GitKraken Desktop

GitKraken Desktop is a Git client for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It provides visual history, conflict resolution, Gitflow support, submodules, offline mode, Git LFS, and interactive rebase. Repositories can be local or hosted on services including GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure DevOps, as well as supported self-hosted services. The free Community plan is for local repositories and public remotes, and its plan description specifies public repositories only. A 14-day Pro trial provides access to private repositories and premium features. Paid plans include GitKraken Desktop, GitLens, GitKraken CLI, Kepler, and GitKraken.dev. Pro supports up to two seats, Advanced up to 10, and Business up to 100. Business includes security, compliance, and administrative controls. On-Premise options can use a self-hosted server or serverless license, keeping code inside the firewall. Desktop can create worktrees, install dependencies, launch agents, and show active sessions in one view. Pro, Advanced, and Business have weekly per-user AI credit limits that reset on Sundays UTC; unused credits do not roll over.

GitKraken Desktop offers visual Git workflows across desktop platforms, with repository and team options that differ by plan. Check the Community restrictions and paid-plan seat limits before choosing it for private or team work.

GitKraken Desktop suits developers working with local, public, or supported hosted repositories. Teams needing private repository access, more seats, or business controls can review its paid plans.

GitKraken Desktop is a graphical Git client for Linux, macOS, and Windows, built for developers who want repository history and everyday Git operations in one visual workspace. Its broad Git toolkit and hosting integrations make it a strong fit for individuals and teams, but Community is limited to local repositories and public remotes, while paid plan prices are custom or unpublished.

Overview

Visual history, conflict resolution, interactive rebase, Gitflow, submodules, Git LFS, and offline mode cover a substantial range of routine Git work. That breadth makes GitKraken Desktop useful beyond basic commit browsing; the trade-off is that private-repository work requires moving beyond Community after its Pro trial.

Repository connections span GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, and self-hosted services. Issue-tracker integrations include Jira Cloud and Data Center, GitHub, GitLab, and Trello, which can help developers keep repository work connected to the tools their teams already use.

Key features

Visual Git workflows

The visual history view and conflict editor give users a graphical route through repository inspection and conflict resolution. Interactive rebase, Gitflow, submodule support, and Git LFS add capabilities for more involved workflows, while offline mode is useful when network access is unavailable.

Repositories and collaboration

Supported hosting includes public and privately hosted remotes, GitHub.com, GitLab.com, Bitbucket.org, Azure DevOps, GitHub Enterprise Server, GitLab Self-Managed, and Bitbucket Data Center. Pro users can create and share Cloud Workspaces with GitKraken Organization users. Desktop can also create worktrees, install dependencies, launch agents, and show active sessions together, a useful consolidation for users coordinating agent sessions with repository work.

AI and integrations

Weekly per-user AI credits rise by tier: 1,000,000 for Pro, 2,000,000 for Advanced, and 3,000,000 for Business. They reset on Sundays UTC and unused credits do not roll over, so a weekly allowance should not be treated as a bank of credits for occasional heavy use. Integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, and issue trackers such as Jira and Trello broaden its fit for established development environments.

Pricing

Community

Community costs nothing and is aimed at open-source development. It supports local repositories and public remotes, with public repositories only; that is a meaningful restriction for anyone whose work depends on private code. The free experience includes a 14-day Pro trial, which temporarily opens private repository access and premium features rather than removing Community's ongoing limits.

Pro and Advanced

Pro is billed annually at custom pricing and supports up to 2 seats. It is positioned for solo developers who need private repository access; it also includes Cloud Workspaces and 1,000,000 weekly AI credits per user. Advanced is also billed annually at custom pricing, with up to 10 seats and 2,000,000 weekly credits per user, for developers and teams needing more integrations and enhanced AI. The higher tier provides more team capacity and credits, but the published plan information does not give a price to compare those additions against.

Business and Enterprise

Business is billed annually at custom pricing, supports up to 100 seats, and adds security, compliance, and administrative controls. It includes 3,000,000 weekly AI credits per user and offers a 30-day trial. These controls make it the more relevant option for companies with governance needs, though the seat ceiling and custom quote require a plan decision before a larger deployment.

Enterprise has custom pricing for 20 or more seats, with custom integrations, contracts, procurement, and security. Paid plans include GitKraken Desktop, GitLens, GitKraken CLI, Kepler, and GitKraken.dev. On-Premise licensing can use a self-hosted server or serverless license to keep code inside the firewall; Self-Hosted GitKraken supports LDAP with group mapping, attributes, and optional automatic syncing. Enterprise support includes a 6-hour response time and a service SLA.

Platforms

GitKraken Desktop supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. The same cross-platform availability makes it practical for mixed-desktop teams without limiting the client to one operating system.

Who it's for

Choose GitKraken Desktop if you want a visual client with substantial Git workflow coverage, integrations for common hosted repositories and issue trackers, or team and enterprise options. Community suits public-repository work; Pro fits a solo developer needing private access, while Advanced and Business accommodate larger teams and added needs. It is a weaker fit if private work must remain free or if a paid plan needs a transparent listed price before evaluation.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Visual history, conflict editing, interactive rebase, Gitflow, submodules, Git LFS, and offline support cover varied repository workflows.
• Pros: Hosting and issue-tracker integrations include major services and self-managed options, giving teams room to connect existing development environments.
• Pros: Paid plans bundle five GitKraken apps, with Business and Enterprise options for security controls or on-premise deployment.
• Cons: Community is restricted to local repositories and public remotes, ruling it out for ongoing private-repository work.
• Cons: Pro, Advanced, Business, and Enterprise use custom pricing, so costs cannot be readily compared from the plan prices.
• Cons: Pro tops out at 2 seats, Advanced at 10, and Business at 100; weekly AI credits also expire at reset rather than rolling over.

Alternatives

Git GUI Clients is a useful broader shortlist if you want to compare graphical Git tools. For an iOS-focused option, Working Copy has a free plan limited to 5 repositories and a Pro Unlock tier for pushing to remote. SmartGit is worth considering for personal, non-commercial use when a full feature set without enterprise integrations and free registration suits your needs.

Git is the free, open-source option; Git Cola is free software for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Git Extensions may suit Windows users who want a standalone repository UI and already have Git installed. GitComet and Gitember are other listed options, while Gitnuro is described as free for personal and commercial use without limitations. Game development teams can also browse Game Version Control Software.

Verdict

GitKraken Desktop is a strong choice for developers who want visual Git workflows backed by broad repository and issue-tracker connections, especially when private-repository access or team controls justify a paid plan. Choose Community for public and local work, but look elsewhere if you need private repositories at no cost or require published subscription prices before committing.