For game development teams
Version control for game development, without bolting large files onto a text-first tool.
Branchive is built on Lore, Epic's version control system — a version control approach where textures, models, audio, and levels are treated as first-class data, whichever engine you build with.
Windows only today — macOS and Linux are in development.
Back to BranchiveNative big binaries, whichever engine you use
Textures, models, audio, and levels — first-class data.
Binary game assets don't diff or merge, whether you're building in Unreal, Unity, or a custom engine. The lore:// protocol is QUIC-native — a real 6.05 GiB Unreal project, 3,637 files, cloned in 78 seconds from Branchive Cloud (measured, one command, not a benchmark rig).
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.
Transparent, free right now
No per-seat tiers to track.
Branchive Desktop is free, full stop. Branchive Cloud's collaboration features are free while we're in early access.
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.
Honesty
When another game-dev VCS is still the better choice.
Perforce Helix Core — client-side read-only lock enforcement, decades of AAA hardening
Branchive Cloud now enforces locks server-side — the same as Helix Core — for direct commits and pushes. What Helix Core still does that we don't: make the locked file read-only on your local disk, not just blocked on push. If you need that, plus the admin resources for a AAA-scale binary depot, Helix Core remains a proven choice. See our Helix Core comparison.
Diversion or Unity Version Control — client-side read-only lock enforcement today
Both Diversion's Hard Locks and Unity Version Control's Smart Locks make a locked file read-only on your local disk, not just blocked on push — a step beyond Branchive Cloud's server-side push enforcement. See our Diversion comparison or Unity Version Control comparison.
GitHub (with Git LFS) — CI, cross-platform reach, and huge ecosystem
GitHub Actions, native macOS/Linux support, and a huge open-source community are things Branchive doesn't try to replicate. If your studio's tooling is already deeply invested there, that's a real reason to stay. See our GitHub comparison or Git LFS comparison.
Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Do I need Unreal Engine to use Branchive?
No. Branchive works with any project structure — the tooling and testing to date focus on Unreal Engine projects, but the underlying Lore VCS handles any large binary files, not just Unreal assets.
Does Branchive lock binary game assets?
Yes. Lock a file to claim it — nobody else can lock the same file while you hold it. On Branchive Cloud, locking is enforced: the server rejects anyone else's direct push, force-push, or rename over your locked file. Approved PR merges aren't lock-gated, and owners/admins can force-release a lock.
Is Branchive free for game development teams?
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 for game projects?
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
Clone a game-sized repo in about a minute.
Windows only today — macOS and Linux are in development.
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