GitHub is a platform and cloud-based service for software development and version control, allowing developers to store and manage their code. GitHub makes it easier for individuals and teams to use Git for collaboration and tracking changes to their code.

However, it is not the only option. There are many other options available for hosting your code, managing your version control, and facilitating your development workflow. In this article, we will review some of the best GitHub alternatives and help you choose the one that suits your needs.

Best GitHub Alternatives

Tool	Features	Pricing
GitLab	End-to-end compliance and auditability	Freemium
Beanstalk	Supports both Git and SVN	Freemium
Gitea	Lightweight and fast	Freemium
Bitbucket	Best-in-class Trello & Jira integration	Freemium
RhodeCode	Workflow Automation for Faster Interaction	Freemium
AWS CodeCommit	High Availability and Durability	Freemium
Codegiant	Error and APM tracing	Freemium

7 Best GitHub Alternatives

There are many other platforms that offer similar or even better features and services for developers. Here are some of the best GitHub alternatives that you can consider:

GitLab

GitLab is one of the best GitHub alternatives on the market right now. GitLab is a web-based platform that allows users to manage Git repositories, collaborate on software development, and perform various DevOps tasks. GitLab is a complete DevOps platform that enables professionals to perform all the tasks in a project.

Features

• Version control: GitLab supports Git, a distributed version control system that tracks changes in files and enables collaboration among developers.
• Issue tracking: GitLab provides an issue tracker that allows users to create, assign, and manage tasks, bugs, and feature requests.
• Continuous integration and delivery: GitLab offers a built-in CI/CD service that automates the testing, building, and deployment of code.
• Security and compliance: GitLab helps users to scan their code for vulnerabilities, enforce coding standards, and comply with regulations.

Pricing

• It costs $0 user/month for Free plan.
• It costs $29 user/month for Premium plan.
• You should contact them for Ultimate plan.

Beanstalk

Beanstalk is a complete code hosting workflow platform that allows teams or individuals to write, review and deploy their code. It supports both Git and Subversion (SVN) repositories, and offers features such as code reviews, deployments, notifications, permissions, and more. 

Features

• You don’t require a client to edit your code as the service allows you to do it in the browser itself.
• Beanstalk provides security, backup, and support services to ensure the reliability and safety of your code.
• Beanstalk allows you to customize your workflow, branding, and domain name.
• You can customize deployment configurations for each environment, and ship code to one or many servers simultaneously.

Pricing

• Offers a 14 day free trial. After that there differently plans available.
• Bronze – it costs $15/month and Silver – it costs $25/month – these two plans are for freelancers and start ups
• Gold – $50/month, Platinum – $100/month and Diamond – $200/month.
• Last three plans are for businesses and enterprises.

Gitea

Another popular Github alternative is Gitea. Gitea is a self-hosted software development service that includes Git hosting, code review, team collaboration, package registry and CI/CD. It is an open source project under the MIT license. Gitea need very minimal memory requirements and can run on an inexpensive Raspberry Pi.

Features

• Gitea supports over 20 types of public or private package management, such as npm, PyPI, Maven, Helm, and more.
• Gitea is designed to be lean and responsive, suitable for resource-limited environments.
• You can integrate this service with other project management tools.
• You can request and assign code reviews, track issues and discussions, and see the code coverage of your repository.

Pricing

For, Open Source (Self hosted) – $0 user/month and SaaS (Gitea Cloud) – $19 user/month.

Bitbucket

BitBucket is a Git-based repository system that helps developers store and manage their code, track and control the changes to their code, and collaborate with other developers. Additionally, BitBucket integrates with Slack and HipChat, allowing you to create custom connections within the user interface.

Features

• Built-in CI/CD: Bitbucket has an exclusive built-in CI/CD tool, Pipelines, that allows you to build, test, and deploy directly from within Bitbucket.
• Secure your code: Bitbucket is compliant with SOC2/3, ISO, and GDPR, and provides features like 2FA, IP allowlisting, and encryption.

Pricing

For Free plan it costs $0 user/month, Standard – $15 user/month and Premium – $30 user/month.

RhodeCode

RhodeCode is a web-based platform that allows you to host and manage your code, collaborate with your team, and perform various DevOps tasks. It supports Git, SVN, and Mercurial repositories, and offers features such as code review, security, automation, and integration. 

Features

• You can install and upgrade RhodeCode easily with RhodeCode Control, a purpose-built installer that works on any Linux platform.
• You can browse, create, delete, and edit files directly within the RhodeCode web interface.
• You can manage requirements, features, and bugs through issues, labels, and boards.
• You can create, manage, and browse repositories of different types from one central point.

Pricing

• It is Free and Open Source for RhodeCode Community.
• It costs $75 per user/year for RhodeCode Enterprise.
• It costs $8 per user/month for RhodeCode Cloud.

AWS CodeCommit

AWS CodeCommit is a secure, highly scalable, fully managed source control service that hosts private Git repositories. It allows you to store and manage assets such as code, documents, or binary files in the cloud, and collaborate on them with your team using standard Git functionality.

Features

• No need to host or maintain your own source control servers. CodeCommit handles the infrastructure, security, and backup for you, so you can focus on your code.
• You can create up to 5,000 repositories by default, and up to 25,000 by request, with no limit on the size or type of files you can store.
• You can receive notifications for events impacting your repositories, and use AWS CodeCommit repository triggers to invoke AWS Lambda functions or send webhooks.
• You can use the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, AWS SDKs, or Git commands and tools to interact with your repositories.

Pricing

• Anyone with an AWS account can get started with AWS CodeCommit for free.
• Your account gets 5 active users per month for free (within limits), after which you pay $1.00 per additional active user per month. There are no upfront fees or commitments.

Codegiant

Codegiant is a platform that provides a complete set of tools for software development and DevSecOps. It supports Git, SVN, and Mercurial repositories, and offers features such as issue tracking, code review, CI/CD, codepods, error and APM tracing, chaos engineering, observability, uptime monitoring, status pages, document hub, and SecOps.

Features

• You can create and share documentation for your projects using a markdown editor.
• You can test the resilience of your applications by injecting failures and disruptions into your system.
• Simplifies and streamline your development lifecycle with open source and CNCF tools.
• You can monitor and troubleshoot your applications using Codegiant’s error and performance tracking tools.

Pricing

• For Free Plan – it costs $0 user/month.
• ForTeam – it costs $19 user/month.
• For Premium – it costs $79 user/month.

How to choose the best Github Alternative?

• Cost: Compare the pricing plans of different platforms and see which one fits your budget and offers the best value for your money.
• Collaboration: Check if the platform has tools to help you work with your team, such as code review and pull requests, to speed up your development process.
• Version control: Make sure the platform supports both Git and SVN, the most widely used version control systems, to manage your code changes efficiently.
• Integrations: Find out if the platform can connect with other apps and services that you use, such as Slack, Jira, Trello, etc., to enhance your workflow.
• Security: Ensure the platform has strong security features, such as encryption, authentication, and auditing, to safeguard your code from unauthorized access or tampering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

In the evolving landscape of version control and collaborative development, the quest for the best GitHub alternatives—both free and paid—has never been more significant. As of 2024, the options available offer a diverse range of features, catering to the needs of various teams and projects.

Some of the platforms we have reviewed are GitLab, Beanstalk, Bitbucket, Gitea, Rhodecode, AWS CodeCommit and Codegiant. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you should carefully compare them before making a decision. Best GitHub alternative for you depends on your project requirements, budget, and personal preferences.