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GitHub Desktop alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave GitHub Desktop: no official Linux build, and lacks a full branch graph and advanced rebase tools. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces GitHub Desktop, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Sourcetree currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Sourcetree logoSourcetreeFreeNoWindows, macOS4 of 466.5
2GitKraken Desktop logoGitKraken DesktopFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
3FoForkPaidNomacOS, Windows4 of 459.6
4SourceGit logoSourceGitOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 457.2
5GitButler logoGitButlerFreeNomacOS, Windows, Linux5 of 555.3
  1. Sourcetree logo

    1. SourcetreeTop pick

    Best for: Teams on Bitbucket and Jira who want a free, full-featured GUI on Windows or Mac

    FreeWindows, macOS

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Desktop

    Also free, but shows the full branch graph and adds interactive rebase, Git-flow and Git LFS.

    Pros

    • Free with no feature tiers
    • Full branch graph, interactive rebase, Git-flow and Git LFS
    • Still supports Mercurial repositories

    Cons

    • Can be slow or freeze on large repositories
    • No Linux version
    • Windows and Mac versions differ in layout and features
    Visit Sourcetree Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Sourcetree a good GitHub Desktop alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sourcetreeapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mercurial support
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sourcetreeapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Git LFS
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sourcetreeapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Atlassian
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sourcetreeapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. GitKraken Desktop logo

    2. GitKraken Desktop

    Best for: Visual learners and mixed Windows, Mac and Linux teams that want one polished client

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Desktop

    Adds a visual commit graph and Linux support while staying approachable for newcomers.

    Pros

    • Clear, colourful commit graph that makes history easy to read
    • Same app and licence on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Built-in merge tool and hosting-service integrations

    Cons

    • Free tier is limited to public repositories
    • Electron app can feel heavy on very large repos
    • Frequent prompts to upgrade or try paid features
    Visit GitKraken Desktop Compare with GitHub DesktopDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is GitKraken Desktop a good GitHub Desktop alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Community tier for public repos
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gitkraken.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan limit
    Public repos only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gitkraken.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gitkraken.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026gitkraken.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Fo

    3. Fork

    Best for: Developers who want a fast, native Git GUI without a subscription

    PaidmacOS, Windows

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Desktop

    A one-time purchase that keeps things simple but adds interactive rebase and a proper merge tool.

    Pros

    • Feels fast and responsive on large repositories
    • One-time licence covers Mac and Windows
    • Visual interactive rebase and a good merge-conflict helper

    Cons

    • No Linux version
    • Small team, so niche features arrive slowly
    • No team licence management or enterprise features
    Visit Fork Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Fork a good GitHub Desktop alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    $59.99 one-time, free evaluation
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-fork.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS and Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-fork.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence terms
    One user on up to 3 machines
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-fork.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Interactive rebase
    Yes, visual
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-fork.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. SourceGit logo

    4. SourceGit

    Best for: Anyone who wants a full-featured, free Git GUI on any desktop OS

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Desktop

    Free, open source and cross-platform, including Linux, with a richer set of Git operations.

    Pros

    • Free and MIT-licensed with no account
    • Broad feature set including worktrees, LFS and bisect
    • Same app on Windows, macOS and Linux

    Cons

    • Limited documentation
    • Frequent changes from a young project
    • Less polished than the best paid clients
    Visit SourceGit Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SourceGit a good GitHub Desktop alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pull requests
    Create PRs on GitHub, GitLab, Gitea
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. GitButler logo

    5. GitButler

    Best for: Developers who juggle several small branches or stacked pull requests at the same time

    FreemacOS, Windows, Linux

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitHub Desktop

    Free to use and better for juggling several branches at once from one working directory.

    Pros

    • Parallel and stacked branches without switching checkouts
    • Operation timeline makes undo easy
    • Free desktop app and CLI on all three platforms

    Cons

    • Different mental model takes time to learn
    • Source-available licence, not OSI open source
    • Younger product, still changing quickly
    Visit GitButler Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is GitButler a good GitHub Desktop alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    FSL-1.1-MIT (fair source)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Parallel branches
    Yes (virtual branches)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.gitbutler.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Interfaces
    Desktop app and CLI
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.gitbutler.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Undo
    Operation timeline
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.gitbutler.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Tech
    Tauri, Svelte and Rust
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best GitHub Desktop alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Sourcetree logo

Best GitHub Desktop alternative for most people

Sourcetree

Also free, but shows the full branch graph and adds interactive rebase, Git-flow and Git LFS.

SourceGit logo

Best GitHub Desktop alternative for a free option

SourceGit

Free, open source and cross-platform, including Linux, with a richer set of Git operations.

GitKraken Desktop logo

Best GitHub Desktop alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

GitKraken Desktop

Adds a visual commit graph and Linux support while staying approachable for newcomers.

SourceGit logo

Best GitHub Desktop alternative for open source

SourceGit

Free, open source and cross-platform, including Linux, with a richer set of Git operations.

Fo

Best GitHub Desktop alternative for Mac

Fork

A one-time purchase that keeps things simple but adds interactive rebase and a proper merge tool.

GitButler logo

Best GitHub Desktop alternative for Windows

GitButler

Free to use and better for juggling several branches at once from one working directory.

GitKraken Desktop logo

Best GitHub Desktop alternative for Linux

GitKraken Desktop

Adds a visual commit graph and Linux support while staying approachable for newcomers.

GitHub Desktop alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to GitHub Desktop?

Sourcetree ranks first right now. Also free, but shows the full branch graph and adds interactive rebase, Git-flow and Git LFS. GitKraken Desktop and Fork follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to GitHub Desktop?

Yes. Sourcetree (free), GitKraken Desktop (free plan + paid), SourceGit (open source) and GitButler (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to GitHub Desktop?

Yes: SourceGit.

Which GitHub Desktop alternatives work on Linux?

GitKraken Desktop, SourceGit and GitButler run on Linux.

Why do people switch from GitHub Desktop?

The complaints we hear most: no official Linux build; lacks a full branch graph and advanced rebase tools; account and pull-request features are GitHub-centric.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces GitHub Desktop, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.