Giscus
Giscus: A free, GitHub-centered commenting layer for developers who already manage repositories. Ranked #16 of 18 in Commenting Systems by our editors (7.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for developers comfortable managing comments through GitHub.
At a glance
- Editor score7.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forDevelopers comfortable managing comments through GitHub
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Moderation toolsBasic
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free, open-source deployment with hosted and self-hosted options
- GitHub OAuth, reactions, synchronization, and configurable page mapping
- Custom themes, multiple languages, lazy loading, and framework integrations
Where it doesn't
- Moderation runs through GitHub Discussions instead of a dedicated console
- Commenters must authenticate through GitHub OAuth
- Repository Discussions and the giscus app must be configured first
Our verdict on Giscus
Giscus embeds website comments while storing discussions in GitHub Discussions. Visitors sign in through GitHub OAuth to post comments and reactions, and site owners map pages to discussions using configurable repository, category, and mapping settings. It suits solo developers, small teams, and mid-market organizations that already maintain GitHub repositories and are comfortable handling moderation there. The project is open source, free to use, and available as a hosted service or through self-hosting.
The published offering is straightforward: the hosted service is described as always free, with no separate database required. Self-hosting is also supported, giving teams control over deployment while retaining the same GitHub-backed model. Initial setup requires a GitHub repository with Discussions enabled and the giscus app installed. Owners then configure the discussion category, page-to-discussion mapping, theme, language, comment-box placement, and lazy-loading behavior. Integrations are documented for React, Vue, and Svelte, while parent and iframe message events expose configuration and metadata controls for embedded implementations.
Giscus is strongest when GitHub is already the community system of record. Automatic discussion creation and comment synchronization keep website conversations connected to repository workflows, and reactions, themes, and localization provide useful presentation controls. The trade-off is that moderation remains tied to GitHub Discussions rather than a dedicated commenting console, and commenter access depends on GitHub OAuth. Teams seeking built-in spam filtering, notification workflows, or API access should choose another commenting system. Choose Giscus for a free, developer-oriented layer that prioritizes GitHub alignment; avoid it when comments must operate independently of GitHub accounts and administration.
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Giscus pricing
Giscus fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Moderation tools | Basic |
| SSO support | Not verified |
| Spam filtering | Not verified |
| Comment reactions | Yes |
| Email notifications | Not verified |
| Site limit | Not verified |
| API access | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 4 integrations: GitHub Discussions, React, Vue, Svelte |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | giscus.app |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Giscus integrations
Giscus lists 4 integrations on its own site.
- GitHub Discussions
- React
- Vue
- Svelte
Alternatives to Giscus
- DisqusA broad commenting platform with deep moderation, analytics and traffic-based plans.9.4
- CoralA publisher-focused commenting system with flexible deployment and detailed moderation controls.9.2
- CackleA feature-rich cloud commenting system for CMS sites that need active moderation.9.0
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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