With the advancement in technology, we are here with many SQL management tools that are available in the entire market. It becomes very tough to choose the best SQL editor and GUI tool. Therefore, in this article, I will tell you about the Top SQL Editor and GUI Tools.
Details
MySQL Workbench
It is the best tool that is very easy to use and has a simple interface. This tool is free to download and licensed under GPL. It provides the visual schema and has a query builder. It is a cross-platform tool which means it is available for Mac OS, Linux, and Windows too. It is the only SQL tool that is supported by MYSQL.
You can expect that it will provide you with all the essential updated features. It provides SQL query optimization by using the plugin known as IDE. Now, this plugin is developed by EverSQL. It is definitely the best visual database tool for developers, DBAs, and architects. You can get it in three basic editions that are Standard, Enterprise, and Community. If you want to go for the free then the community version is free of cost. For the remaining two packages, you have to pay money.
However, there are some issues with this tool like:
- You may experience some unusual situations like you cannot stop the large queries. So, to control it you have to kill the whole activity.
- This tool is buggy that’s why in many cases you may experience software crashes.
Supported Databases
Supported Operating Systems
Pros and Cons
Pros
Good for MySQL.
Cons
Only MySQL is supported.
Screenshots
HeidiSQL
It is another excellent tool with an appealing, intuitive interface. It is a user-friendly tool. HeidiSQL is a very lightweight tool that allows the optimized database to work. You can use it for multiple purposes like modifying tables, browsing, editing data, creating tables, or managing tasks. It works well for both Windows and LINUX distribution. But, for LINUX distribution it asks for the Wine platform.
 It connects to the MYSQL database with the help of the SSH tunnel. It is very easy to install. However, now it’s provided in a portable version that does not require any installation. It has the best syntax checks and auto-completion threads. It has automated connections by the command-line utility. This tool is also licensed under GUN GPL.
There are some cons of this tool like:
- There is no official support for Mac OS-supported devices.
- It does not connect directly to Linux. You need to use the Wine platform for this purpose.
- You can experience sudden crashes and other bugs.
Supported Databases
Supported Operating Systems
Pros and Cons
Pros
Free and Open source
Cons
Windows support only
Screenshots
SQLyog
It is an excellent SQL tool that is here to help you in management with the availability of three basic editions. If you are careful about paying money in advance, they provide you with the facility to try the free trial mode. So, you can check the software before purchasing the license. However, the extensive list of features is not available in free trial mode. You can get the options to perform backups, import external data, synchronize data, and many more.
It provides the multi-threaded query execution option. You can personalize the theme and look according to your choice. It is a tool that is with a good data comparison feature. For speedy work, you should go for this tool.
However, for some reason, it is not good for those who have small investment options.
- To get the professional version, you have to go for a high price.
- Like all the SQL editor tools it also crashes unexpectedly during the performance.
- It does not provide support for the database.
- It does not compatible with Mac or Linux-supported devices.
Supported Databases
Supported Operating Systems
Pros and Cons
Pros
Best tool for MySQL
Cons
Price is high for the paid version
Pricing
Community Version: Free
Ultimate Version: $299/User (Free trial of 14 days)
Screenshots
Navicat
It is an excellent SQL tool that is here to help you in management with the availability of three basic editions. If you are careful about paying money in advance, they provide you with the facility to try the free trial mode. So, you can check the software before purchasing the license.
However, the extensive list of features is not available is one of the best SQL editors and GUI tools that is intuitive and user-friendly. It has the ability to connect the MySQL database with the help of the SSH tunnel. If you do not get the default port, you can utilize you can use this tool. By using this tool, you become able to schedule different database tasks like restore, run reports, backups, and many more that are still on the list.e in free trial mode. You can get the options to perform backups, import external data, synchronize data, and many more.
 You can import data from external sources like TXT, XML, JSON, ODBC, DBF, Excel, and Access, etc. With the data import function, you can also go for the data export feature to different platforms like XML, DBF, TXT, CSV, and JSON. It is also a cross-platform tool that works effectively on Mac OS, Linux distribution, and Androids. It has the options of Syntax checker and completion. By utilizing the premium version, you can enjoy the collaboration feature with your teammates and share different queries.
However, there are certain drawbacks of this tool:
- To get access to the professional version of the tool, you have to pay a huge amount.
- It uses the Wine platform to work on Linux which automatically slows down the IDE plugin.
- For the completion of some tasks, you have to open a new window or tab. This is disturbing for many users.
Supported Databases
Supported Operating Systems
Pros and Cons
Pros
Very flexible
Cons
Price is high for the paid version
Pricing
Premium: $699.99/Year
MySQL only: $119.99/Year
PostgreSQL only: $199.99/Year
MongoDB only: $179.99/Year
MariaDB only: $89.99/Year
SQL Server only: $329.99/Year
Oracle only: $329.99/Year
SQLite only: $89.99/Year
Screenshots
dbForge Studio
This tool has a comfortable user interface that is equally effective for beginners and experts. You can get the built-in query that is comparable to the other queries. It has the options for syntax checker and completion like all SQL tools. It allows the users to Debug queries and completes it step by step. It uses breakpoint concepts, watch, and call stacks for this process.
 It allows users to drop and build custom queries. It is one of the effective tools for providing excellent support to files that are large in size. Apart from these features, one can use it for the storage of code snippets.
dbForge Studio for MYSQL tool has also some cons like:
- It is not in access to everyone. Its price is a little high and people with low budgets cannot get it.
- This tool provides a very initial JSON version. In this scenario, you are unable to expand or constrict the blocks of data.
Supported Databases
Supported Operating Systems
Pros and Cons
Pros
Very flexible
Cons
Price is high for the paid version
Pricing
MSSQL SQL Tools(essential): $699.95
MSSQL SQL Tools (Professional): $999.95
dbForge Studio for SQL Server (standard): $329.95
dbForge Studio for SQL Server (professional):$539.95
dbForge Studio for SQL Server (enterprise):$749.95
dbForge Studio for MySQL: $179.95
dbForge Studio for Oracle: $269.95
dbForge Studio for PostgreSQL: $119.95
Screenshots
Feature Comparison
| Feature | MySQL Workbench | SSMS | Azure Data Studio | HeidiSQL | SQLyog Community | SQLyog Ultimate | pgAdmin | Navicat | dbForge Studio | Sequel Pro | DBeaver | CloudBeaver | MongoDB Compass | Studio 3T | DataGrip | Aqua Data Studio | Valentina Studio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Support |  | | | | | | | | | ||||||||
| Linux Support | | | | | | | |||||||||||
| macOS Support | | | | | | | |||||||||||
| MySQL/MariaDB | | | | | | | | ||||||||||
| PostgreSQL | | |