Navicat vs HeidiSQL: Free Tiers, Features, Licences (2026)

Quick verdict

Short answer

Pick HeidiSQL if you need a free client for everyday work on MariaDB or MySQL (or SQL Server, PostgreSQL and SQLite), especially on Windows: browsing, editing, exporting and user management cost nothing and there is no paid tier. Pick Navicat (a paid edition) if you need structure and data synchronisation, backup and scheduling, data modelling, BI dashboards, MongoDB or Redis in one product. Navicat Premium Lite is free and may be used commercially, but it leaves out most of what you would pay Navicat for, so on free tiers alone HeidiSQL and Premium Lite are closer than the brand names suggest.

How we know: This comparison is research-based: editions, the free versus paid feature split, supported databases, platforms and licences were checked against HeidiSQL's website, download and help pages and GitHub repository, and Navicat's knowledge base and Premium feature matrix, on 7 October 2026. Navicat's main site timed out on that date, so its feature matrix was read from the vendor page as archived in May 2026. We have not run either product or measured performance.

Navicat is a proprietary product line from PremiumSoft. Navicat Premium 18 connects to MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis and Snowflake, among others, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. It is sold per user in Standard, Enterprise and Non-Commercial editions, as a subscription or a perpetual licence, with a 14-day trial. Navicat Premium Lite is free; Navicat's knowledge base says it can be used for commercial and non-commercial purposes, with up to 5 complimentary user accounts per organisation. See our Navicat review.

HeidiSQL is free, open source software under the GNU GPL, created in 2002 by Ansgar Becker and still actively maintained. Version 12.21 was released on 3 August 2026, and a Windows preview of version 13 on a new codebase is also offered. It supports MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase and Firebird, plus ProxySQL and Redshift. The Windows build is the main release; Linux packages and a macOS build for Apple silicon are also published. See our HeidiSQL review.

Side by side

Aspect	Navicat	HeidiSQL
Free version	Navicat Premium Lite: free, commercial use allowed (up to 5 user accounts per organisation), reduced features	The whole product is free (GNU GPL); donations invited
Paid options	Standard, Enterprise and Non-Commercial editions, per user; subscription or perpetual licence; 14-day trial	None
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows (installer and portable) is the main build; Linux packages and a macOS build for Apple silicon only
Supported databases	MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis, Snowflake and several others, including in Lite	MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase, Firebird, ProxySQL, Redshift; no Oracle or NoSQL
Import and export	Lite: TXT, CSV, XML and JSON. Paid: also Excel, Access, ODBC and DBF, plus data transfer between servers	Export as CSV, HTML, XML, SQL, LaTeX, Textile, PHP, Markdown and JSON; CSV import
Sync, backup and scheduling	Structure and data synchronisation, backup and restore and scheduled jobs in the paid editions, not in Lite	Not part of the documented feature set
Modelling, ER and BI	Data modelling, ER diagram view and BI dashboards in the paid editions, not in Lite	No documented ER diagram or modelling tool
User management	Manage users, including in Lite	User manager with privileges, roles and authentication plugins
AI assistant	Paid editions; several AI providers, explain, tune and convert SQL	None documented
Main trade-off	Broad management suite, but the useful extras are paid and the free edition is narrow	Free with no upsell, but no sync, backup scheduling or modelling, and a shorter engine list

Key differences

Navicat's value is in the paid editions

Navicat's Premium feature matrix shows what separates the free Premium Lite from the paid editions. Lite has the query editor with code completion and snippets, the grid data editor, object design tools, user management, secure connections, basic collaboration and text-format import and export. The paid editions add data modelling, BI dashboards, structure and data synchronisation, data transfer between servers, backup and restore, scheduling, the query builder, visual explain, a PL/SQL and PL/pgSQL debugger, the ER diagram view and the AI assistant.

In our view, the fair comparison depends on what you would actually use. Against HeidiSQL, Premium Lite is a free multi-engine client with MongoDB and Redis support; a paid Navicat edition is a different class of product, aimed at people who move, synchronise and back up databases.

Free for everyone versus free within limits

HeidiSQL has no paid edition and no licence conditions on who may use it beyond the GNU GPL. Navicat Premium Lite is free for commercial use, but Navicat's knowledge base limits each organisation to 5 complimentary user accounts, so a larger team that standardises on Navicat will need paid licences. Navicat's paid editions can be bought as subscriptions or as perpetual licences.

Database coverage

Navicat Premium (including Lite) covers the main relational engines, Oracle, MongoDB, Redis and Snowflake, and a range of cloud services. HeidiSQL supports a fixed list centred on MariaDB and MySQL, with SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase and Firebird, plus ProxySQL and Redshift. If you use Oracle or a NoSQL store, HeidiSQL is not an option.

Platforms

Navicat publishes Windows, macOS and Linux versions; its feature matrix notes a few edition-specific exceptions (for example, export to MS Access is Windows only). HeidiSQL's Windows build (installer, portable, winget and Chocolatey) is its main release. The download page also offers Linux packages (DEB and RPM with Qt6, Flatpak, GTK and Qt builds, and an ARM64 build) and a macOS app bundle for Apple silicon only. HeidiSQL's help notes that the Linux version does not ship database client libraries. If you use an Intel Mac, Navicat or another cross-platform client is the practical choice.

Pricing and licensing

HeidiSQL is free software under the GNU GPL with no paid edition; the project invites donations.

Navicat. Navicat Premium Lite is free, including for commercial use within the vendor's limit of 5 user accounts per organisation. Navicat Premium is sold per user in Standard, Enterprise and Non-Commercial editions, as a monthly or yearly subscription or as a perpetual licence. Navicat's store loads prices dynamically and its site was not reliably readable when we checked, so we do not quote prices; see the Navicat store for your region. There is a 14-day trial.

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

Where each one leads

Navicat strengths

Synchronisation, data transfer, backup and scheduling in one product (paid editions)
Data modelling and BI dashboards in the paid editions
Supports Oracle, MongoDB, Redis and Snowflake as well as the main relational engines, even in Lite
Windows, macOS and Linux versions, with a perpetual licence option
Free Premium Lite may be used commercially by small teams

HeidiSQL strengths

Entirely free under the GNU GPL, with no paid tier
Focused on MariaDB and MySQL, with a user manager covering roles and authentication plugins
Wide range of export formats, from SQL and CSV to Markdown and JSON
Portable Windows build that runs without installation
Server-wide text search and batch table maintenance

Limitations

Navicat limitations

Premium Lite omits modelling, BI, sync, backup, scheduling, the query builder and visual explain
Premium Lite is limited to 5 user accounts per organisation
Prices are not shown in readable form on the store page
Proprietary, with no open source edition

HeidiSQL limitations

No Oracle and no NoSQL support
macOS build runs on Apple silicon only; the Linux build needs separately installed client libraries
No documented ER diagram, modelling, synchronisation or scheduled backup tools
No vendor or commercial support option

When to choose each

Choose Navicat if

You need to synchronise schemas and data or schedule backups and transfers
You want data modelling or BI dashboards in the same tool
You work with Oracle, MongoDB, Redis or Snowflake alongside MySQL
You use an Intel Mac or want the same commercial tool on every platform
You prefer buying a perpetual licence with vendor support

Choose HeidiSQL if

You mostly work with MariaDB or MySQL on Windows
You want a free tool with no team-size limit and no upsell
You need quick exports in many formats and a simple user manager
You want a portable client you can run without installing

When neither is right

You want a free, open source client with ER diagrams and more engines: see DBeaver vs HeidiSQL and DBeaver vs Navicat.
You want Oracle's own MySQL tool: see Navicat vs MySQL Workbench and HeidiSQL vs MySQL Workbench.
You want a compact native client with a one-time per-device licence: see TablePlus vs HeidiSQL and TablePlus vs Navicat.
You want a wider shortlist: see the best HeidiSQL alternatives and the best Navicat alternatives.

Final recommendation

Bottom line

For day-to-day MariaDB and MySQL work on Windows, HeidiSQL is a focused, entirely free tool, and many users will never need more. Navicat earns its price when you use what HeidiSQL lacks: synchronisation, backup and scheduling, modelling, BI and NoSQL support, in a paid edition (check Navicat's feature matrix for which edition you need). If you are considering Navicat only for its free Premium Lite, check its feature matrix first, because most of Navicat's distinguishing tools are not in it. Try the 14-day trial on your own databases before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Navicat free like HeidiSQL?

Partly. Navicat Premium Lite is free and may be used commercially, with up to 5 user accounts per organisation, but it lacks modelling, BI, synchronisation, backup, scheduling and the query builder. HeidiSQL is entirely free under the GNU GPL with no paid tier.

Which Navicat editions include data modelling and BI?

According to Navicat's feature matrix, data modelling, BI dashboards, synchronisation and backup are in the paid editions and not in the free Premium Lite; check the matrix for which paid edition includes each.

Does HeidiSQL support Oracle or MongoDB?

No. HeidiSQL supports MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase and Firebird, plus ProxySQL and Redshift. Navicat Premium, including Lite, connects to Oracle, MongoDB and Redis.

Does HeidiSQL run on a Mac?

Yes, on Apple silicon Macs only. HeidiSQL publishes a macOS app bundle for arm64, alongside its Windows and Linux builds. Navicat runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Can I buy Navicat outright?

Yes. Navicat Premium is sold as a perpetual licence as well as monthly or yearly subscriptions. HeidiSQL has nothing to buy.

Sources

Checked October 2026.

How we research comparisons: our editorial method.