GitLab is a game changer for DevSecOps.
I use it because it combines everything you need to develop, secure, and operate software into one platform. The setup gives you more control and transparency throughout the entire process.
It all started back in 2011 as an open-source project by a Ukrainian developer.
By 2014, GitLab had commercialized with its co-founder and current CEO, Sytse Sijbrandij, leading the way. The company’s headquarters are in the US, but what’s impressive is that everyone works remotely from over 60 countries.
In this GitLab review, I’m going to highlight what makes this platform stand out.
The mission is clear—help you deliver software faster and safer by covering planning, source code management, CI/CD, security, and monitoring.
By mid-2025, it served over 50 million users worldwide, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. The team has around 1,300 employees and a community with over 3,300 contributors.
Revenue hit $214.5 million in Q1 fiscal 2026, showing a solid 27% growth year over year.
This year, GitLab launched version 18, which adds native AI features to improve developer productivity and simplify DevOps and security tasks.
The platform continues to impress with its focus on innovation, dependability, and remote teamwork, making it a strong choice for enterprise software development.
| GitLab – Quick Overview | |
|---|---|
| What It Does | Provides an all-in-one DevSecOps platform to develop, secure, and operate software from planning to deployment with built-in CI/CD and security. |
| Best For | • Mid-size to large organizations needing integrated DevSecOps • Distributed teams working remotely • Highly regulated industries like finance and healthcare • Product and DevOps teams wanting to reduce tool sprawl |
| Key Products | GitLab DevSecOps Platform • GitLab SaaS (cloud) • GitLab Self-Managed • Premium & Ultimate tiers • GitLab Duo AI assistant and security |
| Pricing | Free plan for individuals/small teams • Premium $29/user/month • Ultimate $99/user/month • 30-day free trials for Premium & Ultimate • Duo AI add-on available with Premium & Ultimate |
| Standout Features | • Integrated source code management with merge requests • Automated CI/CD pipelines • Built-in security testing & compliance tools • AI-powered automation for code and security • Project & portfolio management features |
| Integrations | Slack, Jira, Kubernetes, Prometheus, Docker, and many cloud providers |
| Get Started | Start Free Trial → |
GitLab Solutions
GitLab offers a cloud-based DevSecOps platform.
It covers the whole software development lifecycle through several key products and solutions designed to simplify your workflow.
1. GitLab DevSecOps Platform
This is the flagship all-in-one tool you can use for source code management, CI/CD automation, security testing, project management, and deployment.
It combines everything developers and operations teams need to build, secure, and deliver software in one place.
2. GitLab SaaS (gitlab.com)
GitLab’s hosted cloud version gives you instant access to its full feature set.
You don’t have to worry about self-hosting or maintenance, which works great if you want to focus on your work instead of infrastructure.
3. GitLab Self-Managed
If you need more control over your environment or have strict compliance rules, this downloadable version runs on your own infrastructure.
It lets you customize GitLab to fit your organization’s specific needs and data residency requirements.
4. GitLab Ultimate and Premium Tiers
These enhanced editions include advanced tools for enterprise security, compliance, and scalability.
They’re designed to support larger teams that require higher levels of governance and control.
5. GitLab Duo
Launched with GitLab 18, GitLab Duo is an AI-powered assistant with security features.
It helps speed up development, automate testing, and improve code quality by providing smart insights and support.
6. Integrations
GitLab works smoothly with popular tools like Slack, Jira, Kubernetes, Prometheus, and many cloud providers.
This flexibility allows you to build complex toolchains without breaking your flow.
The main goal of GitLab’s platform is to replace scattered DevOps tools with a single unified application.
Developers, DevOps engineers, and security teams benefit from things like Git repositories, branching, merge requests, and issue tracking.
You also get powerful continuous integration and delivery pipelines, automated security scans, release orchestration, and infrastructure-as-code support.
GitLab SaaS suits teams that want to move quickly without hassle.
Meanwhile, large enterprises often choose self-managed or Ultimate plans for compliance, customization, and data residency needs that simplify your processes.
GitLab Features
1. Integrated Source Code Management
GitLab provides robust Git-based repositories with built-in code review, branching, and merge request workflows.
This centralizes code collaboration and improves transparency throughout your organization.
2. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Powerful pipeline automation tools let you build, test, and deploy code automatically.
This reduces manual steps, improves consistency, and speeds up your releases.
3. End-to-End Security & Compliance
Security features include SAST (Static Application Security Testing, DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing), secret detection, container scanning, and compliance controls.
These help you catch vulnerabilities earlier and meet regulatory obligations without leaving the platform.
4. AI-Powered Automation
With GitLab 18 and GitLab Duo, you get AI assistants for code generation, review suggestions, autofixes, and security scanning.
These tools accelerate tasks, reduce developer toil, and improve code quality.
5. Project & Portfolio Management
GitLab includes issue tracking, planning boards, milestones, and roadmaps.
These features help you manage work efficiently, whether you’re focusing on a single team or enterprise portfolios.
6. Extensive Integrations & API
GitLab connects with tools like Jira, Slack, Docker, and Kubernetes.
It also offers a comprehensive REST and GraphQL API so you can customize and automate your workflows deeply.
7. Mobile & Remote Access
Although native mobile apps are limited, GitLab supports mobile-friendly web access.
Its remote-friendly design fits distributed teams well, with web-based dashboards and workflows accessible from anywhere.
Security remains a core focus.
GitLab offers role-based access control, audit logs, two-factor authentication, SSO/SAML integration, and compliance management. Enterprise users benefit from dedicated support, backup and disaster recovery, and advanced analytics.
The mix of integrated DevSecOps, AI augmentation, and robust compliance helps you innovate while reducing risk across your software supply chain.
That’s a quick look at some of the top GitLab features you can use to tighten your development process.
GitLab Pricing Plans
I find GitLab pricing pretty straightforward with its freemium model. It offers four main tiers that cover individual users, growing businesses, and enterprises alike.
You get unlimited public and private repositories even with the free option. Plus, GitLab includes basic CI/CD and core collaboration tools that make getting started simple.
The pricing reflects added value as you move up, especially with features like advanced security, compliance reporting, and support. GitLab also provides 30-day trials on higher tiers so you can test-drive premium features.
| Plan | Price & Features |
|---|---|
| Free Tier | $0 per month • Unlimited public/private repositories • Basic CI/CD with 400 compute minutes • Core collaboration, issue tracking, and code review • Limited to 5 users per namespace |
| Premium | $29 per user per month (billed annually) • 10,000 CI/CD minutes • Advanced project management • SSO/SAML integration • Priority support |
| Ultimate | $99 per user per month (billed annually) • All Premium features • Security testing (SAST, DAST, secret scanning) • Compliance reports and audit events • Vulnerability management • Advanced analytics |
| GitLab Duo Enterprise | Custom pricing – contact sales • AI features add-on for Premium • Included with Ultimate • Pricing details available on request |
GitLab pricing also involves usage-based costs for compute minutes and storage beyond what’s included. Large deployments can discuss custom pricing and enterprise agreements directly with GitLab.
If you want to see how GitLab pricing works for your team or project, click here to learn more about GitLab pricing →.
GitLab Alternatives
Here are five of GitLab’s main competitors with a quick look at how they compare.
Each has its own strengths but also some trade-offs you should keep in mind.
I’ll break down their core differences and relative pricing.
| Competitor | Their Strengths | GitLab Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub | Focuses on community and open-source, with less integrated CI/CD and a strong marketplace | GitLab offers a more unified platform with fewer integrations, though GitHub is often cheaper at entry-level |
| Bitbucket (Atlassian) | Strong Jira integration, limited CI/CD, designed for the Atlassian ecosystem | GitLab has a more comprehensive CI/CD offering despite Bitbucket Premium being cheaper |
| Azure DevOps | Deep integration with Microsoft stack and flexible pipelines | Pricing is comparable, but GitLab reduces the need for multiple tools by consolidating features |
| Atlassian Jira + Bamboo | Requires separate tools for CI/CD and issue tracking, less unified experience | GitLab unifies these in one place, which lowers overhead from tool fragmentation |
| AWS CodeSuite | Cloud-native, modular but fragmented; best suited for AWS-centered infrastructure | GitLab offers an integrated platform that avoids the fragmentation seen in AWS CodeSuite |
GitLab stands out by providing a truly unified platform.
This means you spend less time managing integrations and switching contexts.
While GitLab tends to be pricier than Bitbucket and entry-level GitHub, companies often save time by consolidating tools under one roof.
If you are exploring GitLab alternatives, this comparison helps you weigh what matters most for your team.
Who Should Use GitLab
1. Mid-size to large organizations
These teams need an integrated DevSecOps solution for collaborative software delivery. GitLab helps bring everything together so your team can work smoothly from planning to deployment.
2. Distributed teams
If your team works remotely or across locations, GitLab’s web-based workflows keep everyone connected. You get a remote-first platform that supports collaboration no matter where people are.
3. Highly regulated industries
If you’re in finance, healthcare, or government, GitLab provides strong security, compliance, and audit logs. This means you can meet strict requirements without juggling multiple tools.
4. Product teams and DevOps groups
GitLab helps you cut down on tool overload while automating your deployments, testing, and security. It’s designed to streamline your processes so your team spends less time managing tools and more time building.
Small startups might find GitLab too much unless you’re planning to scale quickly or have complex regulatory needs.
If you’re a solo developer or part of a tiny team, the Free tier could work well for you.
But sometimes simpler services fit better depending on what you need right now.
Bottom Line
GitLab offers a powerful DevSecOps platform.
It brings together code collaboration, continuous delivery, and security in one place.
Recently, it added AI features that boost productivity.
The platform has strong compliance tools and supports remote teams well. This makes it a top choice for enterprises and dispersed groups.
That said, Ultimate features come with a steep price.
It can also take time to learn if you’re used to simpler tools.
I hope this GitLab review has helped you see it as a robust, future-ready option for standardizing and speeding up your software development.
