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Technology · head to head

GitHub vs Google Optimize

GitHub logo

GitHub

Technology

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Optimize logo

Google Optimize

Marketing & Analytics

A/B testing for Google Analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy; Google Optimize google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023
  • They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, Google Optimize covers A/B testing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and Google Optimize actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and Google Optimize differ
AttributeGitHubGoogle Optimize
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb
CategoryTechnologyMarketing & Analytics
Founded20081998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in GitHub

  • Git repositories
  • Pull requests
  • Code review
  • Issues & projects
  • GitHub Actions CI/CD
  • GitHub Pages
  • Security scanning
  • Dependency management

Only in Google Optimize

  • A/B testing
  • Google Analytics integration
  • Visual editor
  • Real-time analytics
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Tag Manager
  • Google's security
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GitHub

  • Version controlnot Google Optimize
  • Code collaborationnot Google Optimize
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot Google Optimize
  • Project managementnot Google Optimize
  • Documentation hostingnot Google Optimize

Google Optimize

  • A/B and multivariate testing of web pages tied to Google Analytics goalsnot GitHub
  • Personalising page content for defined audience segmentsnot GitHub
  • Redirect tests between alternative landing page URLsnot GitHub

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GitHub

  • Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • Primary focus on source control differs from purpose-built project management tools like Jira
  • Pricing for enterprise features and private repositories adds up compared to some self-hosted alternatives

Google Optimize

  • Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023
  • Any experiments and personalizations still running on that date were ended by Google
  • Google directs former users to third-party A/B testing tools, naming AB Tasty, Optimizely and VWO, rather than a replacement Google product

Pricing, plan by plan

GitHub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited public/private repos
    • 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 500MB package storage
  • Team$4/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 2GB package storage
  • Enterprise$21/month
    • Everything in Team
    • 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 50GB package storage

Google Optimize

Free
  • FreeFree
    • A/B testing
    • Google Analytics integration
    • Visual editor

Which should you pick?

Choose GitHub if

  • You need git repositories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want pull requests.
GitHub review

Choose Google Optimize if

  • You need a/b testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want google analytics integration.
Google Optimize review

Questions people ask

Is GitHub or Google Optimize better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub starts at Free and Google Optimize at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub or Google Optimize?
GitHub starts at Free and Google Optimize at Free.
Does GitHub or Google Optimize run on more platforms?
GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Google Optimize runs on Web.
Can I use GitHub for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GitHub best used for?
GitHub is most often used for version control, code collaboration, ci/cd pipelines, project management. Of those, version control and code collaboration are not what Google Optimize is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub do that Google Optimize cannot?
GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Google Optimize covers A/B testing, Google Analytics integration, Visual editor, Real-time analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GitHub: What is a Git repository and how does GitHub use it?

A repository is the centralized database that stores the complete collection of files and folders for a codebase, along with the revision history. GitHub uses Git to provide distributed version control access to repositories with version tracking, branching, and collaboration features.

Source
GitHub: How does GitHub authentication work?

When you connect to a GitHub repository from Git, you need to authenticate with GitHub using either HTTPS or SSH. GitHub supports multiple authentication methods including passwords, personal access tokens, SSH keys, and GitHub Apps.

Source
GitHub: How long has GitHub been operating?

GitHub was founded in 2008 and launched publicly on April 10, 2008, making it the dominant git hosting platform for nearly two decades.

Source
GitHub: Who owns GitHub and when did the acquisition occur?

Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion USD, with the deal announced June 4, 2018 and completed October 26, 2018. GitHub operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.

Source
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