A garden fork is usually shorter, and it comes with thicker tines compared to a pitchfork. The first question you want to determine before making a choice is how you are going to use the tool. While a pitchfork is ideal for moving compost and other garden materials, it’s usually lighter and less sturdy, so it’s not as suitable as a garden fork for digging purposes.
On the other hand, if what you need to do is to aerate the soil, then you want to choose a garden fork, as these products are definitely better for such jobs. The same goes if you want to move around heavy loads.
Given its slender tines and overall design, a pitchfork might end up bending under heavy loads, while a garden fork has fewer chances of this happening. With this being said, you also want to think about the effort on your part when making a choice.