Navicat Premium vs single-database editions

Short answer: if your team works with one database engine, such as only MySQL and MariaDB or only PostgreSQL, a single-database edition like Navicat for MySQL or Navicat for PostgreSQL usually covers it. If you manage several engines, or move data between them, Navicat Premium connects to all of them from one application. Then choose Standard or Enterprise depending on whether you need data modelling and BI.

Updated 29 October 2026.

How the Navicat range is organised

Navicat's desktop tools come in two shapes: one multi-database product and a set of single-database products. The current major version listed on navicat.com is Navicat 18.

Navicat Premium connects to MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite, Redis and Snowflake, plus cloud services such as Amazon RDS, Azure Database and Google Cloud SQL.
Single-database editions: Navicat for MySQL (which covers MySQL and MariaDB), Navicat for PostgreSQL, Navicat for SQL Server, Navicat for Oracle, Navicat for MongoDB, Navicat for MariaDB, Navicat for SQLite, Navicat for Redis and Navicat for Snowflake.
Navicat Premium Lite is a free version of Navicat for basic work. Navicat says it can be used for commercial and non-commercial purposes, with up to five complimentary user accounts per organisation.
Navicat Data Modeler is a separate visual database design tool, with a free Lite version.

Navicat also sells Navicat BI, Navicat Monitor, Navicat On-Prem Server and Navicat Cloud. Most teams start with the desktop tools above.

What Navicat Premium adds over a single-database edition

The single-database editions are not cut-down tools. The Navicat for MySQL page, for example, lists object design, data editing, query editing, code insight, data synchronisation, structure synchronisation, backup and restore, automation and AI assistants. The main difference with Premium is breadth.

Several engines in one application. Navicat describes Premium as connecting to multiple databases "all from a single application", so a DBA who looks after SQL Server, PostgreSQL and MongoDB needs one tool, not three.
Data migration across your estate. Navicat lists data migration and data transfer among the tasks Premium handles. This is useful if you are moving workloads between engines or consolidating systems.
One licence and one interface per person. Developers who switch between projects on different engines keep the same shortcuts, saved connections and workflows.

If your stack is a single engine and is likely to stay that way, Premium is usually more than you need.

Standard, Enterprise, Lite and Non-commercial

Navicat's feature matrix compares three editions: Lite, Standard and Enterprise. Navicat's support site sums up the main difference: Enterprise includes the data modelling tools and Business Intelligence (BI).

Enterprise adds the Model features (modelling methods, reverse and forward engineering, model comparison) and the BI features (charts, live data, dashboards). The Premium matrix also marks support for some further database systems as Enterprise-only, so check it if you use a less common engine.
Standard includes everything most developers use daily: structure synchronisation, data transfer, data synchronisation, data generation, data masking, data dictionary, backup and restore, scheduling and automation, and the AI features.
Lite keeps the essentials: secure connections (SSH, HTTP tunnel, SSL/TLS), grid view, the query editor with code intelligence, object design tools and text-format import and export. It does not include synchronisation, data transfer, full backup tools or automation.
Non-commercial licences are restricted to educational and non-profit use, for example accredited schools and universities, registered charities, libraries, research institutes and museums. Navicat says the non-commercial version matches the Enterprise edition. Commercial companies and government departments need commercial licences.

Licence types: perpetual or subscription

Navicat offers two ways to license its software.

Perpetual licence. You can use the version you bought indefinitely, and minor updates within that version (for example 17.1, 17.2) are included. Each licence is per user and for a single desktop. On the store pages Navicat says each licence includes one year of maintenance, which can be extended. An active maintenance plan gives you software upgrades, live chat, technical support and key reset requests. To move to a new major version later, you need a maintenance plan or an upgrade licence.
Subscription. Users sign in with their own email address and get the latest software during the subscription period. Navicat offers monthly or yearly plans; only yearly subscriptions can be bought for multiple users.

Not every product is necessarily offered in every combination of edition and licence type, so confirm the exact options when you request a quotation.

Supported operating systems

Navicat lists the same platforms for Premium and the single-database editions:

Windows 8 to Windows 11, and Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2025
macOS 14 Sonoma to macOS 27
Linux, delivered as Flatpak or AppImage (x86_64 and aarch64), on distributions such as Debian, Ubuntu and Fedora

For perpetual licences, Navicat's store says the licence key can be used on Windows, macOS or Linux, which helps mixed teams.

If you use … consider …

If you use …	Consider …
Only MySQL and/or MariaDB	Navicat for MySQL
Only PostgreSQL	Navicat for PostgreSQL
Only SQL Server	Navicat for SQL Server
Only Oracle	Navicat for Oracle
Only MongoDB (including MongoDB Atlas, Amazon DocumentDB or Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB)	Navicat for MongoDB
Two or more engines, or regular migrations between them	Navicat Premium
ER diagrams, reverse engineering and SQL generation alongside admin work	An Enterprise edition
Database design only (conceptual, logical and physical models)	Navicat Data Modeler
Basic querying and editing, no sync or automation needed	Navicat Premium Lite (free)
A school, university or registered non-profit	A Non-commercial licence

Renewals, upgrades and buying in Sri Lanka

Licensing decisions do not end at purchase. In general terms:

With a perpetual licence, decide whether to keep maintenance active so you receive major-version upgrades and support, or stay on your current version.
With a subscription, plan the renewal date and the number of users before it lapses.
If your stack grows from one engine to several, or you start needing modelling and BI, ask about moving to Premium or to Enterprise rather than buying a second tool.

Bloomwire is the official Navicat distributor for Sri Lanka and is listed in Navicat's partner directory. We supply genuine licences for individuals, teams and organisations, and handle quotations, purchases, renewals and upgrades. We can help you choose an edition based on your database stack and team size, and support you through evaluation, licensing and deployment, in your time zone.

Frequently asked questions

Does Navicat for MySQL work with MariaDB?

Yes. Navicat describes Navicat for MySQL as a tool for managing and developing both MySQL and MariaDB databases. There is also a separate Navicat for MariaDB.

Can we use Navicat Premium Lite in our company?

Yes. Navicat says Premium Lite can be used for commercial and non-commercial purposes, and each organisation can use up to five complimentary Premium Lite user accounts.

What is the difference between Standard and Enterprise?

Enterprise includes the data modelling tools and Business Intelligence (BI). Standard includes the day-to-day administration and development features, such as synchronisation, data transfer, backup and automation.

Does a perpetual licence include new major versions?

No. A perpetual licence includes minor updates within the version you bought. For a major upgrade you need an active maintenance plan or an upgrade licence.

Do I need Navicat Data Modeler if I buy an Enterprise edition?

Often not, because Enterprise editions include the Model features. Navicat Data Modeler is a standalone design tool that supports conceptual, logical and physical models and Relational, Dimensional and Data Vault 2.0 methods, which suits architects who design but do not administer databases.

Sources

Sri Lanka

Bloomwire team

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Which Navicat edition do you need? Premium vs single-database editions