If you need a free tool you can use at work across several databases, DBeaver Community is the default starting point: open source, cross-platform, no commercial-use restriction. For a single engine, the official tools are free outright: SSMS (SQL Server, Windows), pgAdmin (PostgreSQL) and MySQL Workbench (MySQL). If you are learning or working on non-commercial projects, DataGrip's free licence gives you a full commercial IDE. Several other "free" tools are free with conditions, so read the restrictions column before you standardise on one.
"Free" covers several different deals in this category. Some tools are open source with no restrictions (DBeaver Community, pgAdmin, HeidiSQL, DbGate Community). Some are free proprietary tools from the database vendor (SSMS). Some are free editions of commercial products with features removed (DbVisualizer Free, Navicat Premium Lite, dbForge Studio Express). And some are free only for certain users (DataGrip for non-commercial use, Beekeeper Studio Community for individuals and small businesses). This page sorts them by what you actually get.
It is about choosing on cost. If price is not the deciding factor, see best SQL IDEs (writing SQL) or best database management tools (administration). Microsoft retired the free Azure Data Studio on 28 February 2026; it no longer receives security fixes, so it is not listed here. Microsoft recommends Visual Studio Code with the MSSQL extension instead.
Quick picks
Apache-licensed, Windows, macOS and Linux, many relational databases, no commercial-use restriction.
Microsoft states SSMS is free for personal or enterprise use, with full administration features. Windows only.
The PostgreSQL project's own admin and development tool, under the PostgreSQL Licence, on desktop or as a web app.
GPL-3.0, free for any purpose, with MongoDB and Redis alongside SQL databases, as a desktop or web app.
JetBrains states the free non-commercial licence includes every feature of the paid IDE, and learning is an explicitly permitted use.
How we chose
Considered: DBeaver Community, SSMS, pgAdmin, MySQL Workbench, Visual Studio Code with Microsoft's MSSQL and PostgreSQL extensions, HeidiSQL, phpMyAdmin, Adminer, DbGate Community, Beekeeper Studio Community, DbVisualizer Free, Navicat Premium Lite, DataGrip (non-commercial licence), dbForge Studio Express, TablePlus (free version) and Azure Data Studio.
Inclusion criteria: a free option with no time limit, published by the vendor; current maintenance; and terms we could confirm on the vendor's own pages, including what the free version restricts. Time-limited trials do not count. dbForge Studio Express (free, Windows-native, SQL Server only) clears the bar and is covered in our dbForge review; TablePlus's free version is limited to 2 tabs, 2 windows and 2 advanced filters, which in our view makes it an evaluation rather than a working free tool. Azure Data Studio is excluded as retired.
What was checked (no product was installed or run): licences and free-version limits as published on 7 October 2026. The order is not a ranking. Fully free tools come first, then free editions of commercial products, then tools free only for some users.
At a glance
| Tool | Commercial use | Platforms | Databases | Best for | What the free version leaves out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBeaver Community | Yes (Apache licence) | Windows, macOS, Linux | Many relational | Free multi-database work | NoSQL, cloud connectivity and scheduling are in paid PRO editions |
| SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) | Yes | Windows | SQL Server family | SQL Server | Nothing paywalled; Copilot features need GitHub Copilot |
| pgAdmin | Yes (PostgreSQL Licence) | Windows, macOS, Linux, web | PostgreSQL | PostgreSQL | Nothing paywalled; PostgreSQL only |
| MySQL Workbench | Yes (GPL Community) | Windows, macOS, Linux | MySQL | MySQL | Some enterprise integrations tied to commercial MySQL products |
| VS Code with MSSQL and PostgreSQL extensions | Yes | Windows, macOS, Linux | SQL Server family, PostgreSQL | Developers in VS Code | Nothing paywalled; no Microsoft MySQL extension yet |
| HeidiSQL | Yes (open source) | Windows, Linux, macOS | MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite and more | MySQL and MariaDB | Nothing paywalled; no Oracle or NoSQL |
| phpMyAdmin | Yes (open source) | Web | MySQL, MariaDB | MySQL on a web server | Nothing paywalled; you host and secure it |
| Adminer | Yes (Apache 2.0 or GPL 2) | Web | MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQL Server, Oracle | Light browser access | Nothing paywalled; NoSQL via plugins |
| DbGate Community | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Windows, macOS, Linux, web | SQL databases, MongoDB, Redis | Free SQL plus NoSQL | Some connectors (Redshift, CosmosDB, Turso, Firestore) and features such as AI tools and charts are Premium |
| Navicat Premium Lite | Yes, max 5 users per organisation | Windows, macOS, Linux | MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, MongoDB, Redis and more | Navicat-style GUI at no cost | Form View, Query Builder, SQL beautifier, Excel/Access import-export |
| DbVisualizer Free | Yes | Windows, macOS, Linux | Many via JDBC | Browsing and running SQL | Data editor, import/export, query builder, explain plan, charts, CLI |
| Beekeeper Studio Community | Only individuals, non-profits, small businesses | Windows, macOS, Linux | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server and more | Students and individuals | ER diagrams, import/export, backup/restore, query result editing, Oracle and MongoDB |
| DataGrip (non-commercial licence) | No | Windows, macOS, Linux | 25+ per JetBrains | Learning and hobby projects | Nothing feature-wise; commercial use and telemetry opt-out |
DBeaver Community
DBeaver Community is free and open source under the Apache licence. It provides a SQL editor, data editor, ER diagrams, data transfer, maintenance tools and task management for MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite and many other relational databases. There is no user cap and no commercial-use restriction.
What the free version leaves out: according to DBeaver, NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra, Redis), cloud database connectivity and vendor support are in the paid PRO editions; DBeaver's edition comparison also places task scheduling, Git synchronisation and SQL debugging in its higher editions.
- No MongoDB, Cassandra or Redis support without paying.
- Support is community-based unless you buy PRO.
- In our view the interface is dense for people who only need occasional queries.
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
Microsoft's FAQ states that SSMS is free for personal or enterprise use and does not require a Visual Studio subscription; it has its own licence terms and is not open source. It is a full administration and development environment for SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance and SQL database in Fabric. The current release is SSMS 22 (22.10.2, 28 September 2026).
What the free version leaves out: nothing is held back for a paid tier. The optional GitHub Copilot component depends on a GitHub Copilot account, which has its own terms.
- Windows only (x64 and Arm64); Microsoft states it does not run on macOS.
- SQL Server family only.
- Not open source, and third-party extensions are unsupported.
Read our SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) review · Official site
pgAdmin
pgAdmin is open source under the PostgreSQL Licence and covers administration, development and monitoring for PostgreSQL: object management, a query tool with auto-completion and graphical EXPLAIN, on the desktop or as a multi-user web application. pgAdmin 4 v9.18 was released on 17 September 2026.
What the free version leaves out: nothing; there is no paid edition.
- PostgreSQL only.
- Server mode needs hosting and securing like any web application.
- Support comes from the community rather than a vendor contract.
MySQL Workbench
MySQL Workbench Community is free under the GPL. Version 26.7.0 (July 2026) is rebuilt on the MySQL Shell foundation, combining SQL, JavaScript and TypeScript development, administration, performance analysis with Visual Explain, and backup and migration support. Oracle states it replaces earlier Workbench releases, which are end of life.
What the free version leaves out: Oracle's product page ties some capabilities, such as MySQL Enterprise Backup integration, to commercial MySQL Enterprise products. Oracle's documentation was inconsistent in October 2026 about whether visual EER modelling carries over into version 26, so check the release notes if you depend on it.
- MySQL only.
- The 2026 rebuild means features and supported server versions should be rechecked before upgrading from an older release.
- Enterprise backup and audit integrations require Oracle's commercial products.
VS Code with MSSQL and PostgreSQL extensions
Microsoft's free MSSQL extension adds Object Explorer, query plans, a table and schema designer, schema compare, inline data editing, backup and restore, a query profiler and flat-file import for SQL Server, Azure SQL and Fabric SQL. The free PostgreSQL extension adds an object explorer, IntelliSense, a plan visualiser, a schema diagram and a server dashboard for any PostgreSQL server. Together they are Microsoft's replacement for Azure Data Studio.
What the free version leaves out: nothing is paywalled in the extensions themselves; AI features use GitHub Copilot, which is a separate service.
- No Microsoft MySQL extension yet; Microsoft lists it as pending announcement.
- Microsoft still points to SSMS for SQL Server Agent jobs and full administration.
- You assemble the tool from an editor plus extensions, which suits developers more than DBAs.
Read our VS Code with MSSQL and PostgreSQL extensions review · Official site
HeidiSQL
HeidiSQL is free, open source software for MariaDB, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase, Firebird, ProxySQL and Redshift. It now ships native Linux packages (DEB, RPM, Flatpak) and an ARM64 macOS app alongside the Windows installer and portable build. Version 12.21 was released on 3 August 2026.
What the free version leaves out: nothing; there is no paid edition.
- No Oracle or document databases.
- The macOS build is ARM64 only, and the Linux and macOS builds use a different toolchain (Lazarus) from the Windows build (Delphi).
- No vendor support contract is offered.
phpMyAdmin
phpMyAdmin is free and open source PHP software for administering MySQL and MariaDB from a browser: databases, tables, users and permissions, and SQL execution. The latest release listed on the project site is 5.2.3 (October 2025).
What the free version leaves out: nothing; there is no paid edition.
- MySQL and MariaDB only.
- You must host it, keep it updated and protect it from public access.
- The most recent stable release is from October 2025, so check the project site for current maintenance status.
Adminer
Adminer is a single PHP file licensed under Apache 2.0 or GPL 2. It supports MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MS SQL and Oracle natively, with plugins for others such as MongoDB, Redis and ClickHouse. Version 6.1.1 was released on 25 September 2026.
What the free version leaves out: nothing; there is no paid edition.
- Fewer guided administration features than desktop tools.
- Must be secured like any web application that can reach your database.
- NoSQL support depends on plugins.
DbGate Community
DbGate Community is GPL-3.0 open source and, in the project's words, free to use for any purpose. It runs as a desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux or as a web app (including Docker), and connects to SQL databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle and SQLite as well as MongoDB and Redis. DbGate lists a data browser, a SQL console with code completion, import and export (CSV, JSON, Excel) and ER diagrams.
What the free version leaves out: the project README marks the Amazon Redshift, CosmosDB, libSQL/Turso and Firestore connectors as Premium, and the pricing page lists AI tools, the query designer, charts and database backup/restore under Premium. Community also caps cloud-stored connections and SQL files at 5 each.
- Some cloud connectors and the query designer are Premium only.
- Community support only on the free edition.
- We have no review page for it yet; check the vendor's edition list before standardising on it.
DbVisualizer Free
DbVisualizer states its Free edition is free of charge for commercial and non-commercial use. It includes connection management, SSH, generic JDBC support with database-specific support, SQL history, references graphs and monitoring, on Windows, macOS and Linux.
What the free version leaves out: DbVisualizer's edition comparison marks table management, procedure, function and trigger support, the table data viewer and editor, table import and export, the query builder, explain plan, charts, scheduling and the command-line interface as Pro only.
- No data editing, import or export in the free edition.
- No explain plan or query builder without Pro.
- In our view the free edition suits read-and-query work rather than managing a database.
Beekeeper Studio Community
Beekeeper Studio Community is open source under GPLv3, with unlimited connections, queries and tabs, autocomplete and inline data editing. Community supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, SQL Server, Redshift, TiDB, BigQuery, Redis and GreengageDB.
What the free version leaves out: the vendor reserves ER diagrams, import/export, backup/restore, direct editing of query results, the JSON sidebar, the AI SQL shell, cloud workspaces and advanced authentication (Amazon IAM, Azure Entra ID) for paid tiers, along with CockroachDB, Oracle, MongoDB, DuckDB, ClickHouse, Cassandra, Firebird, Trino, DynamoDB and Snowflake support.
- The vendor states Community is intended for students, individuals, non-profits and businesses with fewer than 10 employees and/or annual revenue below 1 million US dollars.
- No import/export or backup/restore in Community.
- Oracle, MongoDB, DuckDB, ClickHouse and Snowflake need a paid tier.
DataGrip (non-commercial licence)
Since October 2025 JetBrains has offered DataGrip free for non-commercial use, which it defines as learning and self-education, open source contributions without commercial benefit, content creation (including monetised tutorials and videos) and hobby projects. JetBrains states that all features of the commercial version are included. The licence lasts one year and renews automatically if you used it in the last six months.
What the free version leaves out: no features, but it excludes any work you are paid for or that is intended to generate commercial benefit; that needs a paid subscription.
- Not for commercial use of any kind.
- Requires sending anonymised usage statistics; JetBrains states it is not possible to opt out.
- Activation needs a JetBrains Account and an internet connection.
Read our DataGrip (non-commercial licence) review · Official site
How to choose
First, check whether your use is allowed. If you will use the tool at work, rule out DataGrip's non-commercial licence, check Beekeeper Studio Community's size limits, and note Navicat Premium Lite's 5-user cap. DBeaver Community, SSMS, pgAdmin, MySQL Workbench Community, HeidiSQL, phpMyAdmin, Adminer, DbGate Community, DbVisualizer Free and Microsoft's VS Code extensions carry no commercial-use restriction.
Then match the engine. One engine: use its official free tool. Several relational engines: DBeaver Community. SQL plus MongoDB or Redis without paying: DbGate Community or Navicat Premium Lite. Finally, check the specific feature you need (data editing, import/export, ER diagrams) against the "leaves out" notes above, because that is where free editions differ most.
When free is the wrong choice: if your team needs vendor support, audited licensing, or features such as schema synchronisation and scheduled automation, a paid edition is often cheaper than the time spent working around a free one. See our database management tools guide and the DBeaver vs Navicat comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free database management tool for commercial use?
For several relational databases, DBeaver Community (Apache licence) has no commercial-use restriction. For a single engine, SSMS, pgAdmin and MySQL Workbench Community are free for work. DbGate Community (GPL-3.0) adds MongoDB and Redis.
Is DataGrip free?
Only for non-commercial use: learning, hobby projects, non-commercial open source and content creation. JetBrains states the free licence includes all features but requires anonymous usage statistics with no opt-out. Commercial work needs a subscription. See DBeaver vs DataGrip.
Is Navicat free?
Navicat Premium Lite is free, including for commercial use, with a maximum of 5 users per organisation and fewer features than Navicat Premium (no visual Query Builder, Form View or Excel import/export, for example). The full Navicat Premium is paid.
Is SSMS free for commercial use?
Yes. Microsoft's SSMS FAQ states it is free for personal or enterprise use and does not need a Visual Studio subscription. It runs on Windows only.
Is Azure Data Studio still a good free option?
No. Microsoft retired it on 28 February 2026 and it no longer receives updates or security fixes. Use Visual Studio Code with the free MSSQL extension, or SSMS on Windows. See SSMS vs Azure Data Studio.
Sources
- DBeaver Community (dbeaver.io)
- DBeaver PRO editions
- SSMS FAQ: cost and platforms (Microsoft Learn)
- What is happening with Azure Data Studio (Microsoft Learn)
- MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code (Microsoft Learn)
- PostgreSQL extension for Visual Studio Code (Microsoft Learn)
- pgAdmin
- MySQL Workbench product page (Oracle)
- MySQL Workbench downloads
- HeidiSQL download page
- phpMyAdmin
- Adminer
- DbGate pricing
- DbGate repository and licence (GitHub)
- Navicat Premium Lite product page
- Navicat Premium Lite: maximum of 5 users per organisation (Navicat)
- Navicat Premium Lite feature overview (Navicat blog)
- DbVisualizer editions
- Beekeeper Studio Community Edition
- Beekeeper Studio pricing
- DataGrip is now free for non-commercial use (JetBrains blog)
- TablePlus pricing and free version limits
- dbForge Studio for SQL Server editions (Devart)
Checked October 2026.
How we research these guides: our editorial method.