GitHub vs GitLab

Side-by-side feature comparison and pricing breakdown.

Feature
Git Hosting
Built-in CI/CD GitHub Actions has minute limits; GitLab CI is unlimited self-hosted
Security Scanning GitLab includes SAST and DAST in higher tiers
$
Container Registry
Project Management GitLab has richer built-in issue boards and milestones
Community & Ecosystem GitHub has the larger open-source community
Self-Hosting GitLab CE is fully open-source
GitHub Actions Compatibility GitHub's ecosystem of Actions is unmatched
Pricing
$4/mo
Free Freemium
Save 100% — Save $4/user/mo with GitLab CE self-hosted (free)

Verdict

GitLab is the better all-in-one DevOps platform with built-in CI/CD, security scanning, and project management. GitHub has the larger community and ecosystem. Choose GitLab for a unified platform; choose GitHub for open-source collaboration.

Best for: Teams wanting a complete DevOps lifecycle in one self-hosted platform without paying for GitHub Actions minutes

Last updated: 2026-03-01