source Terraform tools for 2025.

Top 5 Open Source Terraform Tools for 2025

Postgres schema compare tool is used to diff and synchronize schemas between Postgres databases. This article reviews the top 4 common tools in this category.

Top 6 Open Source Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Tools 2025

How to Become a Platform Engineer in 6 months?

Top open-source database management solutions include Beekeeper Studio, Adminer, HeidiSQL, and Bytebase.

Top Open Source Database Management Software 2025

SQL editor with built-in AI streamlines database management, making SQL development faster, more accurate, and accessible to users of all skill levels.

Top 3 Free SQL Editors with Built-in AI

An extensive list of PostgreSQL SQL Review and Style Guide.

PostgreSQL SQL Review and Style Guide

Compare the best SQL Server monitoring tools for 2026 — free and paid. Includes SSMS built-in SQL monitors, open-source MSSQL monitoring tools (DBA Dash, SQLWATCH, Opserver), and commercial SQL performance monitoring solutions (Redgate, Datadog).

Top SQL Server Monitoring Tools: Best SQL Performance Monitors in 2026

In this post, we are taking a look at the open source, online SQL editors that you can self-host.

Top 5 Open Source, Online SQL Editors You can Self-host

Describe the top database devops tools in 2025.

Top Database DevOps Tools in 2025

Introduce the advanced tools for platform engineering. Covering CD, security, workflow orchestration, database development workflow, and internal development portal.

How to Pick Platform Engineering Tools in 2025 - Advanced Guide

Introduce the essential tools for platform engineering. Covering code hosting, CI/CD, observability, resource provisioning, and secret management.

How to Pick Platform Engineering Tools in 2025 - Essential Guide

Bastion gates connections. ITSM gates approval. PAM gates credentials. Three layers, three tools, one gap at execution — and what an integrated platform replaces.

Securing Database Change: From Bastion to Integrated Platforms

How OpenAI and DeepSeek designs SSN database schema.

OpenAI vs. DeepSeek: SSN Database Schema Design

DevSecOps tools empower teams to seamlessly integrate security into every phase of the software development lifecycle, fostering the adoption of DevSecOps practices.

Top DevSecOps Tools for 2025

What happened in the database tooling landscape in 2024.

Database Tools in 2024: A Year in Review

In a mystical land where data flows like rivers, four heroes — a warrior, a cleric, a druid, and a paladin — unite to tame the Hydra of Database DevSecOps, a powerful three-headed dragon embodying Velocity, Security, and Reliability.

The Guardians of Database DevSecOps

Some of the craziest database security vulnerabilities uncovered in DBAs' career

Database security vulnerabilities are the craziest

Due to Docker's recent requirement for a paid subscription for professional use, people began searching for alternatives. Right alternatives for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements.

Top 4 Free Docker Desktop Alternatives 2026

What are the top Postgres extensions you may need to enhance your Postgres instance.

Why Managed Database Service is not Enough

Six levels of database automation, named after the autonomous-driving framework. From L0 manual SQL to L5 self-healing — and where most teams plateau.

The 6 Levels of Database Automation

When team wants to enforce a process for database change management. A quick approach is to reuse their existing ITSM system such as Jira. Let's review how a typical Jira workflow looks like and its inherent limitations.

Hope Is Not a Strategy: Why Jira Falls Short for Database Change

A list of features I wish PostgreSQL had. It is mainly around improving development workflow and inspired by Git. While acquiring Git-like behavior is challenging in database because of the stateful nature.

Features I wish PostgreSQL had as a developer

In this post, we are reviewing several open-source GitOps tools.

Top Open Source GitOps Tools in 2025

When schema migration outage happens, who should be more responsible in order to prevent future incidents?

Schema Migration Outage: Author or Reviewer's Fault?

The "Modern Snowflake Stack" is inspired from the phrase "Modern Data Stack", refers to a set of technologies and tools built around Snowflake, a cloud-based data warehousing solution, to enable efficient data storage, processing, and analytics.

Modern Snowflake Stack in 2024

What are the top open source MySQL schema migration tools.

Top Open Source MySQL Migration Tools in 2024

This article explores leading database security tools designed to shield your data from varied risks.

Top Database Security Tools

A comparison of the top 5 MySQL GUI clients in 2026: MySQL Workbench, DBeaver, TablePlus, Beekeeper Studio, and Navicat.

Top 5 MySQL GUI Clients in 2026

What are the top open source Postgres schema migration tools.

How many DBAs should a company hire

DORA recently released its annual State of DevOps 2023 report. Bytebase is a Database CI/CD tool for DBAs and DevOps teams, and we are diving deep into the State of DevOps Report.

Notes on the DORA 2023 State of DevOps Report

DataGrip is an database IDE developed by JetBrains and is closely integrated with the JetBrains ecosystem. As a database admin tool, DataGrip is not a comprehensive alternative to the other dedicated database GUIs. Here, we are taking a look at top DataGrip alternatives.

Top DataGrip Alternatives 2023

If you work exclusively with MySQL, MySQL Workbench is an excellent choice for a database GUI, but if you work with multiple databases, you need to look elsewhere. This article highlights five database GUI alternatives for MySQL Workbench.

Top MySQL Workbench Alternatives 2023

Postgres is one of the most advanced open-source relational databases, while you can leverage Postgres' capabilities without a GUI, having one can take your experience working with Postgres to the next level.

Top pgAdmin Alternatives 2023

Navicat is a long-established database GUI. However, it has a serious limitation in multi-user scenarios where team collaboration and centralized control are needed. Hence, we are taking a look at top Navicat alternatives.

Top Navicat Alternatives 2023

DBeaver is one of the most popular database management tools out there. If for some reason, DBeaver doesn't fulfill your requirements or you are just in the mood to try something new. Here, we are taking a look at top DBeaver alternatives

Top DBeaver Alternatives 2023

If you work with data and databases, SQL AI tools can significantly improve your productivity and efficiency; if you want to start learning SQL, this is also an excellent way to get started.

Top 5 SQL AI Tools to Ease Writing SQL 2023

A Postgres GUI client gives you a visual interface to query, design, and administer PostgreSQL — instead of doing everything from psql. Here are the 7 most useful in 2026, with the trade-offs that decide which one fits your workflow.

Database as a Service (DBaaS) Provider 2023

In the post, we explore the Google Cloud SQL pricing structure, tools for estimating its cost, and tips for optimizing the cost.

Understanding Google Cloud SQL Pricing

MySQL schema compare tool is used to diff and synchronize schemas between MySQL databases. This article reviews the top 4 common tools in this category.

Top 4 MySQL Schema Compare Tool to Diff and Sync Database 2026

Database schema migration have come a long way, from CLI to GUI, and all the way to GitOps/Database-as-Code. Let's review the state-of-the-art of database schema change / migration tools in 2026.

Top Database Schema Migration Tools to Avoid Change Outage 2026

What happened in database industry in 2022.

Database Review 2022 and 2023 Prediction

The best free SQL clients and database management software in 2026. Compare DBeaver, Beekeeper Studio, DbGate, HeidiSQL, phpMyAdmin, pgconsole, and Bytebase — open-source SQL GUI tools for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Top 7 Free, Open Source SQL Clients and Database Management Tools (2026)

To manually spin up several different kinds (and versions) of database instances for testing can be gruesome. Here are some free tools to help you start a local database instance on Mac.

Top 3 Free Tools to Start a Local Database Instance on Mac

Real talk on whether strict SQL review and schema conventions actually help — with answers from working developers and DBAs.

Is SQL Review Necessary? Real Talk From Developers

We wonder if ChatGPT can help us in the field of database administration, and we dug deep into some toolings that have incorporated ChatGPT to make our life easier.

A (Non-Exhaustive) Summary of ChatGPT Enhanced Database Tools

A conversation with ChatGPT consulting which database to pick for your next software project.

Ask ChatGPT - How to Choose the Right Database for Your Next Project

From the SQLite-insipred DuckDB to the real Snowflake challenger and the Docker for data.

MotherDuck, from SQLite to the Docker for Data

The idea of codifying database schema changes (aka schema migration) is not new. While we are observing an accelerated trend of embracing Database as Code (DaC) across the industry. In this blog, we will review the state-of-the-art in the Database as Code landscape and share our own insight into the current and future trends in this space.

The Database as Code Landscape

This is the first of the DDD series, consisting of 10 stories of DBA & Database & developer.

DBA, Database and Developer - The Decameron

What happened in database industry in 2021. OLAP (Snowflake, Databricks, ClickHouse, Firebolt, ClickHouse), OLTP (PostgreSQL, PlanetScale, SQLite) and open source.

Database Review 2021 and 2022 Prediction


The `Modern Data Stack` is a collection of cloud-native technologies and tools designed to streamline data collection, storage, management, analysis, and sharing. It embodies a shift from traditional, monolithic data management systems to more flexible, scalable, and user-friendly solutions. The term `Modern Data Stack` does not have a single inventor or originator credited with its coining. Instead, it emerged organically over time as the data technology landscape evolved and new cloud-native tools and services were developed.

Snowflake plays the pivotal role in transitioning the industry into the `Modern Data Stack` era. Below we introduce tools working
with Snowflake and coin them together as the `Modern Snowflake Stack`.

## Data Ingestion - Fivetran

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/fivetran.webp)

[Fivetran](https://www.fivetran.com/) is a cloud-based data integration service that automates the extraction, loading, and transformation (ELT) of data from various sources into a data warehouse or data lake. Designed to simplify data integration and ensure data accuracy, Fivetran supports a wide range of data sources, including SaaS applications, databases, event logs, file storage, and more.

Fivetran offers a large library of pre-built connectors for popular data sources and destinations, allowing quick and easy setup of data pipelines without the need for custom coding. e.g. The [Salesforce to Snowflake](https://www.fivetran.com/connector-warehouse/salesforce-snowflake-data-cloud) is Fivetran's flagship connector that contributes a significant portion of its revenue.

## Data Transformation - DBT

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/dbt.webp)

[dbt (data build tool)](https://www.getdbt.com/) is an open-source command-line tool that enables data analysts and engineers to transform data in their analytics warehouses by writing select SQL queries and managing them as code. It is designed to facilitate the "transform" step of the ELT (Extract, Load, Transform) process, where raw data is transformed into a format suitable for analysis after being loaded into a data warehouse. dbt does this by treating transformations as models, which can be version-controlled, tested, and deployed following software engineering best practices.

Snowflake's architecture allows data teams to perform transformations on large datasets efficiently and cost-effectively, without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. When dbt runs transformations in Snowflake, it leverages Snowflake's compute power to execute SQL commands, transforming raw data into structured, analysis-ready information.

## Data Security - Immuta

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/immuta.webp)

[Immuta](https://www.immuta.com/) is a data security platform designed to facilitate the secure access and control of sensitive data across cloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments. It focuses on automating data access controls, privacy compliance, and security policies, enabling organizations to manage and share their data more effectively and in compliance with various regulatory requirements. Immuta's platform is particularly useful for organizations that deal with large volumes of sensitive data and need to ensure that their data handling practices comply with laws such as GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and others.

Snowflake has already provided built-in access control and dynamic data masking, and Immuta's platform augments the Snowflake core and allows teams to manage the access control and masking policies at scale.

## Data Catalog - Atlan

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/atlan.webp)

[Atlan](https://atlan.com/) is a modern data catalog and collaborative workspace designed to empower data teams by centralizing data discovery, governance, and metadata management. Atlan's approach integrates the functionality of a traditional data catalog with collaboration and governance features, making it a comprehensive platform for data teams, including data analysts, data scientists, data engineers, and business users.

Atlan is the first data catalog to be validated as a Snowflake Ready Technology Partner.

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/atlan-snowflake.webp)

Similar to Immuta's approach, Atlan build's the data solution on the top of Snowflake's built-in features such as Column-level security, row-level access, object tag-based masking, data classification, which allows team to manage data lineage, data discovery at scale.

## Data Monitoring - Bigeye

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/bigeye.webp)

[Bigeye](https://www.bigeye.com/) is a data monitoring platform designed to help data teams ensure the health and reliability of their data. By providing tools to monitor data quality, set alerts for anomalies, and track data lineage, Bigeye aims to automate the process of identifying and addressing issues in data systems before they impact downstream analyses or operational processes. It's part of a broader category of data observability and monitoring solutions that have emerged to tackle the challenges associated with managing data at scale in modern data ecosystems.

Bigeye and Atlan do have some overlap in their capabilities, particularly around data cataloging and governance. However, their core offerings and primary use cases differ significantly, catering to different needs within the data management and operations landscape.

Bigeye is primarily focused on data observability and quality monitoring. Its main features include automated data monitoring, anomaly detection, and alerts to ensure the reliability of data in operational systems and analytics. Atlan, on the other hand, positions itself as a modern data workspace, emphasizing data discovery, collaboration, and governance. Its features are designed to make data easily accessible and usable across teams, with strong support for metadata management, data cataloging, and collaboration tools.

With its data health agent, Bigeye can surface data quality and pipeline health alerts directly in Atlan.

## Data Activation - Census / Hightouch

Data Activation aka reverse-ETL, which focuses on operationalizing data by syncing it from data warehouses to various SaaS applications, operational systems, and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. [Census](https://www.getcensus.com/) and [Hightouch](https://hightouch.com/) are two leading solutions, they are neck-to-neck and provide similar feature sets.

Both products claim to be superior than the other. The competition is real and we think it's better to leave the judgement to the audience:

- [Census vs Hightouch (Census view)](https://www.getcensus.com/compare/census-vs-hightouch)
- [Hightouch vs Census (Hightouch view)](https://hightouch.com/blog/hightouch-vs-census)

## Customer Data Platform (CDP) - Segment

The main purpose of building the entire data stack is to unlock insights from the customer data. Segment is a customer data platform (CDP) that helps organizations collect, clean, and control their customer data. Segment does overlap with some of the aforementioned solutions.

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/segment.webp)

Segment overlaps with Fivetran on data ingestion. Fivetran consolidates data from diverse sources into a data warehouse, while Segment emphasizes the collection and integration of customer data across multiple touchpoints to enhance marketing strategies and customer understanding, focusing on real-time data routing and customer profile unification. Actually, Segment is often a data source in Fivetran.

Segment overlaps Census / Hightouch on data activation / reverse-ETL. This is a natural move for Segment to close the loop for
customer data. Since the purpose for reverse-ETL is to deliver more personalized and timely experiences to their customers across various channels.

## CI/CD - Bytebase

After all, Snowflake is a database system. And for database, one of pain points is to manage schema migrations. All aforementioned solutions belong to the DataOps domain, while the schema migration falls into the DevOps and CI/CD category. Snowflake itself open sourced [schemachange](https://github.com/Snowflake-Labs/schemachange) for database change management. It's a python-based CLI
carrying the spirit of classic java schema migration tool [flyway](https://github.com/flyway/flyway).

[Bytebase](/) is another CI/CD and change management solution providing review workflow and version control for Snowflake schema migration and ad-hoc changes. Different from schemachange, Bytebase provides a GUI collaborative workspace like what GitHub does for code management.

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/snowflake-issue.webp)

It also provides native GitOps integration with all mainstream VCSs to manage the change scripts in the repository.

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/vscode-create-table.webp)

FWIW, Snowflake also [added Git integration](https://www.snowflake.com/blog/snowflake-expands-developer-programmability-snowpark-container-services/) recently.

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/snowflake-git.webp)

## What are we missing?

The acute reader might have already noticed that we missed an elephant in the room, the BI tool. We don't include BI because
although there are quite a few options like Tableau, Mode, Looker, There is no outstanding one specifically built for Snowflake.
Maybe the industry is just waiting for Snowflake to announce its own BI solution, not a far sight from Snowsight anyway.

## Summary

![_](/content/blog/modern-snowflake-stack/google-trend.webp)

`Modern Data Stack` starts to pick up in 2022, this article introduces the similar `Modern Snowflake Stack`.
Snowflake is still the pinnacle of the modern data stack ([though Databricks likely disagrees](https://www.databricks.com/databricks-vs-snowflake)). By narrowing our focus on the Snowflake ecosystem, we can learn the state-of-the-art of the data landscape
and adopt the best practice.



MySQL is the most popular open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) for storing and managing structured data. MySQL table migration is always a PITA. As such, several database schema migration tools for MySQL have emerged, and they provide different capabilities and experience.

In this post, we are reviewing several open-source database schema migration tools for MySQL:

- [gh-ost](https://github.com/github/gh-ost)
- [Skeema](https://www.skeema.io/)
- [Liquibase](https://www.liquibase.com/)
- [Flyway](https://flywaydb.org/)
- [Bytebase](https://www.bytebase.com/)

![star-history](/content/blog/top-open-source-mysql-migration-tools/star-history.webp)

## gh-ost

[gh-ost](https://github.com/github/gh-ost) is a triggerless online schema migration tool for MySQL. It's the
successor of trigger-based online schema migration tool [pt-online-schema-change¶](https://docs.percona.com/percona-toolkit/pt-online-schema-change.html). Its triggerless enables database schema changes with minimal downtime and impact on the database's availability and performance. It was developed by GitHub and introduced in 2016 as an open-source project.

![gh-ost](/content/blog/top-open-source-mysql-migration-tools/gh-ost.webp)

> `gh-ost` stands for GitHub’s Online Schema Transmogrifier/Transfigurator/Transformer/Thingy

Traditional online schema migration methods often involve long maintenance windows or require taking the database offline. gh-ost aims to address these limitations by providing a non-blocking and online schema change solution.

All existing online schema change tools operate similarly: they create a _ghost_ table in the likeness of your original table, migrate that table while empty, slowly and incrementally copy data from your original table to the _ghost_ table, meanwhile propagating ongoing changes (any `INSERT`, `DELETE`, `UPDATE` applied to your table) to the _ghost_ table. Finally, at the right time, they replace your original table with the _ghost_ table. `gh-ost` uses the same pattern. However it differs from all existing tools by not using triggers. Instead, it leverages MySQL binlog to capture table changes, and asynchronously applies them onto the _ghost_ table.

## Skeema

[Skeema](https://www.skeema.io/) is a schema management system for MySQL and MariaDB. It enables management of table definitions and schema changes in a declarative fashion using pure SQL.

![skeema](/content/blog/top-open-source-mysql-migration-tools/skeema.webp)

Skeema supports a pull-request-based workflow for schema change submission, review, and execution. This permits your team to manage schema changes the same way as you manage code changes.

Skeema has a companion SaaS tool, Skeema Cloud Linter, that provides automatic linting of schema change commits and pull requests.

GitHub uses both Skeema and gh-ost to [automate its MySQL schema migration process](https://github.blog/2020-02-14-automating-mysql-schema-migrations-with-github-actions-and-more/).

## Liquibase

[Liquibase](https://github.com/liquibase/liquibase) is arguably the most well-known product in this segment. It's CLI-based and written in Java.

In Liquibase, the schema migrations are organized as `Changeset` and `Changelog`. Probably due to its age and root in Java, the most commonly used form is XML (YAML and JSON support have been added later):

![_](/content/blog/_shared/liquibase-xml.webp)

Plain SQL is also supported with proper annotation:

![_](/content/blog/_shared/liquibase-sql.webp)

## Flyway

[Flyway](https://github.com/flyway/flyway) is another open source project with a long history and a large customer base. Its core product includes the CLI and a Java library.

Flyway has been acquired by Redgate, while it still retains a developer-oriented approach. This can be
felt from its website.

![_](/content/blog/_shared/flyway-migration.webp)

Liquibase and Flyway are closely matched in their offerings. The key distinction between them is their target audiences: Liquibase is oriented towards serving enterprise clients, whereas Flyway presents itself as more developer-friendly and approachable.

## Bytebase

[Bytebase](https://github.com/bytebase/bytebase) is an all-in-one database DevOps and CI/CD solution. It's like GitHub/GitLab that provides a GUI workspace for developers and DBAs to collaborate on database changes. It's written in Go and TypeScript.

![issue-detail](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/issue-detail.webp)

It also provides configurable SQL lint rules to detect SQL anti-patterns.

![sql-review](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/sql-review.webp)

For MySQL, it also provides a GUI wrapper around gh-ost for online schema migration.

![bb-issue-ghost-config](/content/blog/top-open-source-mysql-migration-tools/bb-issue-ghost-config.webp)

Apart from taking care of database change management, Bytebase also provides a SQL Editor with data
access control, dynamic data masking and audit logs to control the query path.

![sql-editor](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/sql-editor.webp)

## Summary

| Name                                                | Interface | Language        | MySQL Only          | Highlight                               |
| --------------------------------------------------- | --------- | --------------- | ------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| [gh-ost](https://github.com/github/gh-ost)          | CLI       | Go              | Y                   | Triggerless online schema migration.    |
| [Skeema](https://github.com/skeema/skeema)          | CLI       | Go              | N (MySQL + MariaDB) | Declarative pure-SQL schema management. |
| [Liquibase](https://github.com/liquibase/liquibase) | CLI       | Java            | N                   | Long-standing.                          |
| [Flyway](https://github.com/flyway/flyway)          | CLI       | Java            | N                   | Developer-friendly.                     |
| [Bytebase](https://github.com/bytebase/bytebase)    | GUI       | Go + TypeScript | N                   | All in one for team collaboration.      |

## Further Readings

- [Postgres vs. MySQL](/blog/postgres-vs-mysql)
- [Data Masking for MySQL Databases](/blog/mysql-dynamic-data-masking/)
- [Top MySQL GUI Clients](/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/)
- [How to install local MySQL on Mac, Ubuntu, CentOS, Windows](/reference/mysql/how-to/how-to-install-mysql-on-mac-ubuntu-centos-windows)
- [Postgres Migration Tools](/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools)



In today's digital age, where data is as valuable as oil, protecting this crucial asset is essential for every organization. Threats arise from external sources like hackers and malware, as well as internal ones, including human errors and malicious insiders. This article will explore leading database security tools designed to shield your data from these varied risks.

- Networking - [Tailscale](#tailscale)
- Database credential management - [Infisical](#infisical)
- On-demand database access - [Indent](#indent)
- All-in-one human-to-db operation - [Bytebase](#bytebase)

## Tailscale

[Tailscale](https://tailscale.com/) is a VPN service that makes the devices and applications you own accessible anywhere in the world, securely and effortlessly. It enables encrypted point-to-point connections using the open source WireGuard® protocol, which means only devices on your private network can communicate with each other.

![tailscale-home-img](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/tailscale-home-img.webp)

When it comes to databases, Tailscale can be used to connect to your database from any location globally, without having to expose your database to the public internet or setting up extra SSH tunnels.

![tailscale-home-slogan](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/tailscale-home-slogan.webp)

Its free tier accommodates up to 3 users and 100 devices, which is for individuals or small businesses. For additional capabilities like Access control and Audit logs, paid plans start at $6 per user per month.

![tailscale-pricing](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/tailscale-pricing.webp)

## Infisical

[Infisical](https://infisical.com/) is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted secret management platform for storing, managing, and syncing application configuration and secrets like API keys, database credentials, and environment variables across applications and infrastructure. It is an alternative to HashiCorp Vault and AWS Secrets Manager.

![infisical-one-dashboard](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/infisical-one-dashboard.webp)

You have the option to host Infisical on your premises or utilize their cloud offering.

With its help, your database credentials can be stored in a secure vault and be accessed by your application only when needed. In this way, you can avoid storing your database credentials in your application code or configuration files. Access is facilitated through CLI, SDK, Docker, Kubernetes, or REST API.

![infisical-dashboard-secrets](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/infisical-dashboard-secrets.webp)

The free tier supports up to 5 developers and 3 environments, catering to hobbyists. For features such as Access Controls and Audit Logs, paid plans start at $6 per developer per month.

![infisical-pricing](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/infisical-pricing.webp)

## Indent

[Indent](https://indent.com/) provides team members with on-demand access to cloud apps and infrastructure in seconds. They aptly describe this innovation as the **request access button** for any software or service utilized by the company.

![indent-button](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/indent-button.webp)

In the context of database access management, Indent provides you the capability to grant time-bound, granular access to systems that handle customer data. It offers three methods of integration:

- Zero Trust Network (ZTN) - e.g. Tailscale
- Identity Group - e.g. Okta
- Custom Integration

![indent-graph](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/indent-graph.webp)

Indent provides a secure-by-default free tier suitable for small teams on a trial basis. For those requiring more, the paid plans begin at $8 per user per month.

![indent-pricing](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/indent-pricing.webp)

## Bytebase

[Bytebase](/) is an open-source database DevOps tool, it's the GitLab/GitHub for managing databases throughout the application development lifecycle. It offers a web-based collaboration workspace for DBAs, Developers and platform engineers. It consolidates disparate DB tools
such as DBeaver, Liquibase, Flyway into a single place.

![replaced-tools](/content/blog/_shared/replaced-tools.webp)

It seeks to encompass all interactions between humans and databases across every database, including managing changes, querying data, handling access, and beyond. Thanks to its features such as SQL Lint, Database CI/CD, Database Access Control, Data Masking, and more, you can be confident that all your database activities are executed via standardized procedures and completely auditable.

![bb-3-op](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/bb-3-op.webp)

With Community Plan, you can have up to 10 users and up to 5 databases for free. For medium to large organizations, the Enterprise plan offers advanced options like Database Access Control, Audit Log, and additional features.

![bb-pricing-995](/content/blog/top-database-security-tools/bb-pricing-995.webp)

## Summary

In this article, we have explored four database security tools that can help you protect your database from external and internal threats. Each tool offers its unique strengths; by understanding your specific needs, you can choose the one that most aligns with your requirements.



MySQL GUI clients give you a visual way to browse tables, write queries, and manage your databases without living in the terminal. They handle connection management, syntax highlighting, auto-complete, data export, and dozens of other small tasks that add up over a day of database work. Choosing the right one depends on your budget, which databases you use beyond MySQL, and whether you work solo or on a team.

The MySQL GUI client market has shifted noticeably in the past two years. DBeaver's Community Edition has established itself as the default free option. Beekeeper Studio has emerged as a serious contender with its AI features and clean design. Meanwhile, traditional tools like Navicat are feeling pricing pressure from open-source alternatives that now match most of their features.

Below are the five MySQL GUI clients worth evaluating in 2026, followed by a comparison table and a note on when a dedicated database DevSecOps tool like [Bytebase](/) makes more sense than a single-user client.

## MySQL Workbench

![mysql-workbench](/content/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/mysql-workbench.webp)

[MySQL Workbench](https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/) is the official GUI from Oracle. It is free under the GPL license and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The current version is 8.0.46 (January 2026).

**What it does well:**

- **ER diagrams and data modeling.** Workbench is the only tool on this list with built-in visual schema design. You can forward-engineer a model into DDL or reverse-engineer an existing database into a diagram.
- **Migration wizard.** It can migrate schemas and data from SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and other databases into MySQL.
- **Performance dashboard.** A real-time server status panel shows connections, query throughput, and InnoDB buffer pool usage.

**Limitations:**

- MySQL only. If you also work with Postgres, MongoDB, or any other database, you need a second tool.
- The UI has not changed much in years. On macOS especially, it can feel slow and occasionally crashes under heavy ER diagram editing.
- No built-in AI assistance or modern auto-complete beyond basic keyword suggestions.

**Pricing:** Free.

**Best for:** Developers and DBAs who work exclusively with MySQL and want a no-cost tool with schema design capabilities. If you only use MySQL and never need to connect to Postgres, MongoDB, or any other database, Workbench is hard to argue against. It costs nothing and it does things (like visual ER modeling) that other free tools skip.

## DBeaver

![dbeaver](/content/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/dbeaver.webp)

[DBeaver](https://dbeaver.io/) started as a hobby project in 2010 and has become the most widely used open-source database client. The Community Edition (Apache 2.0 license) covers most SQL databases. The Pro and Enterprise editions add NoSQL support, cloud databases, a visual query builder, and an AI-powered SQL assistant. The latest release is version 26.0 (March 2026).

**What it does well:**

- **Database coverage.** The Community Edition connects to 80+ SQL databases through JDBC, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite, ClickHouse, and CockroachDB. The Pro edition adds MongoDB, Redis, Cassandra, BigQuery, Snowflake, and others.
- **ER diagrams.** Auto-generated from existing schemas. Useful for understanding table relationships in an unfamiliar database.
- **Plugin ecosystem.** Extensions for Git integration, data visualization, and additional drivers.

**Limitations:**

- Java-based. DBeaver uses more memory than native apps like TablePlus, and startup is slower, especially on older hardware.
- The UI is functional but dense. New users can find the toolbar and preferences overwhelming.
- NoSQL and cloud databases require a paid edition (Pro or Enterprise).

**Pricing:** Community is free. Paid editions (Pro and Enterprise) start at $250/user/year.

**Best for:** Developers who work with multiple SQL databases daily and want a single free tool that covers all of them. If your stack includes MySQL, Postgres, and maybe a data warehouse like ClickHouse or Snowflake, DBeaver Community can replace three separate clients.

## TablePlus

![tableplus](/content/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/tableplus.webp)

[TablePlus](https://tableplus.com/) launched in 2017 and quickly gained a following among macOS developers for its clean, native UI. It now runs on Windows, Linux, and iOS as well. The current version is 6.8 (February 2026).

**What it does well:**

- **Speed.** TablePlus is a native app (not Electron or Java), so it launches instantly and handles large result sets without lag.
- **Inline editing.** You can edit data directly in the result grid, and TablePlus shows a diff-style preview of all pending changes before you commit. This "code review for data" workflow prevents accidental writes.
- **Clean design.** The interface is minimal and focused. Tabs, filters, and connections are all accessible without digging through menus.

**Limitations:**

- The free tier limits you to 2 open tabs and 2 open windows. That is tight enough to push most working developers toward a paid license.
- No ER diagram or data modeling features.
- No AI-powered SQL generation (as of early 2026).

**Pricing:** Free tier with limits. A Basic license is $89 one-time (1 device, 1 year of updates). Standard is $129 (2 devices). After the update period ends, you keep the app but stop receiving new versions unless you renew.

**Best for:** Mac-first developers who value speed and simplicity and are willing to pay for a polished experience. The one-time pricing model is also attractive compared to the annual subscriptions that DBeaver Pro and Navicat charge.

## Beekeeper Studio

![beekeeper-studio](/content/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/beekeeper-studio.webp)

[Beekeeper Studio](https://www.beekeeperstudio.io/) is the newest entrant on this list and has grown steadily since its first release. The Community Edition is free (GPLv3) and the paid tiers add cloud workspaces, an AI Shell, and team features. The current version is approximately 5.6 (February 2026).

**What it does well:**

- **Modern UI.** The interface is clean and approachable. Among the tools on this list, it has the gentlest learning curve for someone who has never used a database client before.
- **Open-source core.** The Community Edition has no tab limits or connection restrictions, unlike TablePlus's free tier.
- **AI Shell (paid).** Connects your database schema to OpenAI, Copilot, or Gemini to generate SQL from natural language. You can also ask questions about your data directly.

**Limitations:**

- Built on Electron, so it uses more memory than a native app like TablePlus, though Beekeeper Studio is lighter than DBeaver.
- The Community Edition does not include the AI features or cloud workspaces.
- Fewer database drivers than DBeaver. It covers MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQL Server, CockroachDB, MariaDB, Oracle, MongoDB, Redis, and a few others, but not the 80+ that DBeaver supports.

**Pricing:** Community is free. Paid plans start at $9/user/month (billed annually) for Indie, $14/user/month for Professional, and $18/user/month for Business. All paid plans include a lifetime usage license after 12 months of payment.

**Best for:** Developers and small teams who want a free, modern client with optional AI features and a reasonable upgrade path. If you are new to database clients and find DBeaver's interface intimidating, Beekeeper Studio is a less overwhelming starting point.

## Navicat

![navicat](/content/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/navicat.webp)

[Navicat](https://navicat.com/) has been around since 2002 and positions itself as a premium database management tool. The "Navicat for MySQL" edition supports MySQL and MariaDB. The separate "Navicat Premium" edition covers 15+ databases. The current version is Navicat 17.

**What it does well:**

- **Data synchronization.** Navicat can compare and sync data or schema structures between two MySQL databases, which is useful for staging-to-production workflows.
- **Automation.** You can schedule queries, backups, and data transfers to run on a recurring basis without external cron jobs.
- **Navicat Cloud.** A cloud service for sharing connections, queries, and models with teammates.

**Limitations:**

- Expensive. Navicat for MySQL starts at $14.99/month or $149.99/year for the Standard edition, with the Enterprise edition at $22.99/month or $229.99/year. There is no free tier, only a 14-day trial.
- The UI has improved over the years but still feels heavier than TablePlus or Beekeeper Studio.
- For the price, many developers find that DBeaver Pro or DataGrip offers comparable features at a lower cost.

**Pricing:** Standard starts at $149.99/year. Enterprise at $229.99/year. A non-commercial license is $99.99/year (requires eligibility). 14-day free trial.

**Best for:** Enterprise teams with budget for a premium tool who need built-in data sync, scheduling, and cloud collaboration. Individual developers and small startups will find better value in DBeaver or TablePlus.

## Comparison table

| Feature | MySQL Workbench | DBeaver Community | TablePlus | Beekeeper Studio | Navicat |
|---------|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|
| **Price** | Free | Free | $89+ one-time | Free / $9+/mo | $149.99+/yr |
| **MySQL support** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Multi-database** | No | 80+ SQL databases | ~15 databases | ~15 databases | 15+ (Premium) |
| **ER diagrams** | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| **Data modeling** | Yes | Pro only | No | No | Yes |
| **AI SQL assistant** | No | Pro only | No | Paid tiers | No |
| **Inline data editing** | Limited | Yes | Yes (with diff) | Yes | Yes |
| **Data sync** | No | Pro only | No | No | Yes |
| **Platforms** | Win, Mac, Linux | Win, Mac, Linux | Win, Mac, Linux, iOS | Win, Mac, Linux | Win, Mac, Linux |
| **Open source** | Yes (GPL) | Yes (Apache 2.0) | No | Yes (GPLv3) | No |

## Notable mentions

**phpMyAdmin** is still the default MySQL tool in most shared hosting environments. If you manage MySQL through cPanel or Plesk, you probably already have it. It is web-based, free, and has been around since 1998. For local development, one of the five desktop clients above is a better fit.

**DataGrip** from JetBrains ($229/year) is a strong choice if you already use IntelliJ or other JetBrains IDEs. It has excellent code intelligence and refactoring support, but it is not free. See our [Bytebase vs. DataGrip comparison](/blog/bytebase-vs-datagrip/) for a detailed breakdown.

**HeidiSQL** is a lightweight, Windows-only client that has been quietly reliable for years. If you are on Windows and want something fast and free, it is worth a look.

**Sequel Ace** is a free, open-source MySQL client for macOS. It is the community-maintained successor to the discontinued Sequel Pro. If you only use MySQL on a Mac and prefer a native, no-frills client, Sequel Ace is a solid option.

## When a GUI client is not enough

Every tool above is designed for individual use: one person writing queries against one or more databases. That works until your team grows and you need to answer questions like:

- Who changed the schema on the production database last Tuesday?
- Can we review this ALTER TABLE before it runs in production?
- How do we restrict which developers can run DELETE statements on customer data?

These are team-level concerns, and they are where a dedicated database DevSecOps platform like [Bytebase](/) fits in. Bytebase provides a [SQL Editor](/sql-editor/) for day-to-day queries, but it also adds change review workflows, [schema migration management](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/), role-based access control, [data masking](/blog/mysql-dynamic-data-masking/), and audit logging. If your organization needs [more than what a single-user client offers](/blog/stop-using-navicat/), Bytebase is built for that.

![Bytebase SQL Editor interface](/content/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/bytebase-sql-editor.webp)

## Further readings

- [Top 7 Free, Open Source SQL Clients](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/)
- [Top MySQL Schema Compare Tools](/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/)
- [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/)
- [Bytebase vs. DBeaver](/blog/bytebase-vs-dbeaver/)
- [How to Fix Slow MySQL Queries](/blog/how-to-fix-slow-mysql-queries/)
- [MySQL Schema Migration Best Practice](/blog/mysql-schema-migration-best-practice/)



<HintBlock type="info">

This post is maintained by Bytebase, an open-source database Management Software. We update the post once per year.

</HintBlock>

| Update History | Comment          |
| -------------- | ---------------- |
| 2024/01/16     | Initial version. |
| 2025/03/16     | Update for 2025. |
| 2026/01/20     | Update for 2026. |

PostgreSQL is the DBMS of the Year 2023 and the runner-up in 2024. On the other hand,
database schema migration in Postgres is still PITA. In this post, we are reviewing several open source
database schema migration tools for Postgres.

[![starhistory](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/star-history.webp)](https://star-history.com/#bytebase/bytebase&xataio/pgroll&liquibase/liquibase&flyway/flyway&graphile/migrate&fabianlindfors/reshape&Date)

## Bytebase

[Bytebase](https://github.com/bytebase/bytebase) is an all-in-one database DevOps and CI/CD solution. It's like GitHub/GitLab that provides
a GUI workspace for developers and DBAs to collaborate on database changes. It's written in Go and TypeScript.

![issue-detail](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/issue-detail.webp)

It also provides configurable SQL lint rules to detect SQL anti-patterns such as `NOT NULL` enforcement.

![sql-review](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/sql-review.webp)

Apart from taking care of database change management, Bytebase also provides a SQL Editor with data
access control, dynamic data masking and audit logs to control the query path.

![sql-editor](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/sql-editor.webp)

## Liquibase

[Liquibase](https://github.com/liquibase/liquibase) is arguably the most well-known product in this segment. It's CLI-based and written in Java.

In Liquibase, the schema migrations are organized as `Changeset` and `Changelog`. Probably due to its age and root in Java, the most commonly used form is XML (YAML and JSON support have been added later):

![_](/content/blog/_shared/liquibase-xml.webp)

Plain SQL is also supported with proper annotation:

![_](/content/blog/_shared/liquibase-sql.webp)

## Flyway

[Flyway](https://github.com/flyway/flyway) is another open source project with a long history and a large customer base. Its core product includes the CLI and a Java library.

Flyway has been acquired by Redgate, while it still retains a developer-oriented approach. This can be
felt from its website.

![_](/content/blog/_shared/flyway-migration.webp)

Liquibase and Flyway are closely matched in their offerings. The key distinction between them is their target audiences: Liquibase is oriented towards serving enterprise clients, whereas Flyway presents itself as more developer-friendly and approachable.

## Reshape

[Reshape](https://github.com/fabianlindfors/reshape) takes a novel approach to achieve zero-downtime
schema migrations. It's CLI based and written in Rust. Reshape schema migration consists of 3 phases:

1. **Start migration** (`reshape migration start`): Sets up views and triggers to ensure both the new and old schema are usable at the same time.

1. **Roll out application**: Your application can be gradually rolled out without downtime. The existing deployment will continue using the old schema whilst the new deployment uses the new schema.

1. **Complete migration** (`reshape migration complete`): Removes the old schema and any intermediate data and triggers.

The author is now working on [ReshapeDB](https://reshapedb.com/), a new database built from the ground up to make zero-downtime schema and data migrations as simple and safe as possible.

![_](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/reshape.webp)

FWIW, [pgroll](https://github.com/xataio/pgroll) is another Postgres schema
migration tool inspired by Reshape. pgroll is CLI based and written in Go. It's built by [Xata](https://xata.io/), the serverless database platform built on the top of PostgreSQL.

![_](/content/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/pgroll-migration-flow.webp)

## graphile-migrate

[graphile-migrate](https://github.com/graphile/migrate) is an [opinionated](https://github.com/graphile/migrate?tab=readme-ov-file#opinions) SQL-powered productive roll-forward migration tool for PostgreSQL.

graphile-migrate is also CLI-based, written in TypeScript. It can also work with [PostGraphile](https://www.graphile.org/postgraphile/) to generate GraphQL schemas upon database changes.

Another novel idea graphile-migrate introduces is the `commit`, `uncommit` commands. It enables a
git-like workflow when developing against the local database.

- `graphile-migrate commit` commits the current migration into the `committed/` folder, resetting the
  current migration. Resets the shadow database.

- `graphile-migrate uncommit` Moves the latest commit out of the committed migrations folder and back to the current migration
  (assuming the current migration is empty-ish). Removes the migration tracking entry from **ONLY** the local database.

## pgschema

[pgschema](https://github.com/pgplex/pgschema) is a new CLI-based tool, written in Go. It features a terraform-like declarative schema migration workflow:

- **Dump** a Postgres schema in a developer-friendly format with support for all common objects
- **Edit** a schema to the desired state
- **Plan** a schema migration by comparing desired state with current database state
- **Apply** a schema migration with concurrent change detection, transaction-adaptive execution, and lock timeout control

[![asciicast](https://asciinema.org/a/vXHygDMUkGYsF6nmz2h0ONEQC.svg)](https://asciinema.org/a/vXHygDMUkGYsF6nmz2h0ONEQC)

## Summary

| Name                                                    | Interface | Language        | Postgres Only | Highlight                                                          |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | --------- | --------------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| [Bytebase](https://github.com/bytebase/bytebase)        | GUI       | Go + TypeScript | N             | All in one for team collaboration.                                 |
| [Liquibase](https://github.com/liquibase/liquibase)     | CLI       | Java            | N             | Long-standing.                                                     |
| [Flyway](https://github.com/flyway/flyway)              | CLI       | Java            | N             | Developer-friendly.                                                |
| [Reshape](https://github.com/fabianlindfors/reshape)    | CLI       | Rust            | Y             | Zero-downtime based on view.                                       |
| [pgroll](https://github.com/xataio/pgroll)              | CLI       | Go              | Y             | Inspired by Reshape and more accessible via its database platform. |
| [graphile-migrate](https://github.com/graphile/migrate) | CLI       | TypeScript      | Y             | Opinionated with git-like workflow.                                |
| [pgschema](https://github.com/pgplex/pgschema)          | CLI       | Go              | Y             | Terraform-like declarative schema migration workflow               |

## Further Readings

- [Top Postgres Extensions](/blog/top-postgres-extension/)
- [Top Postgres GUI Clients](/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/)
- [Postgres vs. MySQL](/blog/postgres-vs-mysql)
- [Postgres vs. MongoDB](/blog/postgres-vs-mongodb)
- [MySQL Migration Tools](/blog/top-open-source-mysql-migration-tools)



It's the beginning of the year and companies are planning their HCs for the new year. With the advent of advanced database platforms and tooling, the industry is trending towards decreasing or even eliminating DBAs (Database Administrators). We have been working with companies of all sizes in the past and below share our thoughts.

To clarify, the DBA role we are talking about is the role dedicated to database operational tasks. The person may hold different titles, including Database Administrator (DBA), Database Reliability Engineer (DRE), SRE, Platform Engineer, DevOps Engineer, etc.

## < 30 - No need to have a dedicated DBA

When the company's engineering HC is below 30, there is no need for a DBA. Usually, the backend engineers, DevOps / Platform engineers, or TLs in the team take up part-time responsibilities at this stage.

At this stage, it is recommended to choose a cloud database hosting service, because it comes with out-of-the-box tooling such as monitoring and backup. As for daily changes to the database, you can introduce tools or not. If you don't introduce it, the TL can cope with it through design review, code review, etc.

## 30 to 50 - First DBA and tooling

The database-related tasks have increased and part-time can not sustain. At the same time, because the business is beginning to take off, it is necessary to pave the way for longer-term data quality and governance. Therefore, at this stage, the company needs to consider introducing a dedicated DBA to take charge of database-related matters.

With the introduction of the first DBA, the introduction of relevant database tools should also be considered. As for the exact timing, one is to look at the proportion of the database-related workload, 50% is the watermark. Another is to see whether more than 50% of the high-priority work items of the entire engineering org are database-related. Of course, another indicator is the number of database-triggered outages. If there have been incidents in two consecutive months, then the introduction of a DBA is imminent.

Usually at this stage, the company still has difficulty attracting a good DBA, and that's OK. The first DBA does not need to build a system, just establishes a process. The process is divided into two parts, one is to formalize the database's operational and maintenance tasks, such as monitoring, periodic fleet inspection, and backup. The other part is to standardize the process of database access and change management. Both things need to leverage tools. The former usually leverages the cloud platform with the proper configuration; the latter requires 3rd party tools such as [Bytebase](https://docs.bytebase.com/introduction/what-is-bytebase/) to standardize the process (e.g. Require manual review before changing the database in prod).

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)

At this stage, it is also necessary for the engineering lead to be supportive. Because the introduction of DBA and process will limit the developers' freedom. Because DBA and Developers have different incentives, and DBA is new to the team. We need the engineering lead to mediate between the two sides to avoid conflict. In the end, at this stage, the business is still the absolute priority, so if the developers do not buy in, they can find excuses to bypass the policies that DBA establishes.

![_](/content/blog/how-many-dbas-should-a-company-hire/freedom-control.webp)

Meanwhile, the engineering lead should also focus on mentoring the DBA, so that she can grow with the company into the next stage.

## 100 - Second DBA

Typically, when the engineering team size reaches 100, it is necessary to bring in a second DBA to form a backup. If the first DBA grows up, then the second DBA can be a junior. However, if the first DBA does not keep up with the company's growth, then it is necessary to introduce a relatively senior DBA.

At this stage, DBA must examine the current database stacks and standardize on very limited choices (e.g. Pick either MySQL or PG, not both). The key are two things, choosing the right database and the right tool. This is also why we need a seasoned DBA. After this stage, it will be a huge endeavor to switch databases and tooling, so it's more cost-effective to find an experienced DBA now.

## 200 - Team DBA

We see cases of public companies maintaining a two-DBA setup for a long time. However, the number of DBAs is correlated with database risk. **The empirical rule is the DBA:Developer ratio should not be less than 1:200**. The DBA cost can be justified if she can prevent one outage per year, which is quite easy to achieve.

At this stage, it's also quite often that the DBA team needs to extend the standard 3rd-party tools to meet the custom in-house requirements. This can go as far as GitHub, where they build the [entire toolchain to automate the database schema migrations](https://github.blog/2020-02-14-automating-mysql-schema-migrations-with-github-actions-and-more/).

## Wrapup

| Engineering Org Size | DBA Size                               | Core Responsibilities |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| Below 30             | 0                                      | Run                   |
| 30 to 50             | 1                                      | Establish process     |
| 50 to 200            | 2 ~ 3                                  | Governance            |
| Above 200            | DBA:Developer ratio no less than 1:200 | Customization         |

## Do we need DBA at all

> A skilled warrior has no illustrious achievements - The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Cloud, Serverless, and Autonomous DBs, all suggest a path to a future without DBAs. However, dealing with database operations is still a specialized skill and also bears high risk. Even for companies not having the luxury to hire a DBA, a database person should always be put in place. This is quite similar to the security team.

The stakes are so high that one can't blindly trust an index optimization suggestion and must take a second eye. It's better to let the database platform and tools be the copilots and still put the dedicated DBA in the driver seat.

Meanwhile, companies can also consider hiring 3rd-party DBA consultants such as [Vettabase](https://vettabase.com/). For small companies, they provide database health checks and monthly DBA time. For larger companies, they can also provide expertise with technologies that DBAs are not familiar with, such as certain load balancers, query optimization, or Ansible/Terraform automation.



![state-of-devops-2023](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/state-of-devops-2023.webp)

## Background

A few days ago, [DORA](https://dora.community/) (DevOps Research and Assessments), a program run by Google Cloud, [released](https://cloud.google.com/devops/state-of-devops) its annual State of DevOps 2023 report. Starting from 2014, DORA releases one report every year. Due to the pandemic, they skipped one in 2020, so this year's report adds to a total of nine reports.

Initially an independent research institution, DORA joined Google Cloud at the end of 2018. Overall, DORA's reports are considered the authoritive in the entire DevOps industry; this should also be why it got the nod from Google initially. Even after joining Google, its reports still maintain neutrality for the most part. From initially focusing on software release metrics to now extending to organizational culture and business performance, DORA's readers have expanded from managers, directors to CTOs, VPs in leadership roles. This is particularly prominent in this year's report and aligns with Google Cloud shifting its focus to enterprise sales.

Bytebase is a database CI/CD tool for DBAs and DevOps teams. As part of the DevOps ecosystems, the
Bytebase team is eager to learn the new development in this year's DORA report.

## The Sponsors

![form](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/form.webp)

To get the report this year, you need to fill out your contact info. In the fifth year after acquiring DORA, Google Cloud has finally accelerated the monetization of DORA. Besides, there have been significant changes in this year's sponsors compared to last year.

![sponsors](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/sponsors.webp)

### Familiar faces from last year

1. [Broadcom Software](https://software.broadcom.com/). Broadcom is a relatively old-school software vendor, and its product line related to DevOps mostly comes from [the acquisition of CA in 2018](https://investors.broadcom.com/news-releases/news-release-details/broadcom-acquire-ca-technologies-189-billion-cash).
2. [Deloitte](https://www.deloitte.com/). IT consulting, a frequent sponsor of the DORA reports.

### New faces this year

1. [LinearB](https://linearb.io/) focuses on the optimization of development processes.

![linearb](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/linearb.webp)

2. [Digital.ai](https://digital.ai/) is doing something similar to LinearB, but utilizes AI for promotion.

![digital-ai](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/digital-ai.webp)

3. [Opsera](https://www.opsera.io/)'s offering is similar to the previous two companies.

![opsera](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/opsera.webp)

4. [Sleuth](https://www.sleuth.io/) does somewhat similar things, but focuses more on DORA.

![sleuth](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/sleuth.webp)

> Sidenote: 10 points to Swarmia, knowing that the new DORA report has been released and people will search for sponsors, and looks like they have placed corresponding keywords.

![google-ads](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/google-ads.webp)

![swarmia](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/swarmia.webp)

5. [Qarik](https://qarik.com/) helps users migrate to cloud-native architecture.

![qarik](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/qarik.webp)

From the sponsor list, the majority of vendors are engaged in optimizing R&D processes, which aligns with the target audience of the DORA report. It will be a bloody battle to be the [Celonis](https://www.celonis.com/)
for software development.

Now let's get to the point and dive deep into the DORA report itself.

## Target Audience

The sample size has increased by 3.6 times compared to last year, making it second only to [Stack Overflow Developer Survey](https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey) in terms of scale within the industry. The coverage of respondents is also more comprehensive.

![sample](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/sample.webp)

In terms of regional distribution, it also reflects the relative size of the software industry in various countries.

![region](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/region.webp)

## Methodology

![methodology](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/methodology.webp)

DORA's recent reports have two main themes:

- Organizational: organizational performance, team performance, employee well-being.
- Operational: software delivery performance, operational performance

## Software Delivery Metrics

The four metrics to measure the speed and stability of software delivery remain largely unchanged:

- Deployment frequency
- Change lead time
- Change failure rate
- Failed deployment recovery time

Among them, the last term was adjusted. The previous report used a more general term "time-to-restore". However, it was too generic to differentiate between failures caused by releases and those caused by natural disasters. The new term more precisely defines within the realm of software delivery.

![recovery-time](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/recovery-time.webp)

## Grading - Return of the Elite Level

Due to the lack of distinction between Elite and High levels, the original four levels became three levels in last year's report.

![grading-2022](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/grading-2022.webp)

This year, Elite returns because of a significant increase in sample size, and the distinction has reemerged.

![grading-2023](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/grading-2023.webp)

## Clustering

![tuckman](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/tuckman.webp)

Last year's report adopted a stage-based classification similar to [Tuckman's stages of group development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuckman%27s_stages_of_group_development) (Forming > Storming > Norming > Performing > Adjourning), and was formed into Staring > Flowing > Slowing > Retiring.

![classification](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/classification.webp)

This year, a new trait-based classification was adopted:

- User-centric
- Feature-driven
- Developing
- Balanced

![trait-based](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/trait-based.webp)

Performance of various indicators under different types.

![trait-based-performance-1](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/trait-based-performance-1.webp)

![trait-based-performance-2](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/trait-based-performance-2.webp)

It seems that this year's classification is a bit blurry. Taking Bytebase itself as an example, according to last year's stage classification, Bytebase clearly falls between "starting" and "flowing". However, Bytebase somehow fits into all four classes this year. In terms of trait classification, it may needs to be further subdivided like [MBTI personality analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers%E2%80%93Briggs_Type_Indicator).

## Key Findings

![key-findings](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/key-findings.webp)

- Establish a healthy culture
- Build with users in mind
- Unlock software delivery performance with faster code reviews
- Amplify technical capabilities with quality documentation
- Increase Infrastructure flexibility with cloud
- Balance delivery speed, operational performance, and user focus
- Distribute work fairly

### Culture and User-centrism

Westrum's Organizational Culture and user-centrism are also part of organizational culture, so we discuss them together.

![culture-1](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/culture-1.webp)
![culture-2](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/culture-2.webp)
![culture-3](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/culture-3.webp)

> Westrum's Organizational Culture originates from Westrum's views in his 2004 paper [A typology of organisational cultures](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1765804/pdf/v013p0ii22.pdf). A highly trusting and information-sharing organizational culture can lead to outstanding business performance.

Among all the evaluated indicators, Westrum's Organizational Culture and user-centrism are the most effective in bringing positive effects. For Westrum's Organizational Culture, you can read more about it in his paper; while for the latter, further data is provided in the DORA report.

You can see that putting the user at the center can bring significant improvements to every indicator, no wonder why companies are vigorously promoting it.

### Technical factors that affect performance

![tech-factor-1](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/tech-factor-1.webp)
![tech-factor-2](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/tech-factor-2.webp)

Loosely coupled architecture -> smaller changes -> improvement of DORA's four core metrics.

![divide](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/divide.webp)
![loosely-coupled-teams](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/loosely-coupled-teams.webp)

## Revalidating the Relationship between Reliability and Performance

![data-2022](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/data-2022.webp)

The data from the 2022 report shows that organizations need to invest a long period of time in reliability engineering before seeing results. This conclusion can be somewhat discouraging as it is easy to give up without early wins.

However, through refined questionnaires in 2023, an inspiring conclusion was drawn: the relationship between stability and performance follows a J-curve, where there are effective results in the early investment stage, followed by a period of bottleneck, and ultimately leading to substantial returns.

## AI Boost: Not much

![ai-contribution](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/ai-contribution.webp)
![ai-contribution-perf](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/ai-contribution-perf.webp)

The 2023 report naturally cannot leave out AI. The conclusion is somewhat discouraging, as it ranks last with a significant gap, among all technological factors. This actually aligns with my personal expectations because currently, the only widely adopted scenario for AI is assisting in coding. While the coding speed is
insignificant compared with other software development activities such as collecting user feedback,
making decision, team collaboration, project management and etc.

![ai-capabilities](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/ai-capabilities.webp)

## Conclusion

### Yet another benchmark

Apart from the content, DORA has once again shown us how to produce a professional industry report. The methodology, interviewees, and analysis methods are clearly explained in the report.

![variable](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/variable.webp)

Data that goes against intuition aren't forcefully conformed to, but instead, questions are raised.

![ci](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/ci.webp)

Listen to various voices, which makes the report more comprehensive and inclusive.

![sample-set](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/sample-set.webp)

And - a few nits from my POV.

### Skimmed Platform Engineering

![pe](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/pe.webp)

The recently emerging Platform Engineering was mentioned for the first time in this year's report. The theme of DORA is Software Delivery and DevOps, and from industry trends, this work corresponds to the Platform Engineering team. The users of Platform Engineering are internal developers, so this part appears in User-centric on page 19. However, as a report studying engineering organizations, DORA ought to elaborate more on Platform Engineering since it is a new organizational shift from the longstanding SRE.

### The Cloud cliché

![cloud-cliche](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/cloud-cliche.webp)

The report lists various advantages of Cloud, but it does not touch upon the recent industry discussions on [Cloud cost](https://world.hey.com/dhh/the-price-of-managed-cloud-services-4f33d67e).

### DORA in transition

![dora](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/dora.webp)

Among the authoritative industry annual reports, Stack Overflow Developer Survey focuses on the specific tools and technologies used in work. Gartner targets management and focuses on industry trends. DORA is positioned between the two. And from the trend of these years' reports, DORA is gradually moving towards management.

![2022-sponsor](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/2022-sponsor.webp)

For example, looking at the sponsor list, in previous years there were more tool vendors specializing in different stages of the development workflow, such as JetBrains IDE, JFrog artifact repositories, GitLab for code hosting, Octopus for application deployment, and Liquibase for database changes. This year's sponsors are all focused on development process efficiency optimization.

Furthermore, this year's report somewhat downplays the four core metrics of software delivery that DORA has always endorsed and instead focuses more on describing the grand traits like culture, user-centrism behind these metrics.

## Final Thoughts

![measurement-goal](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/measurement-goal.webp)

Measurement is not the goal, just like releasing software is not the goal. While it is reassuring if data can confirm assumptions, what is more valuable is revealing incorrect hypothesis.

![final-thought](/content/blog/dora-state-of-devops-2023/final-thought.webp)

At the dawn of AI, the eve of VR, an organization with the ability to continuously improve is the greatest certainty in facing uncertainties.

---

Thanks for reading so far and I'm sure you have a pursuit for software delivery excellence. Take a look at [Bytebase](/), the industry-leading open source database CI/CD tool to deliver database changes faster and safer.



[DataGrip](https://www.jetbrains.com/datagrip/) is an IDE (integrated development environment) for databases. It's developed by JetBrains (the same company behind popular IDEs IntelliJ and PyCharm) and designed to provide a unified interface for working with different relational databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and SQL Server, and others.

DataGrip is part of the JetBrains ecosystem, offering integration with other JetBrains tools and frameworks so that users have a consistent experience with other JetBrains IDEs. So it's perfect if you prefer an IDE with database management features.

![](/content/blog/top-datagrip-alternative/datagrip.webp)

If you are not familiar with the JetBrains ecosystem or prefer a dedicated database GUI for database management and administration tasks, this post highlights FIVE alternatives to DataGrip.

## DBeaver

[DBeaver](https://dbeaver.com/) is a universal database tool that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It offers both open-source (free) and commercial products (subscription-based). The open-source version provides basic support for relational databases such as MySQL, SQL Server, Postgres, etc.; while the commercial one offers further support for NoSQL and cloud databases.

![](/content/blog/top-datagrip-alternative/dbeaver.webp)

## Navicat

[Navicat](https://navicat.com/) is another long-established database GUI tool, which supports a long list of databases. It is a great single-user SQL client that works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, it has a [serious limitation](/blog/stop-using-navicat/) in multi-user scenarios where team collaboration and centralized control are needed. Navicat is not open-source, nor does it offer a free version, it operates on a subscription-based model with a 14-day trial.

![](/content/blog/top-datagrip-alternative/navicat.webp)

## TablePlus

[TablePlus](https://tableplus.com/) is a modern and lightweight intuitive database management tool fit for macOS, Windows, Linux, and even iOS. It offers a simple and streamlined interface for managing various relational and a few NoSQL databases.

![](/content/blog/top-datagrip-alternative/tableplus.webp)

TablePlus offers two plans: a free tier with no trial time (but with limited features) and a paid subscription plan that provides extended features.

TablePlus is not open-source, but the team's other product is - DBngin, which can [spin up a local Postgres, MySQL or Redis](/blog/free-tools-to-start-local-database-on-mac/) on your Mac, it can then be connected to TablePlus as a UI for your databases.

## Beekeeper Studio

[Beekeeper Studio](https://www.beekeeperstudio.io/) is a modern and lightweight database manager and SQL GUI client that supports Postgres, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, CockroachDB, and a few others. And it runs on Windows, macOS (both M1 and Intel), and Linux.

![](/content/blog/top-datagrip-alternative/beekeeper.webp)

It offers two editions: the open-source community version, which is free to use; and the full version with all the features that operates on a subscription-based model.

Beekeeper was designed with easy-to-use and minimalistic in mind, at the expense of some more complex functionalities, but it obviously has all the basics of a database GUI down: connect to databases, view data and structure, run SQL queries, export data, etc.

## Bytebase

Of course, if you have multiple different databases at your organization and are looking for a universal tool that can handle them all while covering database change, query, security, and governance all in one, please check out [Bytebase](/). Aside from the visual [SQL Editor](https://docs.bytebase.com/sql-editor/overview/) integrated with [access control](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/database-permission/overview/) and [data masking](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/data-masking/overview/), it also provides a customizable [change workflow](https://docs.bytebase.com/change-database/change-workflow/) to fit your data/database change requirements.

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)

## Summary

DataGrip is a powerful SQL tool, but whether it is the right option for you depends on your tasks. It is a great compliment to IntelliJ as a database IDE. However, as a database admin tool, DataGrip is not a comprehensive alternative to the other professional database GUIs.

Below is a summary for the aforementioned tools:

|                  | Open Source | Free version | Paid version | Audience                                                | Strength                                                         |
| ---------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |
| DataGrip         | ❌          | ❌           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Intuitive UX and integraiton with other JetBrains IDEs           |     |
| DBeaver          | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| Navicat          | ❌          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| TablePlus        | ❌          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Native and intuitive interface                                   |
| Beekeeper Studio | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Mordern and sleek interface                                      |
| Bytebase         | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Entire engineering org for developer, DBA and data team | Centralized access control, data masking, change review workflow |

## Further Readings

- [Top Free, Open Source SQL Clients to Make Database Management Easier](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/)
- [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/)



<HintBlock type="info">

This post is maintained by Bytebase, an open-source database DevSecOps tool that can manage MySQL. We update the post gradually.

</HintBlock>

| Update History | Comment          |
| -------------- | ---------------- |
| 2023/09/05     | Initial version. |
| 2025/05/23     | 2025 Update.     |

**MySQL** is widely-recognized as the world's most popular open source database and powers many of the most accessed applications, including Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Uber, Airbnb, Shopify, and Booking.com. While you can use MySQL just fine without a GUI, having one can take your experience working with MySQL to the next level.

If you work exclusively with MySQL databases, [MySQL Workbench](https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/) is an excellent choice, as it's specifically designed to work with MySQL and provides a comprehensive set of tools and functionalities for managing and interacting with MySQL databases.

![](/content/blog/top-mysql-workbench-alternative/mysql-workbench.webp)

It is available on Windows, Linux and MacOS. It is also worth noting that MySQL Workbench is offered in three different editions with [different features supported](https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/features.html):

- Community Edition - Open Source (GPL License)
- Standard Edition - Commercial
- Enterprise Edition - Commercial

But - if MySQL is not the only database you work with, you need to look elsewhere. This article highlights five database GUI alternatives for MySQL Workbench.

## phpMyAdmin

[phpMyAdmin](https://www.phpmyadmin.net/) remains one of the most popular alternatives to MySQL Workbench. It is a web-based interface to MySQL and MariaDB written in PHP that was first released back in 1998. It's open-source and free to use. For over 25 years, phpMyAdmin continues to be one of the most popular administration tools for MySQL databases, with a large community of users and contributors.

![](/content/blog/top-mysql-workbench-alternative/phpmyadmin.webp)

The latest version, phpMyAdmin 5.2.2 (released January 21, 2025), includes several important security fixes, including patches for XSS vulnerabilities (PMASA-2025-1 and PMASA-2025-2) and security issues with library code. Performance improvements include speed enhancements when exporting databases and improved collations support for MariaDB 10.10. User experience has been enhanced with fixes to the theme manager and the addition of cookie prefixes to help prevent cookie smuggling.

## DBeaver

[DBeaver](https://dbeaver.com/) is a universal database tool that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It offers both open-source (free) and commercial products (subscription-based). The open-source version provides basic support for relational databases such as MySQL, SQL Server, Postgres, etc.; while the commercial one offers further support for NoSQL and cloud databases.

![](/content/blog/top-mysql-workbench-alternative/dbeaver.webp)

With the latest version DBeaver 25.0.5 (released May 18, 2025) introducing several powerful features. The new DBeaver Proxy Driver allows third-party applications to connect to databases configured in CloudBeaver or Team Edition Web, making it particularly useful for users of BI tools like Tableau and JasperReports. The enhanced Files functionality now enables users to open and work with XLSX, CSV, Parquet, JSON, or XML files directly within the application.

Security has been strengthened with support for AWS Secrets Manager and HashiCorp Vault, while database compatibility has expanded to include Apache Cloudberry and Databend. Perhaps most notably, DBeaver now features AI Assistant integration with support for popular AI models including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, DeepSeek, and Ollama, providing contextual guidance and assistance with SQL queries.

## Navicat

[Navicat](https://navicat.com/) is another long-established database GUI tool, which supports a long list of databases. It is a great single-user SQL client that works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, it has a [serious limitation](/blog/stop-using-navicat/) in multi-user scenarios where team collaboration and centralized control are needed. Navicat is not open-source, nor does it offer a free version, it operates on a subscription-based model with a 14-day trial.

![](/content/blog/top-mysql-workbench-alternative/navicat.webp)

The latest version, Navicat 17.2 (released March 2025), introduces the new AI Assistant that provides instant, contextual guidance and answers directly within Navicat, enabling users to ask questions and receive immediate assistance. Navicat has also added integrated Snowflake support, enhancing the management of cloud-based data warehousing platforms.

## TablePlus

[TablePlus](https://tableplus.com/) is a modern and lightweight intuitive database management tool fit for macOS, Windows, Linux, and even iOS. It offers a simple and streamlined interface for managing various relational and a few NoSQL databases.

![](/content/blog/top-mysql-workbench-alternative/tableplus.webp)

Currently, TablePlus offers two plans: a free tier with no trial time (but with limited features) and a paid subscription plan that provides extended features.

TablePlus is not open-source, but the team's other product is - DBngin, which can [spin up a local Postgres, MySQL or Redis](/blog/free-tools-to-start-local-database-on-mac/) on your Mac, it can then be connected to TablePlus as a UI for your databases.

## DataGrip

[DataGrip](https://www.jetbrains.com/datagrip/) is a database IDE by JetBrains for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It provides complete support for the most popular databases like Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, etc., and basic support with limited features for database vendors including DuckDB, Elasticsearch, SingleStore, etc. It is not open-source and operates on a commercial licensing model (but offers a 30-day trial period).

![](/content/blog/top-mysql-workbench-alternative/datagrip.webp)

The latest version, DataGrip 2025.1.2 (released May 7, 2025), introduces several MySQL-specific enhancements. The new introspection by levels feature for MySQL and MariaDB improves database navigation and management. Schema context is now automatically added to AI-based error explanations, making troubleshooting more efficient.

JetBrains AI features are accessible with a new subscription model that includes AI Pro and AI Ultimate options, as well as a free tier.

DataGrip is part of the JetBrains ecosystem, offering integration with other JetBrains tools and frameworks and users have a consistent experience with other JetBrains IDEs. So it's perfect if you prefer a dedicated IDE with comprehensive database management features.

## Bytebase

If you have multiple different databases at your organization and are looking for a universal tool that can handle them all while covering database change, query, security, and governance all in one, please check out [Bytebase](/). Aside from the visual [SQL Editor](https://docs.bytebase.com/sql-editor/overview/) integrated with [access control](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/database-permission/overview/) and [data masking](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/data-masking/overview/), it also provides a customizable [change workflow](https://docs.bytebase.com/change-database/change-workflow/) to fit your data/database change requirements.

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)

## Summary

There are many tools out there, but at the end of the day, they are all different (albeit slightly) and have different focuses on the problem they are trying to solve. The choice of which one to go for eventually comes down to you and your organization. Below is a summary for the aforementioned tools:

|                 | Open Source | Free version | Paid version | Audience                                                | Strength                                                         | AI Features | Cloud DB Support |
| --------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | ---------------- |
| MySQL Workbench | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual and teams                                    | Built for MySQL                                                  | ❌          | Limited          |
| phpMyAdmin      | ✅          | ✅           | ❌           | Individual                                              | Built for MySQL                                                  | ❌          | Limited          |
| DBeaver         | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           | ✅          | Extensive        |
| Navicat         | ❌          | ❌           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           | ✅          | Extensive        |
| TablePlus       | ❌          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Native and intuitive interface                                   | ❌          | Moderate         |
| DataGrip        | ❌          | ❌           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Intuitive UX and integration with other JetBrains IDEs           | ✅          | Extensive        |
| Bytebase        | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Entire engineering org for developer, DBA and data team | Centralized access control, data masking, change review workflow | ✅          | Extensive        |

## Further Readings

- [Top Free, Open Source SQL Clients to Make Database Management Easier](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/)
- [Top MySQL GUI Clients](/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/#the-old-school-phpmyadmin)
- [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/)
- [Top MySQL Schema Compare Tool to Diff and Sync Database](/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/)
- [How to install MySQL Client on Mac, Ubuntu, CentOS, Windows](/reference/mysql/how-to/how-to-install-mysql-client-on-mac-ubuntu-centos-windows/) (in case you don't feel like using any GUI at all)



Postgres is one of the most advanced open-source relational databases on the market. While you can leverage Postgres' powerful capabilities without a GUI, having one is gonna take your experience working with Postgres to the next level.

If you happen to work only with Postgres, [pgAdmin](https://www.pgadmin.org/) is your go-to. It is free and open-source (just like Postgres itself). As pgAdmin is a web app, it can only interact with the local filesystem in ways that are allowed by modern web browsers, but this does mean that it works on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/pgadmin.webp)

But - if Postgres is not the only database you work with, you need to look elsewhere. This article highlights six database GUI alternatives for pgAdmin.

## DBeaver

[DBeaver](https://dbeaver.com/) is a universal database tool that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It offers both open-source (free) and commercial products (subscription-based). The open-source version provides essential support for relational databases such as MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, etc.; while the commercial one offers further support for NoSQL and cloud databases.

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/dbeaver.webp)

## Navicat

[Navicat](https://navicat.com/) is another long-established database GUI tool, which supports a long list of databases. It is a great single-user SQL client that works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, it has a [serious limitation](/blog/stop-using-navicat/) in multi-user scenarios where team collaboration and centralized control are needed. Navicat is not open-source, nor does it offer a free version, it operates on a subscription-based model with a 14-day trial.

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/navicat.webp)

## TablePlus

[TablePlus](https://tableplus.com/) is a modern, lightweight, and intuitive database management tool fit for macOS, Windows, Linux, and even iOS. It offers a simple and streamlined interface for managing various relational and a few NoSQL databases.

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/tableplus.webp)

Currently, TablePlus offers two plans: a free tier with no trial time (but with limited features) and a paid subscription plan that provides extended features.

TablePlus is not open-source, but the team's side product is - DBngin, which can [spin up a local Postgres, MySQL or Redis](/blog/free-tools-to-start-local-database-on-mac/) on your Mac, it can then be connected to TablePlus to visually manage your databases.

## DataGrip

[DataGrip](https://www.jetbrains.com/datagrip/) is a database IDE by JetBrains for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It provides complete support for the most popular databases like Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, etc., and basic support with limited features for database vendors including DuckDB, Elasticsearch, SingleStore, etc. It is not open-source and operates on a commercial licensing model (but offers a 30-day trial period).

DataGrip excels in providing a powerful IDE for database development and administration: it has an intelligent SQL editor, data compare to view schema diff, and VCS support for GitHub.

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/datagrip.webp)

DataGrip is part of the JetBrains ecosystem, offering integration with other JetBrains tools and frameworks and users have a consistent experience with other JetBrains IDEs. So it's perfect if you prefer a dedicated IDE with comprehensive database management features.

## Beekeeper Studio

[Beekeeper Studio](https://www.beekeeperstudio.io/) is a modern and lightweight SQL client that supports Postgres, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, CockroachDB, among others. And it runs on Windows, macOS (M1 and Intel), and Linux.

It offers two editions: the open-source community version, which is free to use; and the full version with all the features (along with a 14-day free trial).

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/beekeeper.webp)

The sleek and minimalistic UI comes from the frustration that other open-source SQL editors and database management tools added so many features that the UI becomes cluttered and hard to navigate. And Beekeeper Studio is created - one that's simple yet feature-rich with all the necessities, but also easy to use.

## DbVisualizer

[DbVisualizer](https://www.dbvis.com/) supports a long list of databases including Postgres, MySQL, Oracle, ClickHouse, MongoDB, SQLite, SAP, and more. It is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Unix platforms.

You can use DbVisualizer for free, or unlock all features by purchasing a license-based subscription (the more users, the more licenses you will need).

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/dbvis.webp)

## Mac-only: Postico

[Postico](https://eggerapps.at/postico2/) is a Mac-only app for Postgres databases (and some compatible databases including Amazon Redshift, CockroachDB, Greenplum, and others).

![](/content/blog/top-pgadmin-alternative/postico.webp)

One thing to note though, Postico is not (yet) capable of tasks such as backup and restore, user and permission management, or database monitoring. Postico is probably not your best option if you have database administration needs. However, if you are a data analyst who uses Mac, this is the tool for you.

The person behind Postico also built [postgres.app](/blog/free-tools-to-start-local-database-on-mac/), which starts a Postgres server on your Mac.

## Bytebase

The best-fit tool depends greatly on your level of familiarity with PostgreSQL, and what you need to accomplish in the tool/GUI.

If you have multiple different databases at your organization and are looking for a universal tool that can handle them all while covering database change, query, security, and governance all in one, please check out [Bytebase](/). Aside from the visual [SQL Editor](https://docs.bytebase.com/sql-editor/overview/) integrated with [access control](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/database-permission/overview/) and [data masking](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/data-masking/overview/), it also provides a customizable [change workflow](https://docs.bytebase.com/change-database/change-workflow/) to fit your data/database change requirements.

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)

## Summary

There are many tools out there, but at the end of the day, they are all different (albeit slightly) and have different focuses on the problem they are trying to solve. The choice of which one to go for eventually comes down to you and your organization. Below is a summary for the aforementioned tools:

|                  | Open Source | Free version | Paid version | Audience                                                | Strength                                                         |
| ---------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| pgAdmin          | ✅          | ✅           | ❌           | Individual and teams                                    | Built for Postgres                                               |
| DBeaver          | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| Navicat          | ❌          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| TablePlus        | ❌          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Native and intuitive interface                                   |
| DataGrip         | ❌          | ❌           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Intuitive UX and integraiton with other JetBrains IDEs           |
| Beekeeper Studio | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Mordern and sleek interface                                      |
| DbVisualizer     | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive with good visualization                            |
| Postico          | ❌          | ❌           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Mac-native, streamlined UI                                       |
| Bytebase         | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Entire engineering org for developer, DBA and data team | Centralized access control, data masking, change review workflow |

## Further Readings

- [Top 8 Free, Open Source SQL Clients to Make Database Management Easier](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/)
- [Top 5 Postgres GUI Clients](/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/#the-starlet-tableplus)
- [Top Postgres Extensions to Enhance Postgres 2023](/blog/top-postgres-extension/)
- [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/)



Database management tools simplify the process of managing data and databases, improve performance, and provide functionalities for data analysis. They are essential tools for organizations dealing with large volumes of data and ease the process of database management, development, and administration.

Launched in 2001, [Navicat](https://navicat.com/) is a long-established database GUI. It is a great single-user SQL client. However, it has a [serious limitation](/blog/stop-using-navicat/) in multi-user scenarios where team collaboration and centralized control are needed. What's more, as you can probably tell, Navicat is developed using old-school desktop technology rather than modern web-based technology.

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/navicat.webp)

Let's take a look at the top modern Navicat alternatives to help you master database management.

## DBeaver

[DBeaver](https://dbeaver.com/) is arguably one of the most popular database management tools out there. It started way back in 2010, and 10 years later, it boasts more than 8 Mio users, with over 5,000 paying customers. Earlier this year, they also [announced](https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/11/dbeaver-takes-6m-seed-investment-to-build-on-growing-popularity) a funding round of $6M.

As per Google Trends, the interest for DBeaver is three times that of Navicat over the past 12 months.

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/google-trends.webp)

You can run DBeaver on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It offers both open-source (free) and commercial products (subscription-based). The open-source version provides basic support for relational databases such as MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, etc.; while the commercial one offers further support for NoSQL and cloud databases.

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/dbeaver.webp)

## TablePlus

[TablePlus](https://tableplus.com/) is a modern, lightweight, and intuitive database management tool fit for macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS. It offers a simple and streamlined interface for managing various relational and a few NoSQL databases.

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/tableplus.webp)

Currently, TablePlus offers two plans: a free tier with no trial time (but with limited features) and a paid subscription model that provides extended features.

TablePlus is not open-source, but the team's side product is - DBngin, which can [spin up a local database](/blog/free-tools-to-start-local-database-on-mac/) (Postgres, MySQL, or Redis) quite easily on your Mac, it can then be connected to TablePlus to visually manage your local databases.

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/tableplus-ui.webp)

## DataGrip

[DataGrip](https://www.jetbrains.com/datagrip/) is a database IDE by JetBrains on macOS, Windows, and Linux. It provides complete support for the most popular databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, Redis, Snowflake, CockroachDB, and basic support with limited features for database vendors including DuckDB, Elasticsearch, SingleStore, TiDB, YugabyteDB, etc. It is not open-source and operates on a commercial licensing model (but offers a 30-day trial period).

DataGrip excels in providing a powerful IDE for database development and administration: it has an intelligent SQL editor, data compare to view schema diff, along with VCS support for GitHub.

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/datagrip.webp)

DataGrip is part of the JetBrains ecosystem, offering integration with other JetBrains tools and frameworks and users have a consistent experience with other JetBrains IDEs. So it's perfect if you prefer a dedicated IDE with comprehensive database management features.

## Beekeeper Studio

[Beekeeper Studio](https://www.beekeeperstudio.io/) is a modern and lightweight SQL client that supports MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, SQL Server, CockroachDB, etc. And it runs on Windows, macOS (M1 and Intel), and Linux.

It has two editions:

- Beekeeper Studio Community Edition: the open-source version, and free to use.
- Beekeeper Studio - the full version with all the features (along with a 14 day free trial).

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/beekeeper.webp)

The sleek and minimalistic UI comes from the frustration that other open-source SQL editors and database management tools added so many features that the UI becomes cluttered and hard to navigate. And Beekeeper Studio is created - one that's simple yet feature-rich with all the necessities, but also easy to use.

## DbVisualizer

[DbVisualizer](https://www.dbvis.com/) supports a long list of databases including MySQL, Postgres, Oracle, ClickHouse, MongoDB, SQLite, SAP, and more. It is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Unix platforms.

You can use DbVisualizer for free, or unlock all features by purchasing a license-based subscription (the more users, the more licenses you will need).

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/dbvis.webp)

## Special Shout-out: PopSQL

[PopSQL](https://popsql.com/pricing) is a web-based collaborative SQL Editor specifically for modern data teams to collaborate on writing, editing, running, and organizing SQL queries efficiently. PopSQL supports connecting to a variety of databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite, among others.

PopSQL offers both free and paid plans. The free plan provides basic features with a limited number of users and queries. The paid plans (subscription-based) provide additional features like team collaboration and increased query capacity.

Unlike the aforementioned database management tools, PopSQL is not as extensive in database management features, as it focuses specifically on SQL query writing and execution for teams (hence the special shout-out).

![](/content/blog/top-navicat-alternative/popsql.webp)

Imagine: if everyone on your team used their own SQL editor, how would they share their work? How can they collaborate on the queries? And what happens to the queries when people move on to another job?

That's the problem PopSQL is trying to solve. Users can share query results, collaborate in real time, and leave comments to discuss and document their work.

## Bytebase

If you have multiple different databases at your organization and are looking for a universal tool that can handle them all while covering database change, query, security, and governance all in one, please check out [Bytebase](/). Aside from the visual [SQL Editor](https://docs.bytebase.com/sql-editor/overview/) integrated with [access control](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/database-permission/overview/) and [data masking](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/data-masking/overview/), it also provides a customizable [change workflow](https://docs.bytebase.com/change-database/change-workflow/) to fit your data/database change requirements.

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)

## Summary

There are many tools out there, but at the end of the day, they are all different (albeit slightly) and have different focuses on the problem they are trying to solve. The choice of which one to go for eventually comes down to you and your organization. Below is a summary for the aforementioned tools:

|                  | Open Source | Free version | Paid version | Audience                                                | Strength                                                         |
| ---------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Navicat          |             | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| DBeaver          | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| DbVisualizer     | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive with good visualization                            |
| TablePlus        |             | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Native and intuitive interface                                   |
| DataGrip         |             |              | ✅           | Individual                                              | Intuitive UX and integraiton with other JetBrains IDEs           |
| Beekeeper Studio | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Mordern and sleek interface                                      |
| PopSQL           |             | ✅           | ✅           | Data team                                               | Collaboration for data teams                                     |
| Bytebase         | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Entire engineering org for developer, DBA and data team | Centralized access control, data masking, change review workflow |

## Further Readings

- [Top 8 Free, Open Source SQL Clients](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/)
- [Top 5 MySQL GUI Clients](/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/)
- [Top 5 Postgres GUI Clients](/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/#the-starlet-tableplus)
- [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/)



Database management tools simplify the process of managing data and databases, improve performance, and provide functionalities for data analysis. They are essential tools for organizations dealing with large volumes of data and ease the process of database management, development, and administration.

[DBeaver](https://dbeaver.com/) is one of the most popular database management tools out there. Take a look at the Google Trends chart of the search term "DBeaver" as compared to two of its alternatives over the past 12 months, it's obvious that DBeaver is easily the most searched of the trio by a trifold.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/google-trend.webp)

A quick intro to DBeaver if you are not familiar: it offers both open-source (free) and commercial products. DBeaver started out way back in 2010, and 10 years later, it boasts more than 8 million users, of which 5,000+ paying customers. Earlier this year, they also [announced](https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/11/dbeaver-takes-6m-seed-investment-to-build-on-growing-popularity) a seed funding round of $6M. Safe to say that they are not slowing down anytime soon.

Of course, there are other database management tools on the market. If for some reason, DBeaver doesn't fulfill your requirements or you are just in the mood to try something new - here, we are taking a look at top DBeaver alternatives.

## Navicat

[Navicat](https://navicat.com/) is probably the most similar to DBeaver. It was initially released in 2002 as a simple app for MySQL on Windows. 20 years later, it now supports macOS and Linux and a handful of mainstream databases.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/navicat-dbeaver.webp)

The difference between Navicat and DBeaver lies in their target audience and pricing models: Navicat is designed for commercial users and enterprises (yet [they don't provide sufficient database access control, data masking, or centralised control over password for database security](/blog/stop-using-navicat/)), while DBeaver is an open-source tool that caters to a wider range of users, from individual developers to SMEs. This difference is also visible in that Navicat uses a commercial licensing model, while DBeaver has both open-source (free) and commercial products.

## DbVisualizer

[DbVisualizer](https://www.dbvis.com/) supports a long list of databases including MySQL, Postgres, Oracle, ClickHouse, MongoDB, SQLite, to SAP, and more. It is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Unix platforms. It comes with a powerful SQL editor with support for auto-completion, visual query builder, SQL formatter, inline data editing, CLI-based interface, and efforts on security including SSH, local password.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/dbvis.webp)

You can use DbVisualizer for free, or unlock all features plus technical support by purchasing a subscription. The subscription is seat-based (the more users, the more seat licenses you will need).

DbVisualizer and DBeaver have similar core functionalities, such as SQL querying, database exploration, object management, and data visualization. But DbVisualizer offers more comprehensive data analysis tools, while DBeaver excels in database administration tasks with a broader range of tools and features for advanced database management.

## TablePlus

[TablePlus](https://tableplus.com/) is a modern, lightweight, and intuitive database management tool fit for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It offers an easy-to-use interface for managing various relational and a few NoSQL databases.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/tableplus.webp)

Currently, TablePlus offers two plans: a free tier with no trial time (but only limited features are available) and a paid subscription model that provides extended features.

TablePlus is not open-source, but the team's side product is - DBngin, which can [spin up a local database](/blog/free-tools-to-start-local-database-on-mac/) (Postgres, MySQL, or Redis) quite easily on your Mac, it can then be connected to TablePlus to visually manage your local databases.

Another major difference between TablePlus and DBeaver is their target audience: TablePlus is more geared towards individual developers or small teams who seek a handy database management tool. In comparison, DBeaver targets a wider range of users with more database support and additional advanced features, from individual developers, to DBAs, and enterprises.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/tableplus-ui.webp)

## DataGrip

[DataGrip](https://www.jetbrains.com/datagrip/) is a database IDE developed by JetBrains (the company behind popular IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA and PhpStorm) for developers and DBAs.

DataGrip excels in providing a feature-rich, user-friendly, and powerful IDE for database development and administration. Other than the list of relational and NoSQL databases it supports, DataGrip includes an intelligent SQL editor, data compare to view schema diff, along with VCS support for GitHub.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/datagrip.webp)

It is not open-source and operates on a commercial licensing model, requiring a paid license for usage, but offers a 30-day trial.

DataGrip is part of the JetBrains ecosystem, offering integration with other JetBrains tools and frameworks to provide a cohesive experience with other JetBrains IDEs. So it's perfect if you prefer a dedicated IDE with comprehensive database management features.

## Beekeeper Studio

[Beekeeper Studio](https://www.beekeeperstudio.io/) is a modern and lightweight SQL client that supports MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, SQL Server, CockroachDB, etc. And it runs on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/beekeeper.webp)

The sleek and minimalistic UI comes from the frustration that other open-source SQL editors and database management tools added so many features that the UI becomes cluttered and hard to navigate. And Beekeeper Studio is created - one that's simple yet feature-rich with all the necesities, but also easy to use.

It has two editions:

- Beekeeper Studio - the full version with all the features.
- Beekeeper Studio Community Edition: the open-source version, and free to use.

## PopSQL

[PopSQL](https://popsql.com/pricing) is a web-based collaborative SQL Editor specifically for modern data teams to collaborate on writing, editing, running, and organizing SQL queries efficiently. PopSQL supports connecting to a variety of databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite, and others.

Unlike DBeaver or the aforementioned database management tools, PopSQL is not as extensive in database management features, as it focuses specifically on **collaborative SQL editing for data teams**.

![](/content/blog/top-dbeaver-alternative/popsql.webp)

Imagine: if everyone on your team used their own SQL editor, how would they share their work? How can they collaborate on the queries? And what happens to the queries when people move on to another job?

And that's the problem PopSQL is trying to solve. Users can share query results, collaborate in real time, and leave comments to discuss and document their work. Aside from the modern-looking SQL editor, it also offers a data catalog to help understand database schema, query result visualization, and syntax highlighting.

PopSQL offers both free and paid plans. The free plan provides basic features with a limited number of users and queries. The paid plans provide additional features like team collaboration, increased query capacity, and priority support.

## Bytebase

If you have multiple different databases at your organization and are looking for a universal tool that can handle them all while covering database change, query, security, and governance all in one, please check out [Bytebase](/). Aside from the visual [SQL Editor](https://docs.bytebase.com/sql-editor/overview/) integrated with [access control](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/database-permission/overview/) and [data masking](https://docs.bytebase.com/security/data-masking/overview/), it also provides a customizable [change workflow](https://docs.bytebase.com/change-database/change-workflow/) to fit your data/database change requirements.

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)

## Summary

There are many tools out there, but at the end of the day, they are all different (albeit slightly) and have different focuses on the problem they are trying to solve. The choice of which one to go for eventually comes down to you and your organization. Below is a summary for the aforementioned tools:

|                  | Open Source | Free version | Paid version | Audience                                                | Strength                                                         |
| ---------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| DBeaver          | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| Navicat          |             | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive features                                           |
| DbVisualizer     | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Comprehensive with good visualization                            |
| TablePlus        |             | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Native and intuitive interface                                   |
| DataGrip         |             |              | ✅           | Individual                                              | Intuitive UX and integraiton with other JetBrains IDEs           |
| Beekeeper Studio | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Individual                                              | Mordern and sleek interface                                      |
| PopSQL           |             | ✅           | ✅           | Data team                                               | Collaboration for data teams                                     |
| Bytebase         | ✅          | ✅           | ✅           | Entire engineering org for developer, DBA and data team | Centralized access control, data masking, change review workflow |

## Further Readings

- [Top 8 Free, Open Source SQL Clients](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/)
- [Top 5 MySQL GUI Clients](/blog/top-mysql-gui-client/)
- [Top 5 Postgres GUI Clients](/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/#the-starlet-tableplus)
- [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/)



If you work with data and databases, SQL AI tools can significantly improve your productivity and efficiency. Say you are a data analyst, data scientist, developer, or DBA, wouldn't it be great to have SQL queries generated automatically from natural language input (perfect for data analysts!), or have query performance optimized? If you want to start learning SQL, this is also an excellent way to get started.

Here we gathered some of the most popular SQL AI tools on the market.

## AI2sql.io

[AI2sql](https://www.ai2sql.io/) is an AI-driven SQL query generator, which means you can use natural language to instruct AI2sql to complete SQL queries. AI2sql has been around since 2021, way before the AIGC wave arrived. Recently, it has also integrated with OpenAI's GPT-3. Compared to ChatGPT, AI2sql is designed explicitly for querying databases or generating SQL queries. It supports the most popular databases on the market such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, etc.

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/ai2sql.webp)

Product Hunt really is the go-to place for product releases, all tools featured today was submitted to Product Hunt at some point, let's also take a quick look at how they performed.

AI2sql's first launch in 2021 on Product Hunt ranked fifth for the day (which must have been quite impressive at the time). Two years later, version 2.0 was introduced with ChatGPT capabilities and received 142 Upvotes.

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/ai2sql-ph.webp)

## AI Query

[AI Query](https://aiquery.co/) uses the GPT-3 model to generate SQL queries from natural language. It currently supports database types such as Postgres, MySQL, MariaDB, and SQL Server, with plans to include others in the future (taking notes from this genius marketing approach).

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/aiquery.webp)

What sets it apart from other AI tools that help you write SQL is its visual interface, which allows you to define the structure of database tables directly.

AI Query was launched on Product Hunt just one month after ChatGPT was released (at the end of November 2022).

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/aiquery-ph.webp)

## Outerbase

_Outerbase has been [acquired by Cloudflare](https://blog.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-acquires-outerbase-database-dx/) in 2025_

[Outerbase](https://outerbase.com/) was released earlier this year and can be used on top of Postgres, MySQL, and most relational databases. Outerbase has a super modern and minimal interface compared to traditional database management tools. The user experience is similar to that of a spreadsheet. Although it also has AI-enhanced capabilities to assist with writing SQL and gaining insights from the database, it feels more like a SQL client designed for data analysts and business users.

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/outerbase.webp)

Since its release on Product Hunt and Hacker News earlier this year, they haven't updated their Changelog since April, nor have there been updates on their social media channels. We wonder what happened?

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/outerbase-ph.webp)

## SQL Chat

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/sqlchat.webp)

[SQL Chat](https://www.sqlchat.ai/) brings SQL clients from the traditional GUI-based stage to the CUI (Chat-based UI) stage: it integrates with ChatGPT to help you write SQL (and of course, answer any questions about databases!). It currently supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and TiDB Serverless. And if you connect SQL Chat to your own database, it can write more accurate SQL queries.

Recently, SQL Chat introduced a subscription model (If you don't have an OpenAI account, you can still enjoy SQL Chat!) and the option to choose between GPT-3.5 or GPT-4 models.

Since its launch on Product Hunt, SQL Chat has gained significant attention.

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/sqlchat-ph.webp)

## TEXT2SQL.AI

Supply your database schema to [Text2SQL.AI](https://www.text2sql.ai/), choose the database you are using (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Snowflake, BigQuery, MS SQL Server), and [Text2SQL.AI](http://Text2SQL.AI) will generate the corresponding SQL for you.

When compared with other SQL AI tools, their website that besides being affordable (current price is $4/month for 300 requests), it is also the only tool capable of generating SQL as well as regular expressions, Excel and Google Sheets formulas (again, perfect for business analysts who need to work with Excel and data all the time!).

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/text2sql.webp)

AI products are all over the place this year, but [Text2SQL.AI](http://Text2SQL.AI) was the #1 Product of the week in the AI category on Product Hunt when it was released.

![](/content/blog/top-sql-ai-tools/text2sql-ph.webp)

## What We Think

SQL AI tools are the best: they can improve efficiency, save us time and effort, and make it easier to interact with databases. However, they are not perfect. Although they also use state-of-the-art natural language processing models, the results may sometimes be inaccurate. And if you want to use them in production, make sure to double-check before you hit RUN.

On the other hand, if you are not ready to jump to the AI ship, below are the traditional options for you:

- [Top Open Source SQL Clients](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients)
- [Top Postgres GUI client](/blog/top-postgres-gui-client)
- [Top MySQL GUI client](/blog/top-mysql-gui-client)
- [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution)



A Postgres GUI client is a desktop or web application that gives you a visual interface to query, design, and administer PostgreSQL databases — instead of doing everything from `psql`. The right one depends on your operating system, whether you're a solo developer or part of a team, and how much you care about features like collaboration, audit, and SQL review. Here are the 7 most useful Postgres GUI clients in 2026.

## The 7 Postgres GUI clients at a glance

| Tool | Type | OS | Pricing | Standout |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **pgAdmin** | Open source | Win / Mac / Linux | Free | The official Postgres GUI; complete admin toolkit |
| **TablePlus** | Commercial | Win / Mac / Linux / iOS | Free tier + paid | Cleanest modern UI; multi-database |
| **Postico** | Commercial | Mac only | Paid | Native Mac feel; analyst-friendly |
| **DataGrip** | Commercial | Win / Mac / Linux | $99/year | JetBrains IDE quality; strong SQL refactoring |
| **Navicat** | Commercial | Win / Mac / Linux | Paid (no free) | Full DBA toolkit; data modeling and sync |
| **DBeaver** | Open source + paid | Win / Mac / Linux | Free + Pro | OSS option that scales to enterprise features |
| **VS Code (PostgreSQL extension)** | Open source | Win / Mac / Linux | Free | Lives inside your editor; Copilot integration |

<HintBlock type="info">

This post is maintained by Bytebase, an open-source database DevSecOps tool that can manage PostgreSQL. We update at least once per year.

</HintBlock>

| Update History | Comment                           |
| -------------- | --------------------------------- |
| 2023/07/18     | Initial version.                  |
| 2025/03/18     | Update for 2025.                  |
| 2025/05/23     | Add VS Code PostgreSQL extension. |
| 2026/01/16     | Update for 2026.                  |

Postgres (or [PostgreSQL](/blog/postgres-vs-mysql/)) is one of the most advanced open-source relational databases in production. You don't have to use a GUI to operate one — `psql` covers everything — but a GUI is faster for visual work like browsing schemas, comparing diffs, or running ad-hoc queries you'll want to revisit.

## The official: pgAdmin

**pgAdmin is the official open-source GUI for PostgreSQL**, considered the go-to for most Postgres users. The project was started by Dave Page, a Postgres core team member, and is backed by EnterpriseDB. The current major version, pgAdmin 4, is a complete rewrite in Python and JavaScript/jQuery.

It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Beyond the standard set (creating databases, running queries, editing tables, managing users and permissions), pgAdmin includes monitoring tools for live operation status — useful when something is locked or slow.

![pgadmin](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/pgadmin.webp)

## Mac-first

### TablePlus

**TablePlus is a modern multi-database GUI** with one of the cleanest UIs in this category, first released in 2017. It supports a wide range of relational databases plus some NoSQL, and was originally Mac-exclusive but is now available on Windows, Linux, and iOS.

![tableplus-ui](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/tableplus-ui.webp)

TablePlus offers a free tier with feature limits, plus paid subscriptions for the full feature set. It's not open source, but the same team makes DBngin, which spins up a local Postgres, MySQL, or Redis server on your Mac and connects directly into TablePlus for visual management.

![tableplus](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/tableplus.webp)

### Postico

**Postico is a native Mac app for Postgres** (and Postgres-compatible databases like Amazon Redshift, CockroachDB, and Greenplum). The developer also built [postgres.app](/blog/free-tools-to-start-local-database-on-mac/), the standard way to run a Postgres server on macOS — so the integration story is tight.

![postico](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/postico.webp)

The current version is Postico 2 (the original 1.5 shipped in Feb 2015). Postico is good at designing databases, importing and editing data, and searching and analyzing data. It does not handle backup and restore, user and permission management, or database monitoring — so it's a poor fit for DBAs but excellent for analysts on Mac.

## Cross-platform

### DataGrip

**DataGrip is a cross-platform Postgres IDE from JetBrains**, sharing the IntelliJ codebase with the rest of the JetBrains lineup. It includes strong SQL refactoring, schema-aware autocomplete, and an AI Assistant for query generation and explanation.

![datagrip-for-pg](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/datagrip.webp)

Pricing is $99/year for individuals; included free with the JetBrains All Products Pack. Worth the cost if you already use IntelliJ-based tools and want that same UX for SQL.

### Navicat

**Navicat is a long-running commercial database GUI** first released in 2002 for MySQL on Windows, now multi-database and cross-platform. There's a dedicated Navicat for Postgres at a lower cost than the premium edition.

![navicat-for-pg](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/navicat-for-pg.webp)

Feature set covers the full DBA toolkit: data modeling, database-to-database synchronization, backup and restore, data import/export, and a SQL editor for query development. Navicat has no free tier, and there's a [known piracy issue](/blog/stop-using-navicat) — only download from the official channels.

![navicat](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/navicat.webp)

### DBeaver

**DBeaver is the open-source alternative to Navicat**, with both a free Community Edition and a paid Pro Edition. Community covers basic management and administration; Pro adds data modeling, collaboration, and advanced security.

![dbeaver](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/dbeaver.webp)

DBeaver started as a hobby project in 2010 and went open source in 2013. In early 2023, the team raised a first round of funding — the project has come a long way from a side project.

### VS Code (PostgreSQL extension)

**The VS Code PostgreSQL extension is Microsoft's official Postgres tooling for VS Code**, [announced in 2025](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/adforpostgresql/announcing-a-new-ide-for-postgresql-in-vs-code-from-microsoft/4414648). Core features include IntelliSense, schema visualization, database explorer, and query history. It integrates with Copilot for AI-assisted SQL and with Entra ID for authentication.

![vs-code](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/vs-code.webp)

The right pick if your team already lives inside VS Code and you'd rather one less app on the desktop.

## Governance built in: Bytebase

When your organization needs an additional layer of control over database queries, schema changes, and administrative actions, look at [Bytebase](/) — an [open-source](https://github.com/bytebase/bytebase) Database DevSecOps platform built for teams. Bytebase adds approval workflows, [SQL review with 200+ rules](https://docs.bytebase.com/sql-review/review-rules/), and a searchable per-statement audit log on top of the GUI capability — see [Bytebase vs. DBeaver](/blog/bytebase-vs-dbeaver/) for a head-to-head with the closest open-source alternative.

![bytebase-sql-editor](/content/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/bytebase-sql-editor.webp)

## Which one should you pick?

The honest defaults we'd recommend:

- **Solo dev on Mac** → TablePlus or Postico. Postico if you want native Mac feel; TablePlus if you'll eventually outgrow Mac-only.
- **Solo dev on Windows or Linux** → pgAdmin (free) or DBeaver Community (more polished). DataGrip if you already pay for JetBrains tools.
- **Inside VS Code all day** → the VS Code PostgreSQL extension; one less window.
- **Team needing approvals + audit** → Bytebase on top of any of the above. The GUI tools above don't gate destructive queries; Bytebase does.
- **Need data modeling, sync, and DBA workflow in one tool** → Navicat or DBeaver Pro.

The single biggest filter is whether you're working alone or in a team. The 6 tools above are designed for solo workflows; they don't enforce who can run what. If you've ever had to ask "who ran that DELETE?" — that's the gap a team-aware platform fills.

## FAQ

**What is the best free Postgres GUI?**
For most users, pgAdmin (the official open-source client) or DBeaver Community Edition. pgAdmin is more Postgres-specific; DBeaver is multi-database with a more polished UI. Both run on Windows, Mac, and Linux. TablePlus has a free tier but limits feature use; the others above are paid-only.

**Is pgAdmin 4 better than DBeaver?**
They optimize for different things. pgAdmin 4 is Postgres-only with deeper coverage of Postgres-specific admin tasks (vacuum, replication slots, role hierarchies). DBeaver covers Postgres plus 80+ other databases with one UI. If you only run Postgres, pgAdmin is the more focused tool; if you also work with MySQL, ClickHouse, or Snowflake, DBeaver is more efficient.

**What's the best Postgres GUI for Mac?**
Postico for analysts and casual users — it's native Mac and pleasant to use, but lacks DBA features (no backup/restore, no permission management). TablePlus for users who want a fuller feature set and may eventually leave the Mac-only constraint. pgAdmin and DBeaver also run on Mac if you need open-source.

**Is DataGrip worth $99 for Postgres?**
Worth it if you already use JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, GoLand) and want consistent UX, refactoring, and AI Assistant across SQL and code. Not worth it if you just need to run queries and browse schema — pgAdmin or DBeaver Community do that for free.

**Which Postgres GUI works on Linux?**
pgAdmin, DBeaver, DataGrip, TablePlus, Navicat, and the VS Code extension all run on Linux. Postico is the only Mac-only client in this list. For pure open-source on Linux, pgAdmin and DBeaver Community are the standard choices.

**What's the best Postgres GUI for teams?**
The GUI tools above are designed for individual workflows — they don't enforce approval, gate destructive operations, or produce searchable per-statement audit logs. Teams that need those controls usually pair a GUI with a database DevSecOps platform like Bytebase, which sits between the user and the database. See [Bytebase vs. DBeaver](/blog/bytebase-vs-dbeaver/) for the team-vs-individual trade-off.

**What's the difference between pgAdmin and Postico?**
pgAdmin is the official open-source admin tool for Postgres, runs on every platform, covers the full DBA feature set including backup, replication, and permission management. Postico is a paid Mac-only app focused on data exploration and editing — cleaner UI, but no DBA features. Pick by role: pgAdmin for DBAs and platform engineers, Postico for analysts on Mac.

## Related reading

- [Top Open Source Postgres Migration Tools](/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/)
- [Top Postgres Extensions](/blog/top-postgres-extension)
- [Postgres vs. MongoDB](/blog/postgres-vs-mongodb)



Database-as-a-service (DBaaS) is a cloud computing service model where a third-party provider hosts and maintains a database for customers. This allows customers to use a database without having to set up and manage the underlying infrastructure themselves.

## What benefits does a Database-as-a-Service offer

- **Database Engine**: This is the kernel of DBaaS. It can be a SQL-based relational database like MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle or a NoSQL database like MongoDB, Redis.

- **Networking**: DBaaS provides public ip/host, private ip/host, VPN. Some providers also provide specialized solution such as AWS PrivateLink.

- **High Availability (HA)**: DBaaS provides out-of-the box HA solutions. The failover may happen automatically or be triggered manually.

- **Scalability**: DBaaS providers offer scalable solutions, allowing databases to grow in size and performance as needed, often with minimal downtime. Several venders offer serverless option that can scale up and down. GCP Cloud SQL also offers automatic disk resize when the disk space approaches limit.

- **Automated Backups and Recovery**: Regular backups are performed automatically, and tools are provided for data recovery in case of loss. Most providers also provide point-in-time-recovery (PITR).

- **Monitoring and logging**: These tools help in managing the database's performance, monitoring resource usage, logging events.

- **Optimization**: Some providers also provide query optimization insights.

- **Security**: This includes data encryption (both encryption at rest and in transit), access controls, audit logging and other security measures to protect data.

- **API and Integration**: DBaaS often provides a full suite of APIs to manages its resources. Many of them also provide
  Terraform providers. Other integrations include email, webhooks and IMs.

## List of DBaaS providers

At Bytebase, we need to integrate with different DBaaS providers to manage their databases. And when talking with our customers, the hosting provider is a common topic. Below we compile a non-exhausitive list of the DBaaS providers on the market.

### MySQL

- [AWS RDS for MySQL](https://aws.amazon.com/rds/mysql/)
- [AWS Aurora for MySQL](https://aws.amazon.com/rds/aurora/)
- [Google Cloud SQL for MySQL](https://cloud.google.com/sql/mysql)
- [Azure Database for MySQL](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/mysql)
- [Aiven for MySQL](https://aiven.io/mysql)
- [DigitalOcean for MySQL](https://www.digitalocean.com/products/managed-databases-mysql)
- [PlanetScale](https://planetscale.com/)
- [TiDB Serverless](https://www.pingcap.com/tidb-serverless/)

### PostgreSQL

- [AWS RDS for PostgreSQL](https://aws.amazon.com/rds/postgresql/)
- [AWS Aurora for PostgreSQL](https://aws.amazon.com/rds/aurora/)
- [Google Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL](https://cloud.google.com/sql/postgresql)
- [Google Cloud AlloyDB for PostgreSQL](https://cloud.google.com/alloydb)
- [Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/postgresql)
- [Aiven for PostgreSQL](https://aiven.io/postgresql)
- [DigitalOcean for PostgreSQL](https://www.digitalocean.com/products/managed-databases-postgresql)
- [Neon](https://neon.tech)
- [CockroachDB](https://www.cockroachlabs.com/)
- [Supabase](https://supabase.com/database)
- [render](https://render.com/docs/databases)
- [crunchydata](https://www.crunchydata.com/products/crunchy-bridge)
- [Fly.io](https://fly.io/)

### MongoDB

- [MongoDB Atlas](https://www.mongodb.com/atlas/database)
- [Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility)](https://aws.amazon.com/documentdb/)
- [Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/cosmos-db/)
- [DigitalOcean for MongoDB](https://www.digitalocean.com/products/managed-databases-mongodb)

### Redis

- [Redis Cloud](https://redis.com/redis-enterprise-cloud/overview/)
- [Amazon MemoryDB for Redis](https://aws.amazon.com/memorydb/)
- [Google Cloud Memorystore for Redis](https://cloud.google.com/memorystore)
- [Azure Cache for Redis](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/cache)
- [DigitalOcean Managed Redis](https://www.digitalocean.com/products/managed-databases-redis)
- [upstash Redis](https://upstash.com/)

### Analytics

_Because the OLAP databases are segmented, so we put different vendors under this single Analytics umbrella._

- [Snowflake](https://www.snowflake.com/en/)
- [Google BigQuery](https://cloud.google.com/bigquery)
- [Amazon Redshift](https://aws.amazon.com/redshift/)
- [Azure Synapse Analytics](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/synapse-analytics)
- [ClickHouse](https://clickhouse.com/)
- [Firebolt](https://www.firebolt.io/)

---

It's also common that different database types co-exist inside an organization. And if you want to manage the development
lifecycle for all of them, please check out our all-in-one solution [Bytebase](/).

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)



<HintBlock type="info">

This post is maintained by Bytebase, an open-source database DevSecOps tool that can manage Google Cloud SQL. We update the post gradually.

</HintBlock>

| Update History | Comment          |
| -------------- | ---------------- |
| 2023/07/06     | Initial version. |
| 2025/05/23     | 2025 Update.     |

[Google Cloud SQL](https://cloud.google.com/sql/) is a popular database service from Google Cloud. It offers completely managed relational databases for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server with rich extension collections, configuration flags, and developer ecosystems. Apart from features, pricing is another core factor to consider when comparing it with other similar services like AWS RDS and Microsoft Azure SQL Database. Also, there are several discussions on Reddit related to the pricing of Google Cloud SQL, as shown in the figure below. These all point to the importance of understanding the structure of Google Cloud SQL pricing.

![reddit](/content/blog/understanding-google-cloud-sql-pricing/reddit.webp)

## Google Cloud SQL Pricing

Pricing for Google Cloud SQL is based on a pay-as-you-go model. As of 2025, Google Cloud SQL offers two editions: Enterprise and Enterprise Plus. These editions provide different levels of availability, performance, and data protection. The price varies among different instance types and regions:

- CPU and memory pricing
- Storage and networking pricing
- Instance pricing (only applicable to shared-core)
- License pricing (only applicable to SQL Server)

### CPU and Memory Pricing

For dedicated-core instances, you choose the number of CPUs and the amount of memory you want, up to 96 CPUs and 624 GB of memory for Enterprise edition and up to 128 CPUs and 864 GB of memory for Enterprise Plus edition. For Cloud SQL Enterprise Plus edition for SQL Server instances, you can also choose from performance-optimized machines (up to 128 CPUs and 864 GB of memory) and memory-optimized machines (up to 16 CPUs and 512 GB of memory).

Pricing for CPUs and memory varies based on the following three primary factors:

- The volume of CPUs you choose
- The total memory you select
- The region where your instance is located

If you enable other services, the total cost may include those charges:

- Failover replicas pricing
- Read replicas pricing
- High Availability pricing

Read replicas and failover replicas are charged at the same rate as stand-alone instances. HA prices are applied for instances configured for high availability, also called regional instances.

**Enterprise Edition (Monthly Pricing)**

| Resource  | Price (USD)      | 1-year commitment | 3-year commitment |
| --------- | ---------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |
| vCPUs     | $0.0706 per vCPU | $0.05297          | $0.0339           |
| Memory    | $0.0118 per GB   | $0.00883          | $0.00565          |
| HA vCPUs  | $0.1413 per vCPU | $0.105948         | $0.0678           |
| HA Memory | $0.0235 per GB   | $0.01765          | $0.0113           |

**Enterprise Plus Edition - N2 Machine Series (Monthly Pricing)**

| Resource              | Price (USD)      | 1-year commitment | 3-year commitment |
| --------------------- | ---------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- |
| vCPUs                 | $0.0537 per vCPU | $0.04027          | $0.02578          |
| Memory                | $0.0091 per GB   | $0.00683          | $0.00437          |
| HA vCPUs              | $0.1074 per vCPU | $0.08055          | $0.05155          |
| HA Memory             | $0.0182 per GB   | $0.01365          | $0.00874          |
| Data Cache Storage    | $0.0002 per GB   | $0.0002 per GB    | $0.0002 per GB    |
| HA Data Cache Storage | $0.0004 per GB   | $0.0004 per GB    | $0.0004 per GB    |

In addition, Cloud SQL provides committed use discounts (CUDs) that grant deeply discounted prices for continuous use of database instances in a particular region for a one-year or three-year term. CUDs only apply to CPU and memory pricing. For more information, go to review [Committed use discounts](https://cloud.google.com/sql/cud).

### Storage and Networking Pricing

| Storage Type         | Price               |
| -------------------- | ------------------- |
| SSD storage capacity | $0.222 per GB/month |
| HDD storage capacity | $0.118 per GB/month |
| Backups (used)       | $0.105 per GB/month |

#### HA Storage Pricing (Monthly)

| Storage Type         | Price               |
| -------------------- | ------------------- |
| SSD storage capacity | $0.445 per GB/month |
| HDD storage capacity | $0.235 per GB/month |
| Backups (used)       | $0.105 per GB/month |

#### Hyperdisk Balanced

| Resource   | Price                  |
| ---------- | ---------------------- |
| Capacity   | $0.15 per GB/month     |
| IOPS       | $0.026 per IOP/month   |
| Throughput | $0.105 per MB/s /month |

#### Hyperdisk Balanced HA

| Resource   | Price                               |
| ---------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Capacity   | $0.301 per GB/month                 |
| IOPS       | $0.052 per IOPS-month over baseline |
| Throughput | $0.209 per MB/s-month over baseline |

With Hyperdisk Balanced, you are billed for provisioned capacity, IOPS, and throughput independently. You are billed for the total provisioned capacity of your Hyperdisk Balanced volumes until you delete them. You are charged per GiB per month. Hyperdisk Balanced charges a monthly rate for the provisioned IOPS and provisioned throughput (in MBps) in excess of the baseline values of 3,000 IOPS and 140 MBps throughput.

Note: Committed use discounts do not apply to storage or network prices.

### Network Egress Pricing

When network traffic leaves a Cloud SQL instance, the charge applied depends on the destination of the traffic, and in some cases, whether a partner is involved.

Internet egress is network traffic leaving a Cloud SQL instance to a client that is not a Google product, such as using a local server to read data from Cloud SQL.

| Destination                                                                            | Price                                                                                                                                    |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Compute Engine instances and Cloud SQL cross-region replicas                           | Within the same region: free<br />Between regions within North America: $0.12/GB<br />Between regions outside of North America: $0.12/GB |
| Google Products (except Compute Engine and traffic to Cloud SQL cross-region replicas) | Intra-continental: free<br />Inter-continental: $0.12/GB                                                                                 |
| Internet egress using Cloud Interconnect                                               | $0.05/GB                                                                                                                                 |
| Internet egress (not using Cloud Interconnect)                                         | $0.19/GB                                                                                                                                 |

IPv4 addresses: $0.0131 per hour while idle.

### Instance Pricing

Instance pricing is only relevant for shared-core instances. It is charged for every second that the instance is running with the activation policy being set to "always". For more details, see [Billing on partial seconds](https://cloud.google.com/sql/pricing#billing-partial-seconds).

### License pricing (for SQL Server)

SQL Server License Pricing is based on the selected edition. SQL Server instances are charged a 10 minute minimum for licenses. After 10 minutes, SQL Server licenses are charged in 1 minute increments.

Note: From February 1, 2025 through April 30, 2025, Google has waived charges for extended support. Committed use discounts don't apply to extended support prices.

## Tools for Estimating Google Cloud SQL Pricing Cost

Given the pricing complexity, there are tools to help you estimate pricing easily.

### Official Pricing Calculator

[Pricing Calculator](https://cloud.google.com/products/calculator) is the official tool from Google Cloud. It enables you to estimate Google Cloud SQL cost with different configurations. After selecting the database engine, enter required information such as the number of instances, instance type, and location, and click **ADD TO ESTIMATE** to generate the result.

![calculator](/content/blog/understanding-google-cloud-sql-pricing/calculator.webp)

### DB Cost

[DB Cost](https://www.dbcost.com/) is an open source pricing comparison tool for Google Cloud SQL and AWS RDS. It can provide estimates of a set of instances according to your configurations, such as database engines, billed models (on demand and reserved), multiple locations, and the lease length.

![dbcost-1](/content/blog/understanding-google-cloud-sql-pricing/dbcost-1.webp)

What's more, DB Cost allows you to compare two selected instances in a more intuitive way, as shown in the following figure.

![dbcost-2](/content/blog/understanding-google-cloud-sql-pricing/dbcost-2.webp)

## Tips for Optimizing Google Cloud SQL Pricing Cost

As mentioned above, one of the biggest concerns raised by reddit discussions is how to optimize Google Cloud SQL cost. Here are some common tips:

- **Watch out the disk space**: Google Cloud SQL has a unique feature called [automatic storage increases](https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/mysql/instance-settings). You should monitor the disk space to spot any abnormal disk increase.

- **Watch out the network egress cost**: The egress cost could be outrageous. Usually you should try to co-locate your app server with the database in the same region to avoid any cost. If that's not possible, you may consider aggregating request or batching data transfer.

- **Take advantage of discounts for reserved instances**: Cloud SQL offers committed use discounts that give you a considerable discount for one-year / three-year commitment. As of 2025, these discounts can reduce costs by up to 25% for one-year commitments and up to 52% for three-year commitments on CPU and memory resources.

- **Delete idle instances**: It is well known that idle or abandoned resources are one of the biggest sources of waste in cloud spending. To reduce your cloud cost, it is absolutely necessary to delete idle instances. Watch our for those ephemeral testing database instances.

- **Resize overallocated instances**: Over-provisioning resources is common for DBAs who are used to provisioning larger instances on-premises. However, it can lead to unnecessary spending when migrating to the cloud platform. The smart way to optimize your cloud cost is to identify your resource requirements and scale instances accordingly.

- **Consider Hyperdisk Balanced storage**: For workloads with varying I/O requirements, Hyperdisk Balanced offers independent scaling of capacity, IOPS, and throughput, potentially providing cost savings compared to fixed-performance storage options.

## Summary

Google Cloud SQL is a great choice for organizations that need a full-managed relational database service. In order to get the best value for your money, it is essential to understand the pricing structure of Google Cloud SQL.

Besides optimizing cloud database cost, teams also want to make better use of the purchased databases. To achieve that, you can check out our open source project Bytebase. Bytebase supports 10+ OLTP, OLAP, NoSQL databases including all three Google Cloud SQL databases, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. It's an all-in-one platform for developers, DBAs, and platform engineers to manage the database development lifecycle efficiently and reliably. Go [self hosting](https://docs.bytebase.com/get-started/deploy-with-docker) with a single command to try it out.

![change-query-secure-govern-database-all-in-one](/content/blog/_shared/db-scheme-lg.png)



Database schema compare tool enables you to identify differences in the object structure within relational databases, and synchronize your specific objects across multiple databases. It is usually used in the following scenarios:

- Merge database changes from your private branch to your team's main branch
- Maintain schema consistency across homogeneous databases
- Build a new database test environment
- Deploy database schema changes to production based on application requirements
- Troubleshoot database problems when the service is down

## mysqldbcompare

[mysqldbcompare](https://github.com/mysql/mysql-utilities/blob/master/scripts/mysqldbcompare.py) is a command-line utility from MySQL Utilities that compares the structure and data of two databases. It identifies differences in tables, views, stored procedures, triggers, and other database objects, and can generate SQL statements to synchronize them. The tool supports comparing databases across different servers or on the same server, with options to control comparison depth, output format, and which server's schema should be considered authoritative.

A typical workflow:

1. Use `mysqldump --no-data --routines --triggers` to create schema-only snapshots
1. Version control these snapshots
1. Utilize `mysqldbcompare` to compare schemas and generate diff migration scripts
1. Organize migration scripts with naming convention (e.g., `V1.0.1__description.sql`)
1. Deploy migration scripts

## MySQL Workbench

[MySQL Workbench](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/workbench/en/) is the official GUI for MySQL development from Oracle. It includes schema comparison and synchronization utilities. It enables you to compare and synchronize schema between models, databases and SQL files. These three types can be the destination, source, or both. The following figure shows the source is model and the destination is database.

![workbench](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/workbench.webp)

In addition, MySQL Workbench allows you to create a report showing the differences in catalog between the compared objects, as the next figure shows.

![report](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/catalog-report.webp)

It is available on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.

## dbForge Schema Compare for MySQL

[dbForge Schema Compare for MySQL](https://www.devart.com/dbforge/mysql/schemacompare/) is dbForge's flagship product for MySQL database development and management. It allows you to compare and synchronize database schema between databases and SQL files. dbForge Schema Compare for MySQL has two distinct advantages over other comparion tools:

- Diff and synchronize MySQL databases quickly and efficiently, even for extra-large ones
- Automate routine tasks via CLI to schedule your comparison and synchronization tasks

![dbforge](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/dbforge.webp)

dbforge is only available on Windows.

## Liquibase

[Liquibase](https://www.liquibase.com/) is an open source command-line tool, which helps you track, version, and deploy database changes with declarative and imperative approaches. It provides three Diff-based commands to discover the differences between databases and database snaphots: `diff`, `diff-changelog`, and `generate-changelog`. You can refer to the section of [Database inspection commands](https://docs.liquibase.com/commands/home.html#database-inspection-commands) for more details. The biggest advantage of Liquibase comparision feature is allow you to integrate them into various workflows.

![liquibase](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/liquibase.webp)

## Bytebase

[Bytebase](/) is an open source database DevOps tool, which is GitLab/GitHub for databases management throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). It offers a GUI web-based workspace for Developers and DBAs to collaborate safely and efficiently. Bytebase has a powerful comparison and synchronization feature with the following unique capabilities:

- Compare and synchronize schema from one database to multiple databases

![bytebase-source](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/bytebase-source.webp)

- Allow you to select a schema version from the database change history as the source

![bytebase-target](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/bytebase-target.webp)

- Provide a user-friendly way to display the differences between databases

![bytebase-diff](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/bytebase-diff.webp)

- Enable you to complete the synchronization with one-click

![bytebase-issue](/content/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/bytebase-issue.webp)

Most schema compare features are available in Bytebase's Free plan.

## Summing it up

If you are used to working with command line tools, Liquibase and Flyway are excellent choices. If you prefer the fine-grained control during the synchronization process, there are solutions like MySQL Workbench and dbForge Schema Compare for MySQL. On the other hand, if you need a fully-fledged GUI and a more streamlined experience to compare, review and deploy database schema, Bytebase will be a great fit.

## Further Readings

- [Top MySQL GUI Clients](/blog/top-mysql-gui-client)
- [Top Free, Open Source SQL Clients](/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients)



<HintBlock type="info">

This post is maintained by Bytebase, an open-source database DevSecOps tool. We update the post gradually.

</HintBlock>

This is a series of articles about database schema change / database schema migration:

1. [What is a Database Schema?](/blog/what-is-database-schema)
1. [What is a Database Schema Migration?](/blog/what-is-database-migration)
1. [How to Handle Database Migration / Schema Change?](/blog/how-to-handle-database-schema-change)
1. Top Database Schema Migration Tools in 2026 (this one)

---

It's year ~~2024~2025~2026, database schema migration is still the riskiest area in application development - it's tough, risky, and painful. Database schema migration tools exist to alleviate pain, and have come a long way: from the basic CLI tools to GUI tools, from simple SQL GUI clients to the all-in-one collaboration database platform.

## Command-Line Clients (CLI) - mysql / psql

`mysql` and `psql` are the native CLI for MySQL and PostgreSQL respectively. You can send commands or queries directly to MySQL or PostgreSQL servers from the command line.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/mysql.webp)

Although the CLI interface is simple, sometimes it's intimidating to the beginners.

## GUI

### phpMyAdmin, pgAdmin

phpMyAdmin and pgAdmin are classic SQL clients. phpMyAdmin is already an established tool for managing MySQL and MySQL-compatible databases (e.g. MariaDB), while pgAdmin is the PostgreSQL counterpart, which has now evolved to pgAdmin 4. Compared with CLI tools, phpMyAdmin and pgAdmin provide a UI for running and executing SQL queries, making them user friendlier.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/gui.webp)

### DBeaver

DBeaver's initial release came in 2010, this open-source SQL client supports a whole range of databases (SQL, NoSQL, and cloud DBs), and keeps up with the latest trends in the AI realm by incorporating OpenAI's GPT-capabilities, allowing natural language to be converted into SQL. In 2025, DBeaver has expanded its AI capabilities with more advanced schema optimization suggestions and enhanced query performance analysis.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/dbeaver.webp)

### DataGrip

DataGrip is another commercial SQL client developed by JetBrains. DataGrip has powerful code completion and refactoring tools for efficient database development. The AI Assistant, which became a standard feature in 2025, supports text2sql, schema optimization, code explanation, and automated migration script generation with backward compatibility analysis.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/datagrip.webp)

### Navicat

Navicat was first released back in 2001. It only supported MySQL back then, but later added more databases. Although Navicat's UI looks a bit outdated, it has complete functionality and provides a smooth overall experience when operating databases. In 2025, Navicat introduced a modernized interface with improved cloud integration features.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/navicat.webp)

GUI based SQL client is a good complementary to CLI based sql client. Fundamentally, they work in the same way. You connect to the database, and execute some SQL. Quick and convenient, on the flip side, lack of control, both in terms of database change management and data security. This [post](/blog/stop-using-navicat/) goes into more details using Navicat as an example.

## GitOps / Database-as-Code

To better manage and source control database schema changes, several tools have introduced the code change process into database changes, known as Database-as-Code.

### Liquibase

Liquibase started out in 2006 as an open-source library for tracking, managing and applying database changes. Fun fact: Liquibase was acquired by a company called Datical in 2012 and rebranded to Datical, but then changed their name back to Liquibase in 2020 (wise move, have you seen anyone mention Datical on a forum?).

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/liquibase.webp)

Liquibase's main product is a Java-based CLI that allows developer teams to integrate database schema migration into their CI/CD workflows through the CLI. As of 2025, Liquibase has strengthened its enterprise offerings with enhanced security features and improved support for regulated industries requiring detailed change tracking.

### Flyway

Flyway shares similarities with Liquibase in many ways: they are both long-established, both have a customer base, and are open-source projects. Its core product is a CLI and a Java library.

The commercial entity behind Flyway is Redgate (acquired in 2019). It's got 3 editions: community, team and enterprise. You can tell that they have marked a clear boundary between the open-source and commercial offerings: Flyway's website feels more casual overall, while Redgate's way more professional.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/flyway-redgate.webp)

Liquibase and Flyway are neck and neck. The main difference lies in their respective positioning: Liquibase is more enterprise oriented, while Flyway is more developer oriented.

### Sqitch

Sqitch is a purely open-source project with no commercial offerings that's been on the market since 2012. It is pure CLI and does not have a UI.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/sqitch.webp)

Unlike Java-based Liquibase and Flyway, Sqitch is developed using Perl. In addition, Sqitch has its own philosophy on how to manage database schema changes: Liquibase and Flyway both use file naming conventions to order schema migrations (convention over configuration).

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/schema-migration.webp)

While Sqitch adopts an explicit approach to allow user to specify the order in the sqitch plan.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/appschema.webp)

### Atlas

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/atlas.webp)

Atlas is an open-source tool built by Ariga, and promotes the term "database schema-as-code".

You can tell that they have drawn lots of inspo from HashiCorp and dubbed itself "Terraform for Database Migrations" upon its first appearance on Hacker News. They also invented Atlas HCL based on HCL (HashiCorp Configuration Language).

Atlas uses the modern programming language Go (unlike Liquibase/Flyway, which uses Java), and centers around CLI (similar to Liquibase/Flyway/Sqitch), but it also has a lightweight UI. Atlas Cloud is a commercial offering of the open-source version.

## All in One: GUI + GitOps / Database-as-Code + Collaboration

### Prisma

ORMs like Prisma target the domain of how code interacts with data. Although this is more of a backend topic, Prisma is an ORM with frontend roots. Frontend engineers are probably not the most proficient in SQL. To lower the barrier for managing database schemas, Prisma invents their own DSL to define data models.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/prisma.webp)

DSL is state-based (declarative), which describes the end state of the database schema instead of incremental changes, which is different from Liquibase/Flyway/Sqitch. This way, Prisma is able to provide a more comprehensive view of database management throughout the entire application development cycle.

Prisma ORM is open source and free to use, and their Data Platform offers a cloud-based collaborative platform with some advanced features (it's clear that their ambition goes beyond just an ORM and schema migration tool).

### Bytebase

Bytebase is an open-source database DevSecOps tool, covering database management scenarios from changes, queries, security, to governance with a visual web-based collaboration workspace

**Visual change workflow**

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/bytebase-issue.webp)

Bytebase provides a web-based UI where developers and DBAs can collaborate to work on database changes through the same interface.

**Database-as-Code**

To better accommodate the working habits of developers, Bytebase has integrated capabilities into [code repositories such as GitLab and GitHub](/blog/integrate-sql-review-into-github/). With the GitOps workflow enabled, developers can submit database change files to familiar code repositories, and once review is completed and committed to the repo, the deployment will be automatically triggered by Bytebase. No need to switch between multiple tools!

**Team Collaboration & Management**

You can define different [roles](https://docs.bytebase.com/concepts/roles-and-permissions/) for members at two levels: Workspace and Project. You can assign different roles to your team members, so that they have different permissions for different projects; or configure approval workflows for each project, such as specifying specific DBAs or QA responsible for this specific project.

![_](/content/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/bytebase-roles.webp)

The difference between Prisma and Bytebase lies in the target audience. Prisma is mainly aimed at front-end/full-stack developers, while Bytebase is more focused on back-end and DBAs. Both products provide collaboration capabilities, with Prisma focusing on the collaboration between developers in a single project, while Bytebase targets the entire engineering organization, i.e. developers and DBAs / Platform Engineering / Ops teams. In 2025, Bytebase has enhanced its collaboration features and expanded its role-based permissions system to provide even more granular control for engineering organizations.

## To Sum Up

| Feature              | Liquibase | Flyway           | Atlas            | Prisma         | Bytebase |
| -------------------- | --------- | ---------------- | ---------------- | -------------- | -------- |
| Open Source          | ✅        | ✅               | ✅               | ✅             | ✅       |
| Commercial Offering  | ✅        | ✅               | ✅               | ✅             | ✅       |
| Web UI               | ❌        | ✅ (lightweight) | ✅ (lightweight) | ✅             | ✅       |
| Rollback Support     | ✅        | Limited          | ✅               | Limited        | ✅       |
| CI/CD Integration    | ✅        | ✅               | ✅               | ✅             | ✅       |
| Team Collaboration   | Limited   | Limited          | Limited          | ✅             | ✅       |
| Role-Based Access    | ❌        | ❌               | Limited          | Limited        | ✅       |
| Cloud-Native Support | Limited   | Limited          | ✅               | ✅ (expanding) | ✅       |

If you are operating the database as an individual, the classic CLI or GUI SQL clients like Navicat will suffice. If you prefer integration with code repos, there are solutions like Liquibase and Flyway. However, for a GUI and project collaboration capabilities similar to Jira or GitLab, your options are Prisma and Bytebase. And Bytebase is the only tool that offers organization-wide management capabilities to ensure data security and governance, in addition to making database changes more efficient and safer.

This wraps our database schema change series. Here at Bytebase, we are trying to deliver a schema change experience as close as to the code change experience, from both the individual perspective and the organization perspective. To give it a try, [start locally with a single command](https://docs.bytebase.com/get-started/deploy-with-docker/).

## Further Readings

- [Top Postgres Extensions](/blog/top-postgres-extension/)
- [Top Postgres GUI Clients](/blog/top-postgres-gui-client/)
- [Top Open Source Postgres Migration Tools](/blog/top-open-source-postgres-migration-tools/)



<HintBlock type="info">

This post is maintained by Bytebase, an open-source database DevSecOps tool. We update the post every year.

</HintBlock>

| Update History | Comment                                                   |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| 2023/04/28     | Initial version.                                          |
| 2024/06/30     | Add reference link.                                       |
| 2025/03/03     | Remove Sqlectron as it's no longer maintained.            |
| 2025/08/27     | Update GitHub star growth and wording.                    |
| 2025/12/05     | Remove SQL Chat as it's covered by the text-to-sql topic. |
| 2026/02/21     | Replace pgAdmin with pgconsole.                           |

This is a series articles about SQL Clients / SQL Editors:

1. Open Source SQL Clients (this one)
1. [Text-to-SQL Query Tools](/blog/top-text-to-sql-query-tools)

---

When database systems debuted about 40 years ago, the only way to access or modify a database was through the command line, which was not only unintuitive but also prone to errors that could lead to major problems. As a result, people began developing tools with graphical user interfaces (GUIs), which became what we now know as SQL clients — essentially front-end applications for database services. Whether you need a free database management software for Mac, Windows, or Linux, these open-source SQL GUI tools offer powerful alternatives to commercial database clients. In this post, we are taking a look at some of the best free SQL client options for you to try.

[![star-history](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/star-history.webp)](https://star-history.com/#dbgate/dbgate&dbeaver/dbeaver&beekeeper-studio/beekeeper-studio&heidisql/heidisql&phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin&pgplex/pgconsole&bytebase/bytebase&Date)

## DBeaver

[DBeaver](https://github.com/dbeaver/dbeaver) is a veteran SQL client. In addition to basic visualization and management capabilities, it has a SQL editor, data and schema migration capabilities, monitor database connections, and more. It supports a full range of databases (both SQL and NoSQL). DBeaver is also hooked up with GPT-3, which converts your natural language to SQL.

![dbeaver](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/dbeaver.webp)

It's worth noting that DBeaver [announced](https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/11/dbeaver-takes-6m-seed-investment-to-build-on-growing-popularity/) a $6M seed round in April 2023 (the press release also mentions that DBeaver has over 8M users and 5,000+ paying subscribers), their first funding since the author built it in 2013.

## Beekeeper Studio

[Beekeeper Studio](https://github.com/beekeeper-studio/beekeeper-studio) is a modern (aesthetic) and lightweight SQL client that supports MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, SQL Server, etc. It is available on Linux, Mac and Windows.

![beekeeper](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/beekeeper.webp)

The author of Beekeeper Studio is an independent developer who started building this tool in 2019 because he couldn't find an easy-to-use cross-platform SQL client. After almost a year of hard work, the first version was released in early 2020.

## DbGate

[DbGate](https://github.com/dbgate/dbgate) works in Windows, Linux, Mac, and your web browsers without compromises in functionality. Both SQL and noSQL databases are supported, from MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MongoDB, SQLite, to CockroachDB.

![dbgate](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/dbgate.webp)

The author of DbGate [says](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26899100) this was his passion project because he couldn't find a SQL client for Linux. He had built SQL clients for Windows in the past, so this was influenced by his own work experience.

## HeidiSQL

[HeidiSQL](https://github.com/HeidiSQL/HeidiSQL) is also a lightweight SQL client that supports a long list of databases including MariaDB, MySQL, MS SQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase and Firebird. In addition to basic SQL client functionalities, users can export structures and data to SQL files or copy them to the clipboard or other servers.

![heidisql](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/heidisql.webp)

The codebase for HeidiSQL [originally came from](https://www.heidisql.com/forum.php?t=20155) the author's own MySQL-Front 2.5 software, but he later sold the MySQL-Front brand and the author renamed his project HeidiSQL and has maintained it to this day.

## phpMyAdmin

[phpMyAdmin](https://github.com/phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin) was born in 1998, written in PHP, and is a classic SQL client. It was the default tool for LAMP and MAMP at that time. phpMyAdmin has grown to become one of the leading tools for managing MySQL and MySQL-like databases (e.g. MariaDB) It has over 200,000 direct downloads per month (and countless other users install it using prepackaged installations or using package managers).

![phpmyadmin](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/phpmyadmin.webp)

## pgconsole

[pgconsole](https://github.com/pgplex/pgconsole) is an open-source, self-hosted PostgreSQL editor built as a single binary with no separate database required. All configuration — connections, users, groups, and access rules — lives in a single `pgconsole.toml` file, making it GitOps-friendly. It features a SQL editor with real-time autocomplete powered by a full PostgreSQL parser, fine-grained access control, audit logging, and a built-in AI assistant that supports OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, and Google Gemini.

![pgconsole](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/pgconsole.webp)

The creators of pgconsole identified a gap in the market: most database tools were either heavyweight platforms requiring substantial infrastructure, or lightweight editors lacking access controls. pgconsole was built to fill that middle ground — a modern, PostgreSQL-specific editor optimized for team use with security built in from the start.

## Bytebase

Aforementioned tools are all client-side SQL editors for individual use. What if you want a SQL client for team use? The client-side SQL editors would not be sufficient because for team use, it would require:

- **Centralized access control**. Ideally you don't want to give away production database credentials to developers by default and only allow them to requst on demand.
- **Audit logging**. You want to capture all operations performed on the database.
- **Request and review workflow**. You want users to go through a ticketing process to request the access rights.
- **Data masking**. You may want to prevent users seeing sensitive data.
- **Policy as Code (GitOps)**. Permission control and masking policies can be codified with Terraform and integrated with your existing DevOps pipeline.

All above requirements call for a server-side solution. And that's what [Bytebase SQL Editor](/sql-editor) provides.

![bytebase-sql-editor](/content/blog/top-open-source-sql-clients/sql-editor.webp)

## SQL Client Comparison Table

| Tool             | Platform                 | Database Support                                | Best For                                                      |
| ---------------- | ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| DBeaver          | Mac, Windows, Linux      | 80+ databases (SQL & NoSQL)                     | Power users needing broad database support                    |
| Beekeeper Studio | Mac, Windows, Linux      | MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, SQL Server             | Developers wanting a clean, modern UI                         |
| DbGate           | Mac, Windows, Linux, Web | MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MongoDB, SQLite  | Cross-platform use including web browsers                     |
| HeidiSQL         | Windows (Linux via Wine) | MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite  | Windows users managing multiple databases                     |
| phpMyAdmin       | Web-based                | MySQL, MariaDB                                  | Web hosting and LAMP stack environments                       |
| pgconsole        | Web-based (self-hosted)  | PostgreSQL only                                 | Teams needing access control and audit logging for PostgreSQL |
| Bytebase         | Web-based (server-side)  | MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, and more | Team collaboration with access control                        |

## Summary

We briefly looked at the history of a handful of SQL Clients to understand some of the more famous open source solutions, rather than comparing the product or their functions (I mean, after 20 years of refinement those veteran SQL clients can't be too bad, right?). It seems that most of the authors began building because they were unable to find a product that fit their needs perfectly, but the story afterwards is very different: some tools were then commercialized, some continued on with a strong community, and some gradually faded out due to a change of focus.

And we wonder, with the popularity of ChatGPT, will there be more open source SQL clients like SQL Chat based on Chat interaction?

Beyond using the general SQL Client to interact with the databases, developers and DBAs also adopt more specialized tools for particular tasks:

- To perform schema migrations, go check out [Top Database Schema Migration Tools](/blog/top-database-schema-change-tool-evolution/).
- To compare and synchronize database schemas, go check out [Top MySQL Schema Compare Tool](/blog/top-mysql-schema-compare-tools/).
- For Postgres, go check out [Top Postgres GUI client](/blog/top-postgres-gui-client).
- For MySQL, go check out [Top MySQL GUI client](/blog/top-mysql-gui-client).

## FAQ

### What is the best free SQL client?

DBeaver is the most feature-rich free SQL client, supporting 80+ databases. For a more modern, lightweight option, Beekeeper Studio offers a clean UI. For team environments, Bytebase provides centralized access control and audit logging.

### What is a SQL client?

A SQL client (also called a database client or SQL GUI tool) is a front-end application that connects to database servers and lets you write queries, browse data, and manage database objects through a graphical interface rather than the command line.

### What is the best free database management software for Mac?

The best free database management tools for Mac include DBeaver (supports all major databases), Beekeeper Studio (modern UI), and pgconsole (PostgreSQL-specific, self-hosted). All three are open-source.

### Is there a free alternative to DataGrip?

Yes, DBeaver Community Edition is the most popular free alternative to DataGrip. It supports a comparable number of databases and offers similar features like SQL editing, data export, and ER diagrams. Beekeeper Studio and DbGate are also good free alternatives.



Bytebase is a Database CI/CD tool for DevOps teams. It currently supports 10+ databases including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, and MariaDB. From development to testing, we need to deploy several different kinds of database instances, which can be rather time-consuming and labor-intensive if deployed one by one.

There are a handful of tools on the market to spin up local database instances quickly, and folks on my team have recommended several free tools, so I thought I'd do a round-up.

Some background info: I'm not a dev (am a developer-marketer, I would test/try out new features before they are rolled out) and I use a Mac.

## DBngin

[DBngin](https://dbngin.com/) currently supports PostgreSQL, MySQL and Redis. And it supports certain different versions of the same database, and can also run multiple versions of database instances on multiple ports at the same time, very convenient for testing!

![dbngin-ui](/content/blog/local-db/dbngin-ui.webp)

DBngin is [open source](https://github.com/TablePlus/DBngin), and they belong to the organization TablePlus (database GUI tool), which means DBngin can be connected to TablePlus, and you can visually manage your local databases.

![dbngin-free](/content/blog/local-db/dbngin-free.webp)

## Postgres.app

[Postgres.app](https://postgresapp.com/), as the name (and logo) implies, only supports Postgres.

![postgresapp-db](/content/blog/local-db/postgresapp-db.webp)

It's actually a complete PostgreSQL installer that packages Postgres into a standard Mac app, and it's perfectly fine if you don't know how to use the command line, because there's a super simple UI. So if you want to run PostgreSQL on your Mac, this is the one.

Postgres.app is also [open source](https://github.com/PostgresApp/PostgresApp) with active development.

## StackBricks

[StackBricks](https://stackbricks.app/) supports MariaDB (points for being the only tool in this round-up that supports MariaDB!), MySQL, PostgreSQL and Redis, and a wide range of their versions, as well as the ability to start multiple local databases on multiple ports.

![stackbricks](/content/blog/local-db/stackbricks.webp)

StackBricks is not open source (but still free to use), but there is [an Issue Tracker](https://github.com/tpetry/stackbricks-community) for your feature requests.

## My Thoughts

For me, as long as the tool suffices for testing purposes, I don't really have high requirements for performance, I would say a simple and easy-to-use UI & multiple database support are the differentiators. In fact, I have been using DBngin, but I tried StackBricks for the sake of writing this post, and it looks like StackBricks is quite good, so I'm gonna try it out for a while.

How do you spin up local database instances for testing?


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