Written by
Joel Witts
Technical Review by
Craig MacAlpine
DBeaver Community is a popular free, open-source database management tool that supports more than 100 databases out of the box.
But DBeaver positions the free edition for personal projects, and features including NoSQL database support and AI capabilities are only available in its paid PRO editions. If you need those features, want a different editor or licensing model, or need tighter control over who can access production databases, it’s worth comparing the alternatives.
With this in mind, we’ve compared 10 alternatives to DBeaver. We looked at engine coverage, including NoSQL, support for Windows, macOS, and Linux, AI assistants, schema compare, free editions, and session audit or recording, as well as how each product handles saved credentials.
This guide gives you the framework to choose a client that fits the engines you run, the size of your team, and how you need saved credentials protected.
Here is a comparison of the top DBeaver alternatives across key database management capabilities.
| Product | Best For | NoSQL Support | Windows, macOS and Linux | AI Assistant | Schema Compare | Free Edition | Session Audit or Recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
KeeperDB
|
Database access without exposing credentials
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Aqua Data Studio
|
Analysts wanting visual analytics and modeling alongside SQL
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Beekeeper Studio
|
Small teams wanting an open-source client on every OS
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
DataGrip
|
Developers wanting an IDE-grade SQL editor
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
dbForge Edge
|
Windows teams on SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
DbSchema
|
Teams that design and document schemas visually
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
DbVisualizer
|
Cross-platform teams wanting a per-user license
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Navicat Premium
|
One client for relational and NoSQL databases
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
TablePlus
|
Individual developers wanting a native client and one-time license
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Toad Data Studio
|
Teams with mixed relational, NoSQL and SAP databases
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Expert Insights independently researches B2B cybersecurity and IT software. We checked out 10 DBeaver alternatives hands-on, assessing coverage of relational and NoSQL engines, support for Windows, macOS, and Linux, AI assistants, schema compare, free editions, session audit or recording, and how each product protects saved credentials. This article was written by Joel Witts and technically reviewed by Craig MacAlpine. Read our full methodology
Best for DBeaver users who want to keep credentials off their devices and record, time-limit and audit production sessions
KeeperDB, from Keeper Security, gives you one client for a wide range of database engines, built on Keeper’s zero-knowledge platform. It runs either as a free desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux, or as a KeeperPAM session that opens from a PAM Database record in the Keeper Vault.
Native drivers connect KeeperDB to PostgreSQL, MySQL and MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, Amazon Redshift, SQLite, MongoDB and Amazon DynamoDB. For day-to-day work, it has a query editor with syntax highlighting and autocomplete, a searchable schema tree, ER diagrams, in-place cell editing, and CSV, JSON or SQL INSERT exports.
With KeeperAI, you can ask a built-in assistant to write or explain a query based on your connected schema. Before running anything other than a SELECT, KeeperAI shows the exact statement it will execute.
With KeeperPAM, credentials are never stored on or exposed to user devices, because the KeeperPAM Gateway injects them into each connection. KeeperPAM also brings full session recording, read-only permissions, and controls on what data users can export or import.
If you’re moving away from DBeaver and need secure access to production databases with recorded, time-limited sessions, we think KeeperDB is a strong option.
The database management platform is comprehensive, and built into Keeper’s wider PAM solution. Keeper also offers a popular, easy-to-use password management solution within the same platform used by more than 100,000 organizations globally. If you are looking for database management alongside password management, dark web monitoring or PAM, Keeper is a natural solution to consider.
If you’re coming from DBeaver Community, you can use the free desktop app as your everyday client without signing up for a Keeper account.
Best for analysts who want visual analytics and modeling alongside SQL
Aqua Data Studio is a database IDE that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, natively on Apple silicon. It supports over 40 data source platforms. These include Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Teradata, SAP HANA, MongoDB, and Apache Cassandra.
The IDE includes a visual query builder, SQL debuggers for Oracle, Sybase ASE, DB2 LUW and SQL Server, and an ER Modeler for creating and managing ER diagrams.
You can compare and synchronize the DDL of schema objects, compare the data in two schemas, and move data between a database and external files. You can also send query results to Visual Analytics and build charts and dashboards in the same tool.
An AI Assist feature, included in the Standard and Ultimate editions, generates, rewrites, optimizes, and explains SQL using OpenAI models.
We think Aqua Data Studio is a strong option for analysts and developers who work across multiple database platforms and want query, modeling, compare, and charting tools in one IDE.
If you’re moving from DBeaver and want charts and dashboards from your query results, you can build them in Visual Analytics without leaving the IDE.
Standard costs $499 per user and Ultimate costs $699 per user, both on annual licensing, and Enterprise Ultimate is priced on request. There’s no free edition; the 14-day trial covers Ultimate features except import and export.
Best for small teams that want an open-source client on every operating system
Beekeeper Studio is a SQL and NoSQL database client for macOS, Windows, and Linux. The open-source Community Edition connects to PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, SQL Server, Amazon Redshift, CockroachDB, Google BigQuery, Redis and more..
The paid versions supports Oracle, Snowflake, ClickHouse, DuckDB, MongoDB, Cassandra, Trino, and Presto, with DynamoDB also available in beta.
The query editor offers syntax highlighting and autocomplete for your tables, and you can create a table from a CSV or export results to CSV, JSON, JSONL, and SQL. Paid editions add editable query results that write back to source tables, ER diagrams, as well as native backup and restore with pg_dump and mysqldump.
The AI Shell, in the Professional and Business plans, explores your schema, runs SQL checks its work against real data, using your own AI provider key. Professional and Business also include cloud workspaces, where your team can share connections and saved queries in a shared folder.
We think Beekeeper Studio is a strong option for small teams that want a modern, open-source client which supports any operating system. The Community Edition is free and open source, and you can unlock paid features later in the same app.
Paid plans cost $9, $14, or $18 per user per month, billed yearly, with a 14-day trial available. Beekeeper Studio’s documentation doesn’t describe schema compare or audit logging, so if you need either, we recommend you check with the vendor before you buy.
Best for developers who want an IDE-grade SQL editor with agent-based AI
JetBrains DataGrip is an IDE for relational and NoSQL databases. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it works with over 50 local and cloud databases, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, Redis, SQLite, Snowflake, and Google BigQuery.
DataGrip reads your database’s structure, so as you write SQL it suggests your actual table and column names and flags mistakes, such as a column that doesn’t exist, with one-click fixes. In the data editor, you can filter, sort and edit query results in interactive tables, and you can import and export data in standard formats or choose your own. DataGrip compares schemas and generates a migration script that makes the target match the origin.
JetBrains AI Assistant writes SQL from natural language with your database context. You can also run agents such as Junie, Claude, Codex, GitHub Copilot, or Gemini CLI from the model picker, and review their changes before they’re applied.
We think DataGrip is a strong option for developers who want IDE-grade SQL editing and AI agents in a database tool. If you’re moving from DBeaver and want an IDE built around SQL code, DataGrip offers schema-aware refactorings, inspections, and Git integration for your SQL work.
DataGrip is free for non-commercial use, and commercial licenses come with a 30-day trial. DataGrip has no built-in roles, so if your organization needs central access controls, we recommend you plan for that separately.
Best for Windows teams working on SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL
Devart dbForge Edge is a bundle of four Devart IDEs: dbForge Studio for SQL Server, dbForge Studio for MySQL, which also covers MariaDB, dbForge Studio for Oracle, and dbForge Studio for PostgreSQL.
Together they connect to those engines and to related databases and cloud services, including Percona, Greenplum, Amazon RDS, Aurora and Redshift, Azure SQL, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Microsoft Fabric, Supabase and YugabyteDB.
The studios include a visual query builder, database and table designers, a visual SQL EXPLAIN plan, test data generation, and a database documenter. dbForge Edge can compare two databases and show how their tables and columns differ, on every database it supports. It can also compare the data in two databases and copy over any differences so they match.
The SQL Server and MySQL studios integrate with Git, GitHub, and SVN.
dbForge Edge is a Windows application. On macOS and Linux, Devart supports running it through CrossOver, a compatibility layer for Windows applications.
We think dbForge Edge is a strong option for Windows-based teams that want deep tooling for SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL. Subscriptions start at $749.95 per license per year, or $899.95 with premium support, and Devart also sells perpetual licenses, with a 30-day trial.
dbForge Edge doesn’t support NoSQL databases, and if your team works on macOS or Linux, you’ll need CrossOver to run it.
Best for teams that design and document schemas visually as well as query them
DbSchema is a visual database design and management tool. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and connects to more than 100 relational and NoSQL databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MariaDB, SQLite, Snowflake, MongoDB, Amazon Redshift, and Google BigQuery.
DbSchema generates interactive diagrams from a live database, where you can add tables and columns. The SQL editor suggests table and column names as you type.
DbSchema Pro also includes a visual query builder and lets you browse and edit data across related tables at once. It can also compare two database designs and create the script to make them match, produce documentation of your database in HTML5, PDF or Markdown, and generate test data or import your own.
Because DbSchema saves your database design as a model file, you can keep working on it without a connection to the database. The Architect edition includes tools for planning a database at a higher level, before you get to individual tables.
DbSchema is a strong option for teams that need to design schemas visually as well as just query them. If you’re moving from DBeaver Community, DbSchema is also a Java-based desktop app with a free edition.
Pro costs $294 per developer as a perpetual license, with the first year of updates included and optional updates at $75 a year after that. Architect costs $470.40 per developer, and the AI Assistant is a $9 monthly add-on.
The Community Edition can’t open saved project files, so if your team works from saved models, we recommend you look at the Pro option
Best for cross-platform teams that want a per-user license
DbVisualizer is a popular database client that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, including Arm-based machines such as Apple silicon Macs. It connects to relational, NoSQL and cloud databases, including Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, Snowflake, Databricks, DynamoDB, Google BigQuery, ClickHouse, and DuckDB.
DbVisualizer includes a visual query builder, table import and export, a table data editor, and explain plan, which shows how the database will run a query. DbVisualizer also lets you create, edit and delete MongoDB documents directly.
You can also compare schemas, though only one part of a schema at a time.
We think DbVisualizer is a strong option for cross-platform teams that want a simple per-user license. If you’re moving from DBeaver and want to own the software you pay for, every DbVisualizer Pro subscription includes a perpetual license.
Pro costs $199 per user for the first year and $89 a year after that, and you keep using the version you have if you stop renewing. There’s also a free 21-day Pro trial.
Something to be aware of is that schema comparison checks one aspect of a schema at a time, so we recommend you test it against your release process during the trial if you compare whole schemas often.
Best for individual developers who want a native client and a one-time license
TablePlus is a native database client for macOS, Windows, and Linux, with an iOS app used by over 100k developers worldwide. It connects to PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, Amazon Redshift, Snowflake, Google BigQuery, ClickHouse, DuckDB, CockroachDB, MongoDB, Redis, Cassandra, Elasticsearch, and DynamoDB in beta, among others.
Database coverage varies by operating system: Oracle is macOS only, and Snowflake runs on macOS and Windows.
The query editor offers autocomplete, syntax highlighting, SQL formatting, split panes, favorites and query history. When you edit data inline, TablePlus doesn’t save the changes to the database until you commit them, so you can review the SQL it will run or discard everything. Safe Mode warns you, or asks for a password, before it sends queries to the server.
TablePlus also includes ER diagrams, import and export, backup and restore, user management and a process list. On macOS, its built-in AI assistant writes and explains queries using your own key for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, GitHub Copilot, Ollama, and other providers.
We think TablePlus is a strong option for individual developers who want a native client with a one-time license. TablePlus offers a native desktop client for macOS, Windows, and Linux, plus iOS.
A Basic license costs $99 for one device plus two iOS devices, with a year of updates, and you keep using the app without limits after that year. Team seats cost $79 each, with a minimum of three. Feature and database coverage is fullest on macOS, so if your team works on Windows or Linux, we recommend you check the drivers you need during the free trial.
Best for teams with mixed relational, NoSQL and SAP databases
Quest Software’s Toad Data Studio is a database IDE that can be used to manage several types of database from one Windows desktop tool. It provides a full-featured database explorer, query builder and editor for Oracle, SQL Server, and Azure SQL, IBM DB2, SAP ASE, IQ, SQL Anywhere and HANA, Teradata, MySQL, Snowflake, and Databricks.
Toad Data Studio also connects to NoSQL sources, including MongoDB, Cassandra, DynamoDB, HBase, Hive and Azure Table Services, and to BI sources such as SAP Business Objects, Salesforce, SSAS and SharePoint, plus Excel, Access and CSV files.
The visual query builder lets you create queries without writing SQL, alongside database diagramming. You can compare schemas and generate change statements, compare data across environments, and keep your work under Git version control.
The AI Explain feature describes and summarizes unfamiliar or complicated code in plain language.
We think Toad Data Studio is a strong option for teams that manage mixed relational, NoSQL and SAP databases from Windows desktops. If you’re moving from DBeaver and manage SAP or Teradata databases alongside mainstream engines, Toad Data Studio supports them natively in the same explorer and editor.
Pricing is not publicly published, but there is a full 30-day trial which unlocks all features. Toad for Oracle license holders can use Toad Data Studio, although their license doesn’t cover its AI features.
Toad Data Studio runs on Windows 8.1, 10, and 11 and Windows Server.
If you're moving off DBeaver, our research also turned up these tools, from free clients to paid SQL Server and MongoDB tools:
Free to download for Windows, Linux, and macOS, HeidiSQL connects to MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and Interbase/Firebird.
An MIT-licensed VS Code extension from Microsoft that connects to SQL Server, Azure SQL, and Fabric SQL databases, with schema design, T-SQL execution and execution plan views. Microsoft tells Azure Data Studio users to migrate to it, as that tool was retired on February 28, 2026.
Oracle's own MySQL tool for developers, DBAs, and architects, offered as a GPL-licensed Community Edition.
A free Oracle extension that adds Oracle Database object browsing, SQL, and script execution, PL/SQL editing and data export to VS Code.
An open-source admin and query tool dedicated to PostgreSQL, which runs as a desktop app on Windows, macOS, and Linux or in a browser, at no cost.
Redgate's paid suite of 11 SQL Server tools, with SQL Prompt, SQL Compare Pro, SQL Data Compare Pro, and SQL Source Control among them.
Microsoft's own SQL Server and Azure SQL management app, free to download and Windows only.
A Webyog GUI built for MySQL, covering database backups and data synchronization.
A MongoDB GUI and toolset whose Community Edition is free for non-commercial use, up to three connections.
The table below shows the starting price each vendor publishes on its own website at the time of writing, in US dollars.
| Product | Starting Price | Billing | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
|
KeeperDB
|
Free desktop app; KeeperDB with KeeperPAM: Contact for quote
|
Custom (KeeperPAM)
|
|
|
Aqua Data Studio
|
From $499 per user (Standard, annual licensing); 14-day free trial
|
Annual
|
|
|
Beekeeper Studio
|
Free (Community Edition); paid plans from $9 per user, per month, billed annually (Indie)
|
Monthly or annual
|
|
|
DataGrip
|
Contact for quote; free for non-commercial use; 30-day free trial
|
|
|
|
dbForge Edge
|
From $749.95 per license, per year (1-year subscription without premium support); 30-day free trial
|
Annual or perpetual
|
|
|
DbSchema
|
Free (Community Edition); Pro from $294 per developer, one-time payment with 1 year of updates; 15-day free trial
|
Perpetual or subscription
|
|
|
DbVisualizer
|
Free edition; Pro from $199 per user for the first year, then $89 per year; 21-day free trial
|
Annual
|
|
|
Navicat Premium
|
Free (Premium Lite, up to 5 users); Enterprise Edition $1,999 per user, perpetual, with 1 year of maintenance; 14-day free trial
|
Perpetual or subscription
|
|
|
TablePlus
|
From $99 per license, one-time payment with 1 year of updates; free trial with limits
|
One-time (perpetual)
|
|
|
Toad Data Studio
|
Contact for quote; 30-day free trial
|
Subscription
|
|
These are the evaluation criteria we recommend when selecting a DBeaver alternative.
DBeaver supports more than 100 database drivers, plus other sources through JDBC and ODBC. List every database your team opens in DBeaver, including NoSQL stores and cloud warehouses, and check each one against the alternative's supported engines.
DBeaver runs on Java. Some alternatives are native desktop apps, some run only on Windows, and some also launch in the browser. Confirm the tool runs on every operating system your developers and DBAs use.
Clients store connection passwords encrypted on the user's device, load them from a vault, or connect on the user's behalf so the user never sees the password. Some clients keep stronger protection for paid editions, so check what the edition you plan to use includes.
Look for read-only or time-limited sessions, approval steps, and session recording or query audit logs. In some tools these controls need a separate product or add-on.
Try autocomplete, visual query builders and ER diagrams against your real schemas. If your team uses DBeaver's schema or data compare, confirm the alternative offers it; not every client does.
AI assistants turn natural language into SQL and explain queries. Confirm what schema and data the assistant sends to the AI model, whether it asks before running write operations, and whether it needs a separate license or add-on.
Some free editions are open source, some cover non-commercial use only, and some are time-limited trials. Paid tiers come as perpetual licenses or annual subscriptions, priced per user or with seat minimums for teams, so price out the whole team.
Moving off DBeaver means recreating saved connections, moving SQL scripts and confirming a driver for each engine. Check whether the alternative imports DBeaver connections rather than assuming it does, and test the move with a small group first.
The alternatives to DBeaver generally fall between two models. At one end are broad multi-database clients that, like DBeaver, connect to many relational and NoSQL engines. At the other end are tools built for depth in one area: a full IDE for each of SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL, native support for SAP databases, or credentials kept off your users’ devices, with recorded, time-limited sessions.
Switching to a broad client gets you a different editor, platform, or license, with many engines still in one app, and many of these clients, like DBeaver, store saved passwords on the user’s device. A
focused tool goes deeper, and some give up breadth or platforms. In this guide, one connects to eight engines and has no schema compare, one doesn’t support NoSQL, and two are Windows applications.
Start by mapping out why you’re leaving DBeaver. If it’s the app or the license, a broad client is the closer replacement. List every engine your team connects to in DBeaver today and confirm the alternative supports each one.
If it’s a specific gap, such as deeper tooling for the engines you use most, SAP databases, or control over who holds production credentials, a focused tool fits better, and you can keep a broad client alongside it for everything else.
DBeaver is a database client and SQL editor that connects to many database engines from one application. DBeaver Corp makes it in two forms: DBeaver Community, which DBeaver describes as “a free, open-source database management tool for personal projects”, and the paid DBeaver PRO editions. DBeaver says it supports more than 100 database drivers out of the box, and other sources can connect through JDBC or ODBC. It is a Java application built on the Eclipse Rich Client Platform and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
DBeaver Community is free and licensed under Apache 2.0. The PRO editions are paid. On DBeaver’s editions page, Lite costs $113 per year, Enterprise $255 per year, and Ultimate $510 per year. Team Edition costs $1,630 per year for the minimum purchase of one administrator and two developers, and CloudBeaver Enterprise costs $1,025 per year. All PRO editions add NoSQL and big data support and AI features, and schema compare and migration tools are in Enterprise, Ultimate, and Team Edition.
The reasons depend on the team. You may want a different licensing model, such as a perpetual license, or a free edition that includes NoSQL support. You may want deeper tooling for one engine, a visual schema design tool, or IDE-style SQL editing.
Some buyers want a client that isn’t a Java application. Aqua Data Studio, DbSchema, and DbVisualizer are Java-based, like DBeaver, so check each product’s technology if this matters to you.
Teams that work on production databases may also want credentials kept in a vault or injected into the connection, read-only or time-limited access, and recorded sessions. KeeperDB with KeeperPAM, for example, adds session recording and time-limited access with approvals.
By default, DBeaver saves user names and passwords in a credentials-config.json file encrypted with a DES key. DBeaver’s documentation says this key is not secure because it is publicly available in DBeaver’s source files. Project password protection is available in the Lite, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions only, and DBeaver also lets you set a master password for all projects in a local workspace.
The alternatives handle credentials in different ways. DataGrip has no password store of its own and uses the operating system’s password manager or KeePass. On macOS, TablePlus saves passwords in Keychain. DbVisualizer can encrypt saved passwords with a master password. KeeperDB with KeeperPAM injects credentials into the connection, so credentials are not stored or exposed on user devices.
It depends on what you need from a free tool. For an open-source client, Beekeeper Studio Community Edition is free under an OSI-approved license, and version 6.1 made its read-only mode free. The KeeperDB desktop app is free and can run without a Keeper account.
For NoSQL in a free edition, Navicat Premium Lite supports MongoDB and Redis, for up to five users per organization. DbSchema’s free Community Edition suits visual schema work, but it can’t open saved project files. DbVisualizer’s free edition covers the standard feature set, while import, export, and the data editor need Pro. DataGrip is free for non-commercial use only.
Nine of the ten alternatives in this guide support at least one NoSQL database:
Most do. KeeperDB, Aqua Data Studio, Beekeeper Studio, DataGrip, DbSchema, DbVisualizer, Navicat Premium, and TablePlus all run on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Check the details: KeeperDB’s macOS app is for Apple Silicon, and TablePlus features and database coverage vary by operating system.
Navicat Premium lists macOS 14 Sonoma or later and Debian and Ubuntu releases, and Aqua Data Studio lists macOS Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, and Ubuntu Linux 20 and 22. TablePlus also has an iOS app. Toad Data Studio runs on Windows only. dbForge Edge is a Windows application that runs on macOS and Linux only through CrossOver, a compatibility layer for Windows software.
Further reading on it management from Expert Insights — buyers' guides, comparison articles, and platform-specific shortlists.
Joel is the Director of Content and a co-founder at Expert Insights; a rapidly growing media company focused on covering cybersecurity solutions.
He’s an experienced journalist and editor with 8 years’ experience covering the cybersecurity space. He’s reviewed hundreds of cybersecurity solutions, interviewed hundreds of industry experts and produced dozens of industry reports read by thousands of CISOs and security professionals in topics like IAM, MFA, zero trust, email security, DevSecOps and more.
He also hosts the Expert Insights Podcast and co-writes the weekly newsletter, Cyber Weekly. Joel is driven to share his team’s expertise with cybersecurity leaders to help them create more secure business foundations.
Craig MacAlpine is CEO and Founder of Expert Insights. Before founding Expert Insights in August 2018, Craig spent 10 years as CEO of EPA Cloud, an email security provider that rebranded as VIPRE Email Security following its acquisition by Ziff Davis, formerly J2Global (NASDAQ: ZD) in 2013.
Craig is a passionate security innovator with over 20 years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with cutting-edge information security and cybersecurity solutions.
Using his extensive experience in the email security industry, he founded Expert Insights with the singular goal of helping IT professionals and CISOs to cut through the noise and find the right cybersecurity solutions they need to protect their organizations.