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Software · head to head

GitHub vs Harvest

GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Harvest logo

Harvest

Software

Time tracking software for teams that care about where their time goes

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; Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, Harvest covers Time tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and Harvest actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and Harvest differ
AttributeGitHubHarvest
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Founded20082006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Harvest

  • Time tracking
  • Expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Project budgets
  • Team capacity
  • Detailed reports
  • Mobile apps
  • Browser extension

Both cover

  • Slack
  • 2FA

What people use each for

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

GitHub

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

Harvest

  • Time tracking against projects and clientsnot GitHub
  • Turning tracked time into invoicesnot GitHub
  • Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot GitHub
  • Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot GitHub
  • Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot 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

Harvest

  • The free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • Team reporting and unlimited projects require the Teams plan at $9 per seat per month
  • Profitability reporting, timesheet approvals and custom reports need Enterprise at $14 per seat per month
  • SAML single sign-on is Enterprise only
  • QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe integrations are withheld from the free plan

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

Harvest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Harvest 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 Harvest if

  • You need time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
Harvest review

Questions people ask

Is GitHub or Harvest better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub starts at Free and Harvest at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub or Harvest?
GitHub starts at Free and Harvest at Free.
Does GitHub or Harvest run on more platforms?
GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
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 Harvest is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub do that Harvest cannot?
GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets. Both handle Slack, 2FA.

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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