Apache Subversion
open-source
Centralized version control system for managing files and directories with atomic commits and branching.
Best version control tools for remote and distributed teams in 2026
Remote and distributed teams need version control tools that works from any network: hosted or cloud-native deployment, access that does not route through an office, and collaboration that holds up across time zones.
No product in this category matches the remote team filter yet, so all 9 are listed below.
Back to all Version Control Tools tools, or browse the full software directory. You can also run head-to-head comparisons or read about our review methodology.
For background on scoring, see how rankings work. Our editorial articles add deeper analysis, the glossary clarifies vendor terminology, and our calculators help estimate ROI before the shortlist narrows further.
All version control tools
Nothing in this category met the remote team filter, so the full version control tools category is listed here instead.
Azure DevOps
Per-user · Cloud · Free trial
Source control, build and release pipelines, work item boards, and test plans sit inside one Microsoft suite. That makes Azure DevOps behave as a platform, not a collection of point products. Organizations already inside the Microsoft ecosystem often start here on licensing proximity to subscriptions they already hold. It scales from small teams up to complex multi-project enterprise setups.
Bitbucket
Per-user · Cloud · Free trial
For a shop already running Jira and Confluence, Bitbucket is the path of least resistance: issue-to-pull-request linking works natively, Pipelines covers CI/CD without a third-party runner, and the bill arrives per user on Atlassian's cloud. Outside that ecosystem the calculation changes, since GitHub and GitLab carry broader community ecosystems around them.
Fossil
open-source
All-in-one distributed version control with built-in bug tracking, wiki, and web interface in a single executable.
GitHub
Per-user · Cloud · Free trial
Code hosting and code review here have become the default for open source and enterprise software teams alike. GitHub Actions lives in the same platform, so CI/CD work does not mean switching context to a separate system. Access controls and audit logs on the enterprise plan cover most security and compliance requirements, and seats are priced per user.
GitLab
Per-user · Cloud / On-prem · Free trial
GitLab keeps source control, pipelines, a container registry, security scanning and project tracking inside one application instead of five integrated ones. The self-hosted edition is the real decider for organizations under data sovereignty rules that stop source code from residing in someone else's cloud, and it is licensed per user either way.
Mercurial
open-source
Distributed version control system designed for speed and scalability with a simple, intuitive command set.
Perforce Helix Core
subscription
Enterprise version control system built for large-scale binary assets, game development, and regulated industries.
Plastic SCM
freemium
Version control system optimized for game development and large binary files with visual branch management.
Common questions about version control tools for remote teams
What version control tools capabilities matter most for remote teams?
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Hosted or cloud-native deployment, access control that works from any network, asynchronous collaboration, and an audit trail that shows who changed what when nobody shares an office.
Can version control tools work without a VPN?
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Cloud-hosted products in this category are reached over HTTPS and need no VPN. Self-hosted deployments do, unless you put an authenticating proxy or zero-trust gateway in front of them.
How do remote teams keep access under control with version control tools?
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Put the product behind SSO with MFA, keep roles scoped to what each person needs, and review access on a schedule. Session logging matters more when nobody can confirm identity in person.