GitHub Desktop vs gitup in 2026
GitHub Desktop and gitup compared on what each does, what each costs, how each is installed and what to check before you pick a Git GUI for your repos.
SayDeploy is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.
GitHub Desktop is a graphical Git client that lets you drag and drop to cherry-pick, squash or reorder commits, stash changes, compare versions and join a beta program [1] [1] [1] [1]. gitup is a free and open-source macOS Git client that loads a 40,000-commit graph in under a second, lets you undo with cmd-z, rewrites commits in many ways and searches branches, tags and commits by message, author and diff content [2] [2] [2] [2] [2]. RepoYeti is a Git dashboard made by the team that publishes this site, showing branch, changed-file and ahead/behind counts for every repo under the folders you add, with a commit graph, diffs in the Monaco editor, a pull preview, AI-assisted scoped commits and bulk actions across many repos [3] [3] [3] [3] [3] [3]. RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use and US$79 per installation for commercial use [3]. gitup is free and open-source [2]. GitHub Desktop's sources here do not state a price.
| Option | Free to use | Paid plan | Account | Install |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Desktop | Price not published in the facts here [1] | Not stated in the facts here [1] | Not stated in the facts here [1] | Not stated in the facts here [1] |
| gitup | Free and open-source [2] | No paid plan stated [2] | Not needed; no account mentioned [2] | Requires macOS 12.4 or later [2] |
| RepoYeti | Free for noncommercial use [3] | Commercial use costs US$79 per installation, per machine running the daemon, perpetual licence with 12 months of updates [3] | Not needed for core features [3] | Download a single binary from GitHub Releases, or clone the repo and run with Bun 1.1 or newer [3] |
The short answer
GitHub Desktop is a graphical Git client that lets you drag and drop to cherry-pick, squash or reorder commits [1], stash changes without committing them to a branch [1] and compare versions to review code changes [1]. It also offers a beta program to try features before release [1]. gitup is a free and open-source Git client for macOS that loads and renders a 40,000-commit graph in under a second [2] [2], lets you undo the latest changes with cmd-z [2] and can rewrite, split, delete, reorder, fixup, squash, cherry-pick, merge and rebase commits [2]. RepoYeti is a Git dashboard made by the team that publishes this site, showing the branch, number of changed files and ahead/behind count for every repo under the folders you add [3], with a commit graph drawn with lanes, merges and tags [3], diffs in the Monaco editor [3], a pull preview that shows incoming commits and conflicts [3], AI-assisted scoped commits using your own API key [3] and bulk actions across many repos [3].
On needs, GitHub Desktop's page says it covers commit history editing by drag and drop, stashing and version comparison [1] [1] [1]. gitup's page says it covers fast graph rendering, undo, commit rewriting, search and a snapshot history of every change to a repo [2] [2] [2] [2] [2]. RepoYeti's claims cover a live repo grid, a commit graph, diffs, pull preview, AI commits and bulk actions [3] [3] [3] [3] [3] [3].
What GitHub Desktop and gitup are built for
GitHub Desktop's own page says it lets you drag and drop to cherry-pick, squash or reorder commits [1]. It lets you stash changes without committing them to a branch [1]. You can compare versions to review code changes [1]. It also offers a beta program to try the latest features and bug fixes before release [1]. The facts here do not say more about what else it does.
gitup's own page says it is free and open-source and comes with GitUpKit, a toolkit for building your own Git apps [2] [2]. It requires macOS 12.4 or later [2]. It bypasses the Git binary and interacts directly with the repo database [2]. It loads and renders a 40,000-commit graph in under a second [2]. You can undo the latest changes with cmd-z [2]. It can rewrite, split, delete, reorder, fixup, squash, cherry-pick, merge and rebase commits [2]. Its search covers branches, tags and commits by message, author and diff content [2]. Its Snapshot feature keeps a Time-Machine-like history of every change to a repo, so you can step back to any point in time [2]. Support and feedback go through GitHub Issues [2].
What RepoYeti is built for
RepoYeti is made by the team that publishes this site.
It shows the branch, number of changed files and ahead/behind count for every repo under the folders you add, and updates when files change on disk [3]. It draws a commit graph with lanes, merges and tags, and loads it in pages so large repos open quickly [3]. It shows diffs between HEAD and the working tree in the Monaco editor, the editor used in VS Code, side by side or inline, and lets you edit and save files [3].
Before you pull, it shows the incoming commits, the files they touch and any conflicts they would cause [3]. It uses your own API key for Groq, OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, OpenRouter or DeepSeek to split working-tree changes into scoped commits with messages, which you approve, edit or discard [3]. You can select many repos and pin, star, hide, remove, pull or push them all at once [3]. It applies a different commit name and email to each repo using path rules, and can pin a GitHub account to each repo for pushes [3]. It undoes or redoes the last git action such as a commit, pull or branch switch, and refuses a rebasing pull or a cherry-pick [3]. AI agents get access to your repos, and any action that changes a repo must be approved first, by you or by a webhook you run [3].
Pricing and fees
gitup is free and open-source [2]. Its page does not state any paid plan or tier.
The GitHub Desktop facts given here do not state a price, so its price is not published here.
RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use [3]. Commercial use costs US$79 per installation, meaning per machine running the daemon, as a perpetual licence with 12 months of updates [3]. No features are locked or time-limited, whether under the free licence or a paid one [3]. It is licensed under the PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0, a source-available license with a noncommercial restriction [3].
Setting it up and daily use
gitup requires macOS 12.4 or later [2]. The gitup facts here do not give install steps beyond that requirement. Day to day, you can undo the latest changes with cmd-z [2], rewrite commits in many ways [2] and search branches, tags and commits by message, author and diff content [2]. The facts here say nothing more about its setup or routine use.
The GitHub Desktop facts here do not give install steps. Day to day, its page says you drag and drop to cherry-pick, squash or reorder commits [1], stash changes without committing them to a branch [1] and compare versions to review code changes [1]. It also offers a beta program to try features before release [1]. The facts here say nothing more about its setup or routine use.
RepoYeti is installed by downloading a single binary from GitHub Releases, or by cloning the repo and running it with Bun 1.1 or newer [3]. Prebuilt binaries are available for Windows x64, Linux x64 and macOS on Apple Silicon, and the dashboard opens in any browser, including on Android or iPhone [3]. Daily, you see the branch, changed-file count and ahead/behind count for every repo, updating as files change on disk [3]. You review diffs in the Monaco editor and edit and save files there [3]. Before pulling, you see incoming commits, the files they touch and any conflicts [3]. You can undo or redo the last git action such as a commit, pull or branch switch [3].
Things to check before you choose
Ask what you need the tool to manage: a single repo's commit history, or many repos at once. gitup's page speaks of fast graph rendering and commit rewriting [2] [2]. GitHub Desktop's page speaks of drag and drop commit editing, stashing and version comparison [1] [1] [1]. RepoYeti's claims speak of a grid covering every repo under the folders you add, with bulk actions across many repos [3] [3].
Check your operating system. gitup requires macOS 12.4 or later [2]. RepoYeti has prebuilt binaries for Windows x64, Linux x64 and macOS on Apple Silicon [3]. The GitHub Desktop facts here do not state supported operating systems, so check its own pages.
Check cost and accounts. gitup is free and open-source [2]. RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use and US$79 per installation for commercial use [3]. The GitHub Desktop facts here do not state a price, so check its own pages.
Check what data leaves your machine. RepoYeti uses your own API key for AI providers [3]. The gitup and GitHub Desktop facts here do not cover data handling, so check their own pages.
How to choose
If you want to drag and drop to cherry-pick, squash or reorder commits, GitHub Desktop's page says it does that [1].
If you want to stash changes without committing them to a branch, GitHub Desktop's page says it does that [1].
If you want a fast commit graph on macOS and undo with cmd-z, gitup's page says it loads a 40,000-commit graph in under a second and undoes the latest changes with cmd-z [2] [2].
If you want to rewrite commits in many ways, gitup's page says it can rewrite, split, delete, reorder, fixup, squash, cherry-pick, merge and rebase [2].
If you want to see the branch, changed-file count and ahead/behind count for many repos at once, RepoYeti's claims describe that [3].
If you want a pull preview that shows incoming commits, the files they touch and any conflicts, RepoYeti's claims describe that [3].
If you want AI to split working-tree changes into scoped commits using your own API key, RepoYeti's claims describe that [3].
If you want a free tool, gitup is free and open-source [2], and RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use [3].
Frequently asked questions
Is gitup free to use?
gitup is free and open-source [2]. It also comes with GitUpKit, a toolkit for building your own Git apps [2]. Its page does not state any paid plan or tier [2].
Is GitHub Desktop free?
The GitHub Desktop facts given here do not state a price, so its price is not published here [1]. Its page describes drag and drop commit editing, stashing, version comparison and a beta program [1] [1] [1] [1]. Check its own pages for pricing details.
What does RepoYeti cost?
RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use [3]. Commercial use costs US$79 per installation, meaning per machine running the daemon, as a perpetual licence with 12 months of updates [3]. No features are locked or time-limited, whether under the free licence or a paid one [3].
Can gitup or RepoYeti undo a commit?
gitup lets you undo the latest changes with cmd-z [2]. RepoYeti undoes or redoes the last git action such as a commit, pull or branch switch, and refuses a rebasing pull or a cherry-pick [3]. gitup also keeps a Snapshot history of every change to a repo so you can step back to any point in time [2].
What operating systems do these Git clients support?
gitup requires macOS 12.4 or later [2]. RepoYeti has prebuilt binaries for Windows x64, Linux x64 and macOS on Apple Silicon, and the dashboard opens in any browser including on Android or iPhone [3]. The GitHub Desktop facts here do not state supported operating systems, so check its own pages.
Free for noncommercial use; commercial use costs US$79 per installation (per machine running the daemon), a perpetual licence with 12 months of updates. [3]
Try RepoYetiSources
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