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Sublime Merge alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Sublime Merge: no pull-request or hosting-service integrations, and licence required for continued use. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Sublime Merge, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Fork currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1FoForkPaidNomacOS, Windows4 of 466.5
2SmartGit logoSmartGitFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
3lazygit logolazygitOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 459.6
4Tower logoTowerPaidNomacOS, Windows5 of 557.2
5GitKraken Desktop logoGitKraken DesktopFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 455.3
  1. Fo

    1. ForkTop pick

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

    PaidmacOS, Windows

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Sublime Merge

    Similarly quick with a friendlier graph view, for Mac and Windows users.

    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 ×0.3100
    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 Fork a good Sublime Merge 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)
  2. SmartGit logo

    2. SmartGit

    Best for: Professionals on Linux or mixed OS teams, and hobbyists who want a full client for free

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Sublime Merge

    Cross-platform with pull-request integrations and a free non-commercial licence.

    Pros

    • Same full feature set on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Free for non-commercial, open-source and academic use
    • Choice of subscription or perpetual licence

    Cons

    • Dense interface with a learning curve
    • Free licence excludes enterprise hosting integrations
    • Commercial use always needs a paid licence
    Visit SmartGit Details 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 SmartGit a good Sublime Merge alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Free for non-commercial use
    Checked Oct 25, 2026syntevo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    From $5 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026syntevo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026syntevo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Machines per user
    Up to 5
    Checked Oct 25, 2026syntevo.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. lazygit logo

    3. lazygit

    Best for: Terminal users who want fast Git workflows without leaving the keyboard

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Sublime Merge

    Free terminal UI that matches the keyboard-first style without any licence.

    Pros

    • Single-key actions for staging, rebasing and cherry-picking
    • Works anywhere a terminal does, including over SSH
    • Free, MIT-licensed and very actively maintained

    Cons

    • Keybindings take a while to learn
    • Simpler history view than graphical clients
    • No built-in pull-request integration
    Visit lazygit 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 lazygit a good Sublime Merge alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Type
    Terminal UI
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Features
    Worktrees, custom patches, undo
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Windows install
    Scoop, Chocolatey, winget
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Tower logo

    4. Tower

    Best for: Professional developers on Mac or Windows who want a deep, well-supported Git GUI

    PaidmacOS, Windows

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Sublime Merge

    More guided interface with undo and hosting integrations on Mac and Windows.

    Pros

    • Undo for most actions, including deleted commits and branches
    • Covers advanced Git features like worktrees and stacked branches
    • One licence covers both Mac and Windows

    Cons

    • Subscription only, with no free tier
    • No Linux version
    • Self-hosted server support requires the Pro tier
    Visit Tower 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 Tower a good Sublime Merge alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $69 per user/year (Basic)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-tower.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro price
    $129 per user/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-tower.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    30 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-tower.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Education
    Free for students and educators
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-tower.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS and Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026git-tower.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. GitKraken Desktop logo

    5. GitKraken Desktop

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

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Sublime Merge

    Adds a visual graph and integrations with GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket.

    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 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 GitKraken Desktop a good Sublime Merge 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)

The best Sublime Merge alternative for…

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

Fo

Best Sublime Merge alternative for most people

Fork

Similarly quick with a friendlier graph view, for Mac and Windows users.

lazygit logo

Best Sublime Merge alternative for a free option

lazygit

Free terminal UI that matches the keyboard-first style without any licence.

SmartGit logo

Best Sublime Merge alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

SmartGit

Cross-platform with pull-request integrations and a free non-commercial licence.

lazygit logo

Best Sublime Merge alternative for open source

lazygit

Free terminal UI that matches the keyboard-first style without any licence.

Tower logo

Best Sublime Merge alternative for Mac

Tower

More guided interface with undo and hosting integrations on Mac and Windows.

GitKraken Desktop logo

Best Sublime Merge alternative for Windows

GitKraken Desktop

Adds a visual graph and integrations with GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket.

SmartGit logo

Best Sublime Merge alternative for Linux

SmartGit

Cross-platform with pull-request integrations and a free non-commercial licence.

Sublime Merge alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Sublime Merge?

Fork ranks first right now. Similarly quick with a friendlier graph view, for Mac and Windows users. SmartGit and lazygit follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Sublime Merge?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Sublime Merge?

Yes: lazygit.

Which Sublime Merge alternatives work on Linux?

SmartGit, lazygit and GitKraken Desktop run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Sublime Merge?

The complaints we hear most: no pull-request or hosting-service integrations; licence required for continued use; spartan interface without a rich branch overview.

How is this list ranked?

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