GitHub Issues vs Backlog

Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Bug Tracking & Issue Management Software. Last verified June 19, 2026.

The short answer

GitHub Issues ranks higher on Top 11 (#5 vs #10) for Engineering and QA teams tracking bugs, feature requests, and release cycles. The best free, integrated tracker for teams using GitHub.

At a glance

GitHub IssuesBacklog
Top 11 rank#5 / The 11 Best Bug Tracking & Issue Management Software#10 / The 11 Best Bug Tracking & Issue Management Software
Score (out of 9.4)8.37.3
Best forIntegrated with GitHub repositoriesAll-in-one bug tracking and Git
Pricing$ (Free)$$ ($35 to $175/mo)
HQSan Francisco, USAFukuoka, Japan
Founded20082004

GitHub Issues

The best free, integrated tracker for teams using GitHub.

github.com/features/issues

See full entry in The 11 Best Bug Tracking & Issue Management Software

Backlog

A simple, affordable tool combining issue tracking, Git, and wikis.

backlog.com

See full entry in The 11 Best Bug Tracking & Issue Management Software

Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.