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Sequel Ace vs Sequel Pro

Which is the better Database tools for Mac in 2026?

PublishedUpdated
Sequel Ace icon

Sequel Ace

MySQL and MariaDB database manager for macOS

Full review
Sequel Pro icon

Sequel Pro

Fast, easy-to-use Mac database management application for working with MySQL databases.

Full review

Our verdict

How we compare apps

For most Mac users in 2026, Sequel Ace is the better choice for Database tools because it scored higher on the price, license, and catalog ordering fields we store. Install Sequel Ace with Homebrew: brew install --cask sequel-ace. Sequel Pro: Sequel Pro is discontinued. Sequel Ace is its actively maintained successor. Download: https://sequel-ace.com/ Choose Sequel Pro instead if you are moving off Navicat Premium.

Read the quick answer

Which is better: Sequel Ace or Sequel Pro?

Sequel Ace is the top pick for most Mac users looking at Database tools. It is free and installs in one Homebrew command. Sequel Pro is the stronger choice if you are moving off Navicat Premium. Install Sequel Ace with Homebrew: brew install --cask sequel-ace. Sequel Pro: Sequel Pro is discontinued. Sequel Ace is its actively maintained successor. Download: https://sequel-ace.com/

TL;DR

Sequel Ace vs Sequel Pro: For most Mac users in 2026, Sequel Ace is the better choice for Database tools because it scored higher on the price, license, and catalog ordering fields we store. Install Sequel Ace with Homebrew: brew install --cask sequel-ace. Sequel Pro: Sequel Pro is discontinued. Sequel Ace is its actively maintained successor. Download: https://sequel-ace.com/ Choose Sequel Pro instead if you are moving off Navicat Premium.

Feature Comparison

Feature comparison between Sequel Ace and Sequel Pro
FeatureSequel AceSequel Pro
PriceFreeFree
Open SourceNoNo
ReplacesTablePlus ($99)Navicat Premium ($1,299)
Best fordatabase, mysql, mariadbdatabase, mysql, sql
Installbrew install --cask sequel-aceSequel Pro is discontinued. Sequel Ace is its actively maintained successor. Download: https://sequel-ace.com/
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDeveloper Tools

Quick Install

Sequel Ace
brew install --cask sequel-ace
Sequel Pro

Sequel Pro is discontinued. Sequel Ace is its actively maintained successor.

Download from the official site

Learn More

Sequel Ace
Sequel Ace Details
Full review, features, and FAQs
Sequel Pro
Sequel Pro Details
Full review, features, and FAQs

In-Depth Overview

What is Sequel Ace?

Sequel Ace is the community fork of Sequel Pro for MySQL and MariaDB database management on macOS. Launched in 2019 when Sequel Pro stalled, it is maintained by the Sequel Ace organisation on GitHub and distributed free via the Mac App Store and direct builds. Ace keeps the beloved Sequel Pro UI — fast table browsing, query editor, import/export and connection manager — while adding Apple Silicon support, notarisation, MySQL 8 caching_sha2_password and sha256 auth, modern SSH, and fixes for crashes that broke Pro on Big Sur and later. Releases are regular (5.x line in 2025-2026) and the app is fully compatible with macOS Tahoe 26.x.

What is Sequel Pro?

Sequel Pro was the long-running free MySQL GUI for macOS, loved for its speed and clean design in the 2010s. The last meaningful maintenance was around 2019-2020; since then issues about MySQL 8 authentication failures, connection crashes and Apple Silicon incompatibility have gone unaddressed. The app still launches on older systems but is unstable on recent macOS, lacks notarisation, and has known query and export bugs. The community formally recommends Sequel Ace as its successor. As of August 2026 Sequel Pro is tracked as abandoned in the intel ledger.

Detailed Feature Comparison

Maintenance and viability

Critical importance

Sequel Ace

Excellent

Actively maintained. Regular releases on GitHub and Mac App Store, responsive to MySQL/MariaDB changes, and patched for each macOS release. Community fork with multiple maintainers.

Sequel Pro

Poor

Effectively abandoned. No release addressing MySQL 8 auth or Apple Silicon. Open issues from 2019 remain. Listed as abandoned in programme intel since 2020-06.

Verdict: Ace is the only viable option for ongoing work. Pro is unmaintained preservationware.

macOS Tahoe and Apple Silicon support

Critical importance

Sequel Ace

Excellent

Universal binary, Apple Silicon native, notarised, and tested on Tahoe 26.x. Installs cleanly via Mac App Store or Homebrew and respects current code-signing requirements.

Sequel Pro

Poor

Intel-only legacy build, not notarised, Gatekeeper warnings, crashes on Tahoe and Sonoma. Requires workarounds and still hits auth and socket edge cases.

Verdict: On modern Macs, only Ace is a native, supported citizen.

MySQL 8 and MariaDB compatibility

Critical importance

Sequel Ace

Excellent

Supports caching_sha2_password, sha256_password and modern TLS. Works with MySQL 8.x and current MariaDB. Handles new defaults without plugin hacks.

Sequel Pro

Poor

Fails with MySQL 8 default auth unless server is downgraded to mysql_native_password. Often cannot connect at all to new instances.

Verdict: If your server is on MySQL 8, Pro cannot reliably connect; Ace can.

UI familiarity and speed

High importance

Sequel Ace

Excellent

Same fast table UI Sequel Pro users love — quick filtering, inline editing, history and favourite connections. No relearning required.

Sequel Pro

Good

The original beloved UI that Ace copied. Still pleasant when it launches, but speed is moot when it cannot connect.

Verdict: Ace preserves Pro's UX strengths while fixing its engine.

Security and signing

High importance

Sequel Ace

Good

Notarised, sandboxed Mac App Store build, regular security fixes. SSH and TLS paths updated for current libraries.

Sequel Pro

Poor

No recent security patches, unsigned legacy build, outdated vendored libraries. Not suitable for production credential handling.

Verdict: Ace is the only defensible choice for handling production credentials.

Import/export and tooling

Medium importance

Sequel Ace

Good

CSV, SQL dump, and custom export with fixed crashes around query copy/paste and large tables. Active bug triage.

Sequel Pro

Fair

Original import/export is solid but has long-standing crashes (e.g. paste regressions) that were never fixed in Pro.

Verdict: Ace fixed the crashes that remained open in Pro's tracker for years.

Pricing and distribution

Medium importance

Sequel Ace

Excellent

Free. No paid tier. Mac App Store and free GitHub builds. No account, no subscription, no nag.

Sequel Pro

Excellent

Also free, when you can find a working download. No ongoing cost, but total cost is high when it fails.

Verdict: Both are free; only Ace is free and functional.

Community and support

Medium importance

Sequel Ace

Good

GitHub org with issues, PRs and brew cask. Docs at sequel-ace.com. Community directs all new questions to Ace, not Pro.

Sequel Pro

Poor

Community has migrated. Most guides now say 'use Sequel Ace instead'. Pro's tracker is archive-grade.

Verdict: Support lives where the maintainers are — on Ace.

Who Should Choose Which?

1The Rails or Laravel developer on Tahoe

Sequel Ace

You need a quick visual table edit and fast query iteration with MySQL 8. Ace launches natively and connects without auth downgrades.

2The team standardising MySQL tooling

Sequel Ace

You need one install that works for every teammate on Apple Silicon and Intel, distributed via Mac App Store or brew install sequel-ace. Pro cannot be that standard.

3The contractor revisiting a 2016 project

Sequel Pro

If you already have a verified working Pro install frozen beside MySQL 5.7 and just need to look once, leaving it alone is harmless. Do not install fresh.

4The security-minded DBA

Sequel Ace

You cannot hand production credentials to an unsigned, unpatched GUI. Ace is the only auditable choice.

5The student following a modern tutorial

Sequel Ace

Every current tutorial for MySQL on Mac points to Ace. Following Pro will lead to an auth error on first connect.

Migration Guide

Sequel Pro → Sequel Ace

Install Sequel Ace from the Mac App Store or brew install --cask sequel-ace. Ace reads your Sequel Pro favourites — open Connections, export favourites from Pro as .spf if needed and import. Verify MySQL 8 connections now use caching_sha2_password without changing my.cnf. Keep Pro installed until you confirm favourites migrated, then remove it.

Sequel Ace → Sequel Pro

Not recommended. If you must run Pro for archival reasons, keep Ace as primary and run Pro only for the legacy host. Do not downgrade server auth plugins to accommodate Pro — use an SSH tunnel to a legacy bastion instead.

Final Verdict

Overall Winner

sequel-ace

9.6

Winner

3.1

Runner-up

Scores are Bundl.run editorial ratings out of 10 across 8 criteria (the feature comparison above), last reviewed August 2026.

In August 2026 Sequel Ace is the unequivocal successor. It preserves everything people loved about Pro — speed, simplicity, native macOS feel — and fixes everything that broke after 2019: MySQL 8 auth, Apple Silicon, notarisation, Tahoe compatibility, and crash bugs. Sequel Pro's story ended around 2020; Ace is its maintained continuation under a new name.

Bottom Line: Install Sequel Ace. Keep Sequel Pro only as a museum piece beside a frozen legacy stack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sequel Pro still safe to use in 2026?
Technically it launches on older macOS, but it is abandoned — no security patches since about 2019 and no fix for MySQL 8 authentication or Apple Silicon. Treat it as legacy software, not a daily driver, and do not use it with production credentials.
Is Sequel Ace really the official successor?
Yes. Sequel Ace was created as a direct community fork when Sequel Pro stalled, retains the same UI, and is now the canonical recommendation in GitHub issues, brew, and the Mac App Store listing that points to sequel-ace.com.
Will my Sequel Pro favourites and connections migrate?
Yes. Ace reads the same favourites format and can import .spf exports. Install Ace beside Pro, verify connections (especially MySQL 8 hosts) and then retire Pro. Most teams migrate in minutes.
Does Sequel Ace work on macOS Tahoe 26.x?
Yes. Ace ships a Universal binary with Apple Silicon native support and notarisation, and is tested on recent macOS including Tahoe 26.x. Pro lacks this support and often fails Gatekeeper or crashes.
Do either cost money?
No. Both are free. Ace is free via Mac App Store and GitHub with no paid tier. Pro was and remains free where you can still find it, but its hidden cost is lost time to auth and compatibility failures.
What should I use if I need Postgres as well?
Consider TablePlus, Beekeeper Studio, or DBeaver Community — they cover MySQL, Postgres and more in one app. If you live purely in MySQL/MariaDB on Mac and love the Sequel UI, Ace remains the lightest and fastest choice.

About the Author

Alex Chen

Senior Developer Tools Specialist

Code Editors & IDEsTerminal EmulatorsVersion Control Tools
12+ years in software development · Former senior engineer at tech startups
TwitterGitHub

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Sources & References

Key Verified Facts

  • Sequel Ace is the community fork of Sequel Pro[1][2]
  • Sequel Pro has been abandoned since around 2019-2020 with no modern MySQL 8 or Apple Silicon support[4][5]
  • Sequel Ace provides Apple Silicon native and notarised builds via Mac App Store and GitHub[6][3]
  • Sequel Ace supports MySQL 8 caching_sha2_password while Sequel Pro requires downgrade[2][5]
  • Both apps are free with no paid tier for core use[6][1]
  1. 1
    sequel-ace.comSequel Ace - official site

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Sequel Ace is a fast, easy-to-use Mac database management application for working with MySQL and MariaDB, the community fork of Sequel Pro.
  2. 2
    github.comSequel-Ace/Sequel-Ace on GitHub

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Active fork with 5.x releases, Apple Silicon support and MySQL 8 compatibility fixes.
  3. 3
    github.comSequel Ace releases - 5.0.0

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Sequel Ace production releases including 5.0 and subsequent patches for macOS.
  4. 4
    github.comsequelpro/sequelpro on GitHub - issue 3705

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Long-running issue documenting stalled maintenance and the move to Sequel Ace as successor.
  5. 5
    beekeeperstudio.ioBeekeeper Studio - Sequel Pro alternatives

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Beekeeper Studio overview listing Sequel Ace as the maintained drop-in replacement for abandoned Sequel Pro.
  6. 6
    apps.apple.comSequel Ace on the Mac App Store

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Sequel Ace listing on the Mac App Store — free download with native Apple Silicon support.
  7. 7
    tableplus.comTablePlus - Database GUI comparisons

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Independent database client comparisons noting Sequel Ace as the Sequel Pro successor on Mac.

Related Technologies & Concepts

Sequel AceSequel ProMySQLMariaDBApple SiliconmacOS TahoeMac App Storecaching_sha2_password
Sequel Ace (Active community fork of Sequel Pro for MySQL/MariaDB on macOS), Sequel Pro (Abandoned MySQL GUI that Sequel Ace directly forks and replaces), MySQL (Relational database managed by both apps; MySQL 8 auth is the key differentiator), MariaDB (MySQL-compatible database supported by Sequel Ace), Apple Silicon (ARM-based Mac processors requiring native or translated binaries), macOS Tahoe (Current macOS 26.x release requiring notarised Universal apps), Mac App Store (Primary distribution channel for Sequel Ace builds), caching_sha2_password (Default MySQL 8 authentication plugin supported by Ace but not Pro)

Related Topics

MySQL GUIs for macOS

Native Mac applications for visual MySQL and MariaDB management, query editing and import/export

sequel acesequel pro

Abandoned software and forks

How community forks sustain beloved tools when upstream stalls, and how to migrate safely

sequel ace