Compare
Free, Native DBeaver Alternative for Mac.
DBeaver is a popular cross-platform database tool licensed Apache 2.0. The Community Edition is free; DBeaver PRO starts at $99 per year. It runs on Java 21 via the Eclipse RCP. On Mac you'll see 8+ second cold starts and 800 MB of RAM at idle on the same connections where TablePro starts in 1 second and idles at 80 MB.
Benchmarks
The numbers.
Cold start
RAM idle
Download size
Summary
Strengths of each.
TablePro
- Cold start under 1 second vs ~8 seconds
- 80 MB at idle vs ~800 MB
- Native macOS, no Java runtime
- AI SQL assistant in the free tier
- iOS app with iCloud sync
- Open source under AGPLv3
DBeaver
- 100+ database drivers in the Community Edition
- Apache 2.0 licensed, large GitHub community
- Cross-platform parity (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Mature feature set after a decade of releases
Migration
Switch from DBeaver.
- 1
Install TablePro
brew install --cask tablepro. DBeaver stays installed.
- 2
Import from DBeaver
File > Import from Other App > DBeaver. TablePro reads the workspace at ~/Library/DBeaverData/, decrypts credentials-config.json, and previews every connection.
- 3
Confirm import
MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQL Server, Oracle, MongoDB, Redis, ClickHouse, MariaDB, Cassandra all map. JDBC-only drivers (Db2, Teradata, etc.) skip with a warning.
TablePro
See it in action.
Decision
Which one is right for you?
Choose TablePro if...
you want a Mac-native app with a one-second start and 80 MB of RAM, free, with AI built in.
Choose DBeaver if...
you need a database TablePro doesn't yet support, or you work across Linux and Windows often.
Verdict
DBeaver is solid on every OS. TablePro is faster and lighter on Mac because it skips Java. Pick the one that matches where you work.
FAQ
Common questions.
Why is DBeaver so slow on Mac?
DBeaver runs on the Eclipse RCP, a Java desktop framework. JVM startup, SWT widget rendering, and JDBC each add overhead. TablePro skips all of that with native libpq, libmariadb, hiredis.
Does TablePro support as many databases?
DBeaver supports 100+ via JDBC. TablePro supports 18 via native drivers. The 18 cover Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, and the major cloud databases.
Can I migrate connections from DBeaver?
Yes. File > Import from Other App > DBeaver. Connections and folder structure transfer. Passwords need re-entry due to DBeaver project-key encryption.
Is TablePro really 10 times lighter?
RAM idle: 80 MB vs DBeaver's 800 MB on the same connections. Cold start: 1 second vs 8 seconds. Measured on M2 Mac.
What about DBeaver Pro features?
DBeaver Pro adds NoSQL support, ER diagrams, and visual query builder for $25 a month. TablePro includes ER diagrams, Mongo, Redis, and AI in the free tier.