A free alternative to the Fork Git client, Linux included

Why developers look for a Fork alternative

Fork is a fast, mature Git client for Macs and Windows PCs, with no Linux version, built by a two-person team since 2016 and updated about once a month. These are the reasons people most often give for trying something else.

• There is no Linux version

  A Linux build, requested in 2017, is the most-reacted issue on Fork’s public tracker. In 2017 its developer said it would not happen in the visible future, and in 2019 that it should not be expected until a mature UI toolkit exists on Linux. The only workaround people discuss is running the Windows app under Wine, which is unofficial.

• A licence to buy after the evaluation

  Fork can be downloaded and evaluated for free, but its licence asks you to buy a key for long-term use: $59.99 per user, one-time, as of October 2026. Fork’s official pages do not say how long the evaluation lasts.

• No undo button

  Fork restores lost commits through its reflog view, but its feature list and release notes show no general undo for Git operations. The Windows request to undo a discard has been open since 2020.

• Shortcuts that cannot be rebound

  The request to customise Fork’s keyboard shortcuts has been open on its tracker since 2017, so you work with the default key bindings.

• Pull requests finish in the browser

  Fork creates pull requests and, on Windows, lists pull requests and issues. Reviewing, commenting, merging and following CI checks are not described in its official material, so that work happens on the hosting site.

• Two different apps

  Fork for Mac and Fork for Windows are separate native apps with their own version numbers, and there is none for Linux. Features can land on one first: GPG signing is listed only for Mac, and Codex and Cursor support appear only in the Mac release notes.

Why developers choose GitTree

GitTree keeps the fast, keyboard-friendly way of working that Fork users like, and adds the tools they most often ask for.

• The same app on every desktop

  One GitTree, with the same version and features on macOS, Windows and Linux, so a mixed team learns one tool. Linux gets a .deb package and a portable AppImage.

• Undo for the risky operations

  Undo and redo from the toolbar for a commit or amend, checkout, reset, rebase, discard, branch or tag deletion and more. Every destructive step is snapshotted first, and a reflog view restores lost commits.

• Pull requests without leaving the app

  List, create, review, comment on and merge pull requests, see and re-run CI checks, and follow a dashboard across repositories: GitHub and Bitbucket, with newer support for GitLab and Azure DevOps.

• A terminal and shortcuts your way

  A built-in terminal docked under the graph runs your own shell, the command palette (Ctrl/⌘+Shift+P) reaches about 300 commands, and every shortcut can be rebound, with a cheat sheet.

• Signing and tidy commits everywhere

  Sign commits with GPG, SSH or X.509 on every platform, and get a Conventional Commits check, a summary length check, commit templates and co-authors.

• Private by design, AI only when you ask

  No telemetry, analytics or crash upload, and tokens stay in your system keychain. Optional AI drafts of commit messages and pull request descriptions run through your own Claude Code, Codex or Antigravity CLI, only when you click Generate.

GitTree vs Fork: feature comparison

Both are fast, visual desktop Git clients with a commit graph, line staging, interactive rebase and a conflict resolver. They differ most in platforms, price model, undo and pull request work, while Fork is ahead on maturity, bundled Git, working with no account, AI code review and image handling. The official sources are linked at the bottom of the page.

• Included
• Partly, or with limits
• Needs a paid licence
• Not available

This table compares the current public products, not every setting. Fork’s Mac app and its Windows app differ, there is no Linux app, and the rows say where. GitTree is in active development; check its features page and release notes before moving a critical workflow.

Fork price vs GitTree

Fork is a one-time purchase after a free evaluation. GitTree costs nothing today, for individuals and companies alike.

Fork’s price was checked on its official buy and licence pages in October 2026; they do not say how long the evaluation lasts. Prices change, so see Fork’s buy page for the current figure. If GitTree adds paid team plans, they will be announced in your account before anything changes.

A Fork alternative for Mac, Windows and Linux

The same GitTree on macOS, Windows and Linux, running the Git 2.39 or newer that you already have installed.

• Fork alternative for Mac

  One universal app that runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel Macs with macOS 13 Ventura or later, signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple.

• Fork alternative for Windows

  An installer of about 7.5 MB for 64-bit Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 that uses your Git for Windows. It is not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen may ask you to confirm.

• Fork alternative for Linux

  Fork has no Linux version. GitTree offers a .deb package or a portable AppImage for 64-bit Ubuntu 22.04+ and Debian 12+; on Ubuntu 22.04 and Linux Mint 21, add ppa:git-core/ppa for a newer Git first.

  Read the Linux install guide

Which one should you choose?

Both are good Git clients. Pick the one that matches how you work today, then try it on a noncritical repository before you move daily work.

How to switch from Fork to GitTree

Switching is quick. Your repositories are plain Git, so Fork and GitTree can open the same folders side by side while you decide.

1. 1

   Install Git 2.39 or newer

   Fork bundles its own Git, while GitTree uses yours. Check with git --version; on Windows install Git for Windows, and on Ubuntu 22.04 or Linux Mint 21 add ppa:git-core/ppa first.

2. 2

   Download GitTree

   Get the free installer for macOS, Windows or Linux from the download page and install it.

3. 3

   Sign in with a free account

   Create a free GitTree account on this website with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket or Azure DevOps, then sign in from the app. There is no licence key to enter.

4. 4

   Open the repositories you already have

   Choose Open, or scan a folder for repositories. History, branches, remotes, stashes and worktrees live in the repositories themselves, so there is nothing to import from Fork.

5. 5

   Connect your accounts and tools

   Optionally connect GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket or Azure DevOps in Preferences for pull requests and CI checks, then set your external diff and merge tools, signing key, theme and shortcuts.

6. 6

   Try it on a test branch

   Create a branch, stage a few lines, commit and push, then try an interactive rebase and an undo before you move daily work.