GitHub Issues Review (2026): Pricing, Pros and Cons
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Short answer
GitHub Issues ranks #4 of 7 in our issue tracking tools ranking (84/100). Best for teams whose code is already on GitHub. Paid plans start at $4/user/mo (GitHub Team; Enterprise $21. Issues and Projects are on the Free plan).
What is GitHub Issues?
GitHub Issues and Projects are GitHub's built-in tracking tools, included on every plan. Projects offers table, board and roadmap layouts, iteration fields, built-in workflows and charts. GitHub Team ($4 per user a month) adds protected branches and required reviewers for private repositories; Enterprise ($21) adds SAML SSO and the audit log API.
Who it's best for
Engineering teams that already host code on GitHub and want issues linked to pull requests without a second tool.
Why we rank it
Issues sit next to the code at no extra cost, and it has the highest G2 rating among these seven.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Issues and Projects included on the Free plan
- Rated 4.7/5 on G2
- Roadmap layout and iteration fields in Projects
Watch-outs
- Fewer workflow and permission controls than Jira
- Projects allow up to 50 fields
- SAML SSO needs Enterprise ($21)
Skip it if: Non-engineering teams will file and track most of the work.
GitHub Issues pricing
Paid plans start at $4/user/mo (GitHub Team; Enterprise $21. Issues and Projects are on the Free plan). Free plan or trial: Free plan (Issues and Projects included).
From GitHub Issues's pricing page, checked on the date at the top of this review. See how it compares on price in our issue tracking tools pricing overview.
How we scored GitHub Issues
Issue tracking score: 84/100
Each criterion is rated 0 to 5 and weighted for the category. See our methodology.
How GitHub Issues compares
| # | Tool | Best for | Starting price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jira | Best overall for scaling engineering teams | $9.70/user/mo | 87/100 |
| 2 | Linear | Fast-moving product teams | $10/user/mo | 86/100 |
| 3 | YouTrack | Best value, with every feature on every plan | $4.50/user/mo | 85/100 |
| 4 | GitHub Issues | Teams whose code is already on GitHub | $4/user/mo | 84/100 |
| 5 | Azure Boards | Microsoft and Azure DevOps shops | $6/user/mo | 83/100 |
| 6 | Shortcut | Small teams moving off a free plan | $8.50/user/mo | 81/100 |
Alternatives and comparisons
GitHub Issues FAQ
How much does GitHub Issues cost?
Paid plans start at $4/user/mo (GitHub Team; Enterprise $21. Issues and Projects are on the Free plan). Free plan or trial: Free plan (Issues and Projects included).
Is GitHub Issues worth it?
GitHub Issues scores 84/100 in our issue tracking tools ranking, where it is best for teams whose code is already on GitHub. It's a weaker fit if: non-engineering teams will file and track most of the work.
Does GitHub Issues have a free plan or trial?
Free plan (Issues and Projects included).
What are the best GitHub Issues alternatives?
In our issue tracking tools ranking, the closest alternatives are Jira, Linear and YouTrack.