In this post, we are going to have a quick review of DBeaver, Postico, TablePlus; and compare the pros and cons to see which is the best GUI client for your database management tasks.

1. DBeaver

DBeaver provides a powerful database client, but it’s a little bit overwhelming.

  • Supported platforms: DBeaver works on all platforms supported by Eclipse framework, previously Windows, Linux, MacOS, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX. Starting from version 4.2, it limited its support to Windows, MacOS, and Linux only.

  • Supported Drivers: DBeaver community version can work with any database server which has JDBC driver (which means a lot of databases): MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, SQLite, Oracle, to DB2, SQL Server, Sybase, MS Access, Teradata, Firebird, Derby, etc. The enterprise adds support for non-JDBC data sources (WMI, MongoDB, Cassandra, Redis).

  • Pricing: DBeaver has a community version (DBeaver CE) which is free and open source. There’s also an enterprise edition (DBeaver EE) with more driver support, more advanced features and dedicated customer support for enterprises.

DBeaver

Pros:

  • Cross-platform
  • Multiple drivers support
  • Assigning connection color
  • Entity-relationship diagrams are available
  • Built-in reformat SQL

Cons:

  • It runs on a Java virtual machine, eats up a lot of RAM while running.
  • Confusing icon design and somewhat unintuitive. Sometimes you don’t know where to look for what you need.
  • Autocomplete is slow, and not so smart.

2. Postico

Postico provides an easy to use interface, making Postgres more accessible for newcomers and specialists alike.

  • Supported platforms: Postico is available on Mac only.

  • Supported Drivers: Postico works well with PostgreSQL 8.0 and later. It also supports database systems derived from PostgreSQL like Amazon Redshift or Greenplum, and systems that use the PostgreSQL protocol like CockroachDB.

  • Pricing: Postico is freemium. The free version has no trial time but it’s limited to 5 saved connections, only a single window per connection, and table filters are disabled. The license costs $39 per user.

Postico

Pros

  • It has a native experience for Mac
  • The interface is simple and clean
  • Full-featured table designer
  • Advanced filter for the paid version

Cons:

  • It’s Mac only
  • It supports PostgreSQL only, no support for other databases.

3. TablePlus

With a native build and a lightweight size, TablePlus offers a fast and easy solution for managing multiple databases on Mac and Windows.

  • Supported platforms: TablePlus is built native for each platform. It started out with a native version for Mac, then another version for Windows, and a version for Linux was introduced recently as an alpha release. It also has an iOS version.

  • Supported Drivers: TablePlus supports a handful of relational databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQL Server, Amazon Redshift, MariaDB, CockroachDB, Vertica, Oracle; and two popular NoSQL databases: Cassandra and Redis.

  • Pricing: TablePlus has a free version with full set of features which you can download and use forever, but there are some usage limitations. If you use it heavily, the license costs $59 to remove all those limitations.

TablePlus

Pros:

  • Native build for each platform so it’s fast, lightweight, and stable.
  • Clean and simple interface.
  • Multiple drivers support
  • Multiple conditions data filter
  • Queries history and keyword binding favorite.
  • Streaming results and async loading to show queries results faster and doesn’t block the UI.
  • Very quick inline editing for table data and structure, you also can edit query results directly.
  • Smart query editor with highlight syntax, instant autocomplete, SQL reformat.
  • Multiple carets
  • A plugin system to extend the app.
  • Quick support. TablePlus releases new updates regularly and responds to users’ requests almost immediately.

Cons:

It currently lacks of some advanced features such as ER Diagram, database compare tool to Diff and Sync, etc.

4. Conclusion

Go with Postico if you:

  • Work with PostgreSQL only
  • Work on macOS only

Go with DBeaver if you:

  • Work with all kinds of databases
  • Prefer a an old-fashioned design with all function buttons on the UI.

Go with TablePlus if you:

  • Are a fan of native experience
  • Work with multiple databases
  • Want a modern design with better usability
  • Want quick support & development cycle.