Atlassian SourceTree vs GitHub comparison

Read 92 GitHub reviews

2,722 Views
1,162 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Atlassian SourceTree

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 29, 2024

GitHub and Atlassian SourceTree are popular tools for version control and source code repository management. GitHub seems to have the upper hand due to its extensive integrations and user-friendly deployment model.

Features: GitHub is known for its extensive integrations, collaborative tools, and robust version control capabilities. It offers features like issue tracking, code review, and continuous integration. Atlassian SourceTree stands out for its visually intuitive repository management and support for both Git and Mercurial. It provides features such as simple interface for managing repositories, interactive rebase options, and deep integration with Jira and Bitbucket.

Room for Improvement: GitHub users often point out the need for better code search features and more advanced project management tools. Improved integration with third-party project management tools is also desired. Atlassian SourceTree user reviews suggest improvements in performance and stability, especially handling large repositories. Users also mention the need for faster software updates and better user documentation.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: GitHub's web-based deployment model is straightforward and complemented by good customer service, frequently mentioned in user reviews. SourceTree's desktop application deployment can be slightly more complex, with some users noting delayed customer support responses. GitHub's deployment model is more user-friendly, and its customer service is more responsive compared to SourceTree.

Pricing and ROI: GitHub offers a range of pricing plans, with a free tier for public repositories and paid plans for private repositories, which users find cost-effective for its feature set. Paid plans start at $4 per user/month. Atlassian SourceTree is free, but users indicate that the potentially additional costs for Jira and Bitbucket integrations may impact ROI. GitHub's pricing plans are valued for their flexibility and feature set, while SourceTree users must evaluate additional integration costs.

To learn more, read our detailed Atlassian SourceTree vs. GitHub Report (Updated: December 2024).

Atlassian SourceTree vs. GitHub

Download the complete report

Helped 823,875 peers since 2012

Categories and Ranking

Atlassian SourceTree

Ranking in Version Control

6th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

GitHub

Ranking in Version Control

3rd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Security Tools (7th)

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Version Control category, the mindshare of Atlassian SourceTree is 5.3%, down from 8.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of GitHub is 5.4%, down from 7.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Version Control

Featured Reviews

Francisco Castrillo

Coach Agile Architecture & DevOps at Sistemas Humanos

Allows fast and effective management of branches and integration

For me, the branches graph was the most valuable feature of Atlassian SourceTree. I often used the terminal, but during a demo, my boss preferred I not switch to the terminal view. SourceTree's graphical interface for managing branches was handy for that. The demo involved making changes, committing them, pushing to the CI/CD tool, running the pipeline, and seeing the integration, all within about twenty minutes.

Read full review

AjayKrishna

Senior Software Engineer at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees

Reduces project delivery times and costs

I think one area where GitHub could improve is its search and navigation functionality within repositories. For example, we use IDEs like IntelliJ or Visual Studio Code when developing code. These IDEs allow us to easily navigate from one piece of code to another file where a method is being called. It would be really helpful if the solution could add this navigation feature. It would allow us to move from one class file to another more easily, helping us search quicker and follow the code flow completely within GitHub. This would be more convenient than having to import the code into our local IDE to look at the code flow and navigate through it. Adding this kind of IDE-like navigation within the tool would make the user experience more seamless and efficient.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The tool's UI is good."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to fix a broken repository merge."

"For me, the branches ' graph was the most valuable feature of Atlassian SourceTree. I often used the terminal, but during a demo, my boss preferred I not switch to the terminal view. SourceTree's graphical interface for managing branches was handy for that. The demo involved making changes, committing them, pushing to the CI/CD tool, running the pipeline, and seeing the integration, all within about twenty minutes."

"The interface is very good and is easy to use. It tells you when you've committed, when you've uploaded, and gives you the differences."

"The solution's initial setup process is straightforward."

"GitHub is a very good tool, and people should use it more than any other, even Bitbucket."

"Even if I'm not in the office, I can access and work on my code from anywhere with my account credentials."

"There are no issues. It's simple, easy, and fully compatible from my perspective with Git."

"You can get the differences, history of changes, and version control for various pull requests."

"The Projects Tab, which shows you the todo list and the progress for projects, is very helpful."

"I like the CI/CD features."

"Complication free with good ability for third-party integrations."

"The most valuable feature is the fact that it's cloud-based, and we don't have to manage an on-premises server to use it."

More GitHub pros

Cons

"I have had a food experience with Atlassian SourceTree but it might not be for everyone."

"The visuals, including the UI and UX, have simple fonts, making it an area where certain enhancements can be done."

"The product's UI needs improvement."

"For everyday use, I am more comfortable using the command line interface, rather than using SourceTree."

"Its interface could be easy to understand for a programmer."

"We would like this solution to have a more user-friendly interface."

"The project management sector really needs some improvement for GitHub. I don't know if GitHub made sense for me as a project manager."

"The solution's cost is high and should be reduced."

"Github needs more storage."

"From the recruiting standpoint, I would like to see email IDs and phone numbers and a brief introduction about their profile."

"Lacks sufficient support in terms of professional services that could be provided."

"I think one area where GitHub could improve is its search and navigation functionality within repositories. For example, we use IDEs like IntelliJ or Visual Studio Code when developing code. These IDEs allow us to easily navigate from one piece of code to another file where a method is being called. It would be really helpful if the solution could add this navigation feature."

"The descriptions within Github could be more user-friendly to show the trees of Gitflow."

More GitHub cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Atlassian SourceTree is a free solution."

"There is a fee for using SourceTree."

"I do not recall the exact pricing details for SourceTree, but generally, Atlassian products are affordable, and SourceTree typically comes as part of a suite."

"I haven't had to pay anything for GitHub, I use the free version."

"I use the free version of the tool."

"I am using the free version of the solution. However, there are some costs my organization pays."

"We pay a subscription-based yearly licensing fee for the solution."

"The basic licensing model is free, and if you need to have technical support and such things, then it does cost something. You only need to pay extra if you need technical support."

"It’s an open-source solution."

"Regarding pricing, I'd rate it eight out of ten. It's decent and not too expensive, and small businesses can also afford it. With AWS taking CodeCommit out of the market, I don't see many competitors for small companies in terms of GitHub."

"It is open-source. There is no license for GitHub."

More GitHub pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Version Control solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

823,875 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

18%

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

12%

University

Manufacturing Company

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Atlassian SourceTree?

The initial setup is straightforward.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Atlassian SourceTree?

I do not recall the exact pricing details for SourceTree, but generally, Atlassian products are affordable, and SourceTree typically comes as part of a suite.

What needs improvement with Atlassian SourceTree?

There can be improvements in the way the messages are displayed in the tool. The visuals, including the UI and UX, have simple fonts, making it an area where certain enhancements can be done.

What do you like most about GitHub?

The control is the most valuable feature as developers can work on a single code.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GitHub?

I'm not aware of the costs associated with GitHub. I simply appreciate its efficiency in managing code and collaborating with team members.

What needs improvement with GitHub?

I would like to see some AI functionality included in GitHub, similar to the features seen in GitLab, to enhance productivity. Additionally, offering limited free access to features like Copilot co...

Git vs Atlassian SourceTree

Comparisons

Compared 45% of the time

Bitbucket vs Atlassian SourceTree

Compared 23% of the time

Bitbucket Server vs Atlassian SourceTree

Compared 14% of the time

AWS CodeCommit vs Atlassian SourceTree

Compared 7% of the time

More Atlassian SourceTree Competitors

Fortify on Demand vs GitHub

Compared 19% of the time

Snyk vs GitHub

Compared 18% of the time

AWS CodeCommit vs GitHub

Compared 14% of the time

Bitbucket vs GitHub

Compared 12% of the time

IBM Rational ClearCase vs GitHub

Compared 5% of the time

More GitHub Competitors

Product Reports

Version Control

Download Atlassian SourceTree product report

Download GitHub product report

Learn More

Atlassian

Overview

Atlassian SourceTree is a graphical user interface (GUI) desktop client that facilitates user interaction with Git repositories. SourceTree provides a visual interface that is easy to use and intuitive. It allows developers to save a lot of command lines when working with Git.

The tool is free and works as a Git client for Windows and Mac OS. You can visualize and manage your repositories via the simple GUI. The client offers an efficient and consistent development process for Git and Mercurial.

Atlassian SourceTree Key Features

Branch management: Typically, managing branches is a time-consuming and tedious process for project managers and developers. With SourceTree, you can switch working copies with a single click. You can also see where you are compared with the version in the repository, alerting you to push or pull.
Working copy: Developers who work using the command line often lack visibility. Access the “working copy” section to see the difference between your local copy and the version in the Git repository. This feature allows you to see exactly what has changed.
Branch history: the History section displays the full history of the branch, displaying each commit and file change. This feature enables smooth version control.
GitFlow: GitFlow organizes the workflow, streamlining parallel code changes and reducing merge conflicts.

Atlassian SourceTree Benefits

Any level user can use SourceTree: beginners and experts benefit from the visibility and streamlined workflows of SourceTree. Beginners benefit from the simplified version control. Experts can review changesets and stash and pick between branches. Senior programmers can customize changeset and stashes, apply patches, rebase or shelve changesets. The tool offers detailed tutorials to help beginners and experts start quickly. Other benefits for beginners include easy access to commands with one click and simplified distributed version control.
Code visibility: the visualization of the Git process enables users to manage large projects with multiple branches and commits. SourceTree automatically tracks the activity of your code. It also features bookmarks where you can see a summarized view of all projects and repositories. Therefore, you can check a specific branch or commit with a single click. Finally, it features detailed branching diagrams that make it easy to follow the process.
Git and Hg support: the fully-featured GUI supports Git and Mercurial, offering a consistent development process from the start. You can also use SourceTree for a project on Github. Start by creating the project on Github, then connect it to the SourceTree software.
Free: the SourceTree tool is free to use, even for commercial uses, without buying a license.
Supports Git LFS: users can track large assets and submit code from a single dashboard.
Subordinated modules: you can use submodules for hand-picked dependencies and manage and group projects.

Atlassian SourceTree Use Cases

Check-in and check-out code using the client-side application.
You can also use SourceTree to repair broken Git repositories because you can easily detect mistakes at a glance.
The simple and intuitive user interface allows users to search for and clone remote repositories.

Reviews from Real Users

A Program Manager/Engineer at a government says, "The most valuable feature is the ability to fix a broken repository merge… This product has helped because we have been able to fix problems when our code repository breaks."

GitHub is a web-based Git repository hosting service. It offers all of the distributed revision control and source code management (SCM) functionality of Git as well as adding its own features. Unlike Git, which is strictly a command-line tool, GitHub provides a Web-based graphical interface and desktop as well as mobile integration. It also provides access control and several collaboration features such as bug tracking, feature requests, task management, and wikis for every project.

Sample Customers

Facebook, NASA, Cisco, eBay, Redfin, Toyota, Kaiser Permanente, Gilt, CSIRO, Autodesk, The Daily Telegraph, CODE, Illumnia,

Dominion Enterprises, NASA, Braintree, SAP, CyberAgent

Atlassian SourceTree vs. GitHub