7 Best SSMS Alternatives in 2026
Seven SQL Server Management Studio alternatives compared on macOS and Linux support, team features and verified prices, starting with Microsoft's own cross-platform editor.
Updated 20 September 2026. Prices checked 23 August 2026 against each vendor’s own pricing page.
Microsoft’s own cross-platform answer, free
- Try SaturnSQL freeSaturnSQL€19/user/mo
Teams whose SSMS work is queries and reports for other people
- DBeaverFree / $113/yr
Free, cross-platform, and not only SQL Server
- DataGripFree non-commercial / €259/yr
People who want SSMS to be a real IDE
- TablePlus$99 once
A fast native client on macOS, where SSMS was never an option
- DbVisualizerFree / $199 first yr
A mature cross-platform client with a real free tier
- HeidiSQLFree
A light, free Windows client when SSMS is too heavy
Feature comparison
| SaturnSQL | SQL Server Management Studio | VS Code + MSSQL extension | DBeaver | DataGrip | TablePlus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on macOS / Linux | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Browser-based | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Free tier* | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ |
| SQL Server Agent jobs | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Backup / restore / DACPAC | — | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | — | — |
| Shared query library | ✓ Paid | — | — | — | — | — |
| Scheduled queries* | ✓ Paid | ~ | — | — | — | — |
| Export to Google Sheets | ✓ Paid | — | — | — | — | — |
| Send to Slack | ✓ Paid | — | — | — | — | — |
| SQL Server | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PostgreSQL | ✓ | — | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| MySQL / MariaDB | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ClickHouse | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ? |
| BigQuery | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ? |
| Licence model | Subscription | Free | Free | Free / sub | Subscription | Perpetual |
| Starting price | €19/mo | Free | Free | Free | Free non-comm. | $99 once |
✓ available · ✓ Paid = not on the free tier · Pro (beta) = Pro plan, limited beta · ~ partial · ? not documented by the vendor · — not available
- Free tier: DataGrip is free for non-commercial use only. TablePlus’s free tier caps at 2 open tabs. SaturnSQL’s free tier is 1 connection and 1 saved query.
- Scheduled queries: SQL Server Agent schedules jobs inside SQL Server itself; that is a different thing from a tool scheduling a query and delivering the rows somewhere.
Prices checked 23 August 2026 against each vendor’s own pricing page: SaturnSQL · SQL Server Management Studio · VS Code + MSSQL extension · DBeaver · DataGrip · TablePlus.
Why people leave SSMS
Nobody leaves SQL Server Management Studio over price, because it is free, and nobody leaves it over depth, because nothing administers SQL Server more completely. People leave for one of three reasons: they work on a Mac or on Linux and SSMS has never run there, it is heavy for the handful of queries they actually run each day, or the query work has become a team activity and SSMS is single-user by design.
Which of those is your reason decides the replacement, and one thing is true for all of them: SQL Server Agent, backup and restore and the rest of the administration surface stay in SSMS. Microsoft made that explicit when it retired Azure Data Studio and pointed developers to VS Code and administrators back to SSMS. Plan for one Windows machine that keeps it, and pick from the list for everything else.
If the problem is the platform, VS Code is the answer
Microsoft’s own MSSQL extension runs on macOS and Linux and is free, so for a solo developer who needs SSMS-shaped querying on a Mac, install that and stop reading. If the problem is that queries live in one person’s SSMS and the weekly report is exported by hand, no desktop client fixes that: that is a browser-based team editor’s job, with a shared query library and saved queries that run on a schedule straight into Google Sheets or Slack.
The 7 best SSMS alternatives
VS Code + MSSQL extension
Best for: Microsoft’s own cross-platform answer, freeVisual Studio Code with the MSSQL extension is Microsoft’s own SQL Server editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, and since Azure Data Studio retired it is where the query-and-develop half of SSMS is heading.
Strong
- + Free, and runs on macOS and Linux where SSMS never has
- + Schema Compare, Schema Designer, Query Profiler, DACPAC import/export and SQL notebooks
- + Git, CI/CD and GitHub Copilot integration out of the box
- + Microsoft’s recommended path off Azure Data Studio, so it keeps getting investment
Limits
- − No SQL Server Agent: that stays in SSMS
- − Primarily SQL Server, Azure SQL and Fabric; PostgreSQL needs a separate extension
- − It is an editor you assemble, not a finished database tool
Pricing: Visual Studio Code and the MSSQL extension are both free. GitHub Copilot integration is available but Copilot itself is billed separately. pricing page, checked 23 August 2026.
SaturnSQL
Best for: Teams whose SSMS work is queries and reports for other peopleSaturnSQL is a browser-based SQL editor with a shared query library and scheduled delivery to Google Sheets and Slack; it replaces the querying and reporting half of SSMS for a team, and none of the administration half.
Strong
- + Runs in the browser on any OS, so the Mac and Linux question disappears
- + Shared query library, so a query outlives the person who wrote it
- + Scheduled delivery to Google Sheets and Slack, which SSMS has never had
- + SQL Server alongside PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, Redshift, ClickHouse, BigQuery and DynamoDB
Limits
- − No administration: no SQL Server Agent, no backup and restore, no DACPAC
- − No execution plan viewer or profiler
- − No self-hosting, and the free tier is a demo: 1 connection, 1 saved query
Pricing: Starter €19 per user per month, including scheduling. Pro €29 is in limited beta. Free tier is 1 connection and 1 saved query with no sharing. pricing page, checked 3 August 2026.
DBeaver
Best for: Free, cross-platform, and not only SQL ServerDBeaver Community Edition is free, runs on all three desktop platforms and speaks nearly every engine, which makes it the default SSMS replacement for anyone whose day also touches PostgreSQL or MySQL.
Strong
- + Community Edition free and open source, no seat limit
- + Windows, macOS and Linux
- + SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle and most everything else in one client
- + Execution plans, ER diagrams and data transfer included
Limits
- − Java-based and heavier than SSMS to start
- − No SQL Server Agent management
- − Desktop only: no shared query library, no scheduled delivery
Pricing: Community Edition free. Lite $113 per year. Enterprise $255 per year. Ultimate $510 per year. CloudBeaver Enterprise, the browser product, $1,025 per year. pricing page, checked 3 August 2026.
DataGrip
Best for: People who want SSMS to be a real IDEDataGrip is JetBrains’ database IDE with refactoring, inspections and version control built in, a clear step up in code intelligence from SSMS, and free for non-commercial use since October 2025.
Strong
- + IntelliJ-grade completion, refactoring and inspections
- + Free for non-commercial use since October 2025
- + Cross-platform, multi-engine, with Git integration for SQL files
Limits
- − €259 per user per year for commercial use
- − No SQL Server administration to speak of
- − Single-user IDE: no shared library, no scheduling
Pricing: Free for non-commercial use since October 2025, renewed annually and requiring anonymised usage telemetry. Organisations pay €259 per user per year, with a perpetual fallback licence after 12 months. pricing page, checked 3 August 2026.
TablePlus
Best for: A fast native client on macOS, where SSMS was never an optionTablePlus is a fast, polished native client covering SQL Server alongside a dozen other engines, with a perpetual licence from $99, the closest thing to a pleasant desktop experience for Mac users who cannot run SSMS.
Strong
- + Genuinely fast and native on macOS, Windows and Linux
- + Perpetual licence from $99, so it keeps working after the update year
- + Wide engine support including SQL Server, PostgreSQL and MySQL
Limits
- − No administration tooling and no execution plans to speak of
- − Free tier caps you at 2 open tabs and 2 windows
- − Single seat: no shared query library
Pricing: Basic $99 for one device, Standard $129 for two, Team $79 per seat starting at three seats. All perpetual, each including one year of updates and support. pricing page, checked 8 August 2026.
DbVisualizer
Best for: A mature cross-platform client with a real free tierDbVisualizer is a two-decade-old JDBC client with a genuinely usable free tier and a Pro licence from $199 per user for the first year, covering SQL Server alongside everything else you might connect to.
Strong
- + Free tier with the standard feature set and no time limit
- + Very broad engine support through JDBC
- + Perpetual fallback licence included in the subscription
Limits
- − Java-based desktop app, with the weight that implies
- − No SQL Server Agent management
- − No shared query library or scheduled delivery
Pricing: Free version with the standard feature set. Pro $199 per user for the first year with standard support, $229 with premium support; renewals $89 and $119 per user per year. Volume and academic discounts available. pricing page, checked 20 August 2026.
HeidiSQL
Best for: A light, free Windows client when SSMS is too heavyHeidiSQL is a free, fast Windows client that starts in a second and handles SQL Server alongside MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL, the right pick when the complaint about SSMS is weight rather than platform.
Strong
- + Free and open source, no licence to track
- + Extremely light and fast to start
- + SQL Server plus MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL in one small client
Limits
- − Windows-first: macOS and Linux only via Wine, so it does not solve the Mac problem
- − Nothing like SSMS’s administration depth
- − No team features or scheduling
Pricing: Free and open source. Windows native, other platforms via Wine. pricing page, checked 3 August 2026.
What SSMS still does that nothing above does
SQL Server Agent jobs, maintenance plans, backup and restore wizards, XEvent Profiler and the security surface are SSMS-only, and Microsoft has said so. The two entries below are here so the comparison is honest: one is the tool you are leaving, the other is the tool Microsoft already retired that many people still reach for.
SQL Server Management Studio
Best for: SQL Server Agent and full administration: keep it for thatSSMS is free and remains Microsoft’s supported home for SQL Server Agent and general administration, which is precisely the work none of the alternatives above cover, so most teams keep one Windows machine with it installed.
Strong
- + Free, and the deepest SQL Server administration tooling that exists
- + SQL Server Agent job management, which nothing else on this page replaces
- + XEvent Profiler and the full maintenance surface
Limits
- − Windows only
- − SQL Server family only: no PostgreSQL, no MySQL
- − Heavy, and single-user by design: no shared query library
Pricing: Free from Microsoft. Windows only. pricing page, checked 23 August 2026.
Azure Data Studio
Best for: Nothing, as of 28 February 2026Azure Data Studio was the cross-platform SSMS alternative Microsoft itself shipped, and it retired on 28 February 2026 with no further updates or security patches, so it no longer belongs on anyone’s shortlist.
Strong
- + Still runs; Microsoft did not remotely disable anything
- + Notebooks and the cross-platform experience were genuinely good
Limits
- − Retired 28 February 2026: no updates, no security patches, no maintenance
- − Extensions are frozen
- − Nothing you report will be fixed
Pricing: Was free. Retired 28 February 2026 and no longer supported, updated or patched. Microsoft directs users to Visual Studio Code with the MSSQL extension, and to SSMS for SQL Server Agent and full administration. pricing page, checked 23 August 2026.
| Tool | What happened | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Azure Data Studio | Retired by Microsoft; users directed to VS Code with the MSSQL extension, and to SSMS for SQL Server Agent source | Retired 28 February 2026 |
If the problem is not the client
There is a kind of SSMS user for whom none of the desktop tools above quite lands: the person whose SSMS is, in practice, a reporting tool. A dozen saved queries, run on a Monday, results pasted into a spreadsheet somebody else reads. Swapping SSMS for VS Code or DBeaver moves the ritual to a new window and changes nothing about it.
That work does not want a desktop client at all. SaturnSQL keeps queries in a shared library the team can read, and can run a saved query on a schedule and push the rows straight into Google Sheets or Slack. It connects to SQL Server, so the queries move across as they are. What it does not do is administration: if you came here for SQL Server Agent, backups or execution plans, keep SSMS and ignore us entirely.
How we judged
We ranked on how completely each tool covers what people actually use SSMS for, which is writing and running T-SQL, browsing schemas and exporting results, and we weighted platform coverage heavily because the Mac is the most common reason to be on this page at all. Where a tool cannot replace SSMS’s administration we have said so in its Limits list. Microsoft’s guidance on SSMS, VS Code and Azure Data Studio was read from Microsoft Learn on 23 August 2026. DbVisualizer figures were verified on 20 August 2026, TablePlus on 8 August 2026, and DBeaver, DataGrip and HeidiSQL on 3 August 2026, each linked from its entry above. See also our Azure Data Studio alternatives, DBeaver alternatives and DataGrip alternatives roundups.
Frequently asked questions
Is SQL Server Management Studio free?
Yes. SSMS is a free download from Microsoft and always has been. Nobody on this page is looking for a cheaper SSMS; they are looking for one that runs on a Mac, one that starts faster, or one that lets a team see each other’s queries.
Is there an SSMS for Mac?
No. SSMS is Windows only and Microsoft has never shipped a macOS build. The official cross-platform answer is Visual Studio Code with the MSSQL extension, which runs on macOS and Linux. If you want a native Mac app instead of an editor, TablePlus covers SQL Server with a $99 perpetual licence, and DBeaver Community Edition covers it for free.
Did Azure Data Studio replace SSMS?
It was meant to be the cross-platform companion, and it retired on 28 February 2026 with no further updates or security patches. Microsoft now points Azure Data Studio users to VS Code with the MSSQL extension for querying and development, and back to SSMS for SQL Server Agent and administration. Anyone still running Azure Data Studio is running unpatched software against production databases.
Can VS Code fully replace SSMS?
For writing and running queries, schema work, DACPAC import and export and notebooks, yes. For SQL Server Agent jobs, backup and restore wizards and the deeper administration surface, no: Microsoft has kept that in SSMS on purpose. Most teams that move end up with VS Code for daily work and one Windows machine with SSMS for the administration that remains.
What is the best free SSMS alternative?
VS Code with the MSSQL extension if you want Microsoft’s own path and cross-platform support. DBeaver Community Edition if your day also touches PostgreSQL or MySQL. HeidiSQL if you are staying on Windows and the complaint is weight rather than platform. DataGrip is free too, but only for non-commercial use.
Is there a browser-based alternative to SSMS?
Yes. SaturnSQL runs entirely in the browser, with a shared query library and scheduled delivery to Google Sheets and Slack, covering SQL Server alongside PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, Oracle, Redshift, ClickHouse, BigQuery and DynamoDB. It replaces the querying and reporting half of SSMS for a team and none of the administration half: no SQL Server Agent, no backup and restore, no execution plans. If those are what you open SSMS for, keep SSMS.
Shared queries and scheduled reports, in the browser, from €19 per user per month.
