Choosing the right tool for managing Pull Requests can significantly impact your productivity. In this guide, we’ll compare PR Manager with other popular options to help you find the best fit for your workflow.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	PR Manager	GitHub Desktop	GitKraken	Browser
Primary Focus	PR Management	Git Operations	Git Client	Everything
GitHub Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
GitLab Support	Yes	No	Paid only	Yes
Multi-Provider	Coming Soon	No	Paid only	Manual
Quick PR Actions	Yes	No	Limited	Yes
Custom PR Views	Yes	No	Limited	No
Native Notifications	Yes	No	No	Limited
Offline Git Ops	No	Yes	Yes	No

PR Manager: Purpose-Built for PRs

PR Manager is designed specifically for Pull Request management. It’s not a Git client - you won’t use it to commit code or manage branches. Instead, it focuses entirely on the PR workflow.

Best For

Developers who manage PRs across multiple repos
Teams using GitHub or GitLab (multi-provider coming soon)
Anyone who wants dedicated PR notifications
Tech leads overseeing multiple repositories

What It Does Well

1. Provider Flexibility Connect to GitHub or GitLab - your choice. Multi-provider support (using both simultaneously) is on the roadmap for a future release.

2. Custom Views Create saved views with filters. Organize PRs by status, author, repository, or review state.

3. Native Notifications Real-time desktop notifications that work even when your browser is closed.

4. Quick Actions Approve, request changes, comment, and merge directly from the app.

5. Focus on PRs Because it only does PR management, it does it well. No feature bloat.

What It Doesn’t Do

Git operations (commit, push, pull, branch)
Code editing
Inline code comments (use browser for detailed reviews)

Pricing

Currently free during beta.

GitHub Desktop: Git GUI

GitHub Desktop is GitHub’s official desktop client. It’s primarily a Git GUI with minimal PR features.

Best For

Developers new to Git
GitHub-only teams
Those who prefer GUI over command line for Git operations

What It Does Well

1. Git Operations Full Git client - clone, commit, push, pull, branch management, all in a clean GUI.

2. Beginner Friendly Makes Git operations approachable for newcomers.

3. Free Completely free, maintained by GitHub.

Limitations

No GitLab support
Minimal PR management
No custom views or filtering
No notification system

When to Choose GitHub Desktop

You need a Git GUI
You only use GitHub
PR management isn’t a priority

GitKraken: Premium Git Client

GitKraken is a polished Git client with collaboration features in paid tiers.

Best For

Teams wanting a premium Git experience
Organizations with budget for paid tools
Developers who want great Git visualization

What It Does Well

1. Beautiful Interface One of the most visually polished Git clients.

2. Git Visualization Excellent commit graph and branch visualization.

3. Multiple Integrations Connects with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps.

Limitations

Multi-provider PRs require paid plan
PR features are secondary to Git features
No dedicated PR notification system

Pricing

Free: Limited features
Pro: $4.95/month
Teams: $8.95/user/month

Just Using the Browser

Many developers just use GitHub.com and GitLab.com directly.

Pros

No additional software
Full feature access
Works everywhere

Cons

Tab overload - Multiple repos = multiple tabs
Notification noise - Email notifications get buried
Context switching - Constantly jumping between GitHub and GitLab
No unified view - Can’t see all PRs in one place

Decision Guide

Choose PR Manager If:

You manage PRs across multiple repositories
You want dedicated notifications for PRs
PR management is a significant part of your day
You want to approve/comment/merge without browser tabs
You use GitHub or GitLab (multi-provider support coming soon)

Choose GitHub Desktop If:

You only use GitHub
You want a Git GUI for basic operations
PR management is minimal

Choose GitKraken If:

You want a premium Git client
You need Git visualization
You have budget for paid tools

Stick with Browser If:

You only manage a few PRs
You don’t mind tab switching
You need features not available in desktop apps

Common Combinations

Many developers use multiple tools:

PR Manager + Terminal

Use command line for Git operations (commit, push, pull), PR Manager for all PR management.

Best for: Experienced developers comfortable with Git CLI.

PR Manager + GitHub Desktop

Use GitHub Desktop for Git operations, PR Manager for PR management.

Best for: Developers who prefer GUI for Git but want better PR tools.

PR Manager + Browser

Use PR Manager for quick reviews and monitoring, browser for detailed line-by-line reviews.

Best for: Everyone - they complement each other well.

Conclusion

The right choice depends on:

Which Git provider you use - PR Manager supports both GitHub and GitLab
How important PR management is - Casual vs. heavy PR workflow
Your preferred interface - Terminal, GUI, or browser

For anyone who spends significant time on code review, PR Manager offers focused and efficient PR management that other tools don’t prioritize.

Ready to try PR Manager? Download for free and see how it fits your workflow.