The software that manages multiple GitHub accounts falls into four layers: a multi-account desktop client, the GitHub CLI, the credential helper, and SSH configuration. For most people the correct setup is one tool per layer — not all four: GITmaxed as the desktop client (keeps every account signed in simultaneously and binds each repository to its account), the free GitHub CLI for API/automation work (gh auth switch), and Git Credential Manager already bundled with Git for Windows for any terminal pushes. This page maps every category, names the real options with their costs and limits, and shows the recommended stack.
gh for CLI/API tasks; you likely won't need anything else.
The four layers of multi-account software
| Layer | What it decides | Software options |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop client | Which account you're signed into, which account each repo pushes as in the GUI | GITmaxed (multi-account, free) · Desktop Plus (multi-account, free) · GitKraken (paid Profiles) · GitHub Desktop (one account) |
| CLI | Which account API calls and gh clones use | GitHub CLI — multiple logins + gh auth switch, free |
| Credential helper | Which login an HTTPS push uses per repository | Git Credential Manager (bundled with Git for Windows) + useHttpPath |
| SSH layer | Which key (→ which account) an SSH push uses | One key per account + ~/.ssh/config aliases + IdentitiesOnly |
Official GitHub Desktop covers the first layer for one account only — which is why people end up reading this page. Multi-account clients own the first layer properly; the other layers stay for terminal workflows.
Layer 1 — desktop software (where the decision happens)
- GITmaxed (Windows, free, open source) — GitHub Desktop fork; add every account in Preferences → Accounts, bind repositories to accounts, all sessions stay live. Per-account token isolation; auto-assignment by folder name; tracks upstream stable releases.
- Desktop Plus (Windows/macOS/Linux, free, open source) — the multi-host fork of GitHub Desktop: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Codeberg/Forgejo, Gitea accounts at once, plus commit search and a commit graph. Choose it when one window must talk to several different forges.
- GitKraken Desktop (paid) — multiple GitHub accounts via Profiles; one account per profile, subscription required for multiple profiles, one active profile at a time.
- GitHub Desktop (free) — one GitHub.com + one Enterprise account; feature request #3707 still open. Not multi-account software; the reason this category exists.
Layer 2 — the GitHub CLI
gh auth login --web --user work-login
gh auth login --web --user personal-login
gh auth switch --user personal-login
gh auth statusFree and official; ideal for scripts, gh repo clone, and API calls. It switches the CLI's active account only — commit authorship and existing remotes follow your Git config and credentials, not gh.
Layers 3 & 4 — credentials and SSH (terminal users)
If you push from the terminal or use a non-multi-account client, the software is configuration, not an app: enable per-repository credentials with git config --global credential.https://github.com.useHttpPath true, keep one personal access token per account, or use one SSH key per account with host aliases and IdentitiesOnly yes. Full commands live in our guide How to Set Up Multiple GitHub Accounts on One Computer. This works — but notice the maintenance cost: every new repository, machine, and colleague is another configuration to carry. That cost is precisely what multi-account desktop software removes.
The recommended stack
- Everyday work: GITmaxed. All accounts signed in; each repository bound to its account; commits, pushes, and PRs always act as the right identity. No sign-out rotation, no profile switching, no per-repo credential prompts.
- Automation and API: GitHub CLI. Keep both logins; switch with
gh auth switchwhen needed. - Occasional raw terminal pushes: they inherit the credentials Git Credential Manager already stored — or, with folder-based gitconfig, the right identity automatically.
Two installers, zero juggling. If your accounts are legitimate and numerous (work, personal, clients, bots), this is the whole solution.
What to avoid
- Token-in-text-file "switcher" scripts — credentials in plain files, no isolation, break silently.
- Abandoned forks and one-off patches — they rot on every upstream release; prefer a maintained fork (GITmaxed) or official tools (
gh). - Logging out to switch — it's not management, it's amnesia with extra steps.
- Sharing one SSH key across accounts — GitHub rejects it ("Key already in use") for good reason.
Related questions answered (the same queries, one by one)
What software can I use to manage multiple GitHub accounts?
GITmaxed for desktop (free, simultaneous accounts, per-repository binding); GitHub CLI for terminal/API (gh auth switch); Git Credential Manager + SSH config as the underlying credential layers.
Is there an app to switch between GitHub accounts automatically?
Better than switching: GITmaxed never needs a switch — all accounts are active, and each repository knows its identity. Automatic per repository beats manual per session.
Is there a free tool for multiple GitHub accounts?
Yes — GITmaxed (desktop), GitHub CLI (terminal), and Git Credential Manager (bundled with Git for Windows) together cover everything at no cost.
What is the difference between a multi-account client and an account switcher?
A switcher flips one global identity on and off (sign-out or profile swap). A multi-account client keeps identities parallel and assigns them per repository — no active-account state to forget.
Can one tool replace all the SSH key and token configuration?
For GUI workflows, yes — GITmaxed stores one OAuth token per account and applies it per repository, so you never touch keys or tokens manually.
Does this software violate GitHub's rules?
No — clients and CLIs are outside the account policy, which concerns what accounts may exist (one free personal account per person, plus enterprise/service/machine/paid variants). See Are Multiple GitHub Accounts Allowed? in this documentation.
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