DBeaver vs Navicat: Free, Pricing and Features (2026)

Quick verdict

Short answer

Pick DBeaver if you want a free, open source client for relational databases, or a subscription PRO edition that adds NoSQL, schema compare and scheduling. Pick Navicat if your team wants a commercial suite with structure and data synchronisation, backup, data modelling and BI under one vendor, and is comfortable paying for it. If you only need free access to MongoDB or Redis alongside SQL databases, Navicat Premium Lite is worth a look, but it leaves out most of Navicat's distinguishing tools.

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

DBeaver comes in two families. DBeaver Community is free and open source (Apache 2.0 licence on GitHub) and, according to its repository, works with any database that has a JDBC or ODBC driver. The commercial DBeaver PRO line (Lite, Enterprise, Ultimate, plus the server-based Team Edition and CloudBeaver) adds NoSQL databases such as MongoDB and Redis, cloud connectivity and more development and administration tools. See our DBeaver 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 from one application, and there are single-engine editions (for example Navicat for MySQL or Navicat for PostgreSQL). Navicat Premium Lite is a free edition that the vendor says may be used commercially, but it omits features such as synchronisation, backup, scheduling and data modelling. See our Navicat review.

Side by side

Aspect	DBeaver	Navicat
Free version	DBeaver Community: free and open source (Apache 2.0)	Navicat Premium Lite: free, proprietary, commercial use permitted by the vendor; reduced feature set
Paid pricing model	PRO editions sold as annual (some also monthly) subscriptions	Subscription (monthly or yearly) or perpetual licence; Standard, Enterprise and Non-Commercial editions
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux (Flatpak and AppImage)
Supported databases	Community: relational and other JDBC/ODBC sources. PRO: adds NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis, Cassandra and others); cloud connectivity in Ultimate and Team	Premium: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, Redis, Snowflake. Single-engine editions also sold
NoSQL in the free edition	No, NoSQL drivers are PRO only	Yes, Premium Lite connects to MongoDB and Redis
Sync and schema compare	Schema compare in Enterprise and above	Structure and data synchronisation in Premium; not in Lite
Data modelling	ER diagrams in all editions; ERD edit mode (schema design) in Enterprise and above	Data modelling in the paid Premium editions; separate Navicat Data Modeler product
Scheduling and automation	Task scheduler in Enterprise and Ultimate	Automation and scheduling in Premium; not in Lite
Licence model	Open source core; paid PRO is a subscription	Fully proprietary; perpetual option available
Main trade-off	Free edition is broad but lacks NoSQL and several PRO tools	Free edition is narrow; the full feature set is a paid licence

Key differences

Open source core versus proprietary suite

DBeaver Community's source is public under the Apache 2.0 licence, which means you can use it at work without a licence purchase and inspect or build it yourself. Navicat is proprietary throughout. Its free Premium Lite edition is a product decision by the vendor rather than an open licence, so its terms are whatever Navicat publishes at the time.

In our view this matters most to organisations with procurement rules about open source versus commercial software, and to people who want a free tool that is unlikely to change its terms overnight.

What the free editions actually include

The two free editions cut in different places. DBeaver Community keeps a wide set of tools (SQL editor, data editor, ER diagrams, data transfer, execution plans) but limits database coverage: the GitHub repository states that NoSQL databases such as MongoDB, Cassandra and Redis are supported in the commercial versions.

Navicat Premium Lite goes the other way. It connects to a broad set of engines including MongoDB and Redis, but Navicat's feature matrix lists structure and data synchronisation, data transfer, backup and restore, scheduling, the query builder, visual explain, data modelling, BI and the AI features as not included in Lite.

Synchronisation, backup and modelling

Navicat Premium documents structure synchronisation, data synchronisation, backup and restore, data masking, automation and scheduling, and (in the paid editions) data modelling and BI charts. These are the tools buyers usually pay Navicat for.

DBeaver offers comparable capabilities, but spread across editions: schema compare, ERD edit mode, mock data generation and the PostgreSQL SQL debugger are listed for Enterprise and above, and the task scheduler for Enterprise and Ultimate. If you need these, compare DBeaver Enterprise or Ultimate with Navicat Premium rather than Community with Navicat.

Collaboration and team features

Navicat offers collaboration through Navicat Cloud and the self-hosted Navicat On-Prem Server, for sharing connections, queries and models. DBeaver's shared scripts, shared connections and real-time collaboration are in Team Edition and CloudBeaver, which are server-based products priced separately from the desktop editions.

Pricing and licensing

DBeaver. DBeaver Community is free. The DBeaver PRO edition comparison page listed the following in October 2026 (USD): Lite $113 per year or $12 per month; Enterprise $255 per year or $26 per month; Ultimate $510 per year; CloudBeaver Enterprise from $1,025 per year and Team Edition from $1,630 per year (both with multiple pricing options). The vendor offers a 14-day PRO trial and free academic licences for students on application.

Navicat. Navicat Premium Lite is free. Navicat Premium is sold in Standard, Enterprise and Non-Commercial editions (the last restricted to education and non-profit use), as a monthly or yearly subscription or as a perpetual licence with one year of maintenance included. The store pages load prices dynamically and we could not read the current amounts reliably, so we do not quote them here; check the Navicat store for your region. Navicat offers a 14-day fully functional trial.

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

Where each one leads

DBeaver strengths

Free, open source Community edition under the Apache 2.0 licence
Community connects to any database with a JDBC or ODBC driver
Paid tiers are subscriptions starting at a comparatively low listed price
Documented ER diagrams, data transfer, execution plans and AI chat in the free edition

Navicat strengths

Free Premium Lite edition connects to MongoDB and Redis as well as SQL engines
Premium documents structure sync, data sync, backup, masking and scheduling in one product
Perpetual licence option for buyers who prefer not to subscribe
Collaboration through Navicat Cloud or a self-hosted On-Prem Server

Limitations

DBeaver limitations

NoSQL databases such as MongoDB and Redis need a paid PRO edition
Schema compare, ERD edit mode and the task scheduler are not in Community or Lite
Java based; the vendor documents memory settings for working with large result sets
Team collaboration requires the separately priced Team Edition or CloudBeaver

Navicat limitations

Proprietary throughout, including the free edition
Premium Lite omits sync, data transfer, backup, scheduling, query builder and modelling
Data modelling and BI are not in the free Premium Lite edition
Prices are not shown as plain text on the store page, which makes like-for-like comparison harder

When to choose each

Choose DBeaver if

You want a free tool for relational databases with no licence purchase
Your organisation prefers open source software
You want a low-cost subscription path to NoSQL and schema compare
You use less common databases that have a JDBC or ODBC driver

Choose Navicat if

You want sync, backup, scheduling and modelling from one commercial vendor
You prefer a perpetual licence to a subscription
You need free access to MongoDB or Redis alongside SQL engines and can live without Navicat's advanced tools
Your team wants to share connections and queries through Navicat Cloud or On-Prem Server

When neither is right

You only use SQL Server and want Microsoft's own administration tooling: look at SSMS.
You only use PostgreSQL and need server administration features such as backup, maintenance and a debugger at no cost: pgAdmin covers that, see DBeaver vs pgAdmin.
You want an IDE-grade SQL editor with refactoring inside a JetBrains workflow: compare DBeaver vs DataGrip.
You only need a quick, browser-based admin page on a MySQL web host: phpMyAdmin may be enough.

Final recommendation

Bottom line

For most individuals and small teams working with relational databases, DBeaver Community is the lower-risk starting point: it is free, open source and broad. Navicat Premium makes more sense when a team wants synchronisation, backup, scheduling and modelling in a single commercial package, or wants a perpetual licence. Before paying for either, compare the specific paid edition you would need (DBeaver Enterprise or Ultimate against Navicat Premium Standard or Enterprise) using the free trials.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free version of Navicat?

Yes. Navicat Premium Lite is free and, according to Navicat, can be used for commercial and non-commercial purposes. It connects to MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis, Snowflake and some others, but omits features such as synchronisation, backup, scheduling, the query builder and data modelling.

Does DBeaver Community support MongoDB?

No. The DBeaver GitHub repository states that NoSQL databases such as MongoDB, Cassandra and Redis are supported in the commercial versions. DBeaver Lite is the lowest-priced PRO edition with NoSQL support.

Can I buy Navicat outright instead of subscribing?

Yes. Navicat's store offers a perpetual licence with one year of maintenance included, as well as monthly and yearly subscriptions. DBeaver PRO editions are sold as subscriptions.

Which runs on Linux?

Both. DBeaver offers DEB, RPM and TAR.GZ packages, and Navicat Premium 18 is distributed for Linux as Flatpak and AppImage packages.

Which is better for a team?

It depends on how you want to share work. Navicat offers Navicat Cloud and a self-hosted On-Prem Server; DBeaver offers Team Edition and CloudBeaver. Both are additional paid products, so price the team option, not only the desktop licence.

Sources

Checked October 2026.

How we research comparisons: our editorial method.