Free Database Clients
Which database clients and SQL GUIs a startup can query and manage its databases with for free today, what the free edition leaves out, the databases it connects to, the systems it runs on and what the paid edition costs, read from each provider's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . Database clients change their free plans from time to time: confirm the terms on the provider's page before you rely on it.
Database clients a startup can use for free today include Beekeeper Studio (Community Edition: 100% free to use), DBeaver (Free and open source), DbVisualizer (DbVisualizer Free: download for free), DbGate (Free and open source), and TablePlus (Free version: 2 tabs and 2 windows). Each of the 11 free plans below links to the provider's page that states it, with its main limit, the databases it connects to, the systems it runs on and what the paid edition costs.
Every startup ends up querying its production database, fixing a row by hand or exploring data before building a dashboard. Database clients give you a GUI for that, several with a free edition, and open-source clients are free with no edition limits.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. Free editions can cap open tabs or windows, keep features for the paid edition, or allow non-commercial use only, and some connect to one database only. Each client below shows what is free, its main limit, the databases it connects to, the systems it runs on and what the paid edition costs, quoted from the provider's own page with the date we read it.
Which clients we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the providers'. Some of these providers pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which clients are listed or where.
Database clients with a free edition
Use a polished SQL client free, with some features kept for the paid edition.
- 1
Beekeeper Studio
Small teams that want a full-featured free client
The Community Edition is a robust, but more limited, version that is 100% free to use. It is intended for small businesses with fewer than 10 employees and/or annual revenue below $1m, and it covers MySQL, Postgres, SQLite and SQL Server.
Start free at Beekeeper StudioTerms read on beekeeperstudio.io on Beekeeper Studio: the free allowance and how to start - 2
DbVisualizer
Teams on Windows, Linux or Mac wanting one free client
The Free and Pro editions share one installer, and Pro features are enabled with a license key. The product connects to all popular databases, and the purchase page lists a New license at $199.00.
Start free at DbVisualizerTerms read on dbvis.com on DbVisualizer: the free allowance and how to start - 3
TablePlus
Solo developers who can live with 2 open tabs
The free version is limited to 2 opened tabs, 2 opened windows and 2 advanced filters at a time, and the page says those limits can change. The Basic license is $99 for one device, and the prices are for Windows, MacOS and Linux.
Start free at TablePlusTerms read on tableplus.com on TablePlus: the free allowance and how to start - 4
DataGrip
Individuals and hobby projects, not paid work
DataGrip is free for non-commercial use, and commercial use requires a subscription. It connects to PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB and more, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 5
Sequel Ace
macOS developers working with MySQL or MariaDB
Sequel Ace is free and open-source software licensed under MIT. It is a MySQL and MariaDB client for macOS, and the site lists macOS 13.5 (Ventura) or later.
Open-source database clients
Query and manage databases with free, open-source software.
- 1
DBeaver
Developers who want one free client for many databases
DBeaver Community is a free, open-source database management tool recommended for personal projects. It manages MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite and more, with installers for Windows, Linux and macOS.
- What's free
- Free and open source (source: dbeaver.io)
- 2
DbGate
Teams who want a free desktop or web client
DbGate is Free & Open Source, with downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux. It is a client for MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis and many more.
- What's free
- Free and open source (source: dbgate.io)
- 3
pgAdmin
PostgreSQL users who want a free admin tool
pgAdmin is a free software project released under the PostgreSQL licence. It is the PostgreSQL management tool, in desktop or server mode on Windows, macOS, Linux and in containers.
- 4
Adminer
Quick browser access to a database on a PHP server
Adminer is free for commercial and non-commercial use under the Apache License or GPL 2. It supports PHP 5.3+, 7 and 8 with enabled sessions, and it is available for MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MS SQL and Oracle.
- 5
HeidiSQL
Windows users working with MySQL or MariaDB
HeidiSQL is free software for people who work with databases. It lets you connect to MariaDB, MySQL, Microsoft SQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase and Firebird, and Lazarus is used for compiling the Linux and macOS releases.
- What's free
- Free software (source: heidisql.com)
- 6
MySQL Workbench
MySQL teams using the official free desktop tool
The Community (OSS) Edition is available from the download page under the GPL. It is compatible with all currently supported versions of the MySQL Server.
Start free at OracleTerms read on dev.mysql.com on MySQL Workbench: the free allowance and how to start
Also useful for databases and data infrastructure
Referral links, picked for fit and ordered by fit (70%) and what a signup earns us (30%), at no cost to you. They never change this page's ranking.
Compare the top options
How this comparison is built
The list covers database clients and SQL GUIs a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each client's terms. Every term comes from the client's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. A cap on open tabs, connections or windows, some databases or features kept for a paid edition, a free version for non-commercial use only can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the provider states them. Some of these clients pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a client appears, and no client pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
What is the best free database client?
By the terms each provider states, DBeaver, DbGate and HeidiSQL are free and open source, Beekeeper Studio's Community Edition is 100% free to use, DbVisualizer Free is a free download, and pgAdmin is free software for PostgreSQL.
Is TablePlus free?
TablePlus has a free version limited to 2 tabs and 2 windows, and says the limits can change without notice. A Basic license is $99 for 1 device.
Is DataGrip free?
DataGrip is free for non-commercial use only, on Windows, macOS and Linux.
What is a free PostgreSQL GUI?
pgAdmin is free software under the PostgreSQL licence, and DBeaver, DbGate, Beekeeper Studio and HeidiSQL also connect to PostgreSQL for free.
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