Both are native macOS MySQL clients. But they make very different bets. Here's the honest breakdown.
Try SQL Gnome Free →Where each app wins, loses, and calls it a draw.
| Feature | SQL Gnome | TablePlus |
|---|---|---|
| Platform & Architecture | ||
| Native macOS appSwiftUI / AppKit, no Electron | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS 14+ requiredDesigned for modern macOS | ✓ | older supported |
| MySQL-only focusDeeper features, not spread thin | ✓ | ✗ |
| Windows / Linux version | ✗ | ✓ |
| Connections | ||
| SSH tunnel support | ✓ | ✓ |
| TLS support | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS Keychain for passwords | ✓ | ✓ |
| Favorite databases per connection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Legacy MySQL 5.5+ compatibility | ✓ | limited |
| Auto-retry idle connections | ✓ | ✗ |
| Table Content & Editing | ||
| Row editing with paging & sorting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Filter builder | ✓ | free trial blocked |
| Save & reuse table filters | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native date / time pickers in row editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| BLOB/binary placeholder (no raw load) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Copy rows as JSON / INSERT | ✓ | ✓ |
| Query Editor | ||
| Multiple query tabs | ✓ | 2 tabs on free tier |
| Multi-statement script execution | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 |
| SQL / table dump export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trial & Pricing | ||
| Free trial | 14 days, full features | unlimited, but capped at 2 tabs/windows |
| Base purchase price | $59 | $99 |
| Annual renewal to keep updates | ✗ never | $59/device/yr |
| Extra device fee | ✗ none | $79/device |
Over 3 years, on 2 Macs.
| License (2 Macs) | $59 |
| Year 2 renewal | $0 |
| Year 3 renewal | $0 |
| 3-year total | $59 |
| Basic license (1 device) | $99 |
| Extra device fee | $59 |
| Year 2–3 renewals (2 devices) | $236 |
| 3-year total | $394 |
TablePlus is a solid tool if you work across many databases — Postgres, MySQL, SQLite, Redis all in one place. If multi-database support is a genuine requirement, it earns its price. The free tier also works fine for limited use.
If MySQL is your world, SQL Gnome goes deeper — production safeguards, legacy compatibility, saved filters, smarter row editing — and you pay once, forever. No renewal emails. No per-device fees. Just the app.
TablePlus is well-built. But a per-device renewal fee for a local database client is a hard sell when SQL Gnome does MySQL better, costs less over time, and never asks for money again.
Download free for 14 days →