GitHub vs IBM Rational ClearCase comparison

GitHub and IBM are both solutions in the Version Control category. GitHub is ranked #3 with an average rating of 9.0, while IBM is ranked #9 with an average rating of 6.0. GitHub holds a 7.6% mindshare in VC, compared to IBM’s 6.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of GitHub users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 66% of IBM users who would recommend it.

GitHub

Read 94 GitHub reviews

3,586 Views
1,434 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Rational ClearCase

Read 6 IBM Rational ClearCase reviews

837 Views
552 Comparison Views

66% willing to recommend

GitHub

IBM Rational ClearCase

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 13, 2025

IBM Rational ClearCase and GitHub compete in the version control and software development domain. GitHub often holds the advantage due to its features tailored for modern development practices and widespread integration capabilities, which many deem worth the investment.

Features: IBM Rational ClearCase offers advanced version control, dynamic views, and build auditing, adhering to robust compliance standards, ideal for enterprise environments. GitHub provides strong community support, easy collaboration, and seamless integration with development tools like Jira and Jenkins, enhancing team productivity and facilitating open-source contributions.

Room for Improvement: IBM Rational ClearCase could enhance its user interface and reduce the complexity of deployment while improving support for modern development processes. It may also benefit from further enhancement of integration capabilities with current DevOps tools. GitHub can improve its support for more extensive enterprise-scale workflows, streamline its administrative features, and enhance offline capabilities for regions with limited connectivity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Rational ClearCase is traditionally more complex to deploy, requiring higher technical expertise and dedicated resources but benefits from robust customer support tailored to enterprise needs. GitHub, with its cloud-based deployment, offers easier setup processes and extensive online resources, significantly simplifying onboarding for development teams.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Rational ClearCase typically involves significant initial setup costs, reflecting its comprehensive features suited to larger enterprises, showing ROI in scenarios demanding stringent version control. GitHub's pricing model is more accessible, particularly for smaller teams or open-source projects, providing a compelling ROI through reduced costs and increased team efficiency.

To learn more, read our detailed GitHub vs. IBM Rational ClearCase Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

GitHub vs. IBM Rational ClearCase

July 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

GitHub

Ranking in Version Control

3rd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Security Tools (6th)

IBM Rational ClearCase

Ranking in Version Control

9th

Average Rating

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Configuration Management (6th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Version Control category, the mindshare of GitHub is 7.6%, up from 6.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Rational ClearCase is 6.3%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Version Control

Featured Reviews

Kamalanadha Reddy

Senior DevOps Engineer at Simplify3x Software Private Limited

Improved deployment pipeline visibility with generally good support

My primary use case involves working with GitHub for code management. I have extensive experience using it for various tasks, such as creating repositories, managing pull requests, and utilizing GitHub Actions for automating workflows GitHub contributes to efficient project management by…

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Daniel Antonio Jimenez Quintana

IT Systems Architect at Banco Ripley

Difficult to use, not efficient, but stable

We are using IBM Rational ClearCase in Peru at two large banks for a code repository. However, it is not meant to be used as a repository I have found it very difficult to understand many functionalities in IBM Rational ClearCase. We have had many problems and it is not user-friendly. I have…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the source code management. It's very helpful and it's a great product."

"For branching, it works well, especially in an agile environment."

"I have found GitHub stable."

"GitHub's version control is valuable."

"I'm able to access any repository that I like, whether it's public or private."

"The tool is valuable because it helps us work in a distributed environment with multiple people across different locations and time zones. We have a common repository that everyone works on, which would be tough to manage manually. GitHub helps us maintain this single source of truth. Everyone can check out their own branches, which is important for our branching strategies. We can fork, check out feature branches, work on our code, and merge back into parent branches for deployment. This is crucial when multiple people are working on the same codebase."

"The product has a good UI. It's simple and easy to access, and technical help is easily available. The two-factor authentication security is another valuable feature."

"It's beneficial for managing multiple tasks and controlling versions of your product."

More GitHub pros

"ClearCase integrates well with other engineering tools and frameworks such as the Eclipse environment."

"IBM Rational ClearCase is a stable solution. I have not had any difficulty with reliability."

"The tool had features similar to Git for version control. It offered branching and merging capabilities, providing better control over code management. Integration was possible with other tools, including some change management tools. The overall process was normal."

Cons

"I think one area where GitHub could improve is its search and navigation functionality within repositories. For example, we use IDEs like IntelliJ or Visual Studio Code when developing code. These IDEs allow us to easily navigate from one piece of code to another file where a method is being called. It would be really helpful if the solution could add this navigation feature."

"The initial setup requires heavy documentation which can be challenging for new developers."

"GitHub storage is one of the main requirements and it could improve."

"The UI is a little outdated, so that could be improved."

"There is room for improvement in terms of interface."

"GitHub could expand the limits of the free version."

"There is nothing that I find that needs improvement in GitHub."

"The integration with Visual Studio Code could be more streamlined."

More GitHub cons

"I have found it very difficult to understand many functionalities in IBM Rational ClearCase. We have had many problems and it is not user-friendly."

"The protection needs to be improved."

"The solution's UI is slow compared to other tools. It is an old tool."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is open-source. There is no license for GitHub."

"The price of this solution is reasonable."

"I use the free version of GitHub."

"I haven't had to pay anything for GitHub, I use the free version."

"The licensing model from GitHub is very clear."

"We are currently paying nothing for GitHub."

"I use the free version of the tool."

"You don't have to pay for a license if you are using the free version."

More GitHub pricing and cost advice

"IBM Rational ClearCase, like any other IBM tool, is expensive."

"This is a very expensive product."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

26%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about GitHub?

The control is the most valuable feature as developers can work on a single code.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GitHub?

I am not aware about the pricing, so I will not be able to give feedback.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GitHub?

Sometimes we do not get the exact solution, and the suggested solution does not work, so GitHub could improve in that area. We have used GitHub mainly for the code generation part. That is the only...

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM Rational ClearCase?

The tool had features similar to Git for version control. It offered branching and merging capabilities, providing better control over code management. Integration was possible with other tools, in...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Rational ClearCase?

IBM Rational ClearCase, like any other IBM tool, is expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Rational ClearCase?

The solution's UI is slow compared to other tools. It is an old tool.

See all answers

Comparisons

Bitbucket vs GitHub

Compared 15% of the time

Snyk vs GitHub

Compared 11% of the time

OpenText Core Application Security vs GitHub

Compared 8% of the time

Atlassian SourceTree vs GitHub

Compared 7% of the time

GitLab vs GitHub

Compared 4% of the time

More GitHub Competitors

Git vs IBM Rational ClearCase

Compared 40% of the time

IBM Rational ClearQuest vs IBM Rational ClearCase

Compared 20% of the time

Bitbucket vs IBM Rational ClearCase

Compared 13% of the time

Apache Subversion vs IBM Rational ClearCase

Compared 7% of the time

IBM Engineering Workflow Management vs IBM Rational ClearCase

Compared 5% of the time

More IBM Rational ClearCase Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

GitHub

August 2025

Download GitHub product report

Buyer's Guide

Software Configuration Management

August 2025

Download IBM Rational ClearCase product report

Also Known As

No data available

Rational ClearCase

Overview

GitHub is a web-based Git repository hosting service. It offers all of the distributed revision control and source code management (SCM) functionality of Git as well as adding its own features. Unlike Git, which is strictly a command-line tool, GitHub provides a Web-based graphical interface and desktop as well as mobile integration. It also provides access control and several collaboration features such as bug tracking, feature requests, task management, and wikis for every project.

GitHub

IBM Rational ClearCase is an enterprise-grade configuration management system that provides controlled access to software assets, including requirements, design documents, models, test plans and test results. It be can be integrated with other IBM solutions, including IBM Rational Team Concert, IBM Rational ClearQuest, IBM Rational Asset Manager and IBM Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software.

IBM

Sample Customers

Dominion Enterprises, NASA, Braintree, SAP, CyberAgent

Atos SE, FEI, STM

Buyer's Guide

GitHub vs. IBM Rational ClearCase

July 2025

Free Report: GitHub vs. IBM Rational ClearCase

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