TablePlus vs Sequel Pro in 2026: An Honest Comparison

If you're searching for "TablePlus vs Sequel Pro," you should know: Sequel Pro is effectively abandoned. Development stopped years ago, the GitHub repository has over 1,000 open issues, and the core team went silent. The community forked it into Sequel Ace, which is actively maintained and available on the Mac App Store.

This article compares TablePlus to Sequel Ace (the maintained successor) and explains why Sequel Pro shouldn't be your choice in 2026.

What Happened to Sequel Pro?

Sequel Pro was a beloved free macOS MySQL client for over a decade. It was fast, native, and simple. But development stalled around 2020. The last meaningful update was years ago, and the project hasn't kept up with modern macOS versions or MySQL 8.x changes.

In response, community members forked the project into Sequel Ace. Sequel Ace is free (Mac App Store), actively maintained, supports MySQL 8, and works on Apple Silicon natively.

If you're currently using Sequel Pro, switch to Sequel Ace or another tool. Running abandoned software means unpatched security issues and growing compatibility problems.

TablePlus vs Sequel Ace: The Real Comparison

Database Support

This is the decisive difference. Sequel Ace connects to MySQL and MariaDB. That's it. TablePlus supports ~15 databases including PostgreSQL, SQLite, Redis, SQL Server, and more.

If you use only MySQL, Sequel Ace is a capable free option. If you work with multiple databases, TablePlus is the only choice of the two.

UI and Performance

Both are native macOS apps. Both launch fast, feel snappy, and respect macOS conventions.

TablePlus has a more modern interface with a tabbed connection manager, inline data editing with staged commits, and a clean query editor. It supports Dark Mode and syncs well with macOS aesthetics.

Sequel Ace inherits Sequel Pro's familiar interface -- sidebar with databases/tables, a query tab, a content tab, a structure tab. It works well but looks slightly dated compared to TablePlus. The community has been modernizing it incrementally.

Verdict: Both are fast native apps. TablePlus looks more modern; Sequel Ace is familiar to long-time Sequel Pro users.

Query Editing

TablePlus provides syntax highlighting, basic autocomplete, and a clean editor. Simple and fast.

Sequel Ace has a similar basic editor. Neither tool offers deep SQL intelligence -- they're both optimized for running queries quickly, not for writing complex SQL with IDE-level assistance.

Verdict: Even. Both are simple query editors, not SQL IDEs.

Data Editing

Both let you browse table data and edit rows inline.

TablePlus uses a staged commit model -- all changes are buffered and shown as a diff before you apply them. This is a safety feature that prevents accidental writes.

Sequel Ace applies changes more directly (with confirmation). It's functional but less cautious than TablePlus's approach.

Verdict: TablePlus's commit staging is a better safety model for production databases.

SSH Tunneling

Both support SSH tunnels for connecting to remote databases. Configuration is similar in both tools -- specify an SSH host, port, key, and the database connection flows through the tunnel.

Import/Export

Sequel Ace has solid MySQL dump and CSV export. Import from SQL dumps is reliable.

TablePlus supports CSV import/export across all its supported databases. Less MySQL-specific but broader.

Verdict: Even for MySQL-specific work. TablePlus is more versatile across databases.

Who Should Pick What

Choose Sequel Ace if:

• You only work with MySQL or MariaDB
• You want free with no limitations
• You used Sequel Pro and want the familiar interface
• You're on macOS and don't need cross-platform

Choose TablePlus if:

• You work with multiple database types
• You want cross-platform support (or an iOS companion)
• You value the staged commit safety model
• You prefer a more modern UI

Don't choose Sequel Pro. It's abandoned. Use Sequel Ace or move on.

Where Mako Fits

Mako is a browser-based SQL client with AI-powered autocomplete that supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, ClickHouse, MongoDB, BigQuery, Snowflake, MariaDB, and SQL Server. If you want a query tool that works on any platform without installation, with AI that understands your schema and helps write SQL, Mako is a modern alternative to both. Try it free at mako.ai.