head to head · open source
DBeaver vs HeidiSQL
DBeaver has 51,797 GitHub stars, 4,372 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped yesterday. HeidiSQL has 6,276 stars, 588 forks, 324 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. DBeaver leads on adoption by 725% (51,797 vs 6,276 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; HeidiSQL is written in Pascal under GPL-2.0. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, HeidiSQL 9%. DBeaver was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (mysql), 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 | HeidiSQL | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 6.3K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | Pascal |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 588 |
| 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 HeidiSQL if
- You want the HeidiSQL feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Pascal
- You evaluated both and HeidiSQL fits your workflow better
About DBeaver
DBeaver is a free, multi platform database management tool built in Java, designed for developers, SQL programmers, database administrators, and analysts. It operates across Windows, macOS, and Linux and integrates with the Eclipse based plugin ecosystem via OSGi and Eclipse RCP frameworks.
read the full DBeaver overview →
About HeidiSQL
HeidiSQL is a free, GPL 2.0 licensed graphical client for managing MariaDB, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Interbase and Firebird databases, aimed at developers and database administrators who need to browse, edit and export data without working from a command line.
read the full HeidiSQL overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or HeidiSQL more popular?
DBeaver has 51,797 GitHub stars and HeidiSQL has 6,276. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and HeidiSQL free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HeidiSQL under GPL-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and HeidiSQL?
DBeaver is written in Java and HeidiSQL in Pascal. 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 HeidiSQL?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (51,797 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose HeidiSQL if its feature set, stack or GPL-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.