Softwr

Software · head to head

GitHub vs Mailgun

GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mailgun logo

Mailgun

Software

Email delivery built for developers

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; Mailgun free plan caps at 100 emails per day

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and Mailgun actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and Mailgun differ
AttributeGitHubMailgun
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb
Founded2008Unknown

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 Mailgun

Nothing recorded that GitHub does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

GitHub

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

Mailgun

No use cases recorded yet. See the Mailgun review.

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

Mailgun

  • Free plan caps at 100 emails per day
  • Basic plan starts at $15/mo for 10,000 emails then overages from $1.80 per 1,000; Foundation and Scale plans discount overage rates but still meter every email beyond the included volume
  • Foundation ($35/mo) and Scale ($90/mo) plans are free for the first month only, then bill at full price

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

Mailgun

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Mailgun 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 Mailgun if

Nothing in the data separates Mailgun from GitHub on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Mailgun review

Questions people ask

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

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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