v0.1.2 · free · no account required
QueryBen is a desktop SQL client for Azure SQL Database, SQL Server, and Synapse. It runs natively on Mac, Windows, and Linux. I built it because the VS Code mssql extension hangs, SSMS doesn't run on Mac, and DBeaver treats Azure SQL as an afterthought.
Paste your connection string or fill in host, database, and credentials. QueryBen handles Azure SQL Database, SQL Server on-prem and on Azure VMs, and Synapse Analytics. SQL login and Azure AD / Entra ID both work. There is no ODBC driver to install, no JDBC class path to set, no 14-tab connection wizard.
The mssql extension for VS Code hangs after query execution. It's a documented bug (GitHub issue #21361, February 2026) with no fix date. QueryBen is a standalone desktop app, not a VS Code extension, not a browser tab. Press Cmd+Enter on macOS or Ctrl+Enter on Windows and Linux. Results appear. No window reload required.
Click a table in the sidebar. The column list expands inline showing name, data type, and nullable without opening a modal or a context menu. Tables, views, and stored procedures all live in the same panel. If you've spent time navigating DBeaver's database navigator to find a column type, this is what it should have felt like.
The results grid supports copy as CSV and TSV from the keyboard. No "Save Results As" dialog, no format dropdown, no file picker. Built for the workflow where you run a query and immediately paste the output into a spreadsheet or a Slack message. The 4.4 MB macOS build is signed by Venkata Maguluri (Injoya LLC, Team H4RK9DC4UP). Notarization passes.
Every tool in this space has a real reason to exist. Here is why QueryBen exists alongside them.
Free and cross-platform, which matters. The problem: a documented hang after query execution that requires a full window reload (GitHub issue #21361, February 2026). IntelliSense drops without warning. First connect takes 10-20 seconds. If those bugs don't hit you, it works fine. A lot of people hit them daily.
Microsoft retired it on February 28, 2026. You can still run version 1.52.0, but it receives no security patches. If you're building a workflow on top of it in July 2026, you're building on software that Microsoft has explicitly stopped maintaining. Most enterprise teams can't take that risk.
DBeaver connects to 80+ databases. That's also the problem. The Azure SQL authentication path requires picking the right JDBC driver, configuring the right auth mode, and navigating a connection wizard built for the lowest common denominator. Azure AD MFA opens a new browser tab on every reconnect (open GitHub issue since 2022). For a team that works exclusively in Azure SQL, DBeaver's surface area works against you.
The most complete SQL Server administration tool available. Windows-only. If you're on a Mac or Linux machine, it's not an option. Running it in Parallels works but adds friction that compounds over a workday. QueryBen doesn't replace SSMS for deep Windows-native admin work. It exists for the engineers who aren't on Windows.
Azure Data Studio retired February 28, 2026. Microsoft's official guidance points to VS Code with the mssql extension. For teams that need a dedicated SQL client rather than a VS Code plugin, QueryBen is a free, cross-platform alternative built specifically for Azure SQL and SQL Server.
QueryBen is at v0.1.2. It is early software with a short feature list. What it does, it does reliably: connect to Azure SQL, run queries, browse schemas, copy results. If that covers your daily workflow, download it and try it. If it doesn't, the GitHub issue tracker is open.
v0.1.2 · July 2026 · All builds are free.
Signed by Venkata Maguluri (Injoya LLC). If macOS shows "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified," right-click the DMG and choose Open.
Not yet code-signed. Windows Defender SmartScreen will show a warning. Click "More info" then "Run anyway." Expected behavior on unsigned indie software.
Make it executable: chmod +x QueryBen_0.1.2_amd64.AppImage then run it directly. No installation required.