GitHub vs Vanta — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
GitHub starts at $4/mo. Vanta uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
The dominant developer platform (source control + code review + CI/CD + package registry), owned by Microsoft ($7.5B acquisition, 2018). Positioned as the alternative to GitLab and Bitbucket for the vast majority of open-source and enterprise software teams. Distinctive for its Copilot AI product ($10-$39/user/mo) that became Microsoft's fastest-growing AI SKU. Priced free (unlimited public + private repos) up to $21/user/mo Enterprise. Real cost bloat: GitHub Actions minutes and Copilot seats scale with team activity.
Compliance automation platform that made SOC 2 attestation possible for early-stage startups in weeks instead of quarters. Positioned as the AI-native alternative to hiring a $150K compliance manager or paying $50K+ to a Big 4 firm for manual audit prep. Distinctive for its 200+ automated evidence collectors + trust-center product (public compliance page for enterprise buyers) + AI questionnaire responses. Priced quote-based with reference $8K-$30K+/year across Core/Growth/Scale tiers plus custom Enterprise. Series C at $2.45B valuation (2024). Serves 10,000+ customers including Autodesk, Ramp, Notion, Chili Piper. Category-defining product in the security-compliance-automation space.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | GitHub monthly | GitHub annual | Vanta monthly | Vanta annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / — | Free | Free | — | — |
| Entry paid | — / Core | — | — | $667 | $667 |
| Mid tier | — / Growth | — | — | $1250 | $1250 |
| Pro / power | — / Scale | — | — | $2500 | $2500 |
| Teams | Team / — | $4 | $4 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise | $21 | $21 | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
GitHub is worth it if… GitHub is still the default Git host in 2026 for any team that wants industry-standard PR workflows, code review, CI/CD (Actions), and native Copilot AI. Free for public repos; Team is the entry paid tier, Enterprise for larger orgs.
Vanta is worth it if… early-to-mid-stage SaaS companies pursuing SOC 2 / ISO 27001 / HIPAA / GDPR compliance who want to automate 80% of the evidence-collection busywork — particularly if you're facing an enterprise deal that requires attestation. Core covers small startups on one framework (typically $8K/year); Growth adds multiple frameworks; Scale adds AI questionnaire + trust center + vendor risk; Enterprise custom.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose GitHub over Vanta if…
Choose GitHub if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $4/mo).
- You match the profile GitHub is built for: still the default Git host in 2026 for any team that wants industry-standard PR workflows, code review, CI/CD (Actions), and native Copilot AI.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Vanta if…
- You're comfortable with Vanta's a free entry tier entry point.
- You match the profile Vanta is built for: early-to-mid-stage SaaS companies pursuing SOC 2 / ISO 27001 / HIPAA / GDPR compliance who want to automate 80% of the evidence-collection busywork — particularly if you're facing an enterprise deal that requires attestation.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| GitHub | Vanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Entry price | $4/mo | Custom pricing |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | — |
| Verification | Checked September 23, 2026 | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 25, 2026. Tracked daily.