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Tower alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Tower: subscription only, with no free tier, and no Linux version. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Tower, 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
1Sublime Merge logoSublime MergePaidNoWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
2GitKraken Desktop logoGitKraken DesktopFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 459.6
3SmartGit logoSmartGitFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 457.2
  1. Sublime Merge logo

    1. Sublime MergeTop pick

    Best for: Keyboard-driven developers who want the fastest possible Git GUI on any OS

    PaidWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Tower

    Very fast and keyboard-friendly, sold as a perpetual licence and also on Linux.

    Pros

    • Extremely fast, even on large repositories
    • Line-level staging and a good built-in merge tool
    • Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux

    Cons

    • No pull-request or hosting-service integrations
    • Licence required for continued use
    • Spartan interface without a rich branch overview
    Visit Sublime Merge 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 Sublime Merge a good Tower alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Licence model
    Free to evaluate, licence required
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sublimemerge.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Evaluation limit
    No enforced time limit
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sublimemerge.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sublimemerge.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Syntax highlighting
    40+ languages
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sublimemerge.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

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Tower

    Comparable feature set with a Linux build and a free tier for public repos.

    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 ×0.377
    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 GitKraken Desktop a good Tower 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. SmartGit logo

    3. SmartGit

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

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Tower

    Cross-platform, including Linux, and free for non-commercial use.

    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 ×0.369
    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 SmartGit a good Tower 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)

The best Tower alternative for…

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

Fo

Best Tower alternative for most people

Fork

Similar depth on the same platforms for a one-time payment instead of a yearly subscription.

GitKraken Desktop logo

Best Tower alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

GitKraken Desktop

Comparable feature set with a Linux build and a free tier for public repos.

Sublime Merge logo

Best Tower alternative for Mac

Sublime Merge

Very fast and keyboard-friendly, sold as a perpetual licence and also on Linux.

SmartGit logo

Best Tower alternative for Windows

SmartGit

Cross-platform, including Linux, and free for non-commercial use.

Sublime Merge logo

Best Tower alternative for Linux

Sublime Merge

Very fast and keyboard-friendly, sold as a perpetual licence and also on Linux.

Tower alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Tower?

Fork ranks first right now. Similar depth on the same platforms for a one-time payment instead of a yearly subscription. Sublime Merge and GitKraken Desktop follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Tower?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Tower?

None of the 6 alternatives in this list is open source.

Which Tower alternatives work on Linux?

Sublime Merge, GitKraken Desktop and SmartGit run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Tower?

The complaints we hear most: subscription only, with no free tier; no Linux version; self-hosted server support requires the Pro tier.

How is this list ranked?

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