Best SQL Query Tools in 2026
Updated
In short: Outerbase Studio is ranked #1 of 31 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Beekeeper Studio and DBeaver. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Beekeeper Studio. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Beekeeper Studio at $0.75/mo.
Whether you are exploring data, running recurring queries, or working with teammates, SQL tools can vary in the ways they support that work. Compared on AI query assistance, deployment options, SQL notebooks, scheduled queries, and team query sharing, the entries also include query history retention, free plans, and paid-from pricing. Outerbase Studio, Beekeeper Studio, and DBeaver are among the tools to compare, alongside Apache Drill and DataGrip. Consider where the software needs to run and whether saved history, notebooks, or collaboration matter most to your workflow.
31 SQL query tools ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
13 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outerbase StudioWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | Beekeeper StudioWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $0.75/mo | 6.6 | |
| 3 | DBeaverWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $9.42/mo | 6.6 | |
| 4 | Apache DrillWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | DataGripWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $10.90/mo | 6.5 | |
| 6 | dbForge Studio for PostgreSQLWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $7.50/mo | 6.5 | |
| 7 | DbVisualizerWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $16.58/mo | 6.5 | |
| 8 | Apache HueWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | Databricks NotebooksWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 10 | HexWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $36/mo | 6.4 | |
| 11 | ModeWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 12 | MotherDuckWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $250/mo | 6.4 | |
| 13 | TablePlusWindows · Mac · Linux · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 14 | BigQuery Data Clean RoomsWeb · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 15 | QuerybookWeb · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 16 | Oracle DatabaseSelf-hosted | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 17 | HeidiSQLWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 18 | Oracle SQL DeveloperWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 19 | Snowflake CoCoWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · API | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 20 | Valentina StudioWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 21 | Execute QueryWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 22 | mycliWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 23 | RedashWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 24 | SQL Workbench/JWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 5.2 | |
| 25 | SQuirreL SQL ClientWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which SQL query tool is ranked first on Freedom251?
Outerbase Studio is ranked #1 of 31 with a score of 6.7. Beekeeper Studio is second and DBeaver third.
How many of these have a free plan?
13 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Beekeeper Studio has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.75/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.