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10 Best Git Clients of 2026
This list is for developers who would rather see branches, diffs and history in a window than type Git commands. It covers paid desktop clients (Fork, GitKraken Desktop, Tower, Sublime Merge, SmartGit), free clients from large vendors (GitHub Desktop, Sourcetree), free open source tools for one platform (GitUp for Mac, Git Extensions for Windows) and one terminal UI for keyboard-first users (Lazygit). We compared documented features and published prices for 10 tools. Scores weigh features at 40%, ease of use at 30% and value at 30%.
By the Mojolin research desk · Updated November 12, 2026 · 10 tools compared · Prices checked on vendor pages, latest November 12, 2026
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
Mojolin is self-funded How we score
Fork is our top pick for most people: for $59.99 per license it handles interactive rebase, merge conflicts, line staging, Git LFS and Git-flow on Mac and Windows, and one key covers up to 3 machines. GitKraken Desktop is the strongest choice for teams, with a Linux build, AI conflict resolution and agent sessions, and a free plan for public repositories. GitHub Desktop is the best free client for beginners. Tower leads for stacked branch workflows, Sublime Merge is the fastest option across Mac, Windows and Linux, and SmartGit is free for hobby use with every feature except enterprise integrations.
Top picks
Best overall
Fork
9.0 / 10
Developers who want a fast Mac or Windows Git GUI without a subscription
Read the review →Runner-up
GitKraken Desktop
8.5 / 10
Teams on Mac, Windows and Linux that want one Git GUI with AI features and team plans
Read the review →Also great
GitHub Desktop
8.4 / 10
Git beginners and GitHub users who want a free, simple desktop client
Read the review →Comparison table
| # | Tool | Pricing | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fork | Developers who want a fast Mac or Windows Git GUI without a subscription | $59.99 per license with free evaluation; one license key covers one user on up to 3 machines across Mac and Windows | 9.0 |
| 2 | GitKraken Desktop | Teams on Mac, Windows and Linux that want one Git GUI with AI features and team plans | Free Community plan for local repos and public remotes; Pro, Advanced and Business are billed per seat per month, paid annually (USD check pending) | 8.5 |
| 3 | GitHub Desktop | Git beginners and GitHub users who want a free, simple desktop client | Free and open source | 8.4 |
| 4 |  Tower | Professional developers and teams who want a polished paid client with undo and stacked branches | Basic $69 per user per year ($5.75 a month billed annually); Pro $129; Enterprise $149; 30-day free trial | 8.3 |
| 5 |  Sublime Merge | Sublime Text users and developers who want a very fast client on Mac, Windows and Linux | Personal license $99 once with 3 years of updates; business licenses $75 per user per year; free to evaluate | 8.2 |
| 6 |  SmartGit | Hobbyists, students and companies that need a Git GUI on Linux with perpetual license options | Free Hobby, education and open source licenses for non-commercial use; commercial licenses from $5 per user per month or perpetual | 8.1 |
| 7 |  Sourcetree | Bitbucket users and teams who want a free client that also handles Mercurial | Free | 8.0 |
| 8 | Lazygit | Keyboard-first developers who want a visual Git interface inside the terminal | Free and open source under the MIT license | 7.9 |
| 9 |  GitUp | Mac users who want a free client focused on safe history editing | Free and open source | 7.8 |
| 10 |  Git Extensions | Windows developers who work in Visual Studio and File Explorer | Free and open source; donations through OpenCollective | 7.7 |
Scoring weights
Every tool gets three editorial scores out of 10, from vendor documentation, product pages and the published price. The overall score is the weighted average below, the same method on every list. Full method
The full ranking
Rank 1 · Best overall
Fork
Fast native Git client for Mac and Windows built by a two-person team, sold as a $59.99 license with free evaluation.
git-fork.com9.0
out of 10
Best for: Developers who want a fast Mac or Windows Git GUI without a subscription
Fork covers the everyday Git work a GUI user needs without layering on accounts or plans: fetch, pull, push, commit and amend, branches and tags, cherry-pick, revert, merge, rebase, stashes and submodules. The commit view stages changes line by line, the visual interactive rebase lets you edit, reorder and squash commits, and the merge conflict helper resolves conflicts inside the app. History and blame views trace when a file or line changed, and reflog support brings back lost commits.
Pricing is the simplest in this list: $59.99 for a license key that one user can run on up to 3 machines across Mac and Windows, with free evaluation first. The tradeoffs are the lack of a Linux build and of team features such as SSO or seat management, which matter to companies more than to individual developers.
Standout feature
A $59.99 license key covers one user on up to 3 machines across Mac and Windows.
Use cases
Freelance developers
Squash and reorder commits before opening a pull request with the visual interactive rebase
Outcome: A clean history without editing a rebase TODO file
Developers with a Mac and a Windows PC
Use one license key on both machines
Outcome: One $59.99 purchase covers up to 3 machines
Game and front-end developers
Review changed images with image diffs
Outcome: Asset changes checked before commit
Key features
- Visual interactive rebase to edit, reorder and squash commits
- Built-in merge conflict helper and resolver
- Line-by-line staging and unstaging in the commit view
- Image diffs for common image formats
- Git-flow, Git LFS and GPG support, plus reflog to restore lost commits
Pros
- $59.99 price with no subscription listed on the vendor site
- One license key works on up to 3 machines on both Mac and Windows
- Free evaluation before buying
Cons
- No Linux version: downloads are for Mac OS X 10.11+ and Windows 7+
- No pull request management listed beyond GitHub notifications
- Built by a small team, so there are no enterprise plans, SSO or admin console
Rank 2 · Runner-up
GitKraken Desktop
Cross-platform Git GUI with a commit graph, AI commit tools and agent session management, free for public repositories.
gitkraken.com8.5
out of 10
Best for: Teams on Mac, Windows and Linux that want one Git GUI with AI features and team plans
GitKraken Desktop is built around its Commit Graph, which shows branches, commits and conflicts in one view, with a diff view, file blame and file history alongside. The merge tool includes AI-powered auto-resolution that explains suggested fixes, and Commit Composer can restructure a pile of work-in-progress commits into a readable history. Newer features target AI coding: the Agent Sessions view creates a clean worktree, installs dependencies and launches an agent such as Claude Code, Codex or Copilot, then shows every session's status and changes in one panel.
The free Community plan includes GitKraken Desktop, GitLens and the GitKraken CLI for local repos and public remotes. Private repositories, cloud issue trackers and Cloud Workspaces need Pro (up to 2 seats), and self-hosted integrations and SSO need Advanced (up to 10 seats). The pricing page renders prices with JavaScript, so we list the USD price as pending.
Standout feature
One license runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, and the free Community plan covers public repositories.
Use cases
Open source maintainers
Work on public repositories in the free Community plan
Outcome: A full commit graph without paying for a seat
Developers running several coding agents
Start each agent in its own worktree from the Agent Sessions view
Outcome: Parallel agent work tracked in one panel
Small teams
Get conflict warnings when two people edit the same code
Outcome: Fewer merge conflicts at pull request time
Key features
- Commit Graph with diff view, file blame and file history
- Built-in merge tool with AI-powered merge conflict resolution
- Commit Composer and AI commit messages, PR titles and descriptions
- Agent Sessions view that creates a worktree and launches coding agents such as Claude Code, Codex or Copilot
- Launchpad view of pull requests and issues organized by status
Pros
- Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux with one license
- Free Community plan for local repos and public remotes
- Conflict detection warns when a teammate edits the same area of code
Cons
- Community plan works with public repos only, so private repos need Pro
- Pro is capped at 2 seats, Advanced at 10 and Business at 100
- Self-hosted Git integrations such as GitHub Enterprise Server start at the Advanced plan
Rank 3 · Also great
GitHub Desktop
Free, open source Git client from GitHub for Windows and macOS, focused on simple commit, branch and pull workflows.
github.com8.4
out of 10
Best for: Git beginners and GitHub users who want a free, simple desktop client
GitHub Desktop aims to make Git approachable rather than to expose every command. You can review diffs before committing, stash changes you are not ready to commit, and use drag and drop to cherry-pick commits onto another branch, squash several commits together or reorder history. It works with files hosted on GitHub or other Git hosting services.
GitHub's documentation describes it as a free, open source application available for Windows and macOS, and the source lives in the desktop/desktop repository under the MIT license. The limits show when work gets complex: there is no Linux build from GitHub, no stacked branch workflow and none of the AI features that GitKraken and Tower now ship.
Standout feature
A free, open source client where cherry-pick, squash and reorder are drag and drop actions.
Use cases
Students and new developers
Commit, branch and push to GitHub without learning commands first
Outcome: A working Git routine on day one
Designers and writers
Review a diff and commit changes to a shared repository
Outcome: Contributions without opening a terminal
Developers tidying history
Squash several commits by dragging them together
Outcome: A cleaner branch before review
Key features
- Drag and drop to cherry-pick, squash or reorder commits
- Stash changes without committing them to a branch
- Diff view to compare versions before committing
- Works with GitHub and other Git hosting services
- Beta channel for early access to new features
Pros
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Available for Windows and macOS, including Apple Silicon
- Drag and drop history editing is easy for newcomers
Cons
- No Linux build from GitHub: the docs list Windows and macOS only
- Fewer advanced tools than paid clients, such as no stacked branches or AI features
Rank 4
Tower
Mac and Windows Git client with undo for almost any action, stacked branches and Graphite support in the Pro plan.
git-tower.com8.3
out of 10
Best for: Professional developers and teams who want a polished paid client with undo and stacked branches
Tower is a paid client for people who want Git's full power with a safety net. Most actions can be undone with Cmd+Z, and drag and drop is offered for complex operations. The Basic plan connects to cloud code hosting on GitHub.com, Bitbucket.org, GitLab.com and Azure DevOps, with a pull requests and services manager built in.
Tower Pro ($129 per user per year) adds the features that set it apart: stacked branches, Graphite support for code review, automatic branch cleanup, PR-based merge detection and support for self-hosted servers such as GitHub Enterprise and GitLab EE. Enterprise ($149) adds SAML-based SSO and invoicing. There is no free plan, but the 30-day Pro trial needs no credit card and students and educators can use Tower for free.
Standout feature
Undo almost any Git action with Cmd+Z, from $69 per user per year.
Use cases
Developers shipping stacked pull requests
Build and rebase a stack of dependent branches in Tower Pro
Outcome: Smaller pull requests that land in order
Companies on GitHub Enterprise or GitLab EE
Connect self-hosted repositories in the Pro plan
Outcome: One client for cloud and self-hosted code
Git learners at universities
Apply for a free educational license
Outcome: The full client at no cost
Key features
- Undo almost any action with Cmd+Z
- Drag and drop workflows for complex Git operations
- Pull requests and services manager for GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab and Azure DevOps
- Pro adds stacked branches, Graphite support, branch cleanup and PR-based merge detection
- Pro adds self-hosted repos such as GitHub Enterprise, Bitbucket Server and GitLab EE
Pros
- One license works on both macOS and Windows
- Free for students, teachers, schools and non-profits
- 30-day trial of Pro with no credit card, plus 30-day refunds
Cons
- No free plan, and access ends when the subscription stops
- Self-hosted Git servers need the $129 Pro plan
- No Linux version
Rank 5
Sublime Merge
Fast cross-platform Git client from the makers of Sublime Text, with line-by-line staging and a $99 personal license.
sublimemerge.com8.2
out of 10
Best for: Sublime Text users and developers who want a very fast client on Mac, Windows and Linux
Sublime Merge is built for speed and precision. It uses a custom Git reading library and the Sublime Text highlighting engine, so staging files, hunks and individual lines happens with no waiting, and side-by-side diffs show syntax highlighting for over 40 languages plus character-level changes. Search runs as you type across commit messages, authors, paths and contents, and a built-in merge tool handles conflicts.
It also stays close to real Git: the app shows the exact commands it runs, so moving between it and the terminal is easy. A personal license costs $99 once with 3 years of updates and covers all your computers, while businesses pay $75 per user per year. Personal keys are for individuals only, so companies need the business subscription.
Standout feature
Shows the exact Git commands it runs, with syntax-highlighted diffs for over 40 languages.
Use cases
Sublime Text users
Bundle a Sublime Merge license with Sublime Text
Outcome: One purchase covers both apps
Developers making precise commits
Select lines to split a hunk into separate commits
Outcome: Focused commits that are easy to review
Linux developers
Install a native GUI client on Linux
Outcome: A visual client on the same OS as their servers
Key features
- Stage files, hunks or individual lines, and split hunks by selecting lines
- Side-by-side diffs with syntax highlighting for over 40 languages and character diffs
- Find-as-you-type search by commit message, author, path and contents
- Built-in merge tool for resolving conflicts
- Shows the exact Git commands it runs, plus a command palette
Pros
- Runs on Mac, Windows and Linux
- One personal license key covers all your computers and operating systems
- Can be downloaded and evaluated for free
Cons
- Personal license includes 3 years of updates, after which an upgrade is required
- Business use requires a $75 per user per year subscription
- Personal license keys are only for individuals, not businesses
Rank 6
SmartGit
Git client for Windows, macOS and Linux from Germany's syntevo, free for non-commercial use and paid for commercial work.
syntevo.com8.1
out of 10
Best for: Hobbyists, students and companies that need a Git GUI on Linux with perpetual license options
SmartGit, made by syntevo GmbH in Germany, is a broad client for Windows, macOS and Linux. Its feature list includes pull requests, conflict resolution, a customizable visual history, drag and drop with undo, Git Notes, Git Flow, LFS and cherry-pick, with connections to GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps. You can choose between three window layouts depending on how much detail you want on screen.
Licensing is generous for non-commercial users: the Hobby license is free for personal use with everything except enterprise integrations, and students, educators, open source developers and charities can register for free licenses too. Commercial licenses start at $5 per user per month, or you can buy a perpetual license with 1, 2 or 3 years of updates. Each user can use a license on up to five machines.
Standout feature
Free for personal non-commercial use, with commercial licenses from $5 per user per month.
Use cases
Hobby developers
Register for the free Hobby license
Outcome: A full-featured client at no cost for personal projects
Companies that avoid subscriptions
Buy perpetual licenses with 3 years of updates
Outcome: A predictable one-time cost per user
Developers on Linux workstations
Use the same client on Linux, Windows and macOS
Outcome: One workflow across every machine
Key features
- Pull requests, conflict resolution and drag and drop with undo
- Git Flow, Git LFS and cherry-pick support
- Integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps
- Three window layouts to choose from
- Each user can run a license on up to five machines
Pros
- Free Hobby license for personal, non-commercial use with the full feature set except enterprise integrations
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Perpetual licenses with 1, 2 or 3 years of updates as an alternative to a subscription
Cons
- The free license requires registration and excludes commercial work
- Enterprise integrations for self-hosted GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps are not in the free Hobby license
- No phone support; email support only on workdays, 9 AM to 5 PM CET
Rank 7
Sourcetree
Free Git and Mercurial client from Atlassian for Windows and Mac, with Git-flow, Git LFS and interactive rebase.
sourcetreeapp.com8.0
out of 10
Best for: Bitbucket users and teams who want a free client that also handles Mercurial
Sourcetree is Atlassian's free desktop client and one of the few in this list that also supports Mercurial. It stages and discards changes by file, hunk or line, draws detailed branching diagrams, and includes interactive rebase, local commit search, submodules, Git LFS and Git-flow out of the box. A remote repository manager lets you search for and clone remote repositories from inside the app.
It runs on Windows and Mac, and Sourcetree for Windows Enterprise lets IT teams install, update and manage it at scale. It lacks the AI and stacked branch features of newer paid clients, but for a free client its feature list is broad.
Standout feature
A free client from Atlassian that handles both Git and Mercurial.
Use cases
Bitbucket teams
Clone and manage Bitbucket repositories from Atlassian's own client
Outcome: A free client that fits the Atlassian stack
IT departments
Roll out Sourcetree for Windows Enterprise to managed machines
Outcome: Central installs and updates
Teams with legacy Mercurial repos
Work with Git and Mercurial in one app
Outcome: No second client for old projects
Key features
- Stage and discard changes by file, hunk or line
- Detailed branching diagrams
- Git-flow, Git LFS and submodule support
- Interactive rebase and local commit search
- Remote repository manager to search for and clone repositories
Pros
- Free from Atlassian
- Works with both Git and Mercurial
- Enterprise installer for managed Windows environments
Cons
- No Linux version: Windows and Mac only
- No AI or stacked branch features
- No undo or snapshot feature listed, unlike Tower and GitUp
Rank 8
Lazygit
Free, open source terminal UI for Git with keyboard-driven staging, interactive rebase and a commit graph.
github.com7.9
out of 10
Best for: Keyboard-first developers who want a visual Git interface inside the terminal
Lazygit is a terminal UI rather than a windowed app, but it gives the visual overview people want from a GUI, including a commit graph and side-by-side diff views. Its README walks through the keyboard flow: focus a file's diff, press space to stage a hunk or switch to line selection, then commit without leaving the view. Interactive rebase, cherry-pick, bisect, worktrees, amending an old commit, custom patches and undo are all available from single keys.
It is free under the MIT license and installs through Homebrew, Scoop, Winget, Chocolatey and most Linux package managers. The tradeoff is the learning curve: it suits developers who already live in the terminal.
Standout feature
A free MIT-licensed terminal UI where staging a hunk or a single line is one keystroke.
Use cases
Linux developers
Install Lazygit from their distribution's package manager
Outcome: Visual Git in the terminal they already use
Vim and Neovim users
Rebase and cherry-pick with keyboard shortcuts
Outcome: History edits without leaving the terminal
Developers debugging regressions
Run git bisect from the Lazygit interface
Outcome: The bad commit found without typing bisect commands
Key features
- Stage hunks or individual lines from the diff view
- Interactive rebase started with a single key
- Cherry-pick, bisect, worktrees and amending an old commit
- Undo and redo
- Commit graph and comparing two commits
Pros
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Runs in a terminal on macOS, Linux and Windows
- Installs through Homebrew, Scoop, Winget, Chocolatey and many Linux package managers
Cons
- Keyboard shortcuts take time to learn
- Runs in a terminal, so there is no mouse-first graphical window
- Maintained part time by its creator with sponsor support
Rank 9
GitUp
Free, open source Mac Git client with a live commit graph, undo and Time-Machine-like snapshots.
gitup.co7.8
out of 10
Best for: Mac users who want a free client focused on safe history editing
GitUp is a free Mac client built around its Live Map, a commit graph that updates immediately when anything changes, even outside the app. Highlight a commit and press the spacebar to see its message and diff. History editing is its strength: you can rewrite, split, delete and reorder commits, fixup and squash, cherry-pick, merge and rebase.
Mistakes are easy to back out of. Cmd+Z undoes the latest changes, and Snapshots keep a Time-Machine-like history of every change to the repo. GitUp bypasses the Git binary and works with the repository database directly; the vendor says it renders the 40,000-commit official Git repo in under a second. It requires macOS 12.4 or later and has no integrations with hosting services.
Standout feature
Snapshots keep a Time-Machine-like history of every repo change, in a free Mac app.
Use cases
Mac developers learning Git
Experiment with rebases and roll back with Snapshots
Outcome: Safe practice without losing work
Developers with large repositories
Browse a history of tens of thousands of commits
Outcome: A full graph that loads quickly
Tool builders
Build a custom Git app on GitUpKit
Outcome: A Git engine without writing one
Key features
- Live Map graph that updates instantly, even for changes made outside GitUp
- Undo and redo with Cmd+Z
- Snapshots that record every change to the repo so you can step back in time
- Rewrite, split, delete, reorder, fixup and squash commits
- Search by message, author and diff content
Pros
- Free and open source
- Loads the 40,000-commit official Git repo graph in under a second, per the vendor
- Talks directly to the repository database instead of the Git binary
Cons
- Mac only, requiring macOS 12.4 or later
- Support runs through GitHub Issues
- No pull request or hosting service integrations listed
Rank 10
Git Extensions
Free, open source Windows Git GUI with Windows Explorer integration and a Visual Studio plugin.
gitextensions.github.io7.7
out of 10
Best for: Windows developers who work in Visual Studio and File Explorer
Git Extensions is a free, community-run Git GUI for Windows that has been supported by its community since 2008. It adds Git to Windows Explorer and ships a Visual Studio plugin, so you can commit and browse history from tools you already use. The commit log shows branches as a graph, file history matches renamed and moved files automatically, and blame lets you double-click a line to jump into the commit behind it.
The current repository lists Windows 10 or later as the runtime environment, so Mac and Linux users should pick another client. Funding comes from backers and sponsors on OpenCollective. It suits Windows developers who want Git inside Explorer and Visual Studio.
Standout feature
Free Windows client with Windows Explorer integration and a Visual Studio plugin.
Use cases
.NET developers
Commit and browse history through the Visual Studio plugin
Outcome: Git work without leaving the IDE
Windows power users
Run Git actions from the Windows Explorer context menu
Outcome: Quick commits from the file manager
Maintainers of long-lived codebases
Trace a file's history across renames
Outcome: The full story of a file in one view
Key features
- Windows Explorer integration for Git
- Visual Studio plugin
- Commit log with a branch graph
- File history that follows renamed and moved files automatically
- Blame view that drills down into commits
Pros
- Free and open source
- Integrates with Windows Explorer and Visual Studio
- Community-maintained since 2008
Cons
- Current versions are Windows only, requiring Windows 10 or later
- The project description lists Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019 for the plugin
- No AI or pull request management features
Frequently asked questions
+What is the best Git client in 2026?
Fork is the best Git client for most developers who prefer a GUI. It costs $59.99 per license, runs on Mac and Windows, and includes visual interactive rebase, a merge conflict resolver and line-by-line staging.
+What is the best free Git GUI?
GitHub Desktop is the best free Git GUI for most people: GitHub describes it as a free, open source application for Windows and macOS. Sourcetree is also free and adds Mercurial support, GitUp is free on Mac, and Git Extensions is free on Windows.
+Which Git client works on Linux?
GitKraken Desktop, Sublime Merge and SmartGit offer Linux versions, and Lazygit runs in any Linux terminal. Fork, Tower, GitHub Desktop and Sourcetree list only Mac and Windows downloads.
+Is GitKraken free?
Yes, for public repositories: GitKraken's Community plan is free and covers local repos and public remotes. Private repositories need a paid Pro plan, which comes with a 14-day free trial.
+Is Fork a one-time purchase?
Fork lists a $59.99 price with free evaluation and no subscription plans on its site. Its license agreement lets one user run a license key on up to 3 machines across Mac and Windows.
+How much does Tower cost?
Tower Basic costs $69 per user per year, which Tower shows as $5.75 a month billed annually. Pro is $129 and Enterprise $149 per user per year, and every plan starts with a 30-day free trial of Pro.
+Should I use a Git GUI or the command line?
Use a GUI if you want to see branches and diffs while you work, and the command line if you script Git or work on servers. Sublime Merge shows the exact Git commands it runs, and Lazygit offers a visual interface inside the terminal, which helps people who use both.
About this list
Updated November 12, 2026 by the Mojolin research desk. Mojolin is self-funded
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
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