GitHub excels as a lightweight, community-focused Git hosting platform with superior collaboration features, while Azure DevOps provides an integrated suite with built-in CI/CD, testing, and project management tools. GitHub dominates for open-source projects (100M+ repositories), whereas Azure DevOps targets enterprises needing end-to-end DevOps workflows.
GitHub vs Azure DevOps — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based Git repository hosting with collaboration tools and CI/CD automation via Actions.
Microsoft's integrated platform offering version control, CI/CD pipelines, testing, and project management in one suite.
Public Repositories. Built-in CI/CD Pipelines. Native Project Management. Test Management Features. Repository Hosting. Community & Marketplace. Enterprise Pricing (50 users)
Choose GitHub if you're building open-source projects, prioritize community collaboration, or need the most cost-effective solution for public repositories—it's the industry standard for development community and offers unlimited free public repos. Choose Azure DevOps if you're an enterprise requiring integrated project management, test case management, artifact repositories, and comprehensive security—it's purpose-built for large teams managing end-to-end DevOps workflows within the Microsoft ecosystem.
GitHub: 2000 minutes with Actions | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Enterprise edition only ($231/user/year minimum) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Unlimited LFS (with 1GB free tier) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Advanced with CodeQL (free on public repos) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Over 100 million developers | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Yes, with unlimited repositories | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: $21 for Teams | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: ~200 million | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Yes (Actions) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Third-party plugin | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 2,000 minutes (GitHub Actions) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: $4/user/month (GitHub Team) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: GitHub Functions (beta/limited) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Via GitHub Pages or custom workflow | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Version control & code collaboration | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Unlimited repos, 100 GB/repo max | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Basic insights for Actions only | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 100+ million | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 2,000 (GitHub Actions) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: GDPR-compliant (multiple regions) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: User analytics enabled by default | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: GitHub Enterprise (paid, proprietary) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Free (unlimited) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 2,000 (public) / 500 (private) | Azure DevOps: 1,800
GitHub: $4 per user/month | Azure DevOps: $6 per user/month
GitHub: Unlimited (97M+ total) | Azure DevOps: Not public-facing
GitHub: Configurable required reviewers + CODEOWNERS enforcement | Azure DevOps: Branch policies with reviewer requirements
GitHub: 1 (Git only) | Azure DevOps: 2 (Git + TFVC)
GitHub: N/A (requires external CI/CD) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Unlimited (via Actions) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: No (code storage only) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Community integrations only | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Not applicable | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 100,000,000+ | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Unlimited (via GitHub Actions) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: $231+ (GitHub Enterprise) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: GitHub Actions (separate workflow service) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Pull Requests with detailed approval workflows | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Audit logs, SSO, IP allowlisting (Enterprise only) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 100M+ registered | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: GitHub Apps marketplace plugin | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: No, Enterprise tier required ($231/user/year) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 80M+ public repos | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: 10,000+ GitHub Apps | Azure DevOps: 800+
GitHub: Unlimited repos | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: Unlimited repositories (1GB LFS limit) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: US-based servers, limited EU compliance | Azure DevOps: N/A
Built-in Code Scanning & Security Features
GitHub: Advanced (SAST, secret scanning, dependency alerts) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: For-profit (Microsoft subsidiary) | Azure DevOps: N/A
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Azure Boards (native)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Branch policies, approval gates, build validation
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Unlimited (public), 1,800 (private)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: 1 (Git only)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: $12.00 (Premium tier)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: 1,800 minutes (Microsoft-hosted agents)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: No, requires separate Azure Container Registry
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: 50,000+ (enterprise proven)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Deprecated; Server edition EOL in 2024
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Native, deeply integrated
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Dedicated Test Plans with full lifecycle management
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: 600+ via marketplace and native Azure services
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: $6 (or free tier)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Yes (Azure Pipelines native)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Yes (Git and TFVC included)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Standard (basic custom fields, limited automation)
GitHub: N/A | Azure DevOps: Up to 5 (full features)
How to choose between GitHub and Azure DevOps
GitHub vs Azure DevOps — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for GitHub vs Azure DevOps. Contains 86 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
GitHub vs Azure DevOps — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for GitHub vs Azure DevOps.
Which platform is better for open-source projects?
GitHub is significantly better for open-source. It hosts 100M+ public repositories (vs Azure DevOps having minimal public usage), offers unlimited free public repos, and is the industry standard where 80%+ of open-source projects are hosted. GitHub's community, GitHub Sponsors integration, and social coding features make collaboration seamless.
Does GitHub have project management features like Azure DevOps?
GitHub has basic project management (Issues, Projects board with Kanban view), but lacks Azure DevOps' advanced features like sprint planning, backlog refinement, burndown charts, and roadmaps. For Agile teams needing comprehensive sprint management, Azure DevOps is superior. GitHub Projects improved in 2024 but remains simpler than Azure DevOps.
GitHub is dramatically cheaper. GitHub Team costs $231/month for 50 users, while Azure DevOps requires per-user CALs ($6/user minimum) plus base services, totaling ~$2,700/month for 50 users. GitHub's free tier also supports unlimited collaborators on private repos, whereas Azure DevOps charges per user from the start.
Can I use GitHub Actions for CI/CD like Azure Pipelines?
Yes, GitHub Actions provides robust CI/CD capabilities with 2,000 free minutes monthly (slightly more than Azure Pipelines' 1,800 minutes). However, Azure Pipelines excels in complex enterprise scenarios with multi-stage deployments, approval gates, and integration with Release Management. For most projects, GitHub Actions suffices.
Is Azure DevOps better for .NET and Microsoft stack projects?
Yes, Azure DevOps has tighter integration with Visual Studio, .NET tooling, and Azure cloud services. However, GitHub works equally well with .NET (especially .NET Core/.NET 5+). The choice depends on whether you need Azure DevOps' test management and project planning features—GitHub is adequate for most .NET teams.
How to Choose Between GitHub and Azure DevOps
Public Repositories: GitHub has Unlimited, Free, while Azure DevOps has Limited to 3 free users per org.
Built-in CI/CD Pipelines: GitHub has GitHub Actions (2,000 free minutes/month), while Azure DevOps has Azure Pipelines (1,800 free minutes/month).
Native Project Management: GitHub has Basic (Issues, Projects board), while Azure DevOps has Advanced (Boards, Backlogs, Sprints, Roadmaps).
Test Management Features: GitHub has Third-party integrations only, while Azure DevOps has Built-in Test Plans & Exploratory Testing.
Repository Hosting: GitHub has Git-only, unlimited private repos free, while Azure DevOps has Git + TFVC, unlimited private repos free.
Community & Marketplace: GitHub has 13,000+ Actions in Marketplace, while Azure DevOps has 5,000+ Extensions in Marketplace.
Enterprise Pricing (50 users): GitHub has $231/month (GitHub Team), while Azure DevOps has $2,700/month (Azure DevOps + CALs).