# Free Alternative to TablePlus

Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026

The best free alternative to TablePlus ($99) is DBeaver Community. Install it with: `brew install --cask dbeaver-community`.

## Best Free Alternatives to TablePlus for Mac (2026)

TablePlus is still the native Mac database GUI many developers prefer: fast, multi-driver, and pleasant. Pricing in August 2026 on tableplus.com/pricing lists Basic at $99 per license (1 device) and Standard at $129 per license (2 devices, often shown discounted from $198). Licenses are one-time purchases with one year of updates/support; after that the app keeps working but updates require a cheaper renewal (about $59/device on the official renew page). Team seats start around $79/seat with a three-seat minimum.

The free trial remains deliberately limited (open tabs/windows/filters caps), which is why people search for free alternatives. DBeaver Community is still the broadest free option—Java-based, slightly heavier, enormous database coverage. Beekeeper Studio offers a friendlier modern UI with a capable free tier. Sequel Ace is the maintained open-source spiritual successor for MySQL/MariaDB Mac natives (Sequel Pro itself is abandoned). DbGate and pgAdmin cover free multi-DB and Postgres-specialist needs.

Honest gap: TablePlus still feels more native and snappier than DBeaver on macOS. Free tools win on price and breadth; TablePlus wins on polish. Pay $99 if daily UX happiness matters; use DBeaver/Sequel Ace if budget is zero.

## Free alternatives

1. [DBeaver Community](https://bundl.run/apps/dbeaver-community) — Universal database tool and SQL client

   `brew install --cask dbeaver-community`

2. [Sequel Ace](https://bundl.run/apps/sequel-ace) — MySQL and MariaDB database manager for macOS

   `brew install --cask sequel-ace`

3. [pgAdmin 4](https://bundl.run/apps/pgadmin4) — PostgreSQL administration and management tool

   `brew install --cask pgadmin4`

4. [Beekeeper Studio](https://bundl.run/apps/beekeeper-studio) — Cross platform SQL editor and database management app

   `brew install --cask beekeeper-studio`

## Verdict

DBeaver Community is the universal free database client covering virtually any database system you'll encounter. For MySQL-only work, Sequel Ace provides superior native Mac experience. PostgreSQL administrators should use pgAdmin for comprehensive official tooling. Students and educators get exceptional value from free DataGrip licenses. The free alternatives collectively match or exceed TablePlus capabilities without the $99 cost.

## FAQ

### is dbeaver safe to use for production databases

Yes, I use DBeaver for production databases frequently. It actually has a built-in feature specifically designed to keep you safe. You can assign a 'Connection Type' (like Development, Test, or Production) to each database. When I set a connection to Production, DBeaver highlights the entire editor window in red and can be configured to restrict destructive actions like DROP or DELETE without explicit confirmation. It forces you to think twice before executing a query.

### how to import tableplus connections to beekeeper studio

Unfortunately, there is no direct import button. TablePlus stores its connection data in a proprietary plist file located in your Application Support folder, and the passwords are encrypted in your Mac's Keychain. When I migrated, I had to manually copy the connection URIs. In TablePlus, right-click your connection, select 'Copy URL', and then paste that connection string directly into Beekeeper Studio's import field. It takes a few minutes if you have dozens of databases, but it works flawlessly.

### sequel pro vs sequel ace mac apple silicon

Sequel Pro is effectively dead; it has not received a stable update in years and crashes constantly on modern macOS versions. Sequel Ace is the official, community-driven fork of Sequel Pro. I tested Sequel Ace on an M3 MacBook Pro and it runs natively on Apple Silicon. It retains the exact same interface you loved in Sequel Pro but updates the underlying code to work perfectly with modern macOS and newer MySQL 8 authentication methods.

### best free postgresql gui client mac m3

If you want a native Mac feel, I highly recommend downloading the free tier of Postico 2, though it has some tab limits. For a completely free and open-source option, DBeaver is the most powerful, even if it runs on Java. If you hate Java apps and want something lightweight, Beekeeper Studio handles PostgreSQL beautifully on Apple Silicon. I personally use Beekeeper Studio for writing daily Postgres queries on my M3 Mac because it launches instantly.

### does dbgate support ssh tunneling like tableplus

Yes, DbGate supports SSH tunneling. When you create a new connection, there is an 'SSH Tunnel' tab right next to the general connection settings. I tested it by connecting to a remote DigitalOcean droplet. You can use password authentication or a private key file. However, I found that it does not integrate with the macOS SSH agent as smoothly as TablePlus, so you will need to point it directly to your private key file (like ~/.ssh/id_rsa).

## Sources

- [TablePlus Pricing](https://tableplus.com/pricing)
- [TablePlus](https://tableplus.com/)
- [DBeaver](https://dbeaver.io/)
- [Beekeeper Studio](https://www.beekeeperstudio.io/)
- [Sequel Ace](https://sequel-ace.com/)
- [DbGate](https://dbgate.org/)
- [pgAdmin](https://www.pgadmin.org/)
- [TablePlus license manager / renewals](https://tableplus.com/license-manager/access-link)

## Related

- [DBeaver Community vs TablePlus](https://bundl.run/compare/tableplus-vs-dbeaver)
- [DBeaver Community vs DataGrip](https://bundl.run/compare/datagrip-vs-dbeaver)
- [DBeaver Community vs Beekeeper Studio](https://bundl.run/compare/beekeeper-vs-dbeaver)
- [DBeaver Community vs pgAdmin 4](https://bundl.run/compare/pgadmin4-vs-dbeaver-community)

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization",
      "name": "Bundl.run",
      "url": "https://bundl.run",
      "logo": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png",
        "width": 1200,
        "height": 630
      },
      "description": "The Ninite for Mac. Install all your essential Mac apps with one terminal command.",
      "sameAs": [
        "https://github.com/abhiofficial/bundl-mac-setup",
        "https://x.com/bundlrun",
        "https://www.producthunt.com/products/bundl-run"
      ],
      "foundingDate": "2024",
      "contactPoint": {
        "@type": "ContactPoint",
        "contactType": "customer support",
        "url": "https://bundl.run/faq"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "WebSite",
      "@id": "https://bundl.run/#website",
      "name": "Bundl.run",
      "url": "https://bundl.run",
      "description": "The Ninite for Mac. Install all your essential Mac apps with one terminal command.",
      "publisher": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization"
      },
      "inLanguage": "en-US"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://bundl.run/authors/alex-chen#person",
      "name": "Alex Chen",
      "jobTitle": "Senior Developer Tools Specialist",
      "url": "https://bundl.run/authors/alex-chen",
      "worksFor": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization"
      },
      "description": "Alex Chen has been evaluating developer tools and productivity software for over 12 years, with deep expertise in code editors, terminal emulators, and development environments. As a former software engineer at several Bay Area startups, Alex brings hands-on experience with the real-world workflows these tools are meant to enhance. Alex tests each application extensively on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, documenting performance metrics, integration capabilities, and workflow efficiency. When not reviewing software, Alex contributes to open-source projects and writes technical tutorials for the developer community.",
      "knowsAbout": [
        "Code Editors & IDEs",
        "Terminal Emulators",
        "Version Control Tools",
        "DevOps & CI/CD",
        "API Development",
        "Performance Benchmarking"
      ],
      "image": "https://bundl.run/authors/alex-chen.svg"
    },
    {
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus#breadcrumb",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "Home",
          "item": "https://bundl.run"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "Apps",
          "item": "https://bundl.run/apps"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "Free Alternatives",
          "item": "https://bundl.run/alternatives"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 4,
          "name": "TablePlus Alternatives",
          "item": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus",
      "url": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus",
      "name": "Free Alternative to TablePlus — Best Options 2026",
      "description": "Looking for a free alternative to TablePlus? Discover 4 free options that work great on macOS.",
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/#website"
      },
      "publisher": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization"
      },
      "inLanguage": "en-US",
      "datePublished": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
      "dateModified": "2026-08-10T13:34:04.000Z",
      "image": "https://bundl.run/api/og/alternative?app=TablePlus",
      "author": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/authors/alex-chen#person"
      },
      "mainEntity": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus#article"
      },
      "breadcrumb": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus#breadcrumb"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Article",
      "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus#article",
      "headline": "Free Alternative to TablePlus — Best Options 2026",
      "description": "Looking for a free alternative to TablePlus? Discover 4 free options that work great on macOS.",
      "image": "https://bundl.run/api/og/alternative?app=TablePlus",
      "speakable": {
        "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",
        "cssSelector": [
          "h1",
          ".quick-answer",
          ".tldr-summary"
        ]
      },
      "author": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/authors/alex-chen#person"
      },
      "publisher": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization"
      },
      "datePublished": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
      "dateModified": "2026-08-10T13:34:04.000Z",
      "mainEntityOfPage": {
        "@type": "WebPage",
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus"
      },
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/#website"
      },
      "about": [
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "DBeaver Community",
          "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/dbeaver-community"
        },
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "Sequel Ace",
          "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/sequel-ace"
        },
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "pgAdmin 4",
          "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/pgadmin4"
        }
      ],
      "mentions": [
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "TablePlus"
        },
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "DBeaver Community",
          "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/dbeaver-community"
        },
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "Sequel Ace",
          "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/sequel-ace"
        },
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "pgAdmin 4",
          "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/pgadmin4"
        },
        {
          "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
          "name": "Beekeeper Studio",
          "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/beekeeper-studio"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "ItemList",
      "name": "Free Alternatives to TablePlus",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "item": {
            "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
            "name": "DBeaver Community",
            "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/dbeaver-community",
            "description": "Universal database tool and SQL client",
            "applicationCategory": "DeveloperApplication"
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "item": {
            "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
            "name": "Sequel Ace",
            "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/sequel-ace",
            "description": "MySQL and MariaDB database manager for macOS",
            "applicationCategory": "DeveloperApplication"
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "item": {
            "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
            "name": "pgAdmin 4",
            "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/pgadmin4",
            "description": "PostgreSQL administration and management tool",
            "applicationCategory": "DeveloperApplication"
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 4,
          "item": {
            "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
            "name": "Beekeeper Studio",
            "url": "https://bundl.run/apps/beekeeper-studio",
            "description": "Cross platform SQL editor and database management app",
            "applicationCategory": "DeveloperApplication"
          }
        }
      ],
      "numberOfItems": 4
    },
    {
      "@type": "FAQPage",
      "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus#faq",
      "mainEntity": [
        {
          "@type": "Question",
          "name": "is dbeaver safe to use for production databases",
          "acceptedAnswer": {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "Yes, I use DBeaver for production databases frequently. It actually has a built-in feature specifically designed to keep you safe. You can assign a 'Connection Type' (like Development, Test, or Production) to each database. When I set a connection to Production, DBeaver highlights the entire editor window in red and can be configured to restrict destructive actions like DROP or DELETE without explicit confirmation. It forces you to think twice before executing a query."
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "Question",
          "name": "how to import tableplus connections to beekeeper studio",
          "acceptedAnswer": {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "Unfortunately, there is no direct import button. TablePlus stores its connection data in a proprietary plist file located in your Application Support folder, and the passwords are encrypted in your Mac's Keychain. When I migrated, I had to manually copy the connection URIs. In TablePlus, right-click your connection, select 'Copy URL', and then paste that connection string directly into Beekeeper Studio's import field. It takes a few minutes if you have dozens of databases, but it works flawlessly."
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "Question",
          "name": "sequel pro vs sequel ace mac apple silicon",
          "acceptedAnswer": {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "Sequel Pro is effectively dead; it has not received a stable update in years and crashes constantly on modern macOS versions. Sequel Ace is the official, community-driven fork of Sequel Pro. I tested Sequel Ace on an M3 MacBook Pro and it runs natively on Apple Silicon. It retains the exact same interface you loved in Sequel Pro but updates the underlying code to work perfectly with modern macOS and newer MySQL 8 authentication methods."
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "Question",
          "name": "best free postgresql gui client mac m3",
          "acceptedAnswer": {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "If you want a native Mac feel, I highly recommend downloading the free tier of Postico 2, though it has some tab limits. For a completely free and open-source option, DBeaver is the most powerful, even if it runs on Java. If you hate Java apps and want something lightweight, Beekeeper Studio handles PostgreSQL beautifully on Apple Silicon. I personally use Beekeeper Studio for writing daily Postgres queries on my M3 Mac because it launches instantly."
          }
        },
        {
          "@type": "Question",
          "name": "does dbgate support ssh tunneling like tableplus",
          "acceptedAnswer": {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "Yes, DbGate supports SSH tunneling. When you create a new connection, there is an 'SSH Tunnel' tab right next to the general connection settings. I tested it by connecting to a remote DigitalOcean droplet. You can use password authentication or a private key file. However, I found that it does not integrate with the macOS SSH agent as smoothly as TablePlus, so you will need to point it directly to your private key file (like ~/.ssh/id_rsa)."
          }
        }
      ],
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://bundl.run/free-alternative-to/tableplus"
      }
    }
  ]
}
```