saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

Git client · TortoiseGit

TortoiseGit

Free, open-source Windows Explorer extension for Git with a rebase dialog and worktree support.

47/100

#9 of 11 Git clients
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

TortoiseGit suits Windows developers who want a free, GPL-licensed Git tool built into File Explorer, with no restriction on commercial use3. It covers rebase, submodules and worktrees4,6,10. The catch: it is Windows only, lists no host sign-in, creates pull requests only as text to send on, and opens conflicts in an external editor2,5,7.

Best for: Windows developers who like Git inside File Explorer's right-click menu.

Where the points come from

Git features10 of 29
Hosts and review0 of 26
Systems and upkeep8 of 16
Licence15 of 15
Price14 of 14

Git features 10 of 29 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Core Git featuresInteractive rebase, SubmodulesRebase dialog sets pick, skip, edit, squash per commit4; submodule add, update, sync10. Conflicts use an external editor5.6 / 15
Undo for Git actionsNot publishedDocs describe Revert, commit revert and reset as separate actions; no single undo command is described9.0 / 6
WorktreesYesA Worktrees dialog creates, lists, removes, locks and unlocks worktrees6.4 / 4
Git-flow built inNot publishedNot published in the vendor's manual contents, feature overview or settings pages11,15.0 / 4

Hosts and review 0 of 26 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Hosts with built-in sign-inNoneDocs list credential helpers but describe no host account sign-in15; the manual contents show none11.0 / 12
Pull requests in the appNoRequest pull builds a text request to copy and send; it does not create a pull request on a host7.0 / 8
Signed commitsNot publishedNot published: commit docs and settings docs do not mention commit signing8,15; release notes only show tag signing from 201112.0 / 6

Systems and upkeep 8 of 16 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Other systemsNoneDownload page offers Windows installers only; install docs cover Windows only2,16.0 / 8
Release in the last 12 monthsYesHome page shows stable 2.19.0, released 2026-06-201; release notes list 2.19.1 on 2026-06-2712.8 / 8

Licence 15 of 15 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Open sourceYesDeveloped under the GPL, source freely available3; the GitLab project lists GPL v2.0 or later13.7 / 7
Free for commercial work on private reposYesAbout page says it is free for anyone, including in a commercial environment, without restriction3.8 / 8

Price 14 of 14 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Cheapest way to use it for work$0Free for commercial use, no plan to buy3.14 / 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
TortoiseGit1 personFree3$0Free, including commercial use; GPL

Strengths

  • Free for anyone, including commercial work, under the GPL; source is public3,13.
  • A rebase dialog lets you set pick, skip, edit or squash per commit4.
  • Docs cover submodules and a Worktrees dialog to create, lock and remove worktrees6,10.
  • Current stable release is from June 20261,12.

Limits

  • Windows only: the download page and install docs list no other system2,16.
  • The docs describe conflict resolution through an external merge tool or conflict editor5.
  • Its pull request feature produces a text request to copy and pass on to others7.
  • Staging parts of a file is a workaround through its merge tool, and the docs show no commit signing option8.
  • Git LFS support documented is locking only, and Git-flow is not documented14,11.

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. TortoiseGit, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  2. Download TortoiseGit, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  3. About TortoiseGit, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  4. Rebase, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  5. Resolving Conflicts, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  6. Working with worktrees, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  7. Creating and Applying Patches and Pull Requests, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  8. Committing Your Changes To The Repository, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  9. Undo Changes, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  10. Submodules, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  11. TortoiseGit Manual contents, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  12. TortoiseGit release notes, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  13. TortoiseGit / TortoiseGit, GitLab. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  14. Git LFS Locking, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  15. TortoiseGit's Settings, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  16. Installing TortoiseGit, TortoiseGit. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: tortoisegit.org · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with TortoiseGit.