GitHub sits in the “Money and foundations” part of a list of 58 tools I keep for building software, publishing content and selling products. Version control. Your restore point when an hour of building goes wrong. This page is the short, honest version: Free, the moment it earns its place, what to check before you pay, and what else on the list would do the job.
The facts
| What it does | Version control. Your restore point when an hour of building goes wrong. |
|---|---|
| When you need it | From day one, on every project. |
| Price | Free |
| Free tier | Yes |
| Category | Money and foundations |
| Covered in | |
| In my stack | Yes — I use this one |
GitHub
Free · From day one, on every project.
No affiliate link here — this one pays me nothing. It is on the list anyway.
Before you buy
Who should skip it
Skip nothing. Even a one-file project deserves a restore point.
What to check before you pay
Check that private repositories are private by default in your account settings.
Alternatives to GitHub on this list
Nothing else on this list does the same job — that is why it is on it. The money and foundations section has the tools around it.
Questions people ask
What is GitHub?
Version control. Your restore point when an hour of building goes wrong. It sits in the “Money and foundations” part of the stack: The boring layer between a demo and a business. Everything here starts free.
What does GitHub cost?
Free. There is a free tier, so you can try it before paying. Prices change — this list was last checked on 11 September 2026, and the tool's own pricing page is the source of truth.
When do you need GitHub?
From day one, on every project.
What are the alternatives to GitHub?
Nothing else on this list does the same job. That is why it is on the list.
Do you use GitHub yourself?
Yes. It is part of the stack I build and publish with.
The Short Version
Every conclusion from all eight playbooks — how these tools turn into income. Free.