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Software · head to head

GitHub vs Strapi

GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Strapi logo

Strapi

Software

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, Strapi covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and Strapi actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and Strapi differ
AttributeGitHubStrapi
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
Founded20082015

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 Strapi

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Content management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • Webhooks
  • Node.js support

Both cover

  • AWS

What people use each for

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

GitHub

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

Strapi

  • Running a self hosted headless CMS with a REST or GraphQL APInot GitHub
  • Giving editors a content admin panel over a custom content modelnot 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

Strapi

  • Cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • Starter at $35 a month allows 100,000 API requests, and overage is $1.50 per 25,000
  • Extra bandwidth is $30 per 100 GB and extra asset storage $0.60 per GB
  • Backups start at the Pro plan, weekly, and only become daily at Business
  • An uptime SLA is Business only, at $450 a month per project
  • Additional environments cost $60 a month on Pro and $300 a month on Business

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

Strapi

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Self-hosted Strapi
    • Community support
  • Pro$99/monthly
    • Cloud hosting
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support
  • Business$undefined/monthly
    • Enterprise features
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated support

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.

Choose Strapi if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.

Questions people ask

Is GitHub or Strapi better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub starts at Free and Strapi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub or Strapi?
GitHub starts at Free and Strapi at Free.
Does GitHub or Strapi run on more platforms?
GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Strapi runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
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 Strapi is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub do that Strapi cannot?
GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Strapi covers REST API, GraphQL API, Content management, PostgreSQL. Both handle AWS.

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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