GitHub has been the world’s most popular platform for version control, collaborative coding, and open-source project hosting. With over 100 million repositories and powerful integrations like GitHub Actions and Copilot, it remains a cornerstone of modern software development.

However, GitHub isn’t ideal for everyone. Some users are concerned about privacy after Microsoft’s acquisition, while others seek lower-cost private repositories, self-hosting options, better CI/CD flexibility, or more control over data.

Fortunately, in 2025, several excellent GitHub alternatives exist—whether you want open-source hosting, enterprise control, or simpler private repositories.

Here’s a deep dive into the 10 best GitHub alternatives you can use today.

1. GitLab – Best All-in-One DevOps Platform

GitLab is often seen as GitHub’s biggest open-source competitor. It offers source code hosting, CI/CD pipelines, issue tracking, container registry, wiki documentation, and DevOps automation—all in one platform.

You can use GitLab.com (SaaS) or self-host GitLab CE (Community Edition) on your own servers for complete control.

Best for: Teams wanting code hosting + CI/CD + project management in one place.
Why it’s great: Full DevOps platform, powerful free tier, and self-hosting option.

2. Bitbucket – Ideal for Private Repositories and Enterprise Teams

Bitbucket (owned by Atlassian) offers Git-based source control tightly integrated with Jira, Trello, and Confluence. It allows free private repositories for small teams and offers built-in CI/CD with Bitbucket Pipelines.

If your team already uses Atlassian tools, Bitbucket makes collaboration seamless.

Best for: Jira users, agile teams, and enterprises.
Highlight: Native Jira integration + free unlimited private repos for small teams.

3. SourceHut – Minimalist, Scriptable, and Open-Source

SourceHut is a fully open-source platform focused on simplicity, speed, and scriptable workflows. It emphasizes email-based patch submission (like Linux kernel development) and no heavy web UI clutter.

If you prefer a lean, no-frills Git hosting experience (and full transparency), SourceHut is a rising star.

Best for: Advanced developers, minimalist setups, and open-source purists.
Why it stands out: Lightning-fast, script-friendly, and fully open-source.

4. Gitea – Lightweight, Self-Hosted GitHub Alternative

Gitea is an ultra-lightweight, self-hosted Git service written in Go. It’s easy to deploy, requires minimal resources, and offers a GitHub-like interface.

Perfect for small teams, freelancers, or businesses wanting full control over their source code without big server costs.

Best for: Developers wanting to self-host a GitHub-like server easily.
Strength: Extremely fast, low RAM usage, simple upgrades.

5. Gogs – The Predecessor to Gitea (Still Lightweight and Solid)

Gogs (“Go Git Service”) is the original project that inspired Gitea. It’s similarly lightweight, self-hosted, and suitable for developers who want zero-maintenance Git hosting with minimal system requirements.

While Gitea has grown bigger, Gogs remains even lighter and simpler.

Best for: Ultra-minimalist self-hosted setups.
Highlight: Perfect if you want a “set it and forget it” Git service.

6. AWS CodeCommit – Git Repositories with Amazon Cloud Integration

AWS CodeCommit offers fully managed, private Git repositories hosted on Amazon Web Services. It’s designed for secure cloud-native development with fine-grained IAM permissions, scalable storage, and AWS ecosystem integration.

No upfront cost: you pay only for active usage.

Best for: Teams building serverless apps or cloud-native services.
Biggest benefit: Native AWS integration + enterprise-grade security.

7. Azure Repos – Git Hosting for Microsoft and Azure DevOps Users

Azure Repos (part of Azure DevOps) offers Git repository hosting with granular branch policies, build pipelines, and issue tracking. If you’re already using Azure services, it fits right into your workflow.

It’s free for small teams and comes with powerful role-based access controls.

Best for: Enterprises invested in Microsoft Azure or DevOps ecosystems.
Key advantage: Seamless DevOps pipelines and cloud scalability.

8. Launchpad – Canonical’s Code Hosting Platform

Launchpad, run by Canonical (the makers of Ubuntu), offers Git and Bazaar repository hosting, bug tracking, blueprint planning, and translation tools for open-source projects.

While its UI feels dated compared to GitHub, it remains a strong platform for Linux development, FOSS collaborations, and projects targeting Ubuntu/Debian.

Best for: Open-source Linux developers and Ubuntu contributors.
Highlight: Deep integration with Ubuntu packaging and translation workflows.

9. Google Cloud Source Repositories – Git Repositories on GCP

Google Cloud Source Repositories provide unlimited free private Git repositories integrated into Google Cloud Platform (GCP). It’s designed for cloud-native, serverless, and big data app development.

You can mirror GitHub or Bitbucket repos automatically and trigger Google Cloud Build pipelines.

Best for: Teams building apps within the Google Cloud ecosystem.
Strength: Tight integration with Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) and Cloud Build.

10. Forgejo – Open-Source Fork of Gitea for Community-Controlled Hosting

Forgejo emerged as a community-driven fork of Gitea after corporate ownership concerns arose. It’s designed to stay open, transparent, and community-first—offering Git repository hosting, CI/CD pipelines, issue tracking, and wiki support.

If you want open governance and trust in your hosting platform, Forgejo is a rising alternative.

Best for: Community-led projects seeking non-corporate Git hosting.
Biggest benefit: Transparency, open governance, and fast development.

 Conclusion:

While GitHub remains incredibly powerful, your specific needs—privacy, control, cost, or enterprise tools—might lead you elsewhere.

• Pick GitLab for a full DevOps pipeline.

• Choose Bitbucket for teams using Jira and Trello.

• Self-host with Gitea, Gogs, or Forgejo for full control.

• Go cloud-native with AWS CodeCommit or Google Cloud Source Repositories.