saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

Git client · GitHub

GitHub Desktop

Free, open-source Git client for Windows and macOS that is built around GitHub.

68/100

#5 of 11 Git clients
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

GitHub Desktop suits developers who work on GitHub and want a free client with no licence limits on private or commercial work3,6. It handles LFS, worktrees and viewing pull requests in the app14,16,17. The catch: it connects only to GitHub, does not document commit signing, opens the browser to create a pull request, and leaves merge conflicts to an outside editor6,13,15.

Best for: Developers who host their code on GitHub and want a free client.

Where the points come from

Git features16 of 29
Hosts and review11 of 26
Systems and upkeep12 of 16
Licence15 of 15
Price14 of 14

Git features 16 of 29 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Core Git featuresInteractive rebase, Git LFS, Submodules, Stage single lines or hunksDrag-and-drop reorder and squash9,10; LFS installed with the app16; submodule diffs and updates in release notes5; line selection11. No in-app conflict editor13.12 / 15
Undo for Git actionsNoThe Undo button reverses the last commit; reset, revert and cherry-pick undo are separate commands8,12.0 / 6
WorktreesYesDocs have a page on managing worktrees; release 3.6.0 added worktree support17,5.4 / 4
Git-flow built inNot publishedNot published on the vendor's docs index, commit-options page or release notes7,8,5.0 / 4

Hosts and review 11 of 26 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Hosts with built-in sign-inGitHubSign-in buttons are for GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise; no other host is listed for sign-in6.3 / 12
Pull requests in the appYesDocs show the pull request list, commit history, diffs and re-running checks in the app; creating one opens the browser14,15.8 / 8
Signed commitsNot publishedNot published on the vendor's docs pages for commits and Git setup, or in release notes8,11,5.0 / 6

Systems and upkeep 12 of 16 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Other systemsmacOSDocs list macOS 12 or later and Windows 10 64-bit or later; Linux is not supported2,3.4 / 8
Release in the last 12 monthsYesRelease 3.6.6 is marked stable and Latest, dated 21 Sep; the page shows no year for current-year releases4.8 / 8

Licence 15 of 15 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Open sourceYesRepository is under the MIT licence3.7 / 7
Free for commercial work on private reposYesDescribed as a free, open-source application; the MIT licence sets no commercial limit3,6.8 / 8

Price 14 of 14 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Cheapest way to use it for work$0No paid plan; the app is free6.14 / 14

The rule behind each line: how we score Git clients.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

PlanPrice as listedPer monthNotes
GitHub Desktop1 personFree3,6$0Open source under the MIT licence; no paid tier

Strengths

  • Free to use, with the full source under the MIT licence3,6.
  • Docs cover Git LFS, worktrees and viewing pull requests, with checks, inside the app14,16,17.
  • Squash and reorder commits by dragging them in the history list9,10.
  • Select single lines to include in a commit11.
  • Stable releases appear every few weeks4.

Limits

  • No Linux build; the repository says Linux is not officially supported3.
  • Sign-in covers only GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise6.
  • Merge conflicts are resolved in a text editor or another tool, not in an in-app editor13.
  • Creating a pull request opens GitHub in the browser; commenting, reviewing and merging also happen there14,15.
  • Undo covers the last commit; other actions use separate commands12.

Other Git clients

  1. 1
    GitKraken DesktopDevelopers who work across several Git hosts and will pay for private repositories
    74/100
    $10/mocheapest way to use it for work
  2. 2
    SmartGitDevelopers who use several Git hosts and want a free licence for personal projects
    72/100
    $5/mocheapest way to use it for work
  3. 3
    TowerDevelopers who want one undo command and pull requests inside a paid client
    71/100
    $5.75/mocheapest way to use it for work
  4. 4
    SourcetreeDevelopers on Windows or Mac who want a free client with Git-flow and Bitbucket support
    70/100
    $0cheapest way to use it for work

All 11 Git clients

Sources

  1. GitHub Desktop, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  2. Installing GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  3. desktop/desktop, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  4. Releases, desktop/desktop, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  5. GitHub Desktop changelog, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  6. Getting started with GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  7. GitHub Desktop documentation, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  8. Options for managing commits in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  9. Reordering commits in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  10. Squashing commits in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  11. Committing and reviewing changes in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  12. Undoing a commit in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  13. Syncing your branch in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  14. Viewing a pull request in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  15. Creating an issue or pull request from GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  16. About Git Large File Storage and GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  17. Managing worktrees in GitHub Desktop, GitHub Docs. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: desktop.github.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with GitHub.