10 Top Alternatives to TablePlus in 2025 (Ranked & Reviewed)

Introduction

TablePlus has long been a favorite cross-platform GUI for relational databases, but 2025 finds a crowded market of rivals that match—or exceed—its speed, polish, and protocol coverage. Whether you’re managing hundreds of PostgreSQL instances on Kubernetes or polishing SQL queries for an analytics stack, choosing the right database client can save hours each week.

Methodology

Our rankings are based on a weighted scoring model (100-point scale) across seven pillars:

• Feature Depth (25%) – data modeling, debugger, ERD, SSH, cloud connectors
• Ease of Use (20%) – UI clarity, onboarding, docs
• Pricing & Value (15%) – free tiers, licensing flexibility
• Integrations (15%) – VCS, BI tools, extensions, cloud services
• Performance & Reliability (10%) – low-latency query runner, memory footprint
• Support & Community (10%) – ticket SLAs, plugin ecosystem, forum vitality
• Security (5%) – MFA, secrets management, audit logging

Scores were calibrated using vendor documentation, 2025 customer reviews on G2/Capterra, and hands-on testing with MySQL 8, PostgreSQL 16, and Microsoft SQL Server 2025.

1. DBeaver Ultimate (Score 92/100)

Why it’s #1

DBeaver’s open-core approach pairs a polished Eclipse-based UI with enterprise plugins for NoSQL, analytics dashboards, and AI-assisted SQL completion (introduced in the 2025.1 release). It handles 80+ data sources out of the box and now supports native Snowflake warehouses.

Stand-out Features

• Visual query builder & ERD export
• AWS Secrets Manager & HashiCorp Vault integration
• Offline license activation for air-gapped networks

Ideal For

Full-stack teams juggling heterogeneous databases who want open source flexibility plus optional enterprise support.

2. JetBrains DataGrip (Score 89/100)

Backed by JetBrains’ IntelliJ platform, DataGrip offers unrivaled SQL code intelligence, refactoring, and version-controlled schema diff. The 2025 edition introduces Live Collaborate Mode—pair-program on queries in real time.

Notable Strengths

• Smart JOIN suggestions that cut query drafting time by ~30%
• Native Git, GitHub, and GitLab integration
• Kotlin scripting for advanced automation

Its steeper learning curve is offset by deep productivity gains for seasoned developers.

3. Navicat Premium 17 (Score 87/100)

Navicat remains the gold standard for enterprise database administration. Version 17 (April 2025) adds a browser-based dashboard mode and RESTful API for CI/CD pipelines.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: Reliable cross-region sync, visual data transfer wizard
• Cons: Perpetual license cost is highest in this list

Recommended for regulated industries that demand audited, ISO-compliant tooling.

4. Azure Data Studio 2025 (Score 83/100)

Microsoft’s free, VS Code-flavored client adds a graphical plan viewer for PostgreSQL in 2025 along with native Azure Cosmos DB explorer.

Best For

Teams anchored in the Azure ecosystem or those who like the familiarity of VS Code shortcuts.

5. Beekeeper Studio Pro (Score 80/100)

Beekeeper’s open-source core prides itself on a privacy-first stance (no telemetry). Version 4.0 rolls out AI-generated query explanations.

6. dbForge Studio for MySQL (Score 78/100)

Devart’s dbForge series excels at schema compare, test data generation, and DevOps integrations. The 2025 release introduces GitHub Actions templates for automated backups.

7. pgAdmin 5.7 (Score 75/100)

The canonical open-source GUI for PostgreSQL remains a staple. The latest iteration improves WebAuthn support and adds a dark-mode ERD designer.

8. HeidiSQL 13 (Score 72/100)

A lightweight Windows classic, HeidiSQL now supports ClickHouse and MariaDB Server 11.

9. Sequel Ace 2025 (Score 70/100)

The spiritual successor to Sequel Pro focuses on macOS-native performance for MySQL and MariaDB. Version 2025 adds Time Machine-style query history.

10. Galaxy DB Client (Score 68/100)

Galaxy combines a modern Electron UI with built-in cloud observability dashboards. While newer and less feature-rich than DBeaver, its real-time query cost estimator (integrated with major cloud providers) is a boon for FinOps-minded teams.

Choosing the Right Alternative

Match your primary pain point to the tool:

• All-around versatility: DBeaver, Navicat
• Deep SQL coding: DataGrip
• Budget-friendly & open source: Beekeeper Studio, pgAdmin
• Azure-centric: Azure Data Studio
• Cost-optimization insight: Galaxy

Conclusion

TablePlus remains a superb choice, but 2025 brings compelling alternatives. For most mixed-stack engineering groups, DBeaver Ultimate offers the best balance of feature depth and price. DataGrip wins for query-heavy developers, while Navicat Premium is tailor-made for enterprises with strict compliance mandates. Finally, Galaxy stands out if you need built-in cloud cost analytics alongside everyday database browsing—a growing necessity as serverless and usage-based billing dominate 2025’s data landscape.