pgAdmin is the official Postgres GUI. It works, it's free. But for daily database work, alternatives change quality of life.
TablePlus
Our team's favourite. Native UI (macOS, Windows, Linux), supports all major DBs, query editor with smart autocomplete. Free tier limited to 2 simultaneous windows, full $99 one-off.
Beekeeper Studio
Open source. Modern UI, multi-DB, free with an "Ultimate" plan at $9/month for advanced features (saved SSH tunnels, query history sync). Great for teams wanting a free alternative to TablePlus.
DataGrip
JetBrains. The most powerful: SQL refactoring, schema diff, visual exec plans. Like all JetBrains, enterprise-grade at $199/year single licence. Worth every cent for DBAs, pricey for occasional devs.
Our matrix
| Case | Pick |
|---|---|
| Occasional dev, Postgres-only | TablePlus free tier |
| Daily dev, multi-DB | TablePlus full or DataGrip |
| Open-source-friendly team | Beekeeper Studio |
| DBA with complex SQL | DataGrip |
| Migration / deep EXPLAIN | DataGrip |
Web-based
For environments where you can't install clients (regulated): Drizzle Studio (free, web), Forest Admin (commercial, comprehensive), NocoDB (open source, more CRUD-oriented). For quick prod debugging, psql over SSH is a solid pick.
What NOT to use
Phpmyadmin for Postgres (exists via plugins, painful), proprietary GUIs from hosting providers when they can give you a connection string. Always keep a local client.