Cybersecurity · head to head
Cisco Duo vs Git

Cisco Duo
Cybersecurity
Trusted access for all users, all devices
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes

Git
Developer Tools
A free and open source distributed version control system
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Cisco Duo free tier limited to 10 users maximum; Git licensed under GNU GPL version 2.0 as stated on git-scm.com/about; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
- Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cisco Duo and Git actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Cisco Duo
- Eliminating phishing with passwordless authnot Git
- Implementing zero trust with device trustnot Git
- Protecting sessions from hijacking and theftnot Git
- Managing compliance for regulated industriesnot Git
Git
- Maintaining complete code history for large projectsnot Cisco Duo
- Coordinating open source development globallynot Cisco Duo
- Enabling offline work with full repository historynot Cisco Duo
- Integrating with CI/CD and hosting servicesnot Cisco Duo
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Cisco Duo
- Free tier limited to 10 users maximum
- Licenses must be purchased in 10-user increments (under 100 users) or 25-user increments (100+ users)
- Pricing is per-user per-month with minimum purchase increments
Git
- Licensed under GNU GPL version 2.0 as stated on git-scm.com/about; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
- Git is a command line tool by design; graphical workflows and hosted collaboration depend entirely on third party GUIs and hosting services layered on top, per git-scm.com/about
Pricing, plan by plan
Cisco Duo
Free- FreeFree
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Seamless integrations
- Authenticator app
- Essentials$3/month
- All Free features
- Duo Directory
- Phishing-resistant MFA
- Advantage$6/month
- All Essentials features
- Identity intelligence
- Cisco Identity Intelligence (ISPM, ITDR)
- Premier$9/month
- All Advantage features
- Complete device trust
- VPN-less remote access
Git
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Git review.
Which should you pick?
Questions people ask
- Is Cisco Duo or Git better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cisco Duo starts at Free and Git at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cisco Duo or Git?
- Cisco Duo starts at Free and Git at Free.
- Does Cisco Duo or Git run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Cisco Duo for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Cisco Duo best used for?
- Cisco Duo is most often used for eliminating phishing with passwordless auth, implementing zero trust with device trust, protecting sessions from hijacking and theft, managing compliance for regulated industries. Of those, eliminating phishing with passwordless auth and implementing zero trust with device trust are not what Git is typically brought in for.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Cisco Duo: How much does Cisco Duo cost?
Cisco Duo Free is $0/user/month (up to 10 users). Paid plans start at $3/user/month (Essentials), $6/user/month (Advantage), and $9/user/month (Premier). Billing is per-user per-month.
SourceGit: How much does Git cost?
Git is completely free and open-source software released under the GNU General Public License version 2.0 (GPLv2). There are no licensing costs for the core Git project.
SourceCisco Duo: Is Cisco Duo free to try?
Yes, Duo Free offers multi-factor authentication and seamless integrations at $0/user/month for up to 10 users.
SourceGit: Can Git be used for commercial purposes?
Yes, Git can be freely used for commercial and non-commercial projects. The GPLv2 license guarantees freedom to use, modify, and distribute the software.
SourceCisco Duo: What is the minimum purchase for Cisco Duo?
Organizations must buy licenses in 10-user increments for under 100 users, or 25-user increments for 100 or more users. Plans are modifiable at any time.
SourceCisco Duo: What does the Advantage plan add over Essentials?
Advantage ($6/user/month) adds identity intelligence, Cisco Identity Intelligence (ISPM, ITDR), Duo Passport, session theft protection, Active Directory Defense, and risk-based authentication.
SourceRelated pages
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- Git vs 1Password
- Git vs Norton 360
- Git vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Git vs LastPass
- Git vs Authy
- Git vs Stytch
- Git vs Descope
- Git vs Google Authenticator
- Git vs Sardine
- Git vs SentinelOne
- Git vs Shufti Pro
- Git vs Signicat
- Git vs Silent Eight
- Git vs Socket
- Git vs SentinelOne Singularity
- Git vs Turborepo
- Git vs Visual Studio Code
- Git vs ESLint
- Git vs pnpm
- Git vs Bazel
- Git vs Argo CD
- Git vs Deno
- Git vs Rust
- Git vs Moonrepo
- Git vs Nx Cloud
- Git vs Pants Build
- Git vs Helix
- Git vs Earthly
- Git vs Eclipse IDE
- Git vs Harness
