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GitHub Desktop vs Fork: catalog facts
GitHub Desktop	Fork
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence. A GitHub account is only needed for…	Paid A one-time purchase is required after the evaluation period.
Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS
The common Git workflow without any command line Signs into GitHub and opens pull requests from the app	Native application that stays fast on large repositories Clear interactive rebase and conflict resolution tools
No official Linux build; only a community fork Hides the advanced operations rather than exposing them	Paid one-time licence after the evaluation period macOS and Windows only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: MIT	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.