GitHub vs GitLab

GitHub is where most of the open-source world lives and builds. GitLab is the all-in-one DevOps platform that bundles everything from source control to deployment. Both host Git repos, but their philosophies diverge from there.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

GitHub

Where the world builds software

FreeFree for public repos, Team $4/user/mo

Strengths

+Largest developer community and open-source ecosystem
+GitHub Actions is powerful and has a massive marketplace
+Copilot AI integration is best-in-class

Weaknesses

-CI/CD was added later and it shows in some edges
-No built-in container registry on free tier
-Self-hosted option (Enterprise Server) is expensive

Best for

Teams that value community, open-source collaboration, and want the largest ecosystem of integrations and developers

GitLab

The complete DevOps platform in a single application

FreeFree tier available, Premium $29/user/mo

Strengths

+CI/CD is built in from day one and it is excellent
+Self-hosting is a first-class option, not an afterthought
+Everything lives in one platform - repos, CI, registry, monitoring

Weaknesses

-Smaller community means fewer third-party integrations
-The UI can feel overwhelming with so many features
-Premium tier pricing is significantly higher than GitHub

Best for

Teams that want a single platform for the entire DevOps lifecycle, especially those who need self-hosting or built-in CI/CD

Feature Comparison

Feature	GitHub	GitLab
CI/CD	GitHub Actions - powerful, marketplace-driven	Built-in CI/CD - mature and deeply integrated
Free tier	Unlimited public repos, 2000 CI min/mo	Unlimited repos, 400 CI min/mo, container registry
Self-hosting	Enterprise Server ($$$)	Free Community Edition available
Container registry	GitHub Packages (limited free)	Built-in, free tier included
Code review	Pull requests - the gold standard	Merge requests - equally capable
Project management	Issues + Projects (improving)	Issues, boards, epics, milestones built in
Security scanning	Dependabot + code scanning	SAST, DAST, dependency scanning included
Community size	100M+ developers	30M+ users
AI features	Copilot - market leader	Duo - capable but newer
Learning curve	Familiar to most developers	More features means more to learn

The Verdict

GitHub wins on community, ecosystem, and developer familiarity. If you are building open-source software or want the largest talent pool to recruit from, GitHub is the obvious choice. GitLab wins when you want everything in one platform without stitching together five different tools. Its built-in CI/CD was years ahead of GitHub Actions, and self-hosting GitLab Community Edition for free is hard to beat. For most teams, GitHub plus a few integrations is the path of least resistance. For teams that want a single pane of glass for DevOps, GitLab delivers.

How to switch from GitHub to GitLab

Full GitHub export guide →

1Export your GitHub data first: for individual repos use `git clone --mirror <repo-url>` to get a full local copy including all branches and tags, or use GitHub's built-in repository export/migration tools (Settings > Archive or Organization migrations) if you need issues, PRs, and wikis bundled as a migration archive.
2Create a GitLab account or self-hosted instance, then use 'New project > Import project > GitHub' and authenticate with a GitHub personal access token to import repos, issues, and merge requests directly.
3For repos not covered by the importer, push your mirrored clones manually with `git remote add gitlab <new-url>` followed by `git push --mirror gitlab` to preserve full commit history and branches.
4Rewrite your CI/CD pipelines: convert GitHub Actions YAML workflows into GitLab's .gitlab-ci.yml format, reconnecting any deployment keys, secrets, and environment variables in GitLab's CI/CD settings.
5Recreate integrations that don't migrate automatically - Slack notifications, Jira links, and third-party webhooks need to be reconfigured in GitLab's Integrations settings.
6Cut over the team gradually: keep GitHub repos read-only or archived for a transition period, update local git remotes for every developer, and update any documentation, README badges, or CI status links that point to GitHub URLs.

GitHub vs GitLab: common questions

How do I migrate repos from GitHub to GitLab?+

GitLab has a built-in GitHub importer under 'New project > Import project > GitHub' that pulls in repos, branches, commit history, and optionally issues, pull requests, wikis, and milestones using a GitHub personal access token. For a manual approach, you can also `git clone --mirror` each repo and `git push --mirror` to a new GitLab remote, which preserves full history but not issues or PR metadata.

What do I lose when I move from GitHub to GitLab?+

Pull request review comments, approvals, and CI check history don't carry over cleanly - GitLab's importer converts PRs to merge requests but review threads and line-level comments are often flattened or lost. You'll also lose GitHub Actions workflows (they don't run on GitLab and need to be rewritten as .gitlab-ci.yml), Copilot chat history, and any GitHub Projects boards, which have no direct import path.

Is GitLab's free tier enough for a small team?+

Yes, for most small teams - the free tier includes unlimited private repos, built-in CI/CD, container registry, and basic issue tracking, which covers what most 5-10 person teams need. The main constraint is 400 CI/CD minutes per month, which can run out fast if you have frequent test suites, so budget for either self-hosted runners (free) or a paid tier if you hit the ceiling.

Will I lose my GitHub Actions integrations when switching?+

Yes, GitHub Actions workflows don't run on GitLab - you'll need to rewrite them as GitLab CI/CD pipelines using .gitlab-ci.yml syntax, which is a different (though comparable) format. Common integrations like Slack notifications, deployment scripts, and linting can usually be replicated with GitLab CI templates or the CI/CD catalog, but expect a few days of rework depending on pipeline complexity.

Is GitLab actually cheaper than GitHub long-term?+

It depends on which tier you compare - GitLab's free tier is genuinely more generous out of the box (built-in registry, CI/CD, more PM features), but GitLab Premium at $29/user/month is over 7x GitHub Team's $4/user/month. If you plan to stay on free tiers or self-host GitLab Community Edition, GitLab can be cheaper; if you need paid-tier features like advanced security or compliance, GitHub Enterprise and GitLab Premium/Ultimate end up in similar territory.