SourceTree alternative
SourceTree got slow. This opens in under a second.
Meridian is a fast, native Git client for the Mac. It opens from the terminal (mrd) or the Dock, renders Markdown, CSV and JSON diffs as documents, and reads whatever is already on disk, no import, no account.
Free 14-day trial | One licence, three Macs
Why people leave SourceTree
It got slow, and it line-diffs everything
SourceTree has grown slow, and it shows most on big repos: long statuses, a UI that lags, and a stree command that frequently fails to open the repo you're standing in. If you've ever typed stree and stared at a window that never came, that's the pain.
The second pain is older and quieter: SourceTree line-diffs everything. A Markdown preview was requested in 2014 and closed unresolved; SVG shows as raw XML; CSV threads go unanswered. A reworded paragraph is a wall of red and green, and there's nothing in SourceTree that renders it as prose.
At a glance
Meridian vs SourceTree
| Meridian | SourceTree | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49 $29, one-time | Free |
| Native | ✓ | ✓ |
| Terminal launch | ✓ mrd, under a second | ⚠︎ stree, often fails |
| Rendered preview (Markdown / SVG / CSV / JSON) | ✓ old vs new | ✕ line diff only |
| Worktrees | ✓ a titled window each | ✕ |
| Command palette (⌘K) | ✓ | ✕ |
| Hunk-to-hunk navigation (n/p) | ✓ | ✕ |
| Stash a single file | ✓ | ✕ on Mac, requested 2014 |
| Commit-message recall | ✓ summary + body | ⚠︎ amend-last only |
| Fast on big repos | ✓ | ✕ slows down |
| Platform | macOS (Intel + Apple silicon) | macOS + Windows |
Migration
Nothing to import
There's nothing to import. Your repos are just git: cd into one, type mrd, and Meridian opens it. Because it shells out to your system git, your SSH keys, credential helpers, hooks and commit signing carry over untouched.
And you can keep the muscle memory: Meridian's installer can take over the stree command. It detects SourceTree's shim, backs it up, and restores it if you ever uninstall Meridian, so stree opens Meridian instead.
Who it's for
Where each one fits
FAQ
Switching from SourceTree, answered
Is Meridian free like SourceTree?
No. SourceTree is free. Meridian is $29 one-time, 1 user on 3 machines, with 12 months of updates then keep what you have. Launch price. Going up to $49 soon. There is a free trial: the download is the trial.
Can Meridian replace the stree command?
Yes. Meridian installs an mrd command and can take over the stree command from SourceTree. It detects the SourceTree shim, backs it up, and restores it if you uninstall Meridian.
Does Meridian run on Windows?
No. Meridian is macOS only, Apple silicon and Intel in one universal binary. If you are on Windows, SourceTree or GitKraken remain the options.