SQLlyAzure Data Studio Alternative for Mac, Windows & Linux
Azure Data Studio is gone. Here's a native SQL client that replaces it - on the platforms SSMS never reached.
Azure Data Studio was retired on February 28, 2026.
Microsoft now points everyone to VS Code with the MSSQL extension. If that doesn't feel like home - especially on a Mac or Linux machine, where SSMS has never run - SQLly is a native SQL client that picks up where ADS left off.
What you lost with ADS, and where it lives in SQLly
| In Azure Data Studio | In SQLly |
|---|---|
| Connect to SQL Server from macOS and Linux | Native support on macOS, Windows and Linux - built in Rust, not Electron |
| IntelliSense-style completion | Schema-aware IntelliSense that writes JOIN ... ON from your real foreign keys |
| Results grid | A grid that streams up to 50M rows with spill-to-disk, so big result sets don't freeze the app |
| Query editor with connections sidebar | Editor, explorer, execution plans and results in one fast native window |
| Free | Free forever for hobbyists; paid licenses are one-time purchases, not subscriptions |
Why people moving off ADS pick SQLly
It feels instant
SQLly is a native app written in Rust. No Electron shell, no extension host warming up - it opens fast and stays fast with heavy results.
Guardrails ADS never had
SQLly warns or asks before an UPDATE or DELETE without a WHERE clause, supports read-only connections and production locks, and can wrap risky statements in a rollback.
One client for every database
Besides SQL Server: PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, DuckDB, ClickHouse, Oracle, libSQL/Turso and Redis - 30 engines in the same app, with the same muscle memory.
Results that present themselves
SQLly reads directives in your SQL comments and turns result sets into pivots and charts, right inside your .sql files. For anyone who used ADS notebooks to share query output, this is a lighter way to get a presentable answer without leaving the editor.
Try it in your browser right now
The live preview is the real SQLly workbench compiled to WebAssembly - no download, no account. Open it, run a query against the sample databases, and see how the IntelliSense and grid feel before you install anything.
Pricing that respects a post-ADS budget
ADS was free, so a subscription stings. SQLly is free forever for hobbyists, and the paid tiers are one-time purchases: $100 for all 1.x updates, or $200 for a lifetime license. No renewal emails.
To be fair: when SQLly isn't the answer
If you live in VS Code all day and only touch SQL Server occasionally, Microsoft's official MSSQL extension is free and already where your hands are. If you need an open-source tool you can audit and extend, DBeaver Community is the established choice. We compared SQLly with ADS feature by feature on the comparison page, including where ADS's replacement options still win.
Get started
- Download SQLly for macOS, Windows or Linux.
- Add your SQL Server connection - same server, credentials and databases ADS used.
- Open a query tab and let IntelliSense read your schema.
Migrating a whole team off ADS? The retirement guide walks through every serious alternative and who each one fits.