Free and open first
Best SQL Linters and Formatters in 2026
SQL linters and formatters can help keep query style consistent and make code easier to review. Compare supported SQL dialects and custom rules against your codebase, then look at automatic fixes and configuration files to see how tools handle conventions. Editor extensions and CI/CD integration show potential workflow connections; free plans and paid-from pricing add cost details. SQL Formatter, Sqruff, and JSQLFormatter are among the entries, as are Poor SQL and Sleek. Start with the dialects and development workflows you need to support, then weigh the listed formatting, linting, and integration options.
- 26 apps
- Research read 23 Sept 2026
- How the order is worked out
- 1
Poor SQL
Free plan Open source APIExtensionLinux+2Poor SQL offers a broad set of formatting controls and several ways to use the formatter, at no charge. Its coarse parsing and cookie-dependent settings may matter for some workflows.
- 2
SQLFormat.org
Free plan Open source APIExtensionSelf-hosted+1SQLFormat.org provides browser-based SQL formatting and a limited API at no listed cost. Note the per-IP API cap and the parser’s non-validating behavior.
- 3
JSQLFormatter
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1JSQLFormatter covers a wide range of SQL dialects and offers both library and command-line interfaces. Note the distinction between its NetBeans target and integrations listed as planned.
- 4
pgFormatter
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1pgFormatter offers configurable SQL formatting through console and CGI use, with editor and pre-commit options.
- 5
Sleek
Free plan ExtensionLinuxMac+1Sleek covers common SQL formatting tasks, with both command-line and VS Code workflows. Its free MIT-licensed offering supports six listed dialects and includes a non-modifying check mode.
- 6
PgSanity
Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedChoose PgSanity if you need a free, MIT-licensed way to check PostgreSQL SQL files from a command line or pre-commit workflow.
- 7
SQLFluff
Free plan APILinuxMac+2SQLFluff offers broad dialect support, configurable rules, and automated fixes without executing SQL itself.
- 8
sqlfmt
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1sqlfmt provides several ways to format PostgreSQL SQL, plus tools for working with EXPLAIN plans. Its stated best-effort areas matter if your SQL uses deep nesting or less common upsert and DDL forms.
- 9
SQLCheck
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsSQLCheck provides a focused terminal workflow for locating SQL anti-patterns across several database dialects.
- 10
SQL Formatter
Free plan ExtensionLinuxMac+2SQL Formatter offers broad dialect coverage and several ways to apply consistent query formatting.
- 11
Prettier SQL
Free plan Self-hostedPrettier SQL adds configurable SQL formatting to a self-hosted Prettier setup, with broad listed dialect support. Its development status and Node.js requirement are important considerations.
- 12
Primova SQL Formatter & Linter
Free plan WebChoose Primova SQL Formatter & Linter for free browser-based SQL formatting across eight dialects, with lint checks and dialect suggestions. Look elsewhere if you need a dedicated minify mode.
- 13
Public Tools SQL Formatter
Free plan WebChoose Public Tools SQL Formatter if you need a free way to reformat queries in one of its 20 supported dialects without signing up.
- 14
RegSQL
Free plan WebChoose RegSQL for browser-local SQL formatting and optional AI assistance across its listed dialects.
- 15
sqlfmt
Free plan APIWebChoose sqlfmt for browser-based SQL formatting and validation across its five supported dialects, especially if the Free plan's daily allowance is enough.
- 16
Sqruff
Free plan ExtensionLinuxMac+3Sqruff brings linting, formatting, and automated fixes to a range of SQL dialects, with editor and CI options. Treat dbt support as experimental when assessing it for dbt projects.
- 17
TSQLLint
Free plan ExtensionLinuxMac+1TSQLLint offers configurable checks, some automatic fixes, and integrations for common SQL authoring workflows. It is focused on T-SQL rather than a broader set of SQL dialects.
- 18
prettier-plugin-sql-cst
Free plan Webprettier-plugin-sql-cst offers SQL formatting within Prettier, with full support for SQLite and BigQuery. Check parser limitations before relying on it for PostgreSQL, PL/pgSQL, MySQL, or MariaDB.
- 19
SQL Pretty Printer
Free plan WebWindowsSQL Pretty Printer offers browser-based formatting plus an offline desktop workflow and development-tool add-ins. Check the online data path and Windows compatibility against your requirements.
- 20
SQL Formatter VSCode
Free plan ExtensionPick SQL Formatter VSCode if you want configurable SQL formatting inside VSCode at no cost.
- 21
SQLint
Free plan LinuxChoose SQLint if you need a free, MIT-licensed way to lint and format Standard SQL (BigQuery), with both command-line and Python use.
- 22
Squawk
Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+6Squawk offers PostgreSQL-focused migration linting across local, editor, and pull request workflows. Teams should note its limited dialect scope and the need to enable some rules themselves.
- 23
SQL Linter by SqlInt
Free plan WebSQL Linter offers immediate checks and selected automatic fixes at no cost. Manual review remains necessary for some findings, especially in very large scripts.
- 24
sql-tools
Free plan Websql-tools provides a focused set of SQL utilities at no listed cost. Its translator has usage limits and may need careful review, especially for complex SQL.
- 25
Valk Guard
Free plan LinuxMacWindowsValk Guard focuses on pre-merge SQL checks that fit CI and pull-request review.
#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price
More in Developer Tools
- SSH Clients33
- Static Analysis Tools38
- Static Application Security Testing Software25
- Static site generators35
- Status Page Software31
- Stream Processing Software26
- Synthetic Data Generation Software29
- Synthetic Monitoring43
- Task Queue Software37
- Telemetry Pipeline Software28
- Terminal Emulators40
- Terminal File Managers29