Azure Data Studio reached the end of its support on February 28, 2026. Copies already installed still launch and connect, but there are no more releases, no security patches for the Electron and Node runtime underneath, and no fixes when a new SQL Server or Azure SQL feature breaks something. For teams that adopted it as a lightweight, cross-platform alternative to SQL Server Management Studio, that makes a replacement a security question as much as a convenience one.
Microsoft’s official answer is the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, with SSMS 22 for administration on Windows. Both have improved a lot in 2026, but they are not the only options, and teams that also work with PostgreSQL, MySQL or other engines often want a multi-database client instead. If you are rebuilding the rest of your database toolchain at the same time, our guide to the best database tools covers every category.
Here are 10 Azure Data Studio alternatives worth evaluating in 2027, ranked on SQL Server depth, cross-platform support, notebook and AI features, and licensing value.
Azure Data Studio Alternatives At A Glance
Tool
Best For
Platforms
Pricing Model
VS Code with the MSSQL extension
The supported Microsoft path for SQL Server developers
The MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code is where Microsoft moved Azure Data Studio’s development, and it is the closest like-for-like replacement. It supports SQL Server, Azure SQL and SQL database in Microsoft Fabric, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and costs nothing.
The feature list has caught up quickly. A query plan visualizer, table designer, visual schema designer and Schema Compare are all generally available, as is GitHub Copilot integration with chat and agent mode. A query profiler built on Extended Events covers some of the monitoring work Azure Data Studio users relied on, and 2026 releases added SQL notebooks, Data API builder, a SQL formatter and Azure SQL Database provisioning from inside the editor. Results export to JSON, Excel and CSV.
The gaps are scope and depth. The extension covers only the SQL Server family, so the community extensions Azure Data Studio users relied on for PostgreSQL and other engines have no equivalent here, and SQL Server Agent jobs and deeper administration still point you to SSMS.
Best for: SQL Server and Azure SQL developers who already live in VS Code and want the path Microsoft supports.
SSMS remains the most complete tool for administering SQL Server, and version 22 is the release Microsoft points Azure Data Studio users to for anything beyond query writing. It covers Agent jobs, security, backups, replication, Always On and the rest of day-to-day DBA work.
SSMS 22 gained GitHub Copilot agent mode from version 22.7, which can read schema, propose queries and run them only after you approve each one. Version 22.10.2, released on September 28, 2026, made Schema Compare and the Database DevOps workload generally available, so SQL Database Projects can now be built and published from SSMS as well.
The obvious drawback is that SSMS runs only on Windows, which is exactly why many teams adopted Azure Data Studio in the first place. Mac and Linux users will need to pair VS Code with another tool or run SSMS in a Windows VM.
Best for: Windows-based DBAs who need complete SQL Server administration from Microsoft’s own tool.
3. DBeaver — Free Universal Client For SQL Server And 100+ Other Databases
DBeaver is the most widely used multi-database client and the natural pick for Azure Data Studio users who also worked with PostgreSQL or MySQL through community extensions. The free Community edition connects to SQL Server, Azure SQL and a long list of other engines through JDBC drivers.
Community covers SQL editing with autocomplete, an ER diagram viewer, data editing, import and export, and a visual query builder. The commercial editions add NoSQL and cloud data sources, AI-assisted SQL, team features and full schema and data compare. Our DBeaver vs DataGrip comparison covers how it stacks up against its main rival.
DBeaver is built on Eclipse and Java, so it can feel heavier than Azure Data Studio, and SQL Server-specific tooling is less deep than SSMS or dbForge.
Best for: Teams that query several database engines and want one free client across Windows, macOS and Linux.
4. JetBrains DataGrip — IDE-Grade SQL Editing With Refactoring, Now Free For Non-Commercial Use
DataGrip brings JetBrains’ IDE experience to databases: context-aware completion that understands your schema, refactoring that updates references across scripts, a powerful diff and version control integration. It supports SQL Server alongside PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle and most other relational engines.
JetBrains made DataGrip free for non-commercial use in October 2025, and commercial users can license it alone or inside the All Products Pack. Developers already using Rider or IntelliJ get a familiar interface and shared keymaps, and the same database tooling is built into other JetBrains IDEs.
Commercial use requires a paid subscription, and DataGrip has no notebooks or server administration features comparable to SSMS.
Best for: Developers who write a lot of SQL and want refactoring, navigation and code quality features on any operating system.
Devart’s dbForge Studio for SQL Server bundles query writing, debugging, schema and data compare, a query profiler, source control, data generation and documentation into one application. It is the most feature-dense SQL Server GUI on this list.
It suits teams that want SSMS-level SQL Server depth plus the productivity extras SSMS lacks, such as its code completion, formatter and built-in compare tools, without assembling several separate products. Editions range from Express up to Enterprise, priced as subscriptions.
The full product is Windows-first, so it does not solve the cross-platform need that drew many teams to Azure Data Studio, and the wider feature set comes with a busier interface.
Best for: SQL Server teams on Windows that want one GUI covering development, compare and DevOps tasks.
6. DbVisualizer — Cross-Platform SQL Client With A Clean UI And Visual Tools
DbVisualizer is a long-running universal database client that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and supports SQL Server among dozens of databases. It is known for a tidy interface, a visual query builder, entity relationship graphs and solid data export options.
A free edition covers core querying and browsing, while the Pro edition adds the advanced SQL editor, formatting, query optimization helpers, more export formats and scheduled scripts. Teams that liked Azure Data Studio’s light footprint often find DbVisualizer closer in feel than heavier IDEs.
Several of the most useful editing features sit behind Pro, and notebook-style workflows are not part of the product.
Best for: Analysts and developers who want a polished, cross-platform client for SQL Server and other databases.
7. Idera Aqua Data Studio — Multi-Platform IDE With Cross-Vendor Compare And Visual Analytics
Aqua Data Studio from Idera supports more than 40 data platforms, including SQL Server and Azure SQL, and adds tools for comparing schemas and data between different database vendors, visual explain plans, ER modeling and a visual analytics module for building charts from query results.
It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, which makes it a practical replacement for Azure Data Studio users who need more than a query editor. Standard is $499 per user per year and Ultimate, which adds task scheduling, is $699, with custom pricing for Enterprise.
You pay for a broad IDE, so teams that only need a lightweight SQL Server query tool will find cheaper options above.
Best for: Data architects and DBAs who work across several database vendors on mixed operating systems.
8. Navicat Premium — One Client For SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis And Snowflake
Navicat Premium connects to MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis and Snowflake from a single application on Windows, macOS and Linux. Its strengths are visual tools: a query builder, data modeling, structure and data synchronization, and a backup and scheduling module.
For teams leaving Azure Data Studio with a mixed SQL and NoSQL estate, Navicat covers more database types in one native interface than most alternatives. It is sold as a perpetual license or a subscription.
Navicat is aimed at interactive work rather than scripting or CI, and pricing is not shown on the product page.
Best for: Teams managing a mix of SQL Server, open-source and NoSQL databases who prefer visual tools.
9. Beekeeper Studio — Lightweight Open-Source SQL Client With A Modern Interface
Beekeeper Studio is a fast, cross-platform SQL editor and database manager with an open-source Community edition and paid editions that add more database types and features. It supports SQL Server along with PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite and others.
Its appeal is simplicity: tabbed queries, a clean results grid, saved queries and easy table editing, without the weight of a full IDE. That makes it a comfortable landing spot for developers who used Azure Data Studio mainly to run queries and browse tables.
It is not an administration tool, and advanced features such as schema compare or profiling are outside its scope.
Best for: Developers who want a simple, modern query tool and do not need DBA features.
10. TablePlus — Native, Fast Client For Quick Queries And Edits
TablePlus is a native database client known for speed and a minimal interface, with SQL Server support alongside PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis and other databases. It started on macOS and now also runs on Windows and Linux.
It handles everyday tasks well: browsing and editing rows inline, running queries in tabs, filtering data and committing changes in batches with a review step. The free version limits how many tabs and connections you can open at once, and a paid license removes the limits.
TablePlus is deliberately lightweight, so it lacks execution plan analysis, schema compare and administration features found in SSMS or dbForge.
Best for: Developers on macOS and other platforms who want a quick, native tool for SQL Server lookups and edits.
How To Choose An Azure Data Studio Replacement
Is SQL Server The Only Database You Use?
If every database you touch is SQL Server or Azure SQL, Microsoft’s free pair of VS Code with the MSSQL extension and SSMS 22 now covers most needs. If you also used Azure Data Studio extensions for PostgreSQL or other engines, a multi-database client such as DBeaver, DataGrip, DbVisualizer or Navicat will replace more of your setup in one step.
Do You Need To Work On macOS Or Linux?
Cross-platform support was a main reason teams chose Azure Data Studio. SSMS and the full dbForge Studio are Windows-first, so Mac and Linux users should focus on VS Code, DBeaver, DataGrip, DbVisualizer, Aqua Data Studio, Navicat, Beekeeper Studio or TablePlus.
What Happens To Your Notebooks?
Azure Data Studio’s SQL notebooks were a favorite feature. Microsoft has added SQL notebooks to the MSSQL extension, and VS Code’s Jupyter and Polyglot Notebooks support covers wider data exploration. Most third-party clients do not offer notebooks, so test your existing .ipynb files before you standardize.
Do You Need Administration As Well As Querying?
Agent jobs, security management, replication and backup configuration still belong in SSMS for most SQL Server teams. Pair a cross-platform editor for daily development with SSMS on a Windows machine or VM for administration, and add dedicated SQL Server monitoring tools if you relied on Azure Data Studio dashboards.
Conclusion
For most SQL Server developers, the best Azure Data Studio alternative is the MSSQL extension for VS Code, paired with SSMS 22 for administration on Windows. Teams that work across several engines should look at DBeaver or DataGrip first, while dbForge Studio, DbVisualizer, Aqua Data Studio and Navicat suit teams that want more built-in tooling.
Whatever you choose, plan the move rather than leaving an unsupported tool on developer machines: export your connection profiles, test your notebooks and scripts in the new tool, then remove Azure Data Studio from your software catalog. For the rest of the stack, see our guide to the best database tools.
