GitHub
Mattermost
| Feature | GitHub | Mattermost |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $4/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | developers, open-source-teams, engineering-teams, startups | devops-teams, security-conscious-orgs, government, enterprise |
| Founded | 2008 | 2015 |
| Repositories | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pull Requests | ✓ | ✗ |
| Actions Ci Cd | ✓ | ✗ |
| Copilot | ✓ | ✗ |
| Issues | ✓ | ✗ |
| Projects | ✓ | ✗ |
| Codespaces | ✓ | ✗ |
| Messaging | ✗ | ✓ |
| Channels | ✗ | ✓ |
| Playbooks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Compliance | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ GitHub Pros
- Industry standard for open-source
- GitHub Actions CI/CD included free
- Copilot AI integration
- Massive developer community
✗ GitHub Cons
- Free private repos limited on some features
- Actions minutes limited on free tier
- Can be complex for non-developers
✓ Mattermost Pros
- Self-hostable
- Open source
- DevOps integrations
- Secure
✗ Mattermost Cons
- Smaller ecosystem
- Fewer integrations than Slack
- Self-hosting complexity
The Verdict
GitHub is built for developers and open source teams, with a focus on repositories and pull-requests. Mattermost targets devops teams and security conscious orgs and leads with messaging and channels.
On pricing, GitHub is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $4/mo compared to $10/mo for Mattermost. That $6/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
GitHub edges out on user ratings (4.8 vs 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, GitHub offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Mattermost takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: GitHub has a slight overall edge — but if self-hostable matters most to you, Mattermost may still be the right call.
