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Version control software · head to head

Codeberg vs GitHub

Sebastiaan Smits Editor Sebastiaan Smits · Published September 30, 2026 · Updated October 20, 2026

Codeberg is free hosting for free and open source projects, run by Codeberg e.V., a Berlin non-profit whose members vote on its policies. GitHub is a commercial host owned by Microsoft that takes any code, public or private, and has the largest contributor pool. Maintainers who care about governance choose Codeberg; companies and projects chasing contributors choose GitHub.

Side by side

CodebergGitHub
What it isFree non-profit hosting for open source onlyThe default Git host, owned by Microsoft
Best forOpen source maintainers, never proprietary company codeTeams that want the biggest ecosystem and easiest hiring
HeadquartersGermanyUnited States
Pricing modelOpen sourcePer user / month
PricingFree for projects that qualify, within default quotas of 750 MiB of Git storage and 1.5 GiB of packages, LFS and attachments that larger projects can ask to raise; there is no paid tier.Free plan covers unlimited public and private repositories; Team is $4 per user per month and Enterprise starts at $21 per user per month, both shown as rates for the first 12 months, published.
Free optionOpen sourceFree plan
List price
as listed on September 30, 2026		Free to use (non-profit, funded by donations and members)$4 per user per month for the first 12 months (Team); Free plan available
Place in our version control software ranking#14 of 15#6 of 15
Websitecodeberg.orggithub.com

Both are reviewed in full in Best Version Control Software in 2026. Position in that ranking can be paid for; the wording of a review or of this comparison cannot. Placement disclosure.

Which one to choose

Choose Codeberg if

your project is free and open source, you want it hosted by a member-governed non-profit that has promised not to train AI on hosted code, and you can live with volunteer-reviewed, shared CI capacity.

Codeberg, #14 in the ranking · Visit Codeberg →

Choose GitHub if

you host proprietary code, need private repositories or enterprise controls such as SAML SSO, or want your open source project where the most contributors and third-party integrations already are.

GitHub, #6 in the ranking · Visit GitHub →

Where they differ

What you are allowed to host

Codeberg's terms of use limit it to free and open source software, open hardware and free cultural works; private repositories are tolerated only for small things such as secrets or team discussions. GitHub's free plan covers public and private repositories, with Team listed at $4 and Enterprise from $21 per user per month for the first 12 months. For closed-source work, GitHub is the only candidate of the two.

Edge: GitHub

Who makes the rules

Codeberg e.V. is a registered association in Berlin: each voting member has one vote, and the general assembly elects the presidium. At its 2026 assembly, members adopted a statement that Codeberg will not use project or user code to train AI tools. GitHub is a subsidiary of Microsoft, which completed the acquisition in October 2018. Maintainers who want a host without shareholders get that from Codeberg.

Edge: Codeberg

CI capacity and access

Codeberg's hosted Woodpecker CI needs an access request reviewed by a volunteer, runs only linux/amd64, shares limited resources and is offered as is; hosted Forgejo Actions is in limited open alpha. GitHub's Free plan includes 2,000 Actions minutes a month, Team 3,000 and Enterprise 50,000, with public repositories free. A project with heavy or time-sensitive builds will feel the difference.

Edge: GitHub

Storage and size

Codeberg introduced default quotas in May 2025: 750 MiB of Git storage per user or organization plus 1.5 GiB for LFS, packages, releases and attachments, with more granted automatically for established projects or on request. GitHub lists 500 MB of package storage on Free, 2 GB on Team and 50 GB on Enterprise, free for public repositories. Most projects fit either; large ones should ask Codeberg first.

Edge: even

Reaching contributors

More engineers already hold a GitHub account and more open source projects already live there than on any competing host, which lowers the barrier for a drive-by contribution. Codeberg offers the working parts, including issues, a wiki, Pages with custom domains and a Weblate instance for translations, all free. What it does not bring is that built-in audience.

Edge: GitHub

Tally: Codeberg 1, GitHub 3, even 1.

When neither fits

A company with proprietary code that does not want a US-owned host fits neither. Gitoro is a Danish SaaS platform aimed at small teams, and Forgejo is open source software governed by a non-profit that you run on your own server, with no vendor to call.

See Gitoro and Forgejo among the 15 products in Best Version Control Software in 2026.

Questions and answers

Can a company use Codeberg instead of GitHub for private code?

No. Codeberg's terms of use restrict it to free and open source software, open hardware and free cultural works, and private repositories are allowed only for small supporting material. GitHub's free plan covers private repositories, with paid Team and Enterprise tiers above it.

Has Codeberg promised not to train AI on hosted code?

Yes. At the 2026 general assembly, members adopted a statement that the Codeberg forge and its services do not and will not use project or user code or data to train AI tools. Members also changed the terms of use to discourage projects written mostly by generative AI tools.

Is Codeberg really free compared with GitHub?

Yes, for projects that qualify: Codeberg is free to use and funded by donations and members, and you do not need to join the association. Default storage quotas apply, with more on request. GitHub is also free for public and private repositories, with Team at $4 per user per month for the first 12 months.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on September 30, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.