GitHub
Repositories, Pages, CI/CD and project management in one platform for developers.
ABOUT
What is GitHub?
GitHub is the most widely used platform for version control and developer collaboration. The free plan includes unlimited public and private repositories with unlimited collaborators, GitHub Pages for publishing static sites directly from a repository and 2,000 monthly GitHub Actions minutes for private repositories, with no usage cap for public repositories. Pages supports Jekyll natively and can also serve any static project from a `gh-pages` branch or a `/docs` directory, with automatic SSL and a free `github.io` subdomain.
BEFORE YOU SIGN UP
What you should know
COMMUNITY
From the forums
On Reddit, GitHub Pages is described as "quietly carrying half the internet" and praised for serving large amounts of static traffic reliably. Developers note that unlike Vercel Hobby, GitHub's free tier explicitly allows commercial use. Common discussions cover the 2,000-minute monthly Actions cap for private repositories (unlimited for public repos), the limitation of Pages to public repositories on the free plan and a new $0.002 per minute charge for self-hosted runners introduced in March 2026.
— Community sentiment · Reddit
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ABOUT US
Honest, independent, no fluff.
No paid placements. Just a clear look at what this does, what it costs, and what to know before you commit.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is GitHub Pages free?＋
Yes. GitHub Pages is available on the free plan for public repositories, with a .github.io subdomain, automatic SSL and no traffic cap. Publishing from a private repository requires a paid plan such as GitHub Pro starting at $4/month.
How many GitHub Actions minutes are included for free?＋
The free plan includes 2,000 Actions minutes per month for private repositories. Public repositories have unlimited minutes. Additional minutes for private repos are billed at $0.008/min on Linux, with higher rates for Windows and macOS runners.
Does GitHub allow commercial use on the free plan?＋
Yes. Unlike Vercel Hobby, GitHub does not restrict commercial use on its free plan. You can use unlimited private repositories, Pages and Actions for commercial projects without paying.
Can I host a website with a database on GitHub Pages?＋
Not directly. GitHub Pages only serves static files (HTML, CSS, JS). For applications with a backend or database, you need an external server. A common pattern is to use Pages for a static frontend connected to an API hosted on Render, Railway, or Supabase.
Does GitHub Pages have a bandwidth limit?＋
GitHub recommends that Pages sites stay under 1 GB in size, generate less than 100 GB of traffic per month and run no more than 10 builds per hour. For high-traffic sites, the official recommendation is to place a CDN in front of Pages or migrate to a dedicated hosting provider.
What is GitHub Actions and how does it work on the free plan?＋
GitHub Actions is GitHub's built-in CI/CD platform. It lets you automate builds, tests, deployments and any other task triggered by a push or pull request. On the free plan, private repos get 2,000 Linux minutes per month, while public repo workflows run without any usage cap.