TuskDB
A native Mac alternative to pgAdmin
pgAdmin is free and official, but it runs in a browser. If you want a fast, native Mac app for Postgres with pgvector, TuskDB is $39 once.
14-day free trial · no account · no credit card
Why developers look past pgAdmin
pgAdmin is capable and free, but it's a web app you run locally: a Python server and a browser UI. That's the source of years of "slow and clunky, not native" complaints, and SSH setup that people find fiddly. It's powerful, but it doesn't feel like a Mac app.
What TuskDB does differently
TuskDB is native Swift and AppKit: dense grids, keyboard-first, launches in a second. It's Postgres-only like pgAdmin, and adds a real pgvector workflow, previewed safe edits, schema-aware autocomplete, and an activity panel that resolves lock chains and kills runaway queries.
| Feature | TuskDB | pgAdmin |
|---|---|---|
| Native macOS app | Yes, Swift & AppKit | No, runs as a local web app |
| Platforms | macOS 15+ | macOS, Windows, Linux, browser |
| Database engines | PostgreSQL only | PostgreSQL only |
| Price | $39 one-time | Free, open source |
| Updates | All updates, no renewal | Free |
| Free trial | 14 days, every feature | Free (open source) |
| pgvector UI | Yes, find-similar + recall lab | None found (July 2026) |
| Visual EXPLAIN | Yes, computed verdict | Yes, graphical |
| ERD diagram | Yes, incremental canvas | Yes |
| SSH tunnel | Yes, strict host-key | Yes |
Verified 23 July 2026 against pgadmin.org. Details can change, so check their site.
When pgAdmin is still the right call
If free and official is the priority, and a browser-based UI is fine, pgAdmin is a perfectly good choice. TuskDB is paid and native.
Answers before you download.
Does TuskDB do everything pgAdmin does?
Is TuskDB free like pgAdmin?
Try the native, Postgres-only alternative.
14 days, every feature, no account. Bring your own database.