Jam SQL Studio Best Azure SQL Client in 2026
Five clients for Azure SQL Database and Managed Instance, compared on Entra ID sign-in, platforms, schema and data compare, notebooks and AI, as of September 2026.
Free for personal use • No account required • Mac, Windows, Linux
“JamSQL has been a lifeline for MacBook users. It's replaced several SQL tools in my workflow, and I'm still discovering new features. The support team is genuinely helpful, and clearly invested in their customers' success.”
The short answer
Azure Data Studio was retired on February 28, 2026. Microsoft's own replacements are SSMS 22 for administration on Windows and the MSSQL extension for VS Code on any OS. Pick SSMS if you manage Agent jobs, Query Store and security on Windows every day; pick VS Code if you already write application code there and want Copilot, SQL projects and SQL notebooks in one editor. DBeaver and DataGrip make sense when Azure SQL is one of many engines. Jam SQL Studio — built by the team that writes this page — is a desktop client for Mac, Windows and Linux with Entra ID sign-in, schema and data compare, and a local MCP server for AI agents.
Azure SQL Client Comparison (September 2026)
What each client offers for Azure SQL Database and Managed Instance.
| Question | Jam SQL Studio | SSMS 22 | VS Code + MSSQL | DBeaver | DataGrip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version checked | 1.5.3 (24 Sep 2026) | 22.10.2 (28 Sep 2026) | 1.45.1 (23 Sep 2026) | Community 26.2.1 (21 Sep 2026) | 2026.2 (Jul 2026) |
| Platforms | macOS (Apple Silicon, Intel), Windows, Linux | Windows only (x64, Arm64) | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Microsoft Entra ID sign-in | ✓ Interactive Browser or Device Code; optional tenant; persistent token cache | ✓ Microsoft Entra authentication, MFA included | ✓ Universal with MFA, Default (e.g. az login), Service Principal | Driver methods (Password, MFA, Integrated, MSI) in Community; "Azure AD for SQL Server" in PRO | Azure AD Password, Interactive, Integrated |
| Execution plans | ✓ Estimated and actual, tree/graph, compare | ✓ | ✓ | SQL Server plans need Lite or higher | ✓ |
| Schema compare | ✓ Free to 200 objects | ✓ GA since 22.10.2 (Sep 2026) | ✓ | Enterprise, Ultimate, Team | ✓ |
| Table data compare | ✓ Free to 10,000 rows per table | — | — | Enterprise, Ultimate, Team | ✓ |
| SQL notebooks (.ipynb) | ✓ All engines | — | ✓ GA since June 2026; one server per notebook | — | — |
| AI | Chat sidebar on your Claude Code / Codex CLI; local MCP server that starts blocked | GitHub Copilot (GA since 22.4.1); Agent Mode GA since 22.10.2 | GitHub Copilot with MSSQL context | AI Chat (OpenAI key or Copilot in Community) | AI chat with agents; built-in MCP server |
| Price | Free for personal use; Pro $99/year | ✓ Free | ✓ Free | Community free; PRO from $113/year | Free non-commercial; $109/year individual |
Which Azure SQL Client for Which Team
Where each tool is the stronger choice.
SSMS 22
Still the most complete admin tool for SQL Server and Azure SQL, and free. GitHub Copilot has been generally available since 22.4.1 (March 2026) and can read the results grid and execution plan; Agent Mode arrived as a preview in 22.7 along with schema compare, SQL formatting and a Database DevOps workload for SQL projects; all four have been generally available since 22.10.2 (September 2026). Windows only, on x64 and Arm64.
VS Code + MSSQL extension
Microsoft's recommended Azure Data Studio replacement, on every OS. Browse Azure and Browse Fabric pick databases from your subscriptions, an Add Firewall Rule dialog fixes the blocked-IP error in place, and 2026 brought SQL Notebooks (GA in June), Copilot-assisted Schema Designer, local SQL Server containers and Azure SQL database provisioning (preview). Data compare and result charts are not in its feature list.
DBeaver and DataGrip
Worth it when Azure SQL is one engine among many. DBeaver Community connects with the driver's Active Directory methods, but SQL Server execution plans, schema compare and data compare are in paid editions. DataGrip signs in with Azure AD Password, Interactive or Integrated and is free for non-commercial use.
Jam SQL Studio
A desktop client for teams on mixed operating systems. Entra ID sign-in with a persistent token cache, Browse Azure for Azure SQL servers, Managed Instances and PostgreSQL flexible servers, schema compare that treats Azure SQL as supporting CREATE OR ALTER, data compare, BACPAC export and import, and SQL notebooks. It has no firewall-rule helper: add your client IP in the Azure portal.
Using Jam SQL Studio With Azure SQL
What works today, and where the limits are.
Sign in with Entra ID
Microsoft Entra ID (Interactive Browser) opens a normal Microsoft sign-in page, MFA included; use Device Code when your tenant blocks browser sign-in for desktop apps. Set a tenant ID for guest or multi-tenant accounts. Tokens go into a persistent token cache, so reconnecting after a restart doesn't prompt you again. See Connections.
Add servers from your subscription
Browse Azure lists the Azure SQL servers, Managed Instances and PostgreSQL flexible servers your signed-in identity can reach — through the Azure CLI if you are logged in with az login, otherwise through an Entra sign-in — and saves them as connections.
Compare environments
Schema Compare and Data Compare run between dev, staging and production, with sync scripts you review before running. Azure SQL targets are detected as supporting CREATE OR ALTER, so procedures and views are altered in place rather than dropped and re-created.
Diagnose with the limits spelled out
The read-only Query Store workspace compares two periods and ranks regressions; for Azure SQL Database it uses the same catalog views Microsoft documents, but we have not yet run it against a live Azure SQL database. Azure SQL Database has no built-in system_health session, so the Deadlock Analyzer explains that and imports a captured report instead.
Bring your connections with you
Coming from SSMS, Azure Data Studio or the VS Code mssql extension? Import saved SQL Server connections in one click; passwords are re-entered, never read from another app's keychain. See how import works →
Local Development: Is There an Azure SQL Emulator?
Microsoft's Azure SQL Database emulator (preview) page is now archived, and Microsoft recommends Azure SQL Database dev container templates for local development instead. The emulator was built on Azure SQL Edge and never supported spatial types, memory-optimized tables, hierarchyid, full-text search or Entra integration. The VS Code MSSQL extension can create a local SQL Server container for you, and Jam SQL Studio's Detect local db's action finds SQL Server running in Docker (and, on Windows, native SQLEXPRESS and LocalDB instances) so you can connect to it with one click.
Sources
Maintained by the Jam SQL Studio team. Last checked 26 September 2026.
- Azure Data Studio: Microsoft Learn, "What's happening with Azure Data Studio".
- SSMS: the SSMS 22 release notes, system requirements and the GitHub Copilot in SSMS docs.
- VS Code MSSQL: the Visual Studio Marketplace listing, Microsoft Learn's connection and SQL Notebooks pages, and the Azure SQL Dev Corner update of June 2026.
- DBeaver: the SQL Server driver authentication docs, the execution plan docs and edition pricing. DataGrip: the Azure SQL Database connection docs and pricing.
- Jam SQL Studio: the 1.5.3 source and the Connections, Query Store and Deadlock Analyzer docs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Azure SQL clients.
What is the best client for Azure SQL Database in 2026?
With Azure Data Studio retired, Microsoft points to SSMS 22 (Windows only, the most complete for administration) and VS Code with the MSSQL extension (Mac, Windows and Linux). DBeaver and DataGrip cover Azure SQL alongside other engines. Jam SQL Studio is a desktop client for Mac, Windows and Linux with Entra ID sign-in, schema and data compare, SQL notebooks, and a local MCP server for AI agents.
Does Jam SQL Studio support Microsoft Entra ID?
Yes. Choose Microsoft Entra ID (Interactive Browser), which opens a normal Microsoft sign-in page and handles MFA, or Microsoft Entra ID (Device Code) when a browser sign-in is blocked. You can set a tenant ID for guest or multi-tenant accounts, and tokens are kept in a persistent cache so reconnecting doesn't ask you to sign in each time.
What happened to Azure Data Studio?
Microsoft retired Azure Data Studio on February 28, 2026; it no longer receives updates or security fixes. Microsoft recommends the MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, and SSMS for SQL Server Agent and full administration.
Can I use Jam SQL Studio with Azure SQL Managed Instance?
Yes. Connect to Azure SQL Database or Managed Instance with SQL authentication or Entra ID, or pick either from your subscriptions with Browse Azure. One difference to know: Azure SQL Database has no built-in system_health session, so the Deadlock Analyzer detects it and asks you to import a captured deadlock report instead of reading retained events.
Does Jam SQL Studio work with Azure SQL on Mac and Linux?
Yes. SSMS runs only on Windows, while Jam SQL Studio runs on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows and Linux with the same features on each.
Can I compare Azure SQL schemas across environments?
Yes, in several tools. SSMS added schema compare as a preview in 22.7 (June 2026) and made it generally available in 22.10.2 (September 2026), the VS Code MSSQL extension has Schema Compare, and DataGrip and DBeaver Enterprise compare structures. Jam SQL Studio compares schemas and table data between dev, staging and production and treats Azure SQL targets as supporting CREATE OR ALTER, so it does not fall back to DROP and CREATE.
Is there an Azure SQL emulator for local development?
Microsoft's Azure SQL Database emulator page is archived; Microsoft now recommends Azure SQL Database dev container templates for local work. The VS Code MSSQL extension can also create local SQL Server containers. Jam SQL Studio's Detect local db's action finds SQL Server running in Docker containers and, on Windows, native SQLEXPRESS and LocalDB instances.
Is there a free Azure SQL client?
Yes. SSMS (Windows) and the VS Code MSSQL extension are free. DBeaver Community is free, though its SQL Server execution plans and its Azure AD for SQL Server sign-in method are in the PRO editions. Jam SQL Studio's Personal tier is free for non-commercial use, with unlimited Azure SQL connections, execution plans, charts and notebooks.
Download Jam SQL Studio for Azure SQL
Connect to Azure SQL with Entra ID from Mac, Windows or Linux. Free for personal use.
Comparing Other SQL Tools?
See how Jam SQL Studio compares to other popular database tools.