DataGrip vs Navicat: Features, Licences, Pricing (2026)

Quick verdict

Short answer

Pick DataGrip if you are a developer who keeps SQL in files and wants inspections, refactoring and version control, and you either qualify for the free non-commercial licence or are happy with a subscription. Pick Navicat if you manage databases more than you write code: structure and data synchronisation, backup and restore, scheduled jobs, data masking and modelling are its focus, and you can buy it outright. For a free tool at work, Navicat Premium Lite is an option where DataGrip has none, but it leaves out most of Navicat's distinguishing features.

How we know: This comparison is research-based: editions, features, platforms and licence terms were checked against JetBrains' and Navicat's official websites, documentation and feature matrices on 7 October 2026. We have not run either product or measured performance.

DataGrip is JetBrains' database IDE for Windows, macOS and Linux. It connects to more than 25 engines, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake, BigQuery, MongoDB, Redis and DynamoDB, in a single edition. Its strengths are code-centred: context-aware completion, on-the-fly analysis with quick fixes, rename refactoring, query and local history, and version control integration. Commercial use needs a subscription; since 1 October 2025 a free licence covers non-commercial use. See our DataGrip review.

Navicat is a proprietary product line from PremiumSoft. Navicat Premium 18 connects to MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, Redis and Snowflake, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux (Flatpak and AppImage). It is sold in Standard, Enterprise and Non-Commercial editions, and there are single-engine products such as Navicat for MySQL. Navicat Premium Lite is free and, according to Navicat, may be used commercially by up to 5 user accounts per organisation, with a reduced feature set. See our Navicat review.

Side by side

Aspect	DataGrip	Navicat
Free version	Full features, non-commercial use only	Navicat Premium Lite: commercial use allowed (up to 5 users per organisation), reduced features
Paid pricing model	Subscription only, for individuals or organisations; 30-day trial	Monthly or yearly subscription, or perpetual licence; 14-day trial
Editions	One edition; same features in the IntelliJ IDEA Database Tools and SQL plugin	Premium Lite, Standard, Enterprise, Non-Commercial, plus single-engine products
Platforms	Windows 10/11, macOS 15/26, listed Linux distributions	Windows, macOS, Linux (Flatpak, AppImage)
Supported databases	25+ engines, relational and NoSQL	Premium: 9 named engines, including MongoDB, Redis and Snowflake
SQL code assistance	Context-aware completion, inspections with quick fixes, rename refactoring	Code completion, snippets and SQL formatting; query builder in paid editions
Version control	Git, SVN, Mercurial and others built in	No built-in Git client described; Navicat's blog suggests exporting SQL scripts to a Git repository
Sync, backup and scheduling	Not the focus of the product; no backup scheduler or data sync suite on the product page	Structure and data sync, backup and restore, automation and scheduling in paid editions
Data modelling and BI	Database diagrams	Data modelling and BI charts in the paid Premium editions (not Lite)
Main trade-off	Best fit for SQL as code, but every commercial seat is a subscription	Broad management suite with a perpetual option, but the free edition is narrow and modelling needs a paid edition

Key differences

Developer IDE versus management suite

DataGrip comes from an IDE company and it shows in what JetBrains documents: SQL that is checked as you type, refactoring that follows references, and the same editor behaviour as IntelliJ IDEA. It suits people who write and maintain a lot of SQL, often in a repository.

Navicat's feature matrix leans towards database management: structure synchronisation, data synchronisation, data transfer, backup and restore, data generation and masking, automation and scheduling, and, in the paid editions, data modelling and BI dashboards. In our view, Navicat is the better match for people who move and maintain databases, and DataGrip for people who write the code that runs against them.

Licence models

DataGrip has one feature set and splits by use. Non-commercial users get everything free under a one-year renewable licence that needs online activation and anonymous usage statistics; anyone using it commercially needs a subscription. There is no perpetual licence.

Navicat splits by edition and offers a choice of payment. Premium is sold as a monthly or yearly subscription or as a perpetual licence with one year of maintenance. Its Non-Commercial edition is restricted to education and non-profit use. Premium Lite is free for commercial use within the vendor's limit of 5 user accounts per organisation. If your organisation prefers to own licences rather than rent them, only Navicat offers that.

Version control and team work

DataGrip integrates Git, SVN, Mercurial and other version control systems directly, so scripts, diffs and commits sit in the same window. Navicat's approach to sharing is Navicat Cloud and the self-hosted Navicat On-Prem Server, which share connections, queries and models across a team; for Git, Navicat's own blog describes exporting SQL scripts and committing them, rather than a built-in Git client.

Database coverage

Both cover the common relational engines and both handle MongoDB and Redis. DataGrip's list is longer (JetBrains cites more than 25 engines, including BigQuery and DynamoDB) and comes in one edition. Navicat Premium names nine engines, and Navicat also sells cheaper single-engine products, which may suit you if you only ever use, say, MySQL.

Pricing and licensing

DataGrip. Free for non-commercial use, with a 30-day trial for commercial evaluation. Commercial use requires a paid subscription, sold separately for individuals and organisations, and DataGrip is included in JetBrains' multi-product subscriptions. We could not read the exact current figures reliably from the JetBrains pricing page, so we do not quote them; see the DataGrip pricing page.

Navicat. Navicat Premium Lite is free. Navicat Premium is sold in Standard, Enterprise and Non-Commercial editions, per user, as a monthly or yearly subscription or as a perpetual licence with one year of maintenance. The store loads prices dynamically and we could not read the current amounts reliably, so we do not quote them; check the Navicat store for your region. Navicat offers a 14-day trial.

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

Where each one leads

DataGrip strengths

Code analysis, quick fixes and rename refactoring for SQL
Version control integration in every licence
More than 25 engines, relational and NoSQL, in one edition
Full feature set free for non-commercial use
Same database features available inside IntelliJ IDEA

Navicat strengths

Structure and data synchronisation, backup and scheduling in one product
Perpetual licence option as well as subscriptions
Free Premium Lite edition that may be used commercially within the vendor's limits
Team sharing through Navicat Cloud or a self-hosted On-Prem Server
Data modelling and BI dashboards in the paid editions

Limitations

DataGrip limitations

Any commercial use needs a subscription; no perpetual licence
Non-commercial licence requires online activation and telemetry
No built-in backup scheduling or data synchronisation suite comparable to Navicat's
System requirements list 8 GB of RAM

Navicat limitations

Premium Lite omits sync, data transfer, backup, scheduling, the query builder and modelling
Data modelling and BI are not in the free Premium Lite edition
No built-in Git client described in Navicat's documentation
Prices are not shown as plain text on the store page, which makes comparison harder

When to choose each

Choose DataGrip if

You keep SQL in a repository and want refactoring, inspections and Git in the editor
You use JetBrains IDEs already
You work with a long list of engines, including cloud warehouses
Your use is non-commercial and you want a full-featured tool free

Choose Navicat if

You need to synchronise schemas and data, schedule backups or mask data
You prefer a perpetual licence
You want a free tool for work and can live with Premium Lite's limits
You want data modelling and BI in the same product

When neither is right

You want a free, open source tool for commercial use: see DBeaver vs DataGrip and DBeaver vs Navicat.
You work only with SQL Server and need administration tools: Microsoft's free SSMS; see DataGrip vs SSMS.
You want a lightweight native client with a per-device licence: see DataGrip vs TablePlus.
You want a wider shortlist: see the best DataGrip alternatives.

Final recommendation

Bottom line

These two overlap less than their shared multi-database label suggests. DataGrip is the better choice for developers whose main job is writing and maintaining SQL, especially under version control, and it is free for non-commercial use. Navicat is the better choice for people who manage databases: synchronisation, backup, scheduling and modelling are built in, and you can buy a perpetual licence. Use each vendor's trial on your own databases before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

Is DataGrip or Navicat free?

Both have a free option on different terms. DataGrip is free with all features for non-commercial use only. Navicat Premium Lite is free for commercial and non-commercial use (up to 5 user accounts per organisation) but has a reduced feature set.

Can I buy DataGrip outright?

No. DataGrip is sold as a subscription. Navicat offers a perpetual licence with one year of maintenance as well as subscriptions.

Which is better for writing SQL?

DataGrip documents more code tooling: inspections with quick fixes, rename refactoring with usage preview, and version control integration. Navicat's query editor offers completion, snippets and formatting, with a visual query builder in paid editions.

Which is better for database synchronisation and backup?

Navicat. Its paid editions include structure and data synchronisation, backup and restore, and scheduling. These are not DataGrip's focus.

Do both support MongoDB?

Yes. DataGrip lists MongoDB among its supported databases, and Navicat Premium (including Premium Lite) connects to MongoDB and Redis.

Sources

Checked October 2026.

How we research comparisons: our editorial method.