GitKraken vs gitup in 2026
GitKraken and gitup compared on what each does for git work, what each costs, how each is set up, and what to check before choosing one for managing repos.
SayDeploy is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.
GitKraken offers a Kepler ADE download that is free and available on Windows, Mac or Linux [1], and gitup is a free macOS git client that bypasses the Git binary and interacts directly with the repo database [2] [2]. shows a live grid of repos with branch and change status, a commit graph, diffs in the Monaco editor, and AI-assisted commits using your own API key [3] [3] [3] [3]. GitKraken's sources describe an MCP Server that connects an AI assistant to the real context behind your work [1], and gitup's sources describe undo with cmd-z and a snapshot history of every repo change [2] [2]. RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use, with a paid licence for commercial use [3], while GitKraken offers a free trial of its Pro plan [1] and gitup is free and open-source [2].
| Option | Free to use | Paid plan | Seats | Install |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitKraken | Kepler ADE download is free, available on Windows, Mac or Linux [1] | Free trial of GitKraken Pro offered; 40% off advertised; dollar price not published [1] [1] | Pro max 2 seats; Advanced max 10 seats; Business max 100 seats [4] [4] [4] | Download Kepler ADE, or winget install gitkraken.cli [1] [1] |
| gitup | Free and open-source [2] | No paid plan mentioned in its sources [2] | Not published [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 published [3] | Single binary from GitHub Releases, or clone repo and run with Bun 1.1+; prebuilt for Windows x64, Linux x64, macOS Apple Silicon [3] [3] |
The short answer
GitKraken offers a Kepler ADE download that is free and available on Windows, Mac or Linux [1]. It offers a free trial of its Pro plan [1] and an MCP server that connects an AI assistant to the real context behind your work [1]. gitup is a free macOS git client that bypasses the Git binary and interacts directly with the repo database [2] [2]. It can undo changes with cmd-z and keeps a snapshot history of every change to a repo [2] [2].
RepoYeti is made by the team that publishes this site. It shows a live grid of every repo under the folders you add, with branch, changed-file count and ahead/behind status that updates on disk changes [3]. It draws a paged commit graph for large repos [3] and shows diffs in the Monaco editor [3]. It can split working-tree changes into scoped commits with AI-generated messages using your own API key [3]. GitKraken's sources cover an MCP server that connects an AI assistant to the real context behind your work [1], gitup's sources cover fast commit graph rendering and direct database access on macOS [2] [2], and RepoYeti's sources cover a live repo grid, commit graph, diffs, pull previews and AI-assisted commits [3] [3] [3] [3].
What GitKraken, gitup is built for
GitKraken offers a Kepler ADE download that is free and available on Windows, Mac or Linux [1]. GitKraken offers Launchpad, a view of all pull requests, issues and tasks in one place [1]. Its Security and Admin features let teams set up single sign-on and manage access [1]. The GitKraken MCP Server connects an AI assistant to the real context behind your work [1]. GitLens for VS Code, a related extension, has 40M+ installs [1].
gitup 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], and it loads and renders a 40,000-commit graph in under a second [2]. gitup 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].
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, 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 through an MCP server, and any action that changes a repo must be approved first [3].
Pricing and fees
GitKraken offers a free trial of GitKraken Pro [1] and advertises 40% off GitKraken Pro [1]. The Pro plan is limited to a maximum of 2 seats [4]. The Advanced plan allows up to 10 seats [4]. The Business plan allows up to 100 seats [4]. The GitKraken sources given here do not state a dollar price for any plan, so prices are not published here [1].
gitup is free and open-source [2]. No paid plan is mentioned in its sources.
RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use; 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
GitKraken offers a Kepler ADE download that is free and available on Windows, Mac or Linux [1]. Its CLI can be installed with winget using the command winget install gitkraken.cli [1]. The GitKraken MCP Server connects an AI assistant to the real context behind your work [1]. GitKraken offers Launchpad, a view of all pull requests, issues and tasks in one place [1]. The sources here say nothing further about its daily workflow.
gitup requires macOS 12.4 or later [2]. It can undo the latest changes with cmd-z [2]. Its Snapshot feature keeps a Time-Machine-like history of every change to a repo, allowing a step back to any point in time [2]. It can rewrite, split, delete, reorder, fixup, squash, cherry-pick, merge and rebase commits [2]. Support and feedback go to GitHub Issues [2].
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 you open the dashboard in any browser, including on Android or iPhone [3]. The dashboard can be installed to a phone's home screen as a PWA, and it reconnects after the phone wakes from sleep [3]. Daily, you see the live repo grid, commit graph and diffs in the dashboard [3] [3] [3], and you can undo or redo the last git action [3].
Things to check before you choose
Ask which operating system you need. gitup requires macOS 12.4 or later [2], GitKraken is available on Windows, Mac or Linux [1], and RepoYeti has prebuilt binaries for Windows x64, Linux x64 and macOS on Apple Silicon with the dashboard in any browser [3].
Check whether you manage one repo or many. RepoYeti shows a live grid across all repos under the folders you add and lets you pull or push many at once [3] [3]. gitup's sources describe a commit graph and editing workflow [2] [2]. Check whether you need AI assistance. GitKraken's MCP Server connects an AI assistant to the real context behind your work [1], gitup's sources do not mention an AI assistant, and RepoYeti uses your own API key for AI-assisted commits and gives AI agents repo access through an MCP server [3] [3].
Check cost and licensing. gitup is free and open-source [2], GitKraken's dollar prices are not published here [1], and RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use with a US$79 perpetual licence for commercial use [3].
How to choose
If you need a git client on macOS that renders a large commit graph quickly, gitup's sources describe loading a 40,000-commit graph in under a second [2]. If you need undo and snapshot history, gitup offers undo with cmd-z and a Time-Machine-like snapshot of every repo change [2] [2].
If you need a git client on Windows, Mac or Linux with a view of all pull requests, issues and tasks in one place, GitKraken's sources describe Launchpad and cross-platform availability [1] [1]. If you need single sign-on and team access management, GitKraken's sources describe those features [1]. If you want an AI assistant connected through an MCP Server to the real context behind your work, GitKraken's MCP Server describes that connection [1].
If you need a live grid of many repos with bulk pull and push, RepoYeti's claims describe that [3] [3]. If you need a pull preview showing incoming commits and conflicts, RepoYeti's claims describe that [3]. If you need AI-assisted commits using your own API key, RepoYeti's claims describe that [3]. If you need a free tool for noncommercial use with no locked features, RepoYeti's claims describe that [3] [3].
Frequently asked questions
Is gitup free to use?
gitup is free and open-source, and comes with GitUpKit, a toolkit for building your own git apps [2] [2]. Its sources mention no paid plan. It requires macOS 12.4 or later [2].
How much does GitKraken cost?
GitKraken offers a free trial of GitKraken Pro [1] and advertises 40% off GitKraken Pro [1]. The Pro plan is limited to a maximum of 2 seats [4], the Advanced plan allows up to 10 seats [4], and the Business plan allows up to 100 seats [4]. The sources here do not state a dollar price for any plan.
Does RepoYeti cost money for commercial use?
RepoYeti is free for noncommercial use; 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 [3].
Can GitKraken or RepoYeti work with AI assistants?
The GitKraken MCP Server connects an AI assistant to the real context behind your work [1]. RepoYeti 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]. RepoYeti also gives AI agents access to your repos through an MCP server, and any action that changes a repo must be approved first [3]. gitup's sources do not mention an AI assistant.
What operating systems do these git clients support?
GitKraken offers a Kepler ADE download that is free and available on Windows, Mac or Linux [1]. gitup requires macOS 12.4 or later [2]. RepoYeti has prebuilt binaries for Windows x64, Linux x64 and macOS on Apple Silicon, and you open the dashboard in any browser, including on Android or iPhone [3].
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
Related comparisons
- Best Git GUI clients for developers in 2026
- Git GUI clients for code reviewers in 2026
- Best Git GUI clients for designers who commit in 2026
- Best Git GUI clients for developers with many repos in 2026
- Fork alternatives in 2026 for Git GUI clients
- Fork vs GitHub Desktop in 2026: Features, Setup and Fees
- Fork vs GitKraken in 2026: Pricing, Setup and Features
- Fork vs gitup in 2026: Pricing, Setup and Features
- Fork vs SmartGit in 2026: Pricing, Setup and Features
- Fork vs Sourcetree in 2026: Pricing, Setup and Features