Navicat vs DBConvert Streams

Navicat is a commercial desktop database admin suite for MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, and more — with a strong SQL editor, visual modeling, and scheduled data sync.

DBConvert Streams is a database migration and CDC tool with a built-in IDE focused on MySQL/MariaDB and PostgreSQL, with native log-based CDC.

Try DBConvert Streams See the CDC workflow

Quick answer

Choose by job

Choose Navicat if

  • Your role is DBA across many database engines, not data pipelines.
  • Your team needs cross-engine admin tooling and shared workspaces.
  • Scheduled or trigger-based sync covers your replication needs.
  • You prefer a single-vendor commercial desktop product with vendor support.

Choose DBConvert Streams if

  • Your work is moving and synchronizing operational data, not just admin.
  • Real-time CDC is part of the requirement, not scheduled reconciliation.
  • Your stack centers on MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, files, or S3.
  • You want migration validation and run monitoring inside the same product.

At a glance

Side-by-side facts

Aspect
Navicat
DBConvert Streams
Tool type
Commercial desktop DBA + migration suite
Database IDE + migration + CDC
Engine support
MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis
MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, files, S3, Snowflake (coming soon)
SQL editor and table browsing
Yes (polished)
Yes
Bulk data migration
Data Transfer wizard
Built-in Load mode
Real-time log-based CDC
No (scheduled / trigger sync only)
Yes (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
Source/target comparison
Yes (schema + data, mature)
Yes (schema + data)
Files and S3 as endpoints
Import/export only
First-class (CSV, JSONL, Parquet)
ER diagrams / data modeling
Yes (strong)
Yes (basic)
Cloud team collaboration
Yes (Navicat Cloud)
No
Deployment
Desktop (Win/macOS/Linux/iOS)
Desktop + Docker
License
Commercial subscription or perpetual
Free IDE + commercial Streams

Where Navicat wins

Browse Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, and Redis from one window

A single polished desktop client across engine families. The reason most DBAs reach for it is exactly this breadth — switch connections, not tools.

Note — For migration and sync across Oracle, SQL Server, and MongoDB, the broader DBConvert product line covers it — DBConvert/DBSync for one-shot conversion and compare-and-sync, DBConvert Studio for migration with trigger-based sync. Those are dedicated tools without a SQL IDE or admin UI.

See the DBConvert product family

Design schemas visually before they hit the database

Strong forward and reverse engineering inside Navicat, plus a dedicated Navicat Data Modeler product for teams that live in diagrams.

Manage users, tune servers, schedule tasks

A full DBA admin suite — user management, server tuning, query profiling, scheduled jobs. Not just an IDE.

Share connections and queries across a distributed team

Navicat Cloud syncs connections, snippets, models, and queries between team members and devices.

Schema and data compare wizards refined over a decade

The Data Synchronization and Structure Synchronization wizards are well-known patterns DBAs already know how to drive.

Where DBConvert Streams wins

CDC happens as the source writes

MySQL binlog and PostgreSQL logical replication captured continuously, with checkpointed state and resume. Navicat's Data Synchronization runs on a schedule or trigger and reconciles differences each cycle — not the same shape.

Browse, query, and explore without a license

Data Explorer is free with no account required. Navicat is fully paid; even the lightest edition needs a license to start.

Read and write files and S3 like a database

CSV, JSONL, and Parquet are real source and target types, including federated queries across databases and files. Navicat handles import/export but not as a first-class endpoint.

See every replication run live

Stream Monitor gives an always-on view of throughput, lag, and run history. Navicat's Data Transfer is one-off — no continuous streams dashboard.

Run alongside the database, not just on a laptop

Docker distribution drops next to RDS/Aurora in a VPC, on a build server, or as part of CI. Navicat is desktop-only — no server-side deployment.

Workflow

Migrate operational databases and keep them synced in real time — not on a schedule

  1. 1Install DBConvert Streams as a self-contained desktop app or a Docker distribution.
  2. 2Connect source and target databases in Data Explorer and inspect schemas side by side.
  3. 3Run Load mode for the initial migration with table mapping and filters (resumable if interrupted).
  4. 4Open the Compare tab and validate row counts and sample data on the target.
  5. 5Switch to CDC mode and watch source changes apply directly to the target — monitor throughput, lag, and run history in Stream Monitor.

Navicat's Data Synchronization runs on a schedule or trigger and reconciles differences each cycle. DBConvert Streams captures source changes as they happen and writes them to the target.

Also supported

The same workflow runs for other source/target combinations:

  • PostgreSQL → MySQL/MariaDB (cross-engine operational replication)
  • MySQL/MariaDB ↔ MySQL/MariaDB (homogeneous replication)
  • PostgreSQL ↔ PostgreSQL (homogeneous replication)
  • MySQL/PostgreSQL → files (CSV, JSONL, Parquet)
  • MySQL/PostgreSQL → S3-compatible storage
  • Files / S3 → MySQL or PostgreSQL

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is DBConvert Streams a Navicat replacement?

For data movement and real-time sync, often yes. For broad DBA admin work, no.

  • Navicat — A polished commercial DBA suite for many engines — strong on schema design, admin tooling, and visual modeling.
  • DBConvert Streams — A migration and CDC tool with a built-in IDE — strong on Load + real-time CDC + source/target comparison for MySQL/MariaDB and PostgreSQL.

Many teams keep Navicat for daily admin across Oracle/SQL Server/MongoDB and add DBConvert Streams when they need real-time replication.

Does Navicat support real-time CDC?

No. Navicat has Data Synchronization and Data Transfer wizards, which run on a schedule or trigger and reconcile differences each cycle. They are not log-based CDC — they do not read MySQL binlogs or PostgreSQL logical replication. DBConvert Streams reads source change logs in real time and writes them to the target as they happen.

Which is better for cross-database data sync (MySQL, PostgreSQL, files, S3)?

DBConvert Streams for real-time and file/S3 targets; Navicat for ad-hoc compare workflows.

  • Navicat — Mature schema + data compare/sync, but each run is essentially a diff-and-reconcile cycle. No native log-based CDC, no file/S3 first-class targets.
  • DBConvert Streams — Native log-based CDC for MySQL/MariaDB and PostgreSQL, with source/target Compare and Files/S3 as first-class endpoints — Load + CDC + validation in one workflow.

Does DBConvert Streams support Oracle, SQL Server, or MongoDB like Navicat?

DBConvert Streams supports MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, files, and S3-compatible storage (Snowflake target is coming soon).

  • To browse and query other engines — Use Navicat — Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, Redis, and more.
  • To migrate or sync across those engines — See the broader DBConvert product line — DBConvert/DBSync or DBConvert Studio — covering 30+ engines and 400+ migration directions.
See the DBConvert product family

How does pricing compare?

Different models — compare against your team size and what you actually need.

  • Navicat — Commercial product. Per-user subscription or perpetual desktop license per engine family (or Premium for all engines). No free tier for production use.
  • DBConvert Streams — IDE is free with no account. Streams (Load + CDC) is commercial with an evaluation tier (~500 MB Load, 48 hours CDC).

When should I not use DBConvert Streams?

When your work is mainly DBA admin across many engines (Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, Redis), you want a polished single-vendor desktop suite with team cloud collaboration, or scheduled / trigger-based data sync is enough. In those cases Navicat is a better fit.

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