houndci.com Review, Pricing & Features

Hound (houndci.com) is an automated code review tool that comments on style issues in GitHub pull requests, free for public repos.

Category
DevOps
Pricing
Freemium, from Free for public repos
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 20, 2026
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Web AppAPIOpen SourceFreemium

What Is houndci.com (Hound)?

Hound, found at houndci.com, is an automated code review bot that integrates with GitHub. When a pull request is opened or updated, Hound scans the changed code and leaves inline comments flagging style and quality issues based on configurable linting rules.

The project is maintained by thoughtbot, a software development consultancy whose house style guides form the default rule set. Hound's core code is open source and available on GitHub, while the hosted service at houndci.com is what most teams actually use to connect it to their repositories.

Key Features

Hound reviews pull requests automatically the moment they are created or updated, posting comments directly in the GitHub PR interface rather than requiring a separate dashboard. Teams can use thoughtbot's default style guides or supply their own configuration per language.

It supports more than a dozen languages and tooling ecosystems, including JavaScript, Ruby, Python, Swift, PHP, Go, Elixir, SCSS/Sass, and Markdown, making it usable across polyglot codebases without needing a separate linting bot per language.

houndci.com Pricing

Hound is free to use on public GitHub repositories with no review limit disclosed for that tier. For private repositories, Hound requires a paid subscription based on monthly review volume.

Published plans are Chihuahua at $29/month for up to 50 reviews, Terrier at $49/month for up to 300 reviews, Labrador at $99/month for up to 1,000 reviews, and Husky at $199/month for up to 3,000 reviews.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Free for public/open-source repositories
  • Simple setup that plugs directly into existing GitHub PR workflow
  • Supports a wide range of languages and frameworks
  • Built on well-regarded thoughtbot style guide conventions
  • Open-source core code available for transparency

Cons

  • Private repository use requires a paid subscription
  • Focused on style/linting issues, not deep logic or security review
  • Plan tiers are capped by review count rather than unlimited usage
  • Limited public information on company size or update cadence

Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hound (houndci.com) free?

Yes, Hound is free for public GitHub repositories. Private repositories require a paid plan starting at $29/month.

Who makes Hound?

Hound is maintained by thoughtbot, a software development consultancy, and its style guides form Hound's default rule set.

What languages does Hound support?

Hound supports JavaScript, Ruby, Python, Swift, PHP, Go, Elixir, SCSS/Sass, Markdown, and other languages.

Is Hound open source?

Yes, Hound's core codebase is open source and available on GitHub, alongside the hosted service at houndci.com.

How does Hound review pull requests?

Hound automatically scans a pull request when it is created or updated and posts inline comments on style and quality issues.

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