Softwr

Technology · head to head

GitHub vs Make

GitHub logo

GitHub

Technology

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Make logo

Make

Remote Work

The platform for the new way of working

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; Make free tier limited to 1,000 credits per month
  • They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, Make covers Visual workflow builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and Make actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and Make differ
AttributeGitHubMake
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb
CategoryTechnologyRemote Work
Founded20082013

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 Make

  • Visual workflow builder
  • Webhooks
  • API connectors
  • Conditional logic
  • Data transformation
  • Error handling
  • Scheduling
  • Team collaboration

What people use each for

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

GitHub

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

Make

  • Automating integrations between 3,000+ pre-built applicationsnot GitHub
  • Building AI agents and workflow automation without extensive codingnot GitHub
  • Enterprise automation with GDPR, SOC 2 Type II compliancenot GitHub
  • Rapid deployment of automations from concept to livenot 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

Make

  • Free tier limited to 1,000 credits per month
  • Free tier restricted to 2 active scenarios maximum
  • Free tier enforces 15-minute minimum scheduling interval
  • Credit-based model means costs scale with usage volume, not just features

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

Make

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Make 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 Make if

  • You need visual workflow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want webhooks.
Make review

Questions people ask

Is GitHub or Make better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub starts at Free and Make at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub or Make?
GitHub starts at Free and Make at Free.
Does GitHub or Make run on more platforms?
GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Make 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 Make is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub do that Make cannot?
GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Make covers Visual workflow builder, Webhooks, API connectors, Conditional logic.

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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