Sequel Ace is free. SQL Gnome is $79. Here's the honest answer to whether that's worth it.
Try SQL Gnome Free →A fair look at where each app wins — including the parts where free is just fine.
| Feature | SQL Gnome | Sequel Ace |
|---|---|---|
| Platform & Architecture | ||
| Native macOS appNot Electron, not a web wrapper | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built with SwiftUIModern Apple framework | ✓ | legacy AppKit |
| macOS version required | macOS 14+ | macOS 12+ |
| MySQL-only focusNot spread across every database | ✓ | ✓ |
| Actively developed by a dedicated team | ✓ | volunteer-maintained |
| Connections | ||
| SSH tunnel support | ✓ | ✓ |
| TLS support | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS Keychain for passwords | ✓ | ✓ |
| Favorite databases per connection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Color-tag & group connections | ✓ | ✗ |
| Duplicate connections | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto-retry idle connections | ✓ | ✗ |
| Legacy MySQL 5.5+ compatibility | ✓ | MySQL 5.7+ |
| Table Content & Editing | ||
| Row browsing with paging & sorting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Filter builder | ✓ | ✓ |
| Save & reuse table filters | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native date / time pickers in row editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| BLOB/binary placeholders (no raw load) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Copy rows as JSON / INSERT | ✓ | ✓ |
| Query Editor | ||
| Multiple query tabs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-statement script execution | ✓ | ✓ |
| Autocomplete | ✓ | janky (per user reviews) |
| Query history | ✓ | ✓ |
| Saved query library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto safety LIMIT on bare SELECTs | ✓ | ✗ |
| Export results as CSV / JSON / INSERT | ✓ | ✓ |
| Safety | ||
| Per-connection production safeguards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Row-count preflight for UPDATE / DELETE | ✓ | ✗ |
| Warn on DROP / TRUNCATE / WHERE-less deletes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Import & Export | ||
| CSV import with preview & duplicate handling | ✓ | basic import |
| SQL / table dump export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Support & Reliability | ||
| Dedicated support | ✓ | community / GitHub issues |
| Predictable release cadence | ✓ | volunteer-paced |
| Price | $79 once | Free |
Over 3 years, single Mac.
| License (forever) | $79 |
| Year 2 renewal | $0 |
| Year 3 renewal | $0 |
| 3-year total | $79 |
| License | $0 |
| Year 2 renewal | $0 |
| Year 3 renewal | $0 |
| 3-year total | $0 |
Sequel Ace is genuinely good. If you're doing occasional MySQL work, don't touch production servers, and aren't bothered by volunteer release pacing — it's hard to argue with free. It's the app a lot of us grew up on, and it still works.
If you're touching production databases, the safeguards alone are worth $79 — a single accidentally un-WHERE'd DELETE will make you wish you'd paid. Add saved filters, color-tagged connections, native date pickers, and actual support when something breaks.
Sequel Ace is a solid free tool. SQL Gnome is what you reach for when free starts costing you time, safety, or sanity. Try it free for 14 days — no credit card, full features — and decide for yourself.
Download free for 14 days →