Branchive: A Git LFS Alternative for Game-Sized Repos

Native big binaries vs. an LFS bolt-on

No pointer files, no separate storage backend.

Git LFS adds large-file support through pointer files, a separate storage backend, and its own tracking rules. The lore:// protocol treats large files as first-class data from the start — a real 6.05 GiB Unreal project, 3,637 files, cloned in 78 seconds from Branchive Cloud (measured, one command, not a benchmark rig).

Reviewed PRs, built into the VCS

Not a feature of the host — a feature of the tool.

Branchive Cloud brings the pull-request workflow directly to Lore — propose changes, require review before merge, discuss inline — without needing a separate Git host layered on top of LFS.

Transparent, free right now

No metered storage or egress.

Git LFS storage and bandwidth are billed per gigabyte (roughly $0.07/GB storage and $0.0875/GB egress on GitHub). Branchive Desktop is free, full stop, and Branchive Cloud is free during early access.

Enforced permissions vs. an honor system

Protected branches, enforced by Branchive Cloud.

Core Lore already blocks a direct push to a protected branch, even the owner's. Branchive Cloud forks the server to enforce role by level and gate unprotect to admins only, so protection actually holds.

Locking, honestly labeled

Ours is enforced server-side on Branchive Cloud; Git LFS's still isn't.

git lfs lock is best-effort, not hard-enforced — the server doesn't reject a competing push. Branchive Cloud's locking is enforced: it stops anyone else from locking the same file, and the server rejects anyone else's direct commit, push, force-push, or rename over the locked file. Approved PR merges aren't lock-gated, and repo owners/admins can force-release a lock. (Self-hosted stock Lore doesn't block the write either, same as git lfs lock is everywhere.)

Honesty

When Git LFS is still the better choice.

You're staying inside the Git and GitHub ecosystem

If your team is committed to Git and GitHub's ecosystem — Actions for CI, a huge integration marketplace, code search, issue tracking — migrating your version control system is a bigger cost than adopting LFS for a handful of large files. Branchive does not interoperate with Git repositories.

You need self-hosted Git + LFS for policy reasons

Self-hosted Git with LFS on GitLab, Gitea, or Bitbucket is a mature, well-understood option if your organization requires staying entirely on Git tooling. The same metered-storage and best-effort-locking caveats apply there too, but the migration cost is zero because you're already on Git.

You need a lock that goes read-only on your local disk

Perforce Helix Core, Diversion, and Unity Version Control all offer exclusive locks that also make the file read-only on your local disk — a step beyond Branchive Cloud's server-side push enforcement, and well beyond Git LFS's best-effort locking. If you need that local read-only guarantee today, one of those is the better fit right now.

Full feature comparison

Full feature comparison.

Competitor wins are shown honestly — green leads the row, red loses it, gold marks a caveat in between. Where we couldn't verify a competitor's number, like Unity Version Control's pricing, we say so instead of guessing.

Feature	Branchive	loregui	GitHub	Perforce Helix Core	Diversion	Unity Version Control
Native large-binary handling	Yes — native QUIC lore://	Yes — binds Lore's native API in-process	No — bolt-on Git LFS	Yes — native	Yes — native	Yes — native
File locking	Yes — enforced on Branchive Cloud; self-hosted Lore doesn't block the write	Exclusive claim only — no server, so it can't block the write	Git LFS locking — best-effort, not hard-enforced	Exclusive, write-blocking	Exclusive — "Hard Locks"	Exclusive — "Smart Locks"
Code review / merge-request workflow	Yes — native pull requests	No — local GUI, no server	Yes — native pull requests	Yes — needs the Helix Swarm add-on	Yes — Reviews	Yes — Code Reviews
Required review enforced before merge	Yes	No — nothing to enforce it	Yes	Yes — Swarm enforce	⚠️ Not enforced — on Diversion's roadmap, per their docs	Yes
Protected branches (server-enforced)	Yes — core Lore blocks natively; our fork adds level-enforcement and admin-gated unprotect	No — no hosted server	Yes	Yes — protections table	Yes	Yes
Permission levels (read/write/admin) enforced	Yes	No — no access-control layer	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Web UI (browse / diff / review)	Yes	No web UI — full native desktop GUI instead	Yes	Needs the Helix Swarm add-on	Yes	Yes
Self-host option	Core is self-hostable; the enforcement layer is Branchive Cloud-only	Yes — 100% local, any backend (local/S3/MinIO/Garage)	Yes — Enterprise Server	Yes	Enterprise tier only	Yes
Desktop platforms	Windows only today — macOS/Linux in development	Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon), Linux	Windows, macOS (GitHub Desktop)	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS (Linux via CLI)	Windows, macOS, Linux
CI / automation	Via webhooks → your CI	No — local GUI only	Yes — Actions	Yes — via Jenkins	Yes — CI integrations	Unity DevOps
Pricing / free tier	Free during early access	Free — open source (MIT)	Free tier + paid; Git LFS metered ~$0.07/GB storage + ~$0.0875/GB egress	Free ≤5 users; Cloud $39/user/mo	Free ≤5 users (Indie); Pro $25/user/mo, Studio $35/user/mo	— see Unity's site
Target audience	Unreal Engine / game teams, Windows-first	Lore users who want a free local GUI, any platform	General development	AAA game / VFX, enterprise	Unreal Engine / game teams, cloud-native	Game development, real-time 3D

The GitHub column reflects Git + Git LFS — the same metered-storage and best-effort-locking model applies to self-hosted Git + LFS on GitLab, Gitea, or Bitbucket. The loregui column is Biloxi Studios' free, open-source local GUI for Lore — genuinely free and cross-platform today, with no hosted server, review pipeline, or access-control layer. Unity Version Control's pricing isn't published anywhere we could verify, so we don't quote a number here — check Unity's site directly.

Questions

Frequently asked questions.

Does Branchive work with Git or Git LFS?

No. Branchive is built on Lore, Epic's version control system — not Git, and not Git LFS. Lore uses its own QUIC-based protocol (lore://) with large files handled natively, not through a separate LFS storage layer. Branchive does not interoperate with Git, Git LFS, or the git-lfs CLI.

Can I migrate an existing Git LFS repository to Branchive?

There's no automated import from Git or Git LFS to Lore. Branchive works with Lore repositories — you can create new repos on Branchive Cloud and push to them from a Lore workspace. The core operations (clone/commit/push/branch/lock) work against any loreserver, self-hosted included.

Is Branchive free?

Branchive Desktop is a free Windows client. Branchive Cloud collaboration features — pull requests with required review, invite-only team sharing, and per-repo read/write/admin roles (collaborators land changes via reviewed pull requests; only the owner pushes directly today) — are available when you sign in with Google.

Does Branchive enforce protected branches and roles, or is that just a UI setting?

Core Lore already blocks a direct push to a protected branch, even the owner's — that's native. What stock Lore lacks: protection isn't gated (anyone holding a grant can unprotect, push, and reprotect) and roles are checked by presence, not level, so a read-only grant can still push to an unprotected branch. Branchive Cloud forks the server to close both gaps — role enforced by level, and unprotect admin-gated — so protection actually holds, on the lore CLI and Branchive Desktop too, not just the web UI. A self-hosted, stock loreserver gives you the Lore core, not this enforcement layer.

Try it

See if Branchive fits your workflow.

Sign in with Google Download Branchive Desktop 0.1.11

Windows only today — macOS and Linux are in development.

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Branchive as a Git LFS alternative