Bitbucket vs GitHub: Which one is best for you?

If you’re working on a software project, chances are you’ll need a place to store your code, track changes, and collaborate with others. That’s where Git repository platforms come in, with Bitbucket and GitHub being two of the most popular out there. 

But although the two platforms do many of the same things, they have a few key differences. GitHub is an open source platform with a massive user base, while Bitbucket is a cloud-based platform that provides tools for managing and collaborating on code projects, but is not open source.  

So, which one should you use? That depends on your team, your workflow, and what you want out of your platform. In this guide, we’ll break down what makes Bitbucket and GitHub different, what they have in common, and which one might be the better fit for you. 

Whether you’re starting your first project or managing a growing dev team, we’ll help you figure it out.

What is Bitbucket?

Bitbucket is a Git-based code hosting platform that was designed to support professional dev workflows, with built-in tools for pull requests, code review, and continuous delivery through Bitbucket Pipelines.

With Bitbucket, you can create unlimited private repositories (even on the free plan), set up CI/CD pipelines right out of the box, and work closely with your team using pull requests and inline comments. It’s all about helping teams build, ship, and manage code with fewer headaches.

The platform was first created in 2008 by a Danish developer looking for a better way to manage code repositories using Mercurial (a version control system similar to Git). While Bitbucket initially offered Mercurial support, it later transitioned to focus solely on Git, eventually removing Mercurial support entirely. 

Bitbucket is built on Django, the Python-based web framework known for its security and scalability, so you’re in good hands from the ground up. As part of the Atlassian family, Bitbucket integrates seamlessly with Jira and Confluence, making setup simple and streamlining workflows across project management and code deployment. If you’re already using Atlassian products, adopting Bitbucket is an easy, obvious choice.

What is GitHub?

GitHub is the go-to platform for open-source projects, where millions of developers share code, contribute to each other’s projects, and automate their workflows.

Like Bitbucket, GitHub also launched in 2008. It was started by a group of developers in the US who wanted to make Git more accessible and collaborative. At the time, Git was already a powerful version control system, but it wasn’t exactly user-friendly. GitHub changed that by wrapping Git in a clean, web-based interface that made sharing and contributing to code much easier.

Since joining the Microsoft family in 2018, GitHub has rolled out tons of powerful features — like GitHub Actions for CI/CD, Dependabot for automated security fixes, and even AI-assisted coding with GitHub Copilot.

What is a code repository?

A code repository is basically the home base for your source code. It’s where developers store, manage, and keep track of changes—all in one place. Whether you’re working on your own or with a big team, a repository helps you stay organized and makes collaboration way easier. Most are built on Git version control, which means you can create branches, manage commit history, and review code without any headaches. With features like branch permissions and built-in review tools, it’s easy to keep your code clean and under control.

How code repositories keep your code safe

Keeping your code safe is a top priority, and that’s why repositories are so important. Private settings let you control who can see or edit your work, so sensitive code stays protected. You can set branch permissions to limit who can make changes to key areas and require code reviews to catch bugs before they cause trouble. On top of that, many platforms come with security scanning, backup systems, and tools to spot vulnerabilities early, so your team’s work is always safe, secure, and easy to access when you need it.

How code repositories help you deliver software faster

Code repositories aren’t just for storing code — they’re built to help you move faster and work smarter. CI/CD pipelines automate the boring stuff like building, testing, and deploying, which means fewer mistakes and faster releases. Pull requests and code reviews are baked right in, so teams can easily give feedback and catch issues early on. And thanks to cloud hosting and integration with other tools, it’s super simple to tailor your setup and deploy updates in just a few clicks. Everything you need to build and ship great software lives in one place.

Key features: Bitbucket

Bitbucket is packed with features designed to support professional teams through the entire software development lifecycle — from planning and writing code to tracking issues and deploying.

Its robust management features, seamless integration with Atlassian tools like Jira and Confluence, and support for third-party apps such as Wikis and project boards to enhance repository functionality make it a strong option. Here are some of the platform’s key features.

• Repository management: Bitbucket offers advanced repository management, supporting both Git and Mercurial version control systems, with strong security, flexibility, and enterprise-level features for teams of all sizes.
• Built-in CI/CD: Bitbucket makes it easy for teams to collaborate through pull requests, where teammates can review and comment on code changes before merging. This helps teams maintain quality, spot bugs early, and share knowledge.
• Unlimited private repositories: If you’re working on a private project or managing client work, unlimited private repositories are a huge plus, especially when compared to platforms that put caps on them unless you upgrade.
• Branch comparison and commit history: If you need to see how a feature branch differs from main or review a teammate’s commits before approving a merge, Bitbucket makes it straightforward to view detailed diffs and commit logs.
• Branch permissions: One standout feature Bitbucket offers is granular branch permissions. This allows you to restrict who can push to specific branches, like main or release. It’s a great way to avoid mistakes, like accidentally pushing straight to production. For many teams, this level of control is a key differentiator.
• Desktop and mobile support: Bitbucket provides native clients for macOS and Windows through SourceTree, a free Git GUI also developed by Atlassian. On the go? There’s also BitBeaker, an Android app that lets you manage your repositories from your phone.
• Enterprise-grade features: For larger organizations, Bitbucket Server (formerly known as Stash) offers a self-hosted version of Bitbucket with added flexibility, control, and compliance features. This is ideal for teams with strict internal policies or those who prefer to keep their code on-premises.
• Continuous delivery and issue tracking: Bitbucket includes features like integrated CI/CD pipelines, so you can automatically test and deploy your code. It also offers basic issue tracking, and Wikis for documentation, all without needing extra tools.
• Support: If you’re using Bamboo for CI/CD or Confluence for team documentation, Bitbucket plays nicely with both. The same goes for Crucible (code review) and Jenkins.
• Snippets: Want to share a reusable piece of code across projects? With Snippets, you can create and manage multi-file code examples, useful for documentation, reusable templates, or sharing scripts.
• Integrations: Bitbucket supports a wide range of third-party and developer tools, whether you’re managing deployments, testing, monitoring, or collaborating across teams. For example, it integrates with Jira, Trello, Slack, and CI/CD tools, enhancing workflows, code management, and project tracking. You can also integrate Bitbucket with Confluence to improve documentation and publishing capabilities, supporting complex requirements and better workflow collaboration. 
• Git LFS support: If your project involves large binary files—think media assets, datasets, or compiled libraries—Bitbucket’s support for Git Large File Storage (LFS) helps speed up cloning and fetching. It separates large files from the main Git history, making day-to-day work faster and more efficient.
• Reusable repositories: Bitbucket’s Smart Mirroring feature hosts read-only mirrors of repositories, minimizing clone time for remote teams. You can also create repository templates or share setup scripts to help teams standardize project structures and onboard faster.

Key features: GitHub

Github’s collaboration tools, code review, and project management features are designed to streamline development workflows and support teams of all sizes. 

Its intuitive UI makes it easy for both new and experienced developers to navigate the platform, access its features, and manage projects efficiently. This user-friendly and accessible design is a key reason for GitHub’s widespread adoption in both professional and personal development environments. 

GitHub has become the go-to platform for millions of developers, especially those working on open-source projects. But it’s not just for open source anymore. These days, GitHub supports everything from personal projects and boot camp assignments to massive enterprise software. Part of its appeal is how approachable it is, whether you’re brand new to Git or managing complex, multi-team workflows. 

Let’s dig into what makes GitHub so powerful and popular.

• Open-source community: This is where GitHub really stands out. It’s the home for open-source software. With millions of public repositories, GitHub has helped foster a culture of sharing, learning, and contribution. Major projects like Linux, jQuery, React, and Node.js are hosted on GitHub, and you’ll find trending projects and active communities on just about every topic imaginable.
• Built-in issue tracking: Every GitHub repository comes with its own issue tracker, so you can report bugs, suggest new features, ask questions, or plan enhancements — all within the project. Each issue can be labeled, commented on, assigned to contributors, and closed when it’s done, making it easy to manage ongoing work without leaving the platform.
• Milestones and labels: To stay organized, you can group issues and pull requests using milestones — helpful if you’re planning a release or sprint — and tag them with labels like “bug,” “enhancement,” or “needs review.” These features make it easier to prioritize tasks and get a high-level view of what’s happening in a project.
• Branch comparison views: GitHub gives you a clear visual of what’s changed between branches, making it straightforward to review code differences before merging. This is especially handy when working in teams, as you can review what’s new, what’s been updated, and if there are any merge conflicts to sort out.
• Desktop and mobile apps: GitHub has native desktop apps for Windows and macOS, making it easy to manage repositories, stage changes, and sync with remote branches. There’s also a mobile app for Android and iOS, which is great for reviewing pull requests or checking notifications while you’re on the move.
• Broad language support: GitHub supports over 200 programming languages and data formats. Whether it’s JavaScript, Python, Go, Rust, or something more niche, GitHub likely supports it with proper syntax highlighting and formatting.
• GitHub Pages: One of the more unique features is GitHub Pages, which lets you turn a repo into a live website. It’s a great way to host documentation, personal portfolios, blogs, or project pages directly from your GitHub repo — no external hosting needed.
• Strong security features: GitHub takes security seriously. All data transmission is encrypted using SSL, SSH, or HTTPS, and two-factor authentication is available (and encouraged) to protect your account. You can also configure branch protection rules, enforce code review requirements, and use security scanning tools that check for known vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
• Third-party integrations: If you’re looking to connect GitHub with the other tools you use, you’re in luck. GitHub has a robust API and supports a wide variety of third-party integrations. For example, Asana and Zendesk for issue tracking and support, Travis CI, CircleCI, CloudBees, and CodeClimate for continuous integration and quality checks, AWS, Google Cloud, Heroku, and Azure for deploying your apps.
• Syntax highlighting: This might seem like a small thing, but syntax highlighting makes a big difference when you’re browsing code on the web. GitHub does this exceptionally well and for a ton of languages. It’s something users have come to expect, and it makes reading and reviewing code much easier. (It’s worth noting that Bitbucket still doesn’t offer syntax highlighting to the same level.)
• GitHub Actions: GitHub’s automation workflows are a major strength, helping teams streamline repetitive tasks. Specifically, GitHub Actions lets you automate tasks right inside your repo. Whether you’re running tests, building your app, deploying to the cloud, or linting code on every push, Actions can handle it. Workflows are defined in YAML, and you can mix and match actions from the community or build your own. It’s flexible, powerful, and deeply integrated with your codebase—no need for third-party CI/CD tools if you don’t want them. 
• GitHub Copilot: Think of Copilot as an AI-powered coding partner that suggests entire lines or blocks of code as you type. Trained on a vast amount of public code, it can help speed up repetitive tasks, explore unfamiliar APIs, or even inspire better solutions. It’s not perfect, but once you get used to it, it’s like having a second brain while you code.
• Collaboration tools: GitHub’s collaboration features are central to its popularity among teams. It isn’t just a place to store code—it’s built for team collaboration. Use pull requests for code review, discussions for community Q&A or team conversations, and project boards to plan and track work. These features help you move from idea to release without leaving the platform. 
• Dependabot: GitHub helps you stay ahead of security issues. Dependabot automatically alerts you when your dependencies have known vulnerabilities—and can even open pull requests to fix them. GitHub’s code scanning tools also check your code for security issues and suggest improvements. These baked-in features help teams ship safer code with less manual effort.
• Marketplace: The GitHub Marketplace is packed with apps, tools, and actions that extend GitHub’s capabilities. From code quality checks to DevOps automation to project management plugins, you can tailor your GitHub environment to fit your workflow. It’s like an app store — but for your dev process.

Advantages: Bitbucket

While GitHub often gets the spotlight, Bitbucket has its own set of strengths, especially if your team is already using the Atlassian ecosystem. Bitbucket can also serve as a complete DevOps platform, supporting everything from project planning and source code management to CI/CD and monitoring within a single application.

1. Jira integration

If your team already uses Jira, Bitbucket feels like a natural extension. You can view related commits, branches, and pull requests right inside Jira issues, and vice versa. It keeps your code and your task tracking in sync without extra tools or plugins.

Example: Your product manager links a Jira ticket to a feature branch. Without leaving Jira, they can check the pull request’s status and see if it passed CI — all without bugging a developer for an update.

2. Unlimited private repos + free for small teams

Bitbucket gives you unlimited private repositories and supports up to five users for free. It’s a generous setup for small teams or early-stage projects trying to stay lean without giving up features. It also allows unlimited collaborators on repositories, so you can invite as many team members as you need without extra costs or restrictions.

Example: A three-person startup uses Bitbucket to manage multiple internal tools. They don’t need to worry about hitting a paywall as they scale their repo count.

3. Privacy

Unlike GitHub, which has a strong public community vibe, Bitbucket feels more ‘behind the scenes’. It’s built for private repositories and internal collaboration—perfect for teams working on proprietary code or client work that’s not meant to be public. The platform isn’t trying to be a social network for developers, and for some teams, that’s a plus.

Example: An agency handling multiple confidential client projects uses Bitbucket to keep everything private and separate. There’s no pressure to maintain public profiles or worry about accidentally exposing code.

4. Flexible hosting options

Bitbucket Data Center is the self-hosted, enterprise-grade deployment model, offering scalability and advanced compliance features for large organizations.Whether you want to use Bitbucket’s cloud offering or host it yourself with Data Center, you’ve got options. This flexibility is especially useful for enterprise teams with strict compliance or infrastructure requirements.

Example: A financial institution chooses the self-managed version of Bitbucket to meet internal data policies, while their dev team still enjoys the same interface and tools as the cloud version.

Advantages: GitHub

GitHub has become the default hub for open-source development, and that kind of network effect is hard to beat. The platform has a few standout advantages that make it a go-to for many developers and teams, especially if you’re working in open source or want a larger community.

1. Community

GitHub is the place for open source. With over 100 million developers, if you’re looking to collaborate, find contributors, or just browse how others solve problems, GitHub has way more eyes on it than Bitbucket.

Example: Say you’re building a tool that parses Markdown into HTML. On GitHub, you can search for similar projects, fork an existing one, and even open a pull request to contribute. There’s a good chance someone else has already built something close—or is willing to help you improve yours.

2. Integrations

GitHub plays really well with other tools—CI/CD, code scanning, project boards, bots, you name it. GitHub Actions (its built-in CI/CD) is super powerful and flexible. You can automate everything from testing to deployments with just a few lines of YAML.

Example: You can set up a GitHub Action to automatically run tests every time someone opens a pull request. Or deploy your app to AWS or Netlify when code is pushed to main. It’s all native, no extra setup or third-party tools required.

3. AI tools

If you’ve tried GitHub Copilot, you know what we’re talking about. It’s like autocomplete for coding — an AI pair programmer that suggests code as you type. Bitbucket doesn’t offer anything close to this yet.

Example: Let’s say you’re writing a Python function to clean up a CSV. Copilot can suggest the whole function in seconds based on your function name and a comment. 

4. Easy automation 

GitHub Actions is a powerful built-in automation tool. Whether you’re running tests, deploying code, or publishing releases, Actions lets you create workflows without needing third-party CI/CD tools.

Example: You can automatically run your test suite every time someone opens a pull request, and then auto-deploy to production once it’s merged. All of that happens within GitHub, with no extra integrations.

4. Open source 

GitHub makes it way easier to contribute to other projects. The UI is smoother, the issue tracker is more active, and things like forks and pull requests are more intuitive. It’s just designed with collaboration in mind.

Example: Found a typo in someone’s README? On GitHub, you can edit it directly in the browser and open a PR without ever cloning the repo. That’s huge for non-developers or casual contributors who just want to help.

5. Familiarity and user experience

If you’re hiring or collaborating with others, chances are they already know GitHub. Onboarding is quicker when your tools are familiar — and that means less time explaining where things are and more time building. Also, the interface is polished, fast, and beginner-friendly.

Example: During a hackathon, your team picks GitHub not because it’s technically better for private repos, but because everyone knows how to use it. That kind of familiarity is underrated.

Disadvantages: Bitbucket

No tool is perfect, and Bitbucket has a few areas where it might not stack up depending on your team’s needs. While Bitbucket offers robust code management capabilities, including version control and collaboration features, it may have some limitations compared to other platforms like GitHub and GitLab, especially in terms of integrated DevOps features and public ecosystem support.

1. Community

Bitbucket is a proprietary, closed-source platform. While it does support public repositories, its public ecosystem is much smaller and less active compared to GitHub’s. GitHub is known for hosting millions of open-source projects and has a large, vibrant community that makes it easier to find tutorials, examples, and developers with prior experience. Bitbucket is primarily focused on private repositories and internal collaboration, so there are fewer public resources and fewer developers familiar with the platform, which can slow onboarding and make hiring more challenging.

2. User experience

Bitbucket’s interface is functional but doesn’t feel as smooth or intuitive as GitHub’s. Things like reviewing pull requests, switching branches, or leaving inline comments often take a few more clicks than expected. This can lead to minor friction in daily workflows. For example, new team members might take longer to ramp up—not because they’re unfamiliar with Git, but because it takes time to figure out how Bitbucket organizes key features.

3. Integrations

While Bitbucket connects well with Atlassian tools like Jira and Confluence, its third-party app marketplace is limited compared to GitHub’s. If you rely on a wide mix of tools—say, for testing, deployment, or design—you might discover that many offer GitHub support by default but leave Bitbucket out. That could mean building your own integration or working without one altogether.

4. Hosting options

Bitbucket used to offer a self-hosted Server version, but that’s being phased out. Now, teams are left with two options: move to Bitbucket Cloud or upgrade to the enterprise-level Data Center edition. For mid-sized teams, this creates a challenge. Cloud may not meet internal policies or performance needs, and a Data Center comes with a steeper price tag and infrastructure demands. What was once a flexible hosting option now feels more limited.

5. Exclusively supports Git

GitHub officially ended support for Subversion (SVN) access in January 2024 and now focuses exclusively on Git repositories. Teams or projects still using SVN must migrate their repositories to Git to maintain functionality on GitHub. This limits options for organizations relying on SVN, requiring additional migration work and potentially complicating workflows.

Disadvantages: GitHub

While GitHub is one of the most popular and powerful platforms out there, it’s not without its drawbacks. Depending on your team’s size, tools, and needs, some limitations may affect your workflow or require extra workarounds. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key disadvantages to keep in mind when considering GitHub for your projects.

1. Collaboration limits

GitHub’s free plan includes private repositories but comes with limitations, especially around collaboration features like advanced code review tools, multiple assignees, or required reviewers. For teams that rely heavily on those features to coordinate work, these restrictions can slow down productivity or force an upgrade to a paid plan. Additionally, some support options are only available to paid users, while free users have access to self-help resources.

2. Jira integration

GitHub can integrate with Jira, but it’s not nearly as seamless as Bitbucket’s tight Atlassian connection. You’ll often need extra setup time and maintenance to keep everything working smoothly. For teams deeply invested in Jira, this can create extra friction compared to Bitbucket’s near-native experience.

3. Deployment options

GitHub mostly offers cloud-based hosting with no self-managed alternative, which limits flexibility for organizations with strict security policies or internal hosting requirements. Bitbucket’s options to use either cloud or enterprise-grade self-hosted Data Center editions give it an edge for teams that need more control over where and how their data is stored.

4. Complexity

While GitHub’s huge ecosystem is great for experienced developers and large teams, it can overwhelm newcomers or smaller groups who just want a simple, straightforward platform. The abundance of options, apps, and integrations might lead to decision fatigue and slow down onboarding.

5. Version control support

Bitbucket phased out support for Mercurial repositories in June 2020 and now supports only Git. This change means teams using Mercurial or other non-Git version control systems must migrate their projects to Git to continue using Bitbucket. For organizations with legacy Mercurial repositories or workflows, this migration can require significant effort and retraining.

Differences: Bitbucket vs GitHub

1. Extensions and integrations

When it comes to third-party tools and integrations, both platforms offer plenty of ways to customize and enhance your development workflow. These integrations are essential for managing development projects, from hosting and reviewing code to collaborating with team members. GitHub’s integrations center around GitHub Actions and a curated set of tools for CI/CD, cloud services, and project management, with a strong focus on automation. 

Bitbucket, on the other hand, connects deeply with the Atlassian ecosystem, giving it access to the massive Atlassian Marketplace, with thousands of apps that work across Bitbucket, Jira, Confluence, and more. If your team already uses Atlassian tools, this built-in synergy can be a big advantage for both project planning and development projects.

2. User interface

Both platforms offer modern, functional interfaces, but the experience differs slightly. Bitbucket is known for its clean and minimal dashboard, which makes it easy to navigate, especially for newer users or those managing multiple projects.

GitHub’s interface is more feature-rich but can feel a bit cluttered at first, particularly if you’re not already familiar with how things are laid out. Once you learn your way around, though, it becomes a powerful and flexible space for managing your work.

3. Security and compliance

Both platforms offer strong security, but their strengths lie in different areas. GitHub focuses on developer-first tools like automated vulnerability scanning, dependency updates, and secret detection—all built into the workflow. Bitbucket, meanwhile, is better at centralized control, offering features like IP allowlisting, SAML SSO via Atlassian Access, and enterprise-grade compliance across the Atlassian suite.

If your team wants hands-on security during development, GitHub might be the better fit. If you’re looking for tighter admin controls and alignment with broader IT policies, Bitbucket could be a smarter choice.

4. Wikis and boards

If documentation is part of your workflow, Bitbucket allows you to enable a wiki on any repo, public or private, which is great for internal notes, instructions, or project overviews. GitHub also offers wikis, but only on public repositories in its free plan.

However, GitHub includes a built-in Kanban-style Projects board by default—ideal for basic task tracking and planning. While Bitbucket doesn’t have native boards, it integrates seamlessly with Trello, giving you a powerful visual way to manage tasks if you need it.

5. Branch permissions

Both platforms support branch-level permissions, which means you can control who can push to specific branches—a crucial feature for maintaining clean code. Bitbucket includes this on all plans, even for private repos, making it especially team-friendly. GitHub supports it too, but full control over private repo permissions requires a paid plan, so that’s something to keep in mind if your team relies on strict access control.

6. Support and community

When it comes to community, GitHub leads the way thanks to its massive open-source presence, with millions of developers sharing and collaborating on code. It’s a great platform if you’re looking to contribute to—or gain visibility through—public projects. 

Bitbucket, meanwhile, is more business-focused, offering strong customer support, detailed documentation, and resources like webinars and tutorials. While its community isn’t as expansive as GitHub’s, it’s well-suited for teams working privately within the Atlassian ecosystem.

Pricing: Bitbucket vs. GitHub

Money is always a big factor when picking the right code hosting platform. Bitbucket and GitHub both have free options, but their paid plans and features can look pretty different depending on your team’s needs. 

Let’s break down what you should know about pricing for each so you can figure out what fits best.

Bitbucket

Bitbucket provides a range of pricing options:

• Free plan: Best for small teams, it includes up to 5 users, unlimited private and public repositories, 50 CI/CD build minutes, and 1 GB of Git LFS.
• Standard plan: At $3.30 per user/month, this plan adds 2,500 build minutes, 5 GB of LFS, and access to support.
• Premium plan: At $6.60 per user/month, the Premium plan includes 3,500 build minutes, 10 GB of LFS, advanced security features like IP allowlisting and enforced merge checks, plus premium support and a 99.9% uptime SLA.
• Data Center: A self-hosted option for enterprises, with custom pricing and advanced security and compliance features.

GitHub

GitHub offers both free and paid plans, depending on the level of features and support you need.

• Free plan: Ideal for individuals and small teams, includes unlimited public and private repositories, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, and basic security features like Dependabot alerts.
• Pro plan: For individuals at $4/month, adds email support, 3,000 Actions minutes, repository insights, and advanced tools like required reviewers and protected branches.
• Team plan: For organizations at $4 per user/month, includes Pro features plus team management tools like role-based access controls, team reviewers, and shared code ownership.
• Enterprise plan: Starting at $21 per user/month, offers everything in Team plus enterprise-grade security, SAML SSO, 50,000 Action minutes, audit logs, and priority support.

Which is better: Bitbucket or GitHub?

It’s not really about which one is better — Bitbucket and GitHub serve different purposes, and many teams actually use both depending on their needs. Bitbucket is great for teams deeply embedded in the Atlassian ecosystem, thanks to its seamless integration with Jira and other Atlassian tools. It’s often chosen for private, internal projects where tight collaboration and project tracking matter most.

GitHub, on the other hand, is renowned for its massive open-source community, making it ideal for public-facing projects or when teams want to tap into a larger developer network. It also offers powerful collaboration and automation features that many teams rely on.

Because each platform has unique strengths, teams sometimes use Bitbucket for internal development and GitHub for open-source or public projects. This way, they get the best of both worlds—solid project management and integration on one side, plus broad visibility and community engagement on the other. So, rather than picking a side, many find using both works best.

Why consider Backlog?

While GitHub and Bitbucket are great as code hosting and version control platforms, their project management features can feel limited or fragmented. GitHub offers basic issue tracking and Kanban boards, but it’s primarily focused on code collaboration. Bitbucket integrates tightly with Jira for project management, but that can mean juggling multiple tools and interfaces.

Backlog takes a different approach by combining Git and Subversion repository hosting with built-in, full-featured project management tools — all in one platform. You get issue tracking, pull requests, wikis, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and time tracking without needing to switch between apps.

This unified setup means your team can handle code reviews, track bugs, plan sprints, and visualize project timelines in one place. It’s designed to simplify workflows, especially for teams that want to avoid piecing together separate tools for development and project tracking.

If your team is looking for a straightforward, all-in-one solution that balances powerful version control with robust project management features, Backlog is definitely worth a look.

How Backlog compares to Bitbucket and GitHub

Choosing the right tool really depends on what your team needs every day. Bitbucket and GitHub are fantastic for hosting code and collaborating on development, but you often need extra apps to manage projects fully. Backlog combines everything — code hosting, project management, issue tracking, and more — all in one platform that integrates Git. Here’s how they stack up:

1. All-in-one platform

GitHub and Bitbucket focus mostly on Git hosting with some project features, but you usually need separate apps like Jira or Trello for full project management. Backlog brings all that together — Git/SVN repos, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, issue tracking, and wikis — in one easy-to-use platform.

Example: Instead of hopping between GitHub for code and Trello for tasks, Backlog lets you handle code, tasks, and timelines without switching apps.

2. Version control flexibility

GitHub only supports Git. Bitbucket dropped Mercurial and now supports just Git, too. Backlog supports both Git and Subversion (SVN), so if your team uses both, you don’t need to juggle multiple tools.

Example: Your legacy projects are in SVN, but new ones use Git — with Backlog, you manage both in one place instead of using separate platforms.

3. Project visualization with Gantt charts

GitHub and Bitbucket don’t have built-in Gantt charts — you’d need extra software to get those project timelines and dependencies visualized. Backlog includes Gantt charts that update automatically as you work, making it easy to keep track of deadlines and task dependencies.

Example: Instead of juggling spreadsheets or third-party tools, your project manager can see the whole timeline and adjust deadlines right inside Backlog.

4. Better Kanban boards

GitHub and Bitbucket have Kanban boards, but you have to move cards yourself when statuses change. Backlog automates this — tasks move automatically through columns as their status updates, so less manual work and fewer chances to forget updates.

Example: When a developer finishes a bug fix, Backlog moves the task to “Done” without them needing to update the board manually.

5. Code and issue linking

Bitbucket and GitHub let you link pull requests and commits to issues, but often you have to do it manually or set it up yourself. Backlog links commits, merge requests, and issues automatically, making it easier to track progress without extra admin.

Example: Fix a bug, and Backlog automatically connects your commit to the related issue — everyone can see the update without you lifting a finger.

6. Integrated wiki and documentation

GitHub’s wiki is separate, and Bitbucket’s is basic — meaning documentation can feel disconnected from your code and tasks. Backlog’s wiki is fully integrated, so you can keep docs and project info in one place.

Example: Need to check the API docs or project specs? They’re right there alongside your tasks and code, so no more hunting through different sites.

7. Permissions and security

GitHub and Bitbucket offer repo-level permissions, but finer control over who can do what on specific tasks or projects can be limited. Backlog gives you detailed permission controls, so you can decide exactly who can view or edit particular tasks, issues, or repos.

Example: Want your marketing team to view project timelines but not touch the code? Backlog lets you set those boundaries easily.

8. Agile support

GitHub and Bitbucket have basic Agile boards, but Backlog is designed for Agile workflows with Scrum and Kanban support, sprint planning, and burndown charts built-in.

Example: Your Scrum team can plan sprints, track burndown charts, and update Agile boards all inside Backlog — no extra tools needed.

9. Merge requests and code review

Pull requests in GitHub and Bitbucket are powerful, but can get messy with comments scattered across conversations. Backlog’s merge requests integrate inline comments with task tracking, making code reviews easier to follow and manage.

Example: Instead of juggling feedback in different threads, reviewers and developers see comments directly next to the code, and task status updates happen automatically.

10. User-friendly for non-developers

GitHub and Bitbucket’s UIs are great for devs but can overwhelm designers, marketers, or project managers. Backlog’s clean, intuitive interface makes it easy for everyone on the team to check progress, update tasks, and collaborate.

Example: Your designer can quickly see the project status and add notes without needing to learn complex Git workflows.

11. Integration with Cacoo for visual collaboration

Backlog integrates tightly with Cacoo, a diagramming tool, so you can attach flowcharts, wireframes, and diagrams directly to tasks. GitHub and Bitbucket don’t have a similar visual collaboration tool.

Example: When designing a new feature, your team can add a Cacoo diagram to the related Backlog issue, keeping visuals and work connected without bouncing between apps.

Finding the right tool for your team

Choosing between Bitbucket and GitHub really depends on what your team needs most. Both offer powerful Git hosting, but Bitbucket stands out with built-in Jira integration, while GitHub shines with its huge community, extensive integrations, and advanced collaboration features like Actions and Codespaces.

At the end of the day, it’s all about what fits your workflow best. And if you want to go even further, consider Backlog — it combines version control, Issue tracking, project management, and documentation into one easy-to-use platform, helping you stay organized without juggling multiple apps.

Whatever you pick, embracing solid version control practices will set your team up for success.