Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Version Control Software

Git vs Apache Subversion

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Git #1 in Version Control Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Git
Apache Subversion #4 in Version Control Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Subversion

Git leads on 0 checks, Apache Subversion on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGit · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresApache Subversion · 4 of 4

Git scores higher on our rubric for version control software: 9.4 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

On versioning model, Apache Subversion gives you Centralized where Git offers Distributed. On large-file handling, Apache Subversion gives you Native where Git offers Extension.

Git is the better fit for general-purpose distributed version control. Apache Subversion is the better fit for free centralized version control.

  • Git fits best

    General-purpose distributed version control

  • Apache Subversion fits best

    Free centralized version control

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Git 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Apache Subversion 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.8
Ranking #1 in Version Control Software #4 in Version Control Software
Best for General-purpose distributed version control Free centralized version control
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Self-hosted Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Git 3/4 · Apache Subversion 4/4
Self-hosted deployment ✓ ✓
File locking Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Sparse checkout ✓ ✓
Nested repositories ✓ ✓
Specs
Versioning model Distributed Centralized
Desktop platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Large-file handling Extension Native
Our review
Pros
  • Branching, merging, rebasing, cherry-picking, and selective staging
  • Distributed repositories with local history and remote synchronization
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with sparse checkout and submodules
  • Atomic commits, merge tracking, branching, and tagging
  • Native binary handling, file locking, and sparse checkouts
  • Self-hosted and cross-platform across Windows, macOS, and Linux
Cons
  • Primarily a command-line tool rather than a single visual application
  • File locking is not part of core Git
  • Large-file handling requires the separate Git LFS extension
  • Centralized workflows are less suited to teams seeking distributed version control
  • Self-hosted deployment requires managing svnserve or Apache HTTP Server
  • Third-party packages require separate consideration across desktop platforms
Our verdict

Git is a free, open-source distributed version control system for developers and teams managing projects from small codebases to very large repositories. It records file changes in local repositories, preserves project history, and…

Read the review →

Apache Subversion is a free, open-source, centralized version control system for individuals, development teams, and enterprise projects. It manages versioned files and directories through client/server repository access, with support for…

Read the review →
  1. GitVersion Control Software 9.4Free plan
  2. Apache SubversionVersion Control Software 8.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Git — where it wins

    • Branching, merging, rebasing, cherry-picking, and selective staging
    • Distributed repositories with local history and remote synchronization
    • Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with sparse checkout and submodules

    Where it doesn't

    • Primarily a command-line tool rather than a single visual application
    • File locking is not part of core Git
    • Large-file handling requires the separate Git LFS extension

  • Apache Subversion — where it wins

    • Atomic commits, merge tracking, branching, and tagging
    • Native binary handling, file locking, and sparse checkouts
    • Self-hosted and cross-platform across Windows, macOS, and Linux

    Where it doesn't

    • Centralized workflows are less suited to teams seeking distributed version control
    • Self-hosted deployment requires managing svnserve or Apache HTTP Server
    • Third-party packages require separate consideration across desktop platforms

More comparisons

All version control software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update