Graphite

Graphite is a code-review platform centered on GitHub pull requests, including workflows that split related work into stacks. It is best suited to developers and teams who want review, AI assistance, and merge automation in one place. Hobby offers a useful starting point, but the fuller team workflow comes at a per-user cost.

Overview

Graphite brings pull request management, review tools, and merging into a GitHub-focused workflow. Its stack-based approach is a strong fit for teams reviewing related changes in smaller, sequenced pull requests. The trade-off is a firm provider boundary: GitHub is its only integrated Git provider, and Graphite cannot be self-hosted. Teams committed to another Git host or requiring their own deployment should look elsewhere.

Key features

Pull request stacks and inbox

The CLI lets developers create, visualize, publish, update, and sync stacks of pull requests. That can make a series of related changes easier to manage as a sequence. The PR inbox organizes review requests and other pull requests into customizable sections and searches across synced repositories. Hobby allows three default repositories in the inbox; Team and Enterprise allow up to 30. That cap may constrain teams reviewing across a larger GitHub footprint unless they move to a higher tier.

AI review and merge automation

Graphite Chat can summarize pull requests, answer code questions, suggest and apply edits, find codebase context, and help diagnose CI failures. Automated AI Reviews and custom review rules extend the review workflow, while the stack-aware merge queue automates merges and can skip redundant tests to optimize CI. Hobby and Starter include limited Chat and AI Reviews; unlimited use and AI Review customizations require Team. Slack review and merging have a narrower role: they are available only for pull requests of up to 25 lines.

Integrations and security

Documented integrations include GitHub, Slack, Linear, and a VS Code extension, alongside a Mac menu bar app. The Linear integration requires both a Linear account and a Graphite Team or Enterprise plan, so it is not part of the cheaper tiers. Graphite says it is SOC 2 Type II compliant and regularly conducts penetration testing. It also says code sent for Chat analysis is not used by AI providers to train models and that only relevant pull request content is sent.

Pricing

Graphite is freemium, with a 30-day trial. Paid plans are priced per user per month and billed annually, so the quoted monthly rate comes with an annual billing term.

Hobby suits an individual working with personal-account repositories who can live with limited AI and a three-repository inbox. Starter adds organization repositories and team visibility, but still lacks unlimited AI reviews and the Merge Queue. Team is the tier for teams that need those capabilities and automations; Enterprise adds administrative, security, and support controls for larger or more demanding deployments. The annual billing term matters for both paid per-user plans, and the jump from Starter to Team is substantial if merge automation or unlimited AI is essential.

Platforms

Graphite supports API, browser extension, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Its documented GitHub integrations and GitHub App authentication for new signups make clear that broad platform support does not mean broad Git-provider support.

Who it's for

Graphite is most compelling for GitHub teams that work in stacked pull requests and want to connect review, AI assistance, and merge automation. Individuals can start on Hobby, while teams wanting organization repositories and notifications can consider Starter. Teams that need the merge queue, custom AI review behavior, or unlimited AI usage should budget for Team. It is a weaker choice for multi-provider organizations and anyone who requires self-hosting.

Pros and cons

• Stack-aware workflow: The CLI manages pull request stacks, and the merge queue is designed to handle them, which suits related changes reviewed in sequence.
• Broad AI review assistance: Chat covers summaries, code questions, edits, codebase context, and CI failures, with automated reviews and custom rules also supported.
• Meaningful free entry point: Hobby includes the CLI, inbox, notifications, and extensions at no charge, though AI is limited and the inbox covers only three default repositories.
• Team features cost more: Unlimited AI, review customizations, automations, and Merge Queue require the $40 a month Team plan, billed per user/month annually.
• GitHub-only and not self-hosted: Teams using another provider or requiring their own deployment cannot adopt Graphite as their shared review platform.
• Some integrations are gated or constrained: Linear needs Team or Enterprise, while Slack-based review and merging are limited to pull requests of up to 25 lines.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see Code review software.

• CodeRabbit is another freemium option with a free plan and support for self-hosting.
• Review Board is open source under the MIT license and offers a free Community plan; consider it if that licensing model matters.
• LiveReview is a freemium alternative with a free plan and self-hosted platform support.
• Octopus offers a free, source-available self-hosted plan with no platform fees; it may suit teams prepared to supply AI keys or run local models.
• CodeAnt AI is a paid alternative with a 14-day free trial and no free plan.
• Gerrit Code Review is free and open source, with no licensing fees and use at any scale without restrictions.
• Gitar offers a free plan for qualifying public repositories; it is worth considering if your project meets those eligibility terms.
• gitStream has a free account with a monthly cap on pull requests that trigger automations.

Verdict

Choose Graphite if your team uses GitHub, works in stacked pull requests, and wants AI review alongside a merge queue. Its combination of stack management and review automation is the central reason to choose it; the clearest reasons to look elsewhere are GitHub-only support, no self-hosted deployment, and the $40 a month Team tier required for unlimited AI and Merge Queue.