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Software · head to head

GitHub vs Greenhouse

GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Greenhouse logo

Greenhouse

Software

Hiring software for growing companies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GitHub has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy; Greenhouse core plan lacks talent discovery and contact lookups
  • They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, Greenhouse covers Applicant tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and Greenhouse actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and Greenhouse differ
AttributeGitHubGreenhouse
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20082012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Greenhouse

  • Applicant tracking
  • Interview scheduling
  • Scorecard system
  • Job board posting
  • Candidate CRM
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Offer management
  • EEO compliance

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

GitHub

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

Greenhouse

  • Applicant tracking system for structured hiringnot GitHub
  • AI-powered interview notetaking and sourcingnot 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

Greenhouse

  • Core plan lacks talent discovery and contact lookups
  • Core plan lacks email automation and applicant texting
  • Plus plan lacks resume anonymisation and application limits
  • Plus plan lacks audit logging and developer tools
  • Pricing customised by hiring volume and company size, not published
  • Only Pro tier offers audit logs and developer sandbox

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

Greenhouse

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Greenhouse review.

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 Greenhouse if

  • You need applicant tracking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want interview scheduling.
Greenhouse review

Questions people ask

Is GitHub or Greenhouse better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub starts at Free and Greenhouse at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub or Greenhouse?
GitHub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GitHub and On request for Greenhouse.
Does GitHub or Greenhouse run on more platforms?
GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Greenhouse runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use GitHub for free?
Yes. GitHub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Greenhouse starts at On request.
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 Greenhouse is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub do that Greenhouse cannot?
GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Greenhouse covers Applicant tracking, Interview scheduling, Scorecard system, Job board posting. Both handle Slack, SOC2.

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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Related pages

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