TablePlus: Native macOS Database GUI for PostgreSQL, MySQL, and More

A Native macOS Application for Editing Database Contents and Structure

Most cross-platform database GUI tools run on Java or Electron. TablePlus takes a different approach: it is built as a native macOS application. The README describes it as a tool that helps you easily edit database contents and structure in a clean, fluent manner.

The distinction between native and cross-platform matters for day-to-day use. A native macOS application follows platform conventions for menus, keyboard shortcuts, scrolling, text rendering, and window management. It starts faster, uses less memory than an Electron wrapper, and integrates with the operating system's accessibility features. For developers who spend hours each day in database tooling, these differences accumulate into a different working experience.

TablePlus targets developers, database administrators, and engineers who need to query, inspect, and edit database contents as part of their workflow. The application is available for download at tableplus.com/download.

Supported Database Engines: Seven in the README

The README lists seven database engines that TablePlus supports:

PostgreSQL and its hosted variant Amazon RedShift are both listed. MySQL and its fork MariaDB are both covered separately. Microsoft SQL Server represents the Windows-origin relational engine in the list. For document and wide-column databases, MongoDB and Cassandra round out the seven.

This combination is notable: most developers working in a standard cloud environment (PostgreSQL or MySQL on AWS, GCP, or a VPS) are covered without additional configuration. The Cassandra inclusion addresses the wide-column store use case alongside the more common relational engines.

The README does not document version-specific compatibility details for each engine. If you are connecting to a very old or very new version of any supported engine, the specific behavior is not described in the README text. The GitHub repository at github.com/TablePlus/TablePlus/issues is the correct place to check for known compatibility reports from other users.

How to Get TablePlus: Download from the Official Site

TablePlus distributes its macOS application through tableplus.com/download. The README links directly to this page and does not describe an alternate installation path such as Homebrew or the Mac App Store.

There is no source code in the GitHub repository. The README states explicitly that the repository is the official issue tracker for TablePlus macOS, not a source code repository. The application is closed-source; the GitHub repository exists only to track bugs and feature requests.

The installation workflow for a new user is: visit tableplus.com, download the application, and install it by moving it to the Applications folder or following the installer. The README does not document the precise download steps beyond linking to the download page. Connection setup, query execution, and data editing all happen within the application after installation.

Free Tier and Paid License: What Each Covers

TablePlus is free and has no limit on trial time. This is an explicit statement in the README. You can use the free version indefinitely without a countdown or expiration.

A paid license is available at tableplus.com/pricing. The README does not enumerate which features are gated behind the paid license versus the free tier. For the specific capabilities that require payment, you need to check the pricing page directly.

This model is different from time-limited trials (where the application stops working after 30 days) and from open-core models (where the free version is a separate codebase). The README's description suggests the application itself is free for all users, with the paid license acting as a way to support development while potentially unlocking specific features or removing minor limitations.

The README encourages purchasing a license to support development, framing it as optional rather than required for continued use.

The GitHub Repository as an Issue Tracker, Not a Source Code Host

The TablePlus/TablePlus repository on GitHub has a specific, limited purpose. The README states it is currently being used for hosting the official issue and bug tracker of TablePlus macOS. The source code of the application is not in this repository.

This design means the repository is the correct place to report macOS-specific bugs, request features, and check whether a problem you encountered has already been reported. The issues list at github.com/TablePlus/TablePlus/issues contains user-reported problems and feature requests.

It is not the right place to study how the application works, submit code contributions, or understand the internal architecture. Developers looking to contribute should check whether TablePlus accepts contributions at all, which the README does not address.

The last push to this repository was on 2026-03-02. Since this repository is an issue tracker rather than the application's development repository, the push date reflects activity in the issue tracker infrastructure, not the pace of TablePlus application development.

Where the Documentation Falls Short

The README for this repository is deliberately minimal: it describes what TablePlus is and directs users to the website, but it does not document connection setup, query writing, keyboard shortcuts, schema inspection, or data export. All of that functionality exists in the application itself, but it is not described in the GitHub README.

The README also does not document a TablePlus version for Windows or Linux. The search queries for this project include "TablePlus for Windows" and "TablePlus Android", which suggests users expect or hope for these versions. The README makes no mention of Windows or Android support, and the repository description says macOS. The README does not explicitly state that no Windows version exists; it simply does not mention one.

For anyone evaluating TablePlus for a team that uses mixed operating systems, the absence of Windows documentation in this repository is a gap worth investigating at tableplus.com before purchasing licenses.

TablePlus vs DBeaver: Native macOS App Against a Cross-Platform Java Tool

DBeaver is a cross-platform database GUI tool built on Java. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and supports a wider range of database engines than the seven listed in the TablePlus README, including obscure and legacy databases through JDBC drivers.

DBeaver's cross-platform nature is its main advantage: one tool, one learning investment, across all operating systems your team uses. The trade-off is that Java-based applications have higher startup time, higher memory usage, and non-native UI behavior compared to a native macOS application.

TablePlus's native macOS implementation means better integration with the operating system and typically faster performance for common operations. The trade-off is that TablePlus covers fewer engines and, based on the README, targets macOS specifically.

For macOS-only teams connecting to the seven engines TablePlus supports, the native experience is a genuine advantage. For teams on mixed operating systems, or teams that need engines outside TablePlus's supported list, DBeaver's breadth and cross-platform support are more practical.

Editorial conclusion

TablePlus is worth downloading for macOS developers who connect to multiple database engines and want a fast native GUI without running a Java application. The free tier has no expiration, so you can evaluate it thoroughly before purchasing a license. The GitHub repository is an issue tracker, not the source code, so it is the right place to report bugs but not to study the implementation. Before committing to a paid license, verify that your specific database engine and version are supported, since the README lists seven engines but the README does not detail version-specific compatibility.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. Issues
2. Project website
3. README
4. TablePlus/TablePlus on GitHub