On a Mac you get two tools that other platforms do not: Postico 2 for PostgreSQL (paid, with an unlimited evaluation) and Sequel Ace for MySQL and MariaDB (free, MIT-licensed). TablePlus began on macOS and is the only tool here whose documentation lists Oracle support as macOS only. For SQL Server, SSMS does not run on macOS; Microsoft's Mac option is VS Code with the MSSQL extension. Among cross-platform tools, DBeaver, DataGrip, DbVisualizer, pgAdmin, Navicat and Beekeeper Studio all publish separate Apple silicon and Intel builds, and VS Code also offers a Universal build. HeidiSQL is the exception in the other direction: its macOS build is arm64 only, so it will not run on Intel Macs.
A Mac buyer has different questions from a Windows buyer. Is there a native Apple silicon build, or will the app run under Rosetta 2? Does it still support the macOS version on an older Intel Mac? Can it be installed with Homebrew or from the Mac App Store? And, for anyone working with SQL Server, what replaces SSMS?
This guide answers those questions. It is the macOS companion to best database tools for Windows and best database tools for Linux. If you are choosing by feature rather than platform, see best SQL IDEs or best database management tools.
Not recommended: Azure Data Studio, which many Mac users adopted for SQL Server because SSMS is Windows only, was retired by Microsoft on 28 February 2026 and no longer receives updates or security fixes.
Quick picks
Free, MIT-licensed, Mac-only, with Intel and Apple silicon support and Mac App Store distribution.
A universal binary built only for macOS, focused on PostgreSQL and compatible databases.
Microsoft's own SQL Server tooling on macOS, with Intel and Apple silicon support, since SSMS is Windows only.
Separate Apple silicon and Intel DMGs plus a Homebrew cask, under the Apache 2.0 licence.
How we chose
Considered: Postico 2, Sequel Ace, TablePlus, DBeaver, DataGrip, DbVisualizer, VS Code with the MSSQL extension, pgAdmin 4, MySQL Workbench, Navicat Premium, Beekeeper Studio, HeidiSQL, SSMS, dbForge Studio and Azure Data Studio.
Inclusion criteria: currently maintained; a macOS build published by the vendor; and the processor architectures for that build confirmable on an official page. SSMS is excluded because Microsoft states it is available only for Windows. dbForge Studio is excluded because Devart documents macOS use only through the commercial CrossOver compatibility layer, not a native build. Azure Data Studio is excluded because it is retired. HeidiSQL is included with a clear warning about its arm64-only macOS build.
What was checked, not tested: download pages, system requirements, compatibility pages, release notes and licensing pages, on 7 October 2026. The order is not a ranking: Mac-only apps first, then cross-platform tools.
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Mac builds | Databases | Install options | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postico 2 | Paid (unlimited evaluation) | Universal (Intel and Apple silicon), Mac only | PostgreSQL, Redshift, CockroachDB, Greenplum | Direct download, Mac App Store | PostgreSQL family only; some features locked in evaluation |
| Sequel Ace | Free (MIT) | Intel and Apple silicon, Mac only | MySQL 5.7+, MariaDB 10.0+ | Mac App Store, GitHub, Homebrew (community) | MySQL and MariaDB only; needs macOS 13.5+ |
| TablePlus | Freemium | Intel and Apple silicon | Many relational, Redis, MongoDB (beta) | Direct download | Free version limited to 2 tabs and 2 windows |
| DBeaver Community | Freemium | Intel and Apple silicon DMGs | Many relational; NoSQL in PRO | DMG, Homebrew cask | Java-based; some features paid |
| DataGrip | Paid (free non-commercial) | Intel and Apple silicon | Many relational and NoSQL | DMG, Toolbox App | Needs macOS 15 or 26; commercial use paid |
| DbVisualizer | Freemium | Intel and Apple silicon DMGs | Many JDBC databases | DMG with bundled Java | Editing, import/export and explain plan are Pro-only |
| VS Code + MSSQL | Free | Universal, Intel, Apple silicon | SQL Server, Azure SQL, Fabric SQL | DMG | Editor plus extension; no SQL Server Agent |
| pgAdmin 4 | Free | Intel and Apple silicon bundles | PostgreSQL | Notarized DMG | PostgreSQL only; needs macOS 14+ |
| MySQL Workbench | Free (Community) | x86_64 and arm64 listed | MySQL | DMG | Rebuilt in 2026; platform page not yet updated |
| Navicat Premium 18 | Paid (free Lite) | Intel and Apple silicon | Many relational and NoSQL | Direct download | Paid; full features split across editions |
| Beekeeper Studio | Freemium | Intel and Apple silicon | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server and others | Direct download | Community edition limited to small organisations |
| HeidiSQL | Free (GPL) | Apple silicon (arm64) only | MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, others | App bundle | No Intel Mac build |
Postico 2
Postico 2 from Egger Apps is a native Mac application for PostgreSQL. Its compatibility page states that it is a universal binary for Intel (x86_64) and Apple silicon (arm64), and that it supports PostgreSQL 8.0 and later, Amazon Redshift, Greenplum and CockroachDB; other PostgreSQL wire-protocol databases such as Vertica may connect, but the vendor warns that most features will not work. The current release is 2.3.4 (28 September 2026), sold directly and through the Mac App Store.
The evaluation version has no time limit, but the vendor says some features are disabled until you buy a licence. Licences are sold per device, with separate commercial, team, personal and student options on the purchase page. Compare best PostgreSQL GUI tools if you need more than one engine.
- PostgreSQL and compatible databases only.
- Some features are disabled in the free evaluation.
- Mac only, so a team with Windows or Linux users needs a second tool.
- The vendor's product page and compatibility page give different minimum macOS versions (macOS 14 and macOS 10.15), so check before installing on an older Mac.
Sequel Ace
Sequel Ace describes itself as the "sequel" to the long-running Mac tool Sequel Pro, from which it was forked, and its documentation explains how to move saved connections across. It is free and open source under the MIT licence, supports MySQL 5.7 or later and MariaDB 10.0 or later, and runs on Intel and Apple silicon Macs. Version 6.0.1 was released on 21 September 2026, with a 6.0.2 release candidate following in October.
Install notes: it is distributed through the Mac App Store, as GitHub releases, and through a community-maintained Homebrew cask. The current version needs macOS 13.5 (Ventura) or later; the project keeps archives of older versions for earlier macOS releases. See also best MySQL GUI tools.
- MySQL and MariaDB only.
- Requires macOS 13.5 or later for the current version.
- Community-maintained open-source project, so support is through GitHub rather than a vendor contract.
TablePlus
TablePlus started on macOS and still lists the Mac first: its download page gives macOS 10.13 or later on Intel or Apple silicon, the oldest macOS floor of any multi-database tool on this page. Its documentation marks Oracle as available on macOS only and Snowflake on macOS and Windows, so some engines are reachable only from a Mac. A paid licence includes access to the iOS app.
The free version is limited to 2 tabs, 2 windows and 2 advanced filters at a time. Paid licences are perpetual, per device, with one year of updates. See TablePlus alternatives.
- The free version is too restricted for regular use.
- Licences are per device, which matters if you use several Macs.
- No ER diagram feature appears in the TablePlus documentation.
DBeaver Community
DBeaver Community 26.2.2 (4 October 2026, Apache 2.0) publishes separate DMGs for Intel and Apple silicon Macs and can be installed with Homebrew (brew install --cask dbeaver-community). The distributions bundle a Java runtime.
It covers many relational databases in Community; NoSQL databases, cloud explorers, SQL Server execution plans and ER diagram edit mode need a paid edition. See DBeaver Community vs DBeaver PRO.
- Java-based; the vendor documents memory settings for large result sets.
- Several features are paid-only, including NoSQL support.
- In our view it looks less like a native Mac app than Postico or Sequel Ace, which matters to some Mac users.
DataGrip
JetBrains' installation guide for DataGrip 2026.2 lists macOS 15 and macOS 26, with separate installers for Intel and Apple silicon, and installation either from the disk image or through the JetBrains Toolbox App. It includes database diagrams that can be exported to PNG, Mermaid, PlantUML and other formats.
DataGrip is free for non-commercial use (an annual, renewable licence that requires online activation and anonymised usage statistics); commercial use needs a subscription after a 30-day trial.
- Supports only macOS 15 and 26, so older Macs that cannot upgrade are excluded.
- JetBrains lists 8 GB of total RAM, with 3 GB available for the IDE.
- Commercial use is paid.
DbVisualizer
DbVisualizer 26.2.3 offers macOS DMGs for Apple silicon and for Intel, each bundling the Eclipse Temurin Java runtime (the application requires Java 25). Free and Pro share one installer, and the Pro edition can be evaluated from the Help menu.
- The editions page lists table data editing, table import and export, the query builder and explain plan as Pro-only.
- Pro is commercial and licensed per user.
VS Code with the MSSQL extension
Microsoft's SSMS FAQ is direct: "SSMS is available only for Windows." On a Mac, Microsoft's own SQL Server tool is the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, which Microsoft lists for macOS on Intel and Apple silicon. VS Code itself needs macOS 12 or later and is offered as a Universal, Intel or Apple silicon DMG.
The extension's generally available features include Object Explorer, a query plan visualiser, a table designer, schema designer and schema compare, backup and restore, a query profiler and the ability to create local SQL Server containers, which is useful because SQL Server itself does not run natively on macOS. For PostgreSQL, Microsoft also publishes a PostgreSQL extension. See SSMS alternatives.
- It is an editor with extensions, not a full administration tool; Microsoft directs SQL Server Agent and full administration to SSMS, which you cannot run on a Mac.
- The extension downloads a service package on first activation unless you install the offline VSIX.
Read our VS Code with the MSSQL extension review · Official site
pgAdmin 4
pgAdmin 4 v9.18 (17 September 2026) is distributed for macOS as separate app bundles for Intel and Apple silicon. The disk images are signed with an Apple-issued key and notarized by Apple. Supported versions are macOS 14 (Sonoma), 15 (Sequoia) and 26 (Tahoe).
- PostgreSQL only.
- macOS 13 and earlier are not on the supported list.
MySQL Workbench
MySQL Workbench 26.7.0 (July 2026) is Oracle's rebuild on the MySQL Shell foundation; earlier releases are end of life, and Oracle states that the rebuild targets MySQL 8.4 LTS and later. A macOS download is offered. Oracle's supported-platforms page lists macOS 14 and 15 on both x86_64 and arm64, but that page is still headed MySQL Workbench 8.0, so confirm support for version 26 and for macOS 26 before relying on it.
- MySQL only; for MariaDB on a Mac, Sequel Ace or a multi-database tool is a closer fit.
- Oracle's platform documentation had not caught up with the version 26 rebuild when checked.
Beekeeper Studio
Beekeeper Studio publishes separate Intel and Apple silicon downloads for macOS, and the vendor states that the GPLv3 Community edition has the same features on macOS, Windows and Linux. Community covers PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, SQL Server, Redshift, BigQuery, Redis and a few other engines.
- The Community edition is aimed at individuals, non-profits and businesses with fewer than 10 employees or under USD 1M revenue.
- Some engines, including Oracle, MongoDB and DuckDB, need a paid plan, as do import and export and backup and restore.
HeidiSQL
HeidiSQL 12.21 (3 August 2026, GPL) now has a macOS build, made with Lazarus and FreePascal. The download page offers an arm64 app bundle only: there is no Intel build, so it will not run on Intel Macs. The project reports that macOS builds are now signed with a Developer ID and notarized. Settings can be moved from the Windows version by export and import.
- Apple silicon only; Intel Macs are not supported.
- The macOS and Linux builds are newer than the long-established Windows version.
How to choose on a Mac
Apple silicon or Intel: every tool on this page publishes an Apple silicon build. On an Intel Mac, avoid HeidiSQL (arm64 only) and check the macOS floor: DataGrip needs macOS 15 or 26 and pgAdmin needs macOS 14 or later, while TablePlus lists macOS 10.13 and Sequel Ace keeps archived builds for older systems.
One engine or many: if you work with one engine, the Mac-only specialists are worth a look: Postico 2 for PostgreSQL and Sequel Ace for MySQL and MariaDB. For several engines, the choice is between free DBeaver Community or Beekeeper Studio and paid TablePlus, DataGrip, DbVisualizer Pro or Navicat. The DBeaver vs TablePlus and DataGrip vs TablePlus comparisons cover the most common Mac decision.
SQL Server from a Mac: use VS Code with the MSSQL extension, or a multi-database client such as DBeaver or DataGrip. For SQL Server Agent jobs and full administration, Microsoft points to SSMS, so Mac users typically need access to a Windows machine or virtual machine for those tasks.
Frequently asked questions
Is there SSMS for Mac?
No. Microsoft's SSMS FAQ states that SSMS is available only for Windows. On macOS, Microsoft offers the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, which supports Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
Can I still use Azure Data Studio on a Mac?
It was retired on 28 February 2026 and no longer receives updates or security fixes. Microsoft recommends VS Code with the MSSQL extension instead.
Which database tools are Mac only?
Of the tools on this page, Postico 2 (PostgreSQL) and Sequel Ace (MySQL and MariaDB) are available only for macOS.
Does HeidiSQL run on an Intel Mac?
No. HeidiSQL's download page offers an arm64 app bundle for macOS only, so it needs an Apple silicon Mac.
What is the free replacement for Sequel Pro?
Sequel Ace describes itself as the "sequel" to Sequel Pro. It is a free, MIT-licensed fork for MySQL and MariaDB, with documented steps for moving saved Sequel Pro connections.
Which Mac database tools are free?
Sequel Ace, pgAdmin 4, HeidiSQL and VS Code with the MSSQL extension are free, MySQL Workbench Community is free, and DBeaver Community, DbVisualizer, Beekeeper Studio Community and Navicat Premium Lite are free editions with paid tiers above them. TablePlus and Postico 2 have free versions that are restricted.
Sources
- Postico 2 product page
- Postico 2 system requirements and compatibility
- Postico 2 licences
- Sequel Ace website
- Sequel Ace GitHub repository and releases
- TablePlus downloads and system requirements
- TablePlus documentation
- DBeaver Community download page
- DataGrip installation guide (JetBrains)
- DbVisualizer download page
- SSMS FAQ (Microsoft Learn)
- MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code (Microsoft Learn)
- Visual Studio Code download page
- pgAdmin 4 for macOS
- MySQL Workbench supported platforms
- Navicat Premium download page
- Beekeeper Studio download page
- HeidiSQL downloads
Checked October 2026.
How we research these guides: our editorial method.