Three Free Tools That Perfectly Replace Navicat

Many enterprises rely on MySQL, and Navicat is a well‑known client but requires a paid license, prompting the search for free replacements. The author, a performance tester, recommends three tools, ranking DBeaver, MySQL Workbench, and HeidiSQL.

DBeaver

DBeaver is widely known for supporting almost every database type, making it a universal client. The author highlights its extensive database coverage as the main advantage.

Installation is straightforward: download the community edition from https://dbeaver.io/download/, choose the appropriate version for your OS, and follow the installer prompts. After installation, the language can be switched to Simplified Chinese if needed.

When connecting, select the database type, and the first‑time connection will automatically download the required driver. The interface is fully Chinese, and the author notes that the tool is easy to use.

MySQL Workbench

MySQL Workbench is the official MySQL client from Oracle. It can be downloaded from https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/workbench/. The current version is 8.x and works regardless of the MySQL server version.

The installer provides an English‑only interface, but the author recommends it for two major reasons: it includes built‑in database monitoring and an ER‑diagram feature, both free. These functions are valuable for performance testing and for DBAs who need quick visual insights without setting up separate monitoring infrastructure.

The tool’s interface may not be visually appealing, yet its monitoring and ER‑diagram capabilities make it “very nice” for users who focus more on testing than on writing SQL.

HeidiSQL

HeidiSQL is a lightweight, free client that supports MariaDB, MySQL, Microsoft SQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite—five databases commonly used in China. The download size is about 40 MB, and the source code is available on GitHub.

Download from https://www.heidisql.com/. After installation, the interface automatically switches to Chinese based on the system locale, though the language can also be changed via Tools → Preferences → Program Language . The author finds the UI decent and the feature set fairly comprehensive compared with the other two tools.

In conclusion, the author hopes readers find one of these three tools that best fits their needs.