CloudBeaver vs DBeaver: Web or Desktop Database Client? (2026)

Quick verdict

Short answer

Choose CloudBeaver when several people need database access from a browser, you want connections, credentials and permissions managed centrally on a server, or users cannot install desktop software. Choose DBeaver desktop when individuals do their own development or administration work and want the full desktop feature set, including (in Enterprise) schema compare, Git, mock data and the task scheduler, which CloudBeaver does not include. Many teams use both: CloudBeaver for shared, governed access and DBeaver on developer machines. Both have free Community editions to start with.

How we know: This comparison is research-based: editions, features by edition, deployment options, supported databases, versions and prices were checked against DBeaver's edition page, the CloudBeaver documentation, the CloudBeaver GitHub repository and wiki, dbeaver.io and the DBeaver GitHub repository on 7 November 2026. We have not deployed CloudBeaver or run the two side by side.

Same vendor, two delivery models. Both products are developed by DBeaver Corp and share version numbers: CloudBeaver Community 26.2.4 and DBeaver Community 26.2.4 were both released on 2 November 2026. The difference is where they run. DBeaver is a desktop application; CloudBeaver is a web application with a Java server and a TypeScript and React front end, used from a browser.

CloudBeaver has a free Community edition (Apache-2.0, deployed from the dbeaver/cloudbeaver Docker image), a paid Enterprise edition that the documentation says can be deployed with Docker Compose, Kubernetes, AWS ECS or on AWS, Google Cloud, Azure and Oracle Cloud, and a CloudBeaver AWS edition sold through AWS Marketplace. DBeaver desktop has the free Community edition (Apache-2.0) and the paid Lite, Enterprise and Ultimate editions; Team Edition combines desktop and web with team management. See our DBeaver review and DBeaver Community vs PRO.

Side by side

Aspect	CloudBeaver	DBeaver
Vendor	DBeaver Corp	DBeaver Corp
Where it runs	Server (Java), used in a web browser	Desktop on Windows, macOS and Linux
Users	Multi-user, with user, team and permission administration	Single user per installation
Free edition	CloudBeaver Community, Apache-2.0, Docker image	DBeaver Community, Apache-2.0
Paid editions	CloudBeaver Enterprise; CloudBeaver AWS (AWS Marketplace)	Lite, Enterprise, Ultimate; Team Edition combines desktop and web
NoSQL	Enterprise: SQL and NoSQL; Community wiki lists SQL databases and marks MongoDB authentication PRO	Lite and above; not in Community
Authentication	Enterprise documents LDAP, SAML, OpenID, JWT, SSO and more; SSO marked PRO in the Community wiki	Standard database authentication in Community; enterprise sign-in from Lite
Collaboration	Enterprise: shared scripts and connections, real-time collaboration, all-users query history	Not in Lite, Enterprise or Ultimate; needs Team Edition
Development and DBA tools	No schema compare, data compare, ERD edit mode, mock data, Git sync or task scheduler	Enterprise and Ultimate include them
Cloud integration	Enterprise: native AWS, Google Cloud and Azure support, cloud explorer, cloud storage	Ultimate only
Entry paid price (list)	Enterprise from USD 1,025 a year	Lite USD 113 a year or USD 12 a month
Main trade-off	Central, browser-based access for many users, but fewer power tools and a server to run	Richest feature set per user, but nothing shared or governed centrally

Key differences

Browser and server versus desktop

CloudBeaver is installed once on a server and used by many people through a browser. The CloudBeaver Community wiki gives a Docker command that publishes the web interface on port 8978 and keeps settings in a mounted workspace directory:

# CloudBeaver Community, from the project wiki
docker run --name cloudbeaver --rm -ti -p 8978:8978 \
  -v /var/cloudbeaver/workspace:/opt/cloudbeaver/workspace \
  dbeaver/cloudbeaver:latest

The wiki asks you to back up the workspace before updating and states that downgrades are not supported. That is the cost of the model: someone owns a server, its TLS setup, upgrades and backups. DBeaver desktop needs none of that; each user installs it, and connections and scripts live on that machine. The trade is control: with CloudBeaver, database credentials and access rules can stay on the server instead of being copied to every laptop.

Access control and collaboration

CloudBeaver's documentation covers user administration, teams, global permissions, password policy, credential storage, a session manager, query manager and audit logging. For signing in to the application, the Enterprise documentation lists local access, anonymous access, LDAP, SAML, OpenID, JWT, NTLM, SSO and reverse proxy header authentication, with provider pages for Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, Cognito, Keycloak and AWS IAM. The Community wiki marks SSO as a PRO feature, so check which methods you need before relying on the free edition.

DBeaver's edition page lists all-users query history, real-time collaboration, shared scripts and connections and SAML, Azure AD or SSO workspace access for CloudBeaver and Team Edition, and not for the desktop Lite, Enterprise or Ultimate editions. Desktop DBeaver offers enterprise sign-in to databases from Lite upwards, but it has no shared workspace of its own.

Features: what stays desktop-only

DBeaver's edition matrix shows CloudBeaver sharing the everyday features with the desktop editions: SQL and NoSQL support, the SQL editor, Visual Query Builder, data editor, ER diagrams, execution plan diagrams, query history, GIS viewer, import and export, charts and AI capabilities. It also gives CloudBeaver native AWS, Google Cloud and Azure support, a cloud explorer and cloud storage, which on the desktop are Ultimate features.

The development and DBA tools do not move to the browser. The matrix lists no ERD edit mode, mock data generation, PostgreSQL SQL debugger, schema compare, table data compare, Git sync, Tableau integration, task scheduler, backup tools, data migration, maintenance tools or server health dashboards for CloudBeaver; Enterprise, Ultimate and Team Edition have them. If your team designs schemas, compares environments or schedules jobs, those people still need desktop DBeaver Enterprise or above, or Team Edition.

Community editions compared

Both free editions are Apache-2.0 and SQL-focused. The CloudBeaver Community wiki lists pre-downloaded drivers for ClickHouse, Db2, DuckDB, Firebird, H2, MariaDB, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, SQLite, Trino, LibSQL and Apache Kyuubi, and notes that not every listed database is available for connection by default. DBeaver Community bundles more than 100 drivers. Neither free edition covers MongoDB or Redis. The CloudBeaver repository lists an AI assistant, SQL editor, data editor, import and export, a navigator and user administration in Community.

Pricing and licensing

CloudBeaver. CloudBeaver Community is free (Apache-2.0). Listed on dbeaver.com/edition in November 2026 (prices shown with a dollar sign): CloudBeaver Enterprise from $1,025 per year, with multiple pricing options and no monthly subscription. CloudBeaver AWS is sold through AWS Marketplace, where pricing is set per listing. Team Edition, which adds desktop clients, unlimited shared projects and advanced role management, is from $1,630 per year.

DBeaver desktop. DBeaver Community is free (Apache-2.0). Listed on the same page: Lite $113 per year or $12 per month; Enterprise $255 per year or $26 per month; Ultimate $510 per year (annual only). Example: five developers on DBeaver Enterprise annual licences list at 5 x $255 = $1,275 a year, while one CloudBeaver Enterprise server starts at $1,025 a year; confirm user counts and options with DBeaver, because the CloudBeaver price is a starting point. Free academic licences are offered for students.

Pricing checked on the vendors' official pages on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.

Where each one leads

CloudBeaver strengths

Browser access with nothing to install on user machines
Central user, team and permission management, with audit logging
Credentials and connections kept on the server instead of each laptop
Enterprise includes native AWS, Google Cloud and Azure support
Free Apache-2.0 Community edition deployable from one Docker image

DBeaver strengths

Full desktop feature set, including schema compare, Git and mock data in Enterprise
No server to deploy, secure or back up
More than 100 bundled drivers in the free Community edition
Low per-user entry price for paid editions (Lite from USD 12 a month)
Works offline against local databases

Limitations

CloudBeaver limitations

No schema compare, data compare, ERD editing, Git, scheduler or backup tools
Someone must run, secure, upgrade and back up the server; downgrades are not supported
Community edition marks SSO and MongoDB authentication as PRO
Paid Enterprise edition starts at a higher annual price than desktop licences

DBeaver limitations

Single-user; no shared scripts, connections or collaboration outside Team Edition
Credentials and connection settings live on each user machine
NoSQL needs Lite or above, and native cloud support needs Ultimate
Every user installs and updates the application

When to choose each

Choose CloudBeaver if

Analysts, support staff or contractors need governed database access from a browser
You must control and audit who can reach which database
Users cannot install desktop software on their machines
You want one place to manage connections to cloud databases on AWS, Google Cloud or Azure

Choose DBeaver if

Developers and DBAs need compare tools, ERD editing, Git or scheduled tasks
You do not want to run and secure a server for a database client
You work alone or in a small team without central access rules
You work offline or mostly against local databases

When neither is right

You need both a web client and desktop clients with shared projects and role management: DBeaver Team Edition combines them; see DBeaver Community vs PRO.
You want a free web client that also covers MongoDB and Redis: see DbGate vs DBeaver.
You only use PostgreSQL and want a web mode from the official tool: see DBeaver vs pgAdmin.
You want to compare other desktop clients: see the best DBeaver alternatives.

Final recommendation

Bottom line

These are complementary products from one vendor rather than rivals. CloudBeaver is the choice when access itself is the problem: many users, a browser, central credentials, permissions and audit. DBeaver desktop is the choice when the work is the problem: schema design, comparisons, Git and scheduled tasks, which stay desktop features. Start with the two Community editions, which are both free and Apache-licensed, and move to CloudBeaver Enterprise, a desktop PRO edition or Team Edition only for the specific feature you need.

Frequently asked questions

Are CloudBeaver and DBeaver made by the same company?

Yes. Both are developed by DBeaver Corp, live under the dbeaver organisation on GitHub and share version numbers: CloudBeaver Community and DBeaver Community 26.2.4 were both released on 2 November 2026.

Is CloudBeaver free?

CloudBeaver Community is free and open source under Apache-2.0 and runs from the dbeaver/cloudbeaver Docker image. CloudBeaver Enterprise is listed from USD 1,025 a year, and CloudBeaver AWS is sold through AWS Marketplace.

Does CloudBeaver have schema compare?

No. DBeaver's edition matrix lists schema compare, table data compare, ERD edit mode, mock data and Git sync for desktop Enterprise, Ultimate and Team Edition, not for CloudBeaver.

What port does CloudBeaver use?

The Community Docker instructions publish port 8978, so the interface is reached at http://your-server:8978. You can map a different host port or bind it to 127.0.0.1 behind a reverse proxy.

Sources

Checked November 2026.

How we research comparisons: our editorial method.