DBeaver

DBeaver is a free, open-source universal database tool and SQL client that connects to virtually every database engine in production today — from PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Oracle to MongoDB, Snowflake, and BigQuery — from a single cross-platform desktop app. We rate it 84/100 — in 2026 it remains the default free pick for developers, DBAs, and analysts who need to query, compare, and manage many databases without paying per seat for a commercial GUI.

What is DBeaver?

DBeaver is an Eclipse-based desktop database client originally created by Serge Rider and now maintained by DBeaver Corp with hundreds of community contributors. The project's GitHub repository at dbeaver/dbeaver was first published on October 21, 2015 and has grown to 49,812 stars and 4,150 forks as of May 2026, making it the most-starred database GUI on GitHub by a wide margin.

Where commercial clients like TablePlus, DataGrip, and Navicat lock advanced engines or ER diagramming behind paid tiers, DBeaver Community gives you SQL editing, an ER diagram tool, schema comparison, data import/export, SSH tunneling, and connections to PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, Sybase, Apache Hive, Phoenix, Presto, and Teradata for free under an Apache 2.0 license. Paid PRO editions add NoSQL drivers (MongoDB, Cassandra, Redis), cloud-native engines (Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery), AI SQL generation, and a visual query builder.

Key Features of DBeaver

• 80+ database connections in one app: Community ships drivers for every major SQL engine; PRO editions add MongoDB, Cassandra, DynamoDB, CouchDB, Redis, InfluxDB, Snowflake, Redshift, and BigQuery, with all connections shareable as JDBC strings or SSH-tunneled config.
• Powerful SQL editor: Context-aware auto-complete, syntax highlighting per dialect, parameter binding, query history, multi-tab execution, and a results grid that lets you edit data in place and commit changes as a transaction.
• ER diagrams and schema tools: Reverse-engineer any schema into an ER diagram, export to PNG/PDF, and run schema comparisons across two connections — included free in Community.
• Data import/export and migration: Move tables between databases of different vendors with one wizard; export to CSV, JSON, XML, SQL inserts, HTML, or XLSX; mock data generation in PRO for sanitized non-prod fills.
• AI-assisted SQL (PRO): Built-in connectors for OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, GitHub Copilot, and Google Gemini turn natural-language prompts into dialect-aware SQL, with the model's output editable before execution.
• Cross-platform: Native installers for Windows (x64, ARM64), macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), and Linux (deb, rpm, tarball), plus a portable ZIP and a Flathub package.

What Users Say About DBeaver

DBeaver has more than 1,500 reviews across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius with an average rating around 4.6/5, and the sentiment on r/Database and r/SQL is overwhelmingly positive: top-voted threads describe it as “the only tool I install on every new laptop” and praise the breadth of supported engines as the reason it beats every paid competitor for polyglot data teams.

Recurring complaints are honest and worth flagging: G2 and Capterra reviewers note that DBeaver is resource-intensive on large result sets, with multiple users reporting 2–4 GB of RAM use when scrolling through millions of rows; the Eclipse-derived UI feels dense for first-time users and pushes some toward TablePlus or Beekeeper Studio for casual work; idle JDBC connections occasionally drop and require a manual reconnect; and the rapid release cadence (a fresh point release roughly every two weeks) frustrates Windows users who don't auto-update. None of these are dealbreakers, but they explain why we hold the rating at 84 rather than 90+.

DBeaver Pricing

DBeaver Community is free forever under Apache 2.0. Paid editions add NoSQL, cloud, and AI features and are sold per user per year. Prices below are taken from the official DBeaver editions page as of May 2026.

Plan	Price	Key Limits
Community	$0	All SQL databases, SQL editor, ERD, data import/export, SSH tunnels — Apache 2.0 license, no telemetry.
Lite	~$110/user/year	Adds MongoDB, Cassandra, and basic cloud DB drivers.
PRO	~$199/user/year	Full NoSQL + cloud database support, AI SQL assistant, visual query builder, schema sync.
Enterprise	~$250/user/year	SSO, IAM, Kerberos, LDAP, OAuth, dashboards, query plan analyzer, priority support.

Who Should Use DBeaver?

Best for: Backend developers, DBAs, data engineers, and analysts who connect to multiple database vendors in a typical week and want one cross-platform tool with no per-seat cost. Excellent default pick for self-employed developers, small teams, and any organization that prefers Apache-licensed tooling over a $200+ per-seat commercial GUI.

Not ideal for: Casual users who only ever query one Postgres or MySQL database and want a clean, lightweight UI — TablePlus or Beekeeper Studio will feel friendlier. Also not the best pick for teams that need browser-based, multi-user SQL with audit logs and shared connections — CloudBeaver or Hex are better fits.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Best-in-class breadth of database support — Community alone covers every major SQL engine you're likely to encounter.
• Apache 2.0 licensed core; no telemetry, no account required, no feature gates that expire.
• Active maintenance by a funded company — release 26.0.3 shipped on April 19, 2026, with point releases every 1–2 weeks.
• ER diagramming, schema compare, and data export are all in the free tier — rare for a free GUI.

Cons:

• RAM-hungry on large result grids; Eclipse base means JVM tuning is sometimes required for 1M+ row queries.
• UI density is intimidating for first-time users; expect a 30–60 minute learning curve before it feels natural.
• NoSQL and cloud-native engines (Mongo, Snowflake, BigQuery) require a paid Lite/PRO license.
• No real-time collaboration or shared connection vault — each install is a single-user tool.

Alternatives to DBeaver

The closest contenders in 2026 are TablePlus (sleeker UI, paid, fewer engines), Beekeeper Studio (open-source, lighter, narrower engine list), and JetBrains DataGrip (paid, deepest IDE features but ~$229/year). For a browser-based multi-user alternative, the same DBeaver team's CloudBeaver is worth a look.

Verdict: Is DBeaver Worth It?

Yes — for any developer or DBA who works with more than one database engine, DBeaver Community is still the highest-leverage free download in the category. Pay for PRO only if you regularly touch MongoDB, Snowflake, or BigQuery, or if you want the AI SQL assistant. The 84/100 score reflects a tool that is best-in-class on breadth and price but has real warts on UI density and memory use that the team has been slow to address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DBeaver free?

Yes. The Community edition is free, open-source under Apache 2.0, and supports every major SQL database. Paid Lite, PRO, and Enterprise editions add NoSQL, cloud, AI, and SSO features.

What platforms does DBeaver support?

Windows (x64 and ARM64), macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), and Linux (deb, rpm, tarball). A portable ZIP and a Flathub package are also available.

How does DBeaver compare to DataGrip?

DataGrip has a more polished IDE-style UX and deeper refactoring, but costs about $229 per user per year. DBeaver Community is free and supports more engines out of the box; DataGrip is the better pick if you already live in JetBrains tools.

Is DBeaver open source?

Yes. The Community edition source code is on GitHub at dbeaver/dbeaver under Apache 2.0. PRO and Enterprise editions are commercial closed-source builds layered on top of the same core.

Does DBeaver support MongoDB?

MongoDB support requires a paid Lite, PRO, Ultimate, or Enterprise license. The Community edition is SQL-only.