Spire vs Tower: the Mac Git client you own, not rent.
Tower is excellent. It shaped how we think about Git on the Mac, and we owe it that much. Spire takes the moves you reach for every day, keeps them just as fast and native, and asks you to pay for them exactly once. No subscription, not now, not ever.
Spire and Tower are both native Mac Git clients with the same everyday power. The difference is the deal. Tower is a yearly subscription that also runs on Windows. Spire is a one-time purchase for the Mac, and it stays yours.
Own your Git client. Don't rent it.
- One payment. No renewal, no charge in the background.
- The license is yours to keep, for good.
- Runs fully offline once it is activated.
- Free updates for the version you own.
- Fair upgrade pricing when the next major lands.
One platform, done properly.
Native
SwiftUI + AppKit, built only for the Mac
Instant
Diffs open with no spinner
Offline
Full speed with no connection
A safety net under every action.
Spire vs Tower, in detail.
| Spire | Tower | |
|---|---|---|
Pricing & ownership This is where the two really part ways. | ||
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Yearly subscription |
| Price | One payment | $69-$149 / year / user |
| Own your license forever | ||
| Recurring cost | None | Every year |
| Access ends if you stop paying | ||
| 30-day money-back | ||
Platform & performance Both native on the Mac. One is built only for it. | ||
| Platform | macOS only | macOS + Windows |
| Native on macOS | ||
| Universal (Apple silicon + Intel) | ||
| Works fully offline | ||
| Visible offline indicator | ||
Core Git power The everyday moves, matched almost one for one. | ||
| Single-line staging | ||
| Interactive rebase | ||
| Visual conflict resolver | ||
| Cherry-pick (undoable) | ||
| Compare any two commits | ||
| External diff tools | ||
| Syntax highlighting | ||
| In-app pull requests | ||
| Stacked branches / Graphite | ||
| AI commit messages | ||
Safety & undo Nothing you do is a one-way street. | ||
| Undo almost anything (Cmd+Z) | ||
| Recover deleted commits | ||
| Recover deleted branches | ||
| Undo history per window & repo | ||
Setup & updates Install nothing, update automatically. | ||
| Bundled Git, zero setup | ||
| Signed & notarized updates | ||
| Auto-update (Sparkle) | ||
| Team management / SSO | ||
Where Tower is the better call.
You need Windows too.
Tower runs on Mac and Windows. Spire is Mac only, and it always will be.
You live in pull requests.
Tower manages PRs and hosting (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and more) right inside the app. Spire keeps you in the Git workflow and leaves hosting to the browser.
You want stacked branches or Graphite.
Those ship in Tower today. Spire does not have them yet.
You want AI-written commit messages.
Tower writes them for you. Spire does not.
Your team needs central billing or SSO.
That is Tower's territory, not ours.
Should you choose Spire or Tower?
Choose Spire if...
- You work on the Mac and want it to feel like the Mac
- You are a solo dev, a freelancer, or a small studio
- You are done renting the tools you use every single day
- You want native speed and a calm, focused app
- Your pull requests happen in the browser anyway
Choose Tower if...
- You also work on Windows
- Your day runs on in-app pull requests and hosting integrations
- You need stacked branches, team management, or SSO
- You want the most mature option with the biggest user base
- AI commit messages matter to you right now
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Spire is a native Mac Git client with the same everyday power as Tower: single-line staging, a visual conflict resolver, interactive rebase, cherry-pick, and undo for almost anything. The one real difference is that you buy Spire once instead of renting it every year.
The deal. Tower is a yearly subscription that also runs on Windows. Spire is a one-time purchase for the Mac that you own for good. On the core Git features you touch every day, the two are very close.
Spire is a single payment. Tower renews every year at $69 to $149 per user, for as long as you use it. A few years in, one-time comes out far cheaper, and your Spire license never expires.
No, and that is on purpose. Building for one platform lets us lean fully into the Mac with SwiftUI and AppKit. If you need Windows, Tower is the better choice.
Yes. Your repositories are just Git, so there is nothing to export or import. Open them in Spire and every branch, remote, and stash is exactly where you left it. Keep Tower installed while you make up your mind.
Not inside the app. Tower manages pull requests and hosting directly; Spire keeps you in the Git workflow and sends PRs to the browser. If in-app PRs are central to your day, Tower is stronger there.
No. Spire ships with its own bundled Git, so it works even if you have never installed Git yourself. There is nothing to set up before your first commit.
Yes. You pay once and own your license. No subscription, no recurring fee. Updates within your version are free, and the app keeps working offline once it is activated.
Comparison based on publicly available information about Tower and provided for orientation. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Try Spire on your own repositories.
Free for 30 days, no account, no credit card. Buy it and you are still covered by 30 days money-back. If Spire is not for you, keep Tower, no hard feelings.