head to head · open source
DBeaver vs GRDB.swift
DBeaver has 52,273 GitHub stars, 4,442 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped yesterday. GRDB.swift has 8,721 stars, 1,097 forks, 15 open issues and last shipped yesterday. DBeaver leads on adoption by 499% (52,273 vs 8,721 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; GRDB.swift is written in Swift under MIT. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, GRDB.swift 13%. GRDB.swift was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (database), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| DBeaver | GRDB.swift | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 8.7K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Java | Swift |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 1.1K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick DBeaver if
- You weight community size — 52K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick GRDB.swift if
- You want the GRDB.swift feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Swift
- You evaluated both and GRDB.swift fits your workflow better
About DBeaver
DBeaver Free multi platform database tool for developers, SQL programmers, database administrators and analysts. Has a lot of features including schema editor, SQL editor, data editor, AI chat, ER diagrams, data export/import/migration, SQL execution plans, database administration tools, database dashboards, Spatial data viewer, proxy and SSH tunnelling, custom database drivers editor, etc. Out of the box supports more than 100 database drivers . Supports any database which has JDBC or ODBC driver (basically almost all existing databases). Integrates AI tools for work with data, SQL and database structure…
read the full DBeaver overview →
About GRDB.swift
A toolkit for SQLite databases, with a focus on application development Proudly serving the community since 2015 Latest release : June 18, 2026 • version 7.11.1 • CHANGELOG • Migrating From GRDB 6 to GRDB 7 Requirements : iOS 13.0+ / macOS 10.15+ / tvOS 13.0+ / watchOS 7.0+ • SQLite 3.20.0+ • Swift 6.1+ / Xcode 16.3+ Contact : Release announcements and usage tips: follow @groue@hachyderm.io on Mastodon. Report bugs in a Github issue. Make sure you check the existing issues first. A question? Looking for advice? Do you wonder how to contribute? Fancy a chat? Go to the GitHub discussions, or the GRDB…
read the full GRDB.swift overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or GRDB.swift more popular?
DBeaver has 52,273 GitHub stars and GRDB.swift has 8,721. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and GRDB.swift free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and GRDB.swift under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and GRDB.swift?
DBeaver is written in Java and GRDB.swift in Swift. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, DBeaver or GRDB.swift?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (52,273 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose GRDB.swift if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.