Best Version Control Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Diversion is ranked #1 of 54 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Unity Version Control and Fossil. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Unity Version Control. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Gitfox at €0.42/mo.
Version control software records and manages changes to files, especially when work develops over time or across contributors. The ranking begins with Diversion, Apache Subversion, and Mercurial. Compare versioning models, nested repositories, sparse checkout, and file locking to understand differences in how projects can be organized and updated. Large-file handling may also matter, while desktop platform support and self-hosted deployment describe additional setup considerations. Check the free-plan and paid starting-price details alongside those capabilities. The listed features can help you narrow down which approach and working environment fit your project.
54 version control software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 Diversion Top pick · 7.4 Free plan · $25/mo
#2 Unity Version Control Runner-up · 7.4 
#3 Fossil Also great · 7.3 Free plan · Free- Free planFree trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- 25 /user/mo
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$25/mofirst paid tier About DiversionVisit site - Free planFree trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- hybrid
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Linux, macOS, Windows
- Large-file handling
- none
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan AndroidLinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- centralized
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Desktop platforms
- macos, windows, linux
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$5/mofirst paid tier About GitButlerVisit site - Free plan LinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- extension
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- 39 /user/mo
- Versioning model
- centralized
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$39/mofirst paid tier About Perforce P4 (Helix Core)Visit site - Free planFree trial self-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan macOS
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- extension
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatformsFree About GitVisit site - Linuxself-hostedWebWindows
- Versioning model
- hybrid
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial apiextensionLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- centralized
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan macOS
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Desktop platforms
- macOS
- Large-file handling
- extension
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan iOS
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Linux, macOS, Windows
- Large-file handling
- none
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WebWindowsmacOSLinux
- Versioning model
- centralized
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WebWindowsmacOSLinux
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- No
- Desktop platforms
- Linux, macOS, Windows
- Large-file handling
- extension
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - LinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Versioning model
- centralized
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- native
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- none
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial macOS
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms€0.42/mofirst paid tier About GitfoxVisit site - LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- distributed
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- none
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - LinuxmacOSWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Versioning model
- centralized
- Self-hosted deployment
- Yes
- Desktop platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Large-file handling
- none
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which version control software is ranked first on Everything Xiaomi?
Diversion is ranked #1 of 54 with a score of 7.4. Unity Version Control is second and Fossil third.
How many of these have a free plan?
14 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Gitfox has the lowest first paid tier we found: €0.42/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes: documentation depth, a free tier and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.