TuskDB
A native, one-time DataGrip alternative for Postgres on Mac
If you only need Postgres and you're on a Mac, you don't need a JVM IDE with a yearly bill. TuskDB is native, lightweight, pgvector-first, and $39 once.
14-day free trial · no account · no credit card
Why developers look past DataGrip
DataGrip is capable, but two things push Mac-and-Postgres developers away: it's a yearly subscription, and it runs on the JVM, with the memory use and startup weight that come with it. If Postgres is your only engine, you're also carrying support for twenty others you never touch.
What TuskDB does differently
TuskDB is native Swift and AppKit, so it's fast and light. It's $39 once, not a subscription. It's Postgres-only, with a real pgvector workflow, a visual EXPLAIN with a computed verdict, and an incremental ERD. It won't do twenty engines, and it isn't trying to.
| Feature | TuskDB | DataGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Native macOS app | Yes, Swift & AppKit | No, runs on the JVM |
| Platforms | macOS 15+ | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Database engines | PostgreSQL only | 20+ engines |
| Price | $39 one-time | $99/user first year, ~$79/yr after |
| Updates | All updates, no renewal | While subscribed; perpetual fallback to your start version |
| Free trial | 14 days, every feature | 30 days |
| pgvector UI | Yes, find-similar + recall lab | No dedicated vector UI (open request) |
| Visual EXPLAIN | Yes, computed verdict | Yes |
| ERD diagram | Yes, incremental canvas | Yes |
| SSH tunnel | Yes, strict host-key | Yes |
Verified 23 July 2026 against jetbrains.com/datagrip. Prices and terms can change, so check their site before buying.
When DataGrip is still the right call
If you genuinely work across many database engines, or you rely on JetBrains' code intelligence and refactoring, stay with DataGrip. TuskDB is Postgres-only and Mac-only.
Answers before you download.
Is TuskDB lighter than DataGrip?
Is TuskDB a subscription like DataGrip?
Try the native, Postgres-only alternative.
14 days, every feature, no account. Bring your own database.