DBeaver supports 50+ databases. PgStudio speaks only PostgreSQL — but speaks it fluently, with deep admin features, AI intelligence, and modern UX that a universal tool can't match.
DBeaver runs on Eclipse/Java. Starting it takes 5–10 seconds, memory usage routinely exceeds 1GB, and the UI can feel sluggish with large result sets. PgStudio is built with Go (backend) and SvelteKit (frontend). Startup is instant, memory usage stays under 100MB, and virtualized rendering handles millions of rows smoothly.
DBeaver gives you generic SQL support across all databases. PgStudio gives you PostgreSQL-specific features: partition management, extension management, materialized view refresh, full role/permission editing, domain types, and custom type support. Every UI element is designed for PostgreSQL's unique capabilities.
| PostgreSQL admin | PgStudio | DBeaver CE | DBeaver Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roles & permissions GUI | ✓ | basic | basic |
| Extensions manager | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Partition management | ✓ | ✗ | view |
| Materialized views | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Domain types | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Custom types | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| ERD viewer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
DBeaver has no AI features. You write a query, you run EXPLAIN ANALYZE, and you interpret the results yourself. There's no automated analysis, no optimization suggestions, and no way to catch issues before they reach production.
PgStudio includes an AI Review engine that analyzes your queries in real time. It scores them, flags potential issues (missing indexes, N+1 patterns, implicit casts), and suggests optimized alternatives. Multi-provider support (DeepSeek, Claude, GPT) keeps costs under control while maintaining quality.
DBeaver has no built-in monitoring capabilities. To track database health, you need to set up external tools like pgwatch2, Datadog, or Grafana with custom dashboards. That means extra infrastructure, extra configuration, and context switching between your database client and monitoring tool.
PgStudio includes a dedicated Monitor Dashboard that tracks active connections, slow queries, lock contention, table bloat, cache hit ratios, and replication lag. Data is collected continuously and displayed in real-time charts. Configurable alerting notifies you when thresholds are breached — all without leaving the tool you're already working in.
DBeaver Community Edition is free and open source. DBeaver Pro costs $25/month. PgStudio Free tier covers core features; Pro is €19/month with AI, unlimited connections, and monitoring. For PostgreSQL-only work, PgStudio Pro delivers more PostgreSQL-specific value at a lower price point.
| Plan | PgStudio | DBeaver |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ✓ Core features | ✓ Community Edition |
| Pro price | €19/mo | $25/mo |
| AI query review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Monitoring dashboard | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi-database support | PostgreSQL only | ✓ 50+ databases |
| ERD (free tier) | ✗ | ✓ |
We believe in honest comparisons. DBeaver has real advantages that matter.
DBeaver is the Swiss Army knife of database tools. If you work daily with MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and MongoDB, having one tool for all of them is genuinely valuable. The Community Edition is fully open source with a generous feature set. And the ERD viewer in the free tier is something most competitors charge for. PgStudio is the right choice when PostgreSQL is your primary database and you want every feature optimized for it.
Specialist vs generalist. The right choice depends on whether PostgreSQL is your only database or one of many.
PostgreSQL is your primary database and you want deep admin features, AI review, monitoring, and a lightweight native experience — without Java overhead.
You work with multiple database types daily and value a single universal tool, or you need the open-source Community Edition's ERD and data transfer capabilities.
No Java required. No plugins to install. Just connect and start working.