Your SQL Server workflow on macOS just got an upgrade. 👇
Here are the three leading contenders:
Bojan Antonović DbVisualizer DbVisualizer is a SQL management tool that allows users to manage a wide range of databases such as Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server, My... DbVisualizer DBeaver DBeaver extends beyond standard SQL tasks, offering a suite of SQL Server ( Microsoft SQL Server ) -specific features. These capab... DBeaver DataGrip DataGrip is an IDE for just about any SQL Database you use on a regular basis. It covers SQL management for SQL Server, Oracle, Po... DataGrip Oracle Database Oracle ( Oracle Corporation ) : Basics and Use cases Oracle ( Oracle Corporation ) is a robust relational database management syst... Oracle Database Toad Toad for SQL Server ( Microsoft SQL Server ) is a database development and management tool designed specifically for Microsoft SQL... Toad SQLCMD SQLCMD is a command-line utility for interacting with Microsoft SQL Server. It's a tool to execute queries and manage SQL Server ( SQLCMD Navicat Navicat for SQL Server is a graphical tool for managing, designing, and optimizing SQL Server databases across platforms. Navicat pgAdmin pgAdmin can be considered as an equivalent of what SQL Server ( Microsoft SQL Server ) Management Studio (SSMS) is for SQL Server ... pgAdmin Aqua Data Studio Aqua Data Studio provides a development and management tool for the SQL Server ( MS SQL Server ) relational database with administ... Aqua Data Studio Microsoft Access The idea of the Access ( MS Access ) -Team at Microsoft, to integrate the powerful SQL Server ( Microsoft SQL Server ) database ma... Microsoft Access HeidiSQL HeidiSQL – This is another tool for managing popular databases like SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, etc. It is free and eas... HeidiSQL MySQL Workbench MySQL Workbench ( My sql workbench ) Tutorial | Introduction To MySQL Workbench ( My sql workbench ) | MySQL DBA Training | Edurek... MySQL Workbench DbForge Studio for Oracle DbForge ( DbForge Studio for Oracle ) dbForge ( DbForge Studio for Oracle ) is a database management product line started in 2005. DbForge Studio for Oracle SQLite Definition SQLite is a self-contained, high-reliability, embedded, full-featured, public-domain, SQL ( SQL language ) database eng... SQLite mac sql server management studio
For developers and database administrators (DBAs) shifting from Windows to macOS, the absence of a native can be a significant hurdle. Microsoft has built SSMS exclusively for Windows. However, as of May 2026, there are several high-performance ways to manage SQL Server on a Mac, ranging from native lightweight clients to full virtualization. The Reality of SSMS on Mac Your SQL Server workflow on macOS just got an upgrade
If your workflow absolutely requires SSMS—perhaps for specific features like SQL Server Agent job management, detailed Execution Plans, or highly specific configuration—there are two ways to run it on a Mac. These capab
Let me know if you need help setting up any of these on an M1/M2/M3 Mac.
| Role | Recommendation | | :--- | :--- | | | Use Docker for the engine and Azure Data Studio or VS Code for management. This provides the most "Mac