TablePlus is one of the reasons we built Tabloy. It proved that a database client could be fast, beautiful, and actually pleasant to use. Before TablePlus, the options were either ugly-but-powerful or pretty-but-limited. They changed that. So why did we build something new? Because after hitting the 2-tab limit for the hundredth time in the free version, and wishing for real MongoDB support, we thought: what if we took this same philosophy and went further?
What TablePlus does well
The macOS experience is excellent
TablePlus was designed for macOS first, and you can feel it. Native controls, proper keyboard shortcuts, smooth animations. It feels like an Apple app.
It's fast and stable
Built with native code (C++/Objective-C), TablePlus is genuinely fast. No Electron bloat. We share this same obsession with performance.
Why we built Tabloy differently
The free version is barely usable
TablePlus limits the free version to 2 open tabs, 2 connections, and disables a bunch of features. That's not really "free" — it's a demo. Tabloy gives you everything from day one. Unlimited tabs, unlimited connections, every feature. You only pay if you use it commercially.
MongoDB isn't just a checkbox
TablePlus lists MongoDB support, but try building an aggregation pipeline or browsing a nested document structure — it falls short. Tabloy has a real document browser, a pipeline editor, schema inference, index management, and mongodump/restore. It's what you'd expect from a dedicated MongoDB tool, but inside a multi-engine client.
AI that actually knows your schema
Type what you want in plain English, and Tabloy writes the SQL using your actual table and column names. It's not a gimmick — it's the fastest way to write a query you'll only run once.
Side by side
| Tabloy | TablePlus | |
|---|---|---|
| SQL editor with autocomplete | ✓ | ✓ |
| PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite | ✓ | ✓ |
| MongoDB (full document support) | ✓ | Limited |
| Redis (key browser, ACL, terminal) | ✓ | Basic |
| ER diagrams | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI query generation | ✓ | — |
| Charts | ✓ | — |
| SSH tunnel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tabs in free version | Unlimited | 2 |
| Connections in free version | Unlimited | 2 |
| Built with | Rust / Tauri | C++ / native |
| Cross-platform | ✓ | ✓ |
The bottom line
If you mainly work with PostgreSQL or MySQL on macOS and the tab limit doesn't bother you, TablePlus is a solid choice — genuinely. But if you've ever found yourself annoyed by the free tier restrictions, or if MongoDB and Redis are part of your daily work, Tabloy is worth twenty minutes of your time.
No account needed. No feature limits. Just download and connect.
Try Tabloy Free