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Software · head to head

GitHub vs Microsoft Project

GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Software

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
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; Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
  • They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and Microsoft Project actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and Microsoft Project differ
AttributeGitHubMicrosoft Project
Starting priceFree$10/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb, Windows, macOS
Founded20081975

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 Microsoft Project

  • Gantt charts
  • Resource management
  • Budget tracking
  • Timeline views
  • Task dependencies
  • Critical path
  • Earned value analysis
  • Portfolio management

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • ISO27001

What people use each for

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

GitHub

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

Microsoft Project

  • Project schedulingnot GitHub
  • Resource allocationnot GitHub
  • Portfolio managementnot GitHub
  • Budget trackingnot GitHub
  • Enterprise project managementnot 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

Microsoft Project

  • Performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
  • Limited Agile methodology support, primarily designed for waterfall project management
  • Proprietary .mpp file format creates compatibility issues on non-Windows systems
  • No offline mode, limiting users without reliable internet connectivity

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

Microsoft Project

$10/month
  • Plan 1$10/month
    • Task and project management
    • Grid views
    • Timeline features
  • Plan 3$30/month
    • Desktop client
    • Resource management
    • Advanced scheduling
  • Plan 5$55/month
    • Portfolio management
    • Demand management
    • Enterprise capabilities

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 Microsoft Project if

  • You need gantt charts.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want resource management.
Microsoft Project review

Questions people ask

Is GitHub or Microsoft Project better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub starts at Free and Microsoft Project at $10/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub or Microsoft Project?
GitHub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GitHub and $10/month for Microsoft Project.
Does GitHub or Microsoft Project run on more platforms?
GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS.
Can I use GitHub for free?
Yes. GitHub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Project starts at $10/month.
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 Microsoft Project is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub do that Microsoft Project cannot?
GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views. Both handle SOC2, ISO27001.

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
Microsoft Project: What are the different Microsoft Project plans and pricing?

Microsoft Project offers Plan 1 at $10/user/month for basic project management, Plan 3 at $30/user/month with desktop client and resource management, and Plan 5 at $55/user/month for enterprise portfolio management. Desktop licenses (2024) start at $679.99 for Standard and $1,129.99 for Professional.

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
Microsoft Project: Does Microsoft Project support Agile methodology?

Microsoft Project was primarily designed for traditional waterfall project management. While it has some Agile features, it is not optimized for Agile workflows compared to dedicated Agile tools like Jira or Monday.com.

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
Microsoft Project: Can multiple teams collaborate in real-time on Microsoft Project?

Yes, Microsoft Project for the Web provides real-time collaboration through cloud-based access. However, collaboration is noted as harder compared to modern cloud-native tools due to its file-based architecture.

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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