GitHub suits solo developers, open source projects and teams who want the biggest community and generous free private repositories. GitLab suits teams who want one platform for code, pipelines and security, with the option to host it on their own servers. If you're starting out or sharing code publicly, use GitHub; if control and an all-in-one setup matter, look at GitLab.
If you run a small business that builds a website, an app or internal tools, sooner or later someone will ask where the code should live. These two are the obvious options. I read GitHub's documentation on its plans, GitLab's plans and install pages and both companies' home pages.
GitLab and GitHub compared
| GitLab | GitHub | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, 5 users per top-level group | Yes, unlimited collaborators |
| Hosted for you | Yes, on GitLab.com | Yes, on github.com |
| Pipeline minutes | 400 compute minutes a month on Free | 2,000 Actions minutes a month on Free |
| Host it yourself | Yes, GitLab Self-Managed | Not covered on the pages I read |
| Security tools | Static application security testing on Free | Dependabot alerts on Free |
| AI | GitLab Duo Agent Platform | GitHub Copilot |
What GitHub gives you
GitHub's own documentation spells out its free plan for personal accounts: unlimited collaborators on unlimited public repositories with the full feature set, and unlimited private repositories with a more limited set. You also get Dependabot alerts, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes a month, 120 Codespaces core hours a month and GitHub Pages for public repositories.
GitHub Pro adds email support and 3,000 Actions minutes, and Team and Enterprise plans add more controls for companies. GitHub Copilot sits on top as its AI coding assistant, and GitHub Mobile lets you review code and merge pull requests from your phone. The free plan also includes 120 Codespaces core hours and 15 GB of Codespaces storage a month, plus GitHub Pages for publishing a simple site from a public repository.
What GitLab gives you
GitLab pitches itself as one platform for the whole software lifecycle. Source code, CI/CD pipelines, agile planning, security testing, secrets management and compliance all sit in the same place, with the GitLab Duo Agent Platform for AI. Its free plan is aimed at individuals, personal projects and open source contributions.
GitLab's install page offers two routes. GitLab.com is hosted for you with no setup. GitLab Self-Managed means you install and run it on your own servers, using a Linux package, Docker or a cloud native setup, and there's a Community Edition to start from. GitLab also runs on AWS and Google Cloud, and its Free plan includes static application security testing and 10 GiB of storage, so you can scan code for problems from day one.
The full GitLab tier list is in my guide to whether GitLab is free.
The free plan limits side by side
Here's the detail worth checking before you invite your whole team. GitLab's Free plan allows 5 users per top-level group and 400 compute minutes a month for pipelines. GitHub Free allows unlimited collaborators and 2,000 Actions minutes a month.
So for a growing team on a free plan, GitHub goes further. Where GitLab pulls ahead is control: if your clients or your sector need code kept on your own servers, GitLab Self-Managed gives you that without leaving the platform.
If Atlassian shops are in the mix, read how GitHub compares with Bitbucket.
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Who each platform suits
GitHub suits freelancers, start-ups, open source maintainers and anyone hiring developers who'll already know it. GitLab suits teams that want planning, pipelines and security in one tool, and businesses that need to host everything themselves. If you're choosing tools for a dev team, these developer productivity tools and my AI prompts for code review are useful on either platform.
My advice on GitLab or GitHub
If you don't have a strong reason to host your own code, start on GitHub. It's what most developers already use, and the free plan covers a small team comfortably. Choose GitLab if you want one place for code, pipelines and security, or you need it on your own servers. Moving between them later is possible, since both use Git, but it's easier to pick once and build your habits around it.
Do you make developer tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is GitHub free for private repositories?
Yes. GitHub's documentation says GitHub Free includes unlimited private repositories with a limited feature set and unlimited collaborators.
How many users does GitLab Free allow?
GitLab's plans page lists 5 users per top-level group on the Free plan.
Can I host GitLab on my own server?
Yes. GitLab's install page offers GitLab Self-Managed, which you install and host yourself, including a Community Edition.
How many CI minutes do the free plans include?
GitLab Free lists 400 compute minutes a month. GitHub Free lists 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes a month.
Do GitLab and GitHub have AI tools?
Yes. GitLab has the GitLab Duo Agent Platform, and GitHub has GitHub Copilot.
