Trello vs GitHub: Which Should You Use for Task Tracking?

A comparison of Trello and GitHub (Issues + Projects) for teams deciding where to manage tasks, especially software teams weighing a dedicated board app against native repo tooling.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Trello

Visual kanban boards for any kind of work

0user/month (Free plan; Standard $5, Premium $10)

Strengths

+Simple drag-and-drop kanban UI anyone can learn in minutes
+Works for non-technical teams (marketing, HR, ops), not just devs
+Butler automation included even on free plan

Weaknesses

-Free plan caps you at 10 boards per workspace
-Not connected to code, commits, or pull requests natively
-Advanced reporting/dashboards require paid tiers

Best for

Small teams and non-technical departments who want a lightweight visual board without touching code repos.

GitHub

Code hosting with built-in Issues and Projects for tracking work

0user/month (Free plan; Team $4, Enterprise $21)

Strengths

+Issues and Projects live right next to your code and pull requests
+Free private repos with unlimited collaborators
+Projects (beta) supports kanban boards, tables, and custom fields

Weaknesses

-Steeper learning curve for non-developers
-Projects UI is less polished/visual than dedicated board tools
-Not designed for non-code workflows like marketing or HR

Best for

Software teams who want issue tracking and project boards tied directly to their codebase.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Trello	GitHub
Free plan	Yes, unlimited cards, 10 boards/workspace	Yes, unlimited private repos & collaborators
Kanban boards	Core feature, very polished	Yes, via Projects (beta)
Code integration	None natively (Power-Up needed)	Native — issues link to commits/PRs
Automation	Butler (no-code rules)	GitHub Actions (workflow-based)
Non-technical use	Excellent	Poor — built for code-centric work
Mobile apps	iOS & Android, full-featured	iOS & Android, issue-focused
Custom fields	Paid plans only	Free, in Projects (beta)
Team permissions	Basic on free, granular on paid	Granular repo/org permissions, free
Reporting/dashboards	Paid tiers only	Insights included, more on paid tiers
API access	Yes, REST API	Yes, REST + GraphQL API
Pricing at scale (50 users)	$250–$500/mo (Standard/Premium)	$200/mo (Team) or free if public/open source

The Verdict

If your team isn't writing code, Trello is the faster, friendlier choice — it's built for visual task management and doesn't force anyone to learn Git. If you're a software team, GitHub Issues and Projects remove the friction of syncing tasks to a separate tool, and it's free for unlimited private repos. Don't use GitHub for marketing tasks, and don't use Trello to track pull requests — pick based on whether code is the center of your workflow.

How to switch from Trello to GitHub

Full Trello export guide →

1Export each Trello board individually via Menu (☰) > More > Print, export, and share > Export as JSON to preserve cards, checklists, and comments.
2Create a GitHub Project (beta) in your target repo or organization, and set up a board view matching your Trello columns (To Do, In Progress, Done).
3Manually recreate cards as GitHub Issues — use the JSON export as a reference and paste card titles/descriptions into new issues, adding labels for what were Trello lists.
4Rebuild Butler automations as GitHub Actions workflows (e.g., auto-move issues on PR merge, auto-label based on title keywords).
5Reconnect integrations — set up Slack notifications for GitHub Issues/PRs and remove old Trello Power-Ups pointing to Slack or Google Drive.
6Run both systems in parallel for one sprint, then archive the Trello boards and lock write access once the team confirms nothing is missing.

Trello vs GitHub: common questions

How do I export my data from Trello before switching?+

Go to a board, click the menu (☰) > More > Print, export, and share > Export as JSON (or CSV for basic card data). Do this for each board individually, since Trello doesn't offer a single bulk export across boards. JSON gives you the most complete data including comments and checklists.

What do I lose by moving from Trello to GitHub?+

You lose Trello's visual Power-Ups (calendar view, custom backgrounds, Butler automation UI) and the ability for non-technical stakeholders to easily use the tool. GitHub Projects is functional but less polished visually, and there's no direct import tool — you'll be manually recreating cards as issues.

Is GitHub's free plan enough for a small team?+

Yes, for most small dev teams — unlimited private repos, unlimited collaborators, and Projects (beta) with kanban boards are all free. You'll hit limits only if you need advanced features like required reviewers, scheduled reminders, or SAML SSO, which require GitHub Team ($4/user/mo).

Does GitHub integrate with the tools we already use (Slack, Google Drive, etc.)?+

Yes, GitHub has native integrations for Slack, and via GitHub Actions/webhooks you can connect almost anything, including Google Drive, Jira, and Trello itself. It's less plug-and-play than Trello's Power-Ups marketplace, so expect some setup time for non-dev tools.

Will switching from Trello to GitHub actually save us money long-term?+

If your team is under 10 boards and stays on Trello's free plan, there's no cost difference — both are free. But if you were paying for Trello Standard or Premium ($5–$10/user/mo) just to get more boards or custom fields, moving those workflows into GitHub Projects (free) will save money, assuming your team is already writing code there.