GitLab

The DevOps platform

Freemium

About GitLab

GitLab is the all-in-one DevOps platform that covers the entire software development lifecycle in a single application—from planning and source code management to CI/CD, security testing, and deployment. Unlike GitHub where you need separate tools for CI/CD (Actions) and project management, GitLab includes everything built-in. The killer feature is GitLab CI/CD: define pipelines in .gitlab-ci.yml, and GitLab handles building, testing, and deploying automatically. Free tier is generous: unlimited private repos, 400 CI/CD minutes/month, 5GB storage, and container registry. Premium ($29/user/mo) adds advanced CI/CD features, code review tools, and support. GitLab can be self-hosted (Community Edition is open-source) or used as SaaS—making it popular with enterprises needing on-premises deployment. The platform is comprehensive but complex; the UI has improved but still feels busier than GitHub. Best for DevOps teams wanting a unified platform, companies needing self-hosting, and organizations prioritizing security scanning and compliance features.

Key Features

Git repository hosting with merge requests

Built-in CI/CD with .gitlab-ci.yml configuration

Issue tracking, boards, and project management

Container registry for Docker images

Security scanning (SAST, DAST, dependency scanning)

Auto DevOps for automated pipelines

Built-in wiki and documentation

Self-hosted option (Community/Enterprise Edition)

Kubernetes integration for deployment

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Complete DevOps platform in one tool
• Excellent CI/CD built-in (no separate tool needed)
• Self-hosting available with Community Edition
• Generous free tier with 400 CI/CD minutes
• Strong security and compliance features
• Active development and frequent releases

Cons

• Interface can feel complex and overwhelming
• Slower performance than GitHub at times
• Smaller community and ecosystem than GitHub
• Premium features expensive for small teams
• Learning curve for all features
• Self-hosted requires significant resources

Best For

DevOps teams wanting unified platform Enterprises needing self-hosted Git with CI/CD Organizations with strict security/compliance needs Teams preferring all-in-one over best-of-breed Companies already invested in GitLab ecosystem