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The 11 Best Alternatives to GitLab

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The 11 Best Alternatives to GitLab
Author: Duplo Cloud Editor | Thursday, May 16 2024
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Nearly 64% of DevOps professionals want to consolidate their toolchains to: 

  • Reduce maintenance burdens
  • Streamline workflows
  • Improve monitoring

Why? They’re juggling too many tools to manage their software delivery lifecycle. That’s why finding the right Git repository platform is more critical than ever. You’ll want one that fits your development needs and streamlines workflows. 

While GitLab is a popular choice, it’s not always the perfect fit for every team. You might be seeking better multi-cloud support, easier CI/CD integration, or built-in compliance. Whatever the case, there are compelling alternatives. 

Look for a low-code approach to infrastructure automation and native CI/CD capabilities. Your repository platform should help unify your DevOps stack and accelerate deployment. And you should never have to sacrifice security or control. In this article, we’ll take a look at your GitLab alternatives.

Key Takeaways

  1. While GitLab is widely used, many teams may benefit from alternatives that better align with their cloud environment, compliance needs, or UI preferences. 
  2. Tools like DuploCloud combine Git repository management with CI/CD automation, security, and compliance, which helps teams streamline their DevOps workflows. 
  3. Choosing a Git repository that supports your team’s collaboration, branching strategy, and deployment pipelines can lead to faster, more reliable software delivery. 

Choosing the right Git repository

A Git repository is a central storage location for software development files. It allows for better version control and more collaborative development. Developers can access the repository as a single source of truth about the software they are developing and its version history.

​​Beyond version control, Git repositories also support branching and merging. This enables multiple developers to work on different features simultaneously. And they can do it without overwriting each other’s code. 

They also help: 

  • Enforce code review workflows
  • Enable automated testing and deployment through CI/CD integrations
  • Improve visibility across teams 

The right Git platform can significantly enhance your team’s productivity, scalability, and security posture.

GitLab Alternatives

While GitLab is one of the most popular code repositories available, it may not be well-suited for everyone. Some teams may require different features. They might prefer solutions that are native to a specific cloud provider. Or, they may have different UI/UX preferences. For those scenarios, one of the following GitLab alternatives might be a better solution.

In addition, certain organizations might prioritize low-code platforms or tighter integration with existing DevOps tools. They also may need built-in compliance capabilities to meet industry regulations. 

Others may be looking for cost-effective, self-hosted options that offer more control over infrastructure. You may be a startup, an enterprise, or something in between. In any case, exploring these alternatives can uncover a tool better tailored to your team’s workflow and long-term goals.

1. DuploCloud

DuploCloud is a low-code/no-code GitLab alternative for cloud automation. It enables continuous security and compliance for multiple cloud providers. As a DevOps and DevSecOps platform, it supports a variety of CI/CD tools. This allows you to streamline your software development pipeline without disrupting your current workflow. DuploCloud also provides a built-in CI/CD platform, so you can deploy applications from a Git repository. 

DuploCloud is an ideal solution for organizations looking for a single solution for the entire CI/CD workflow. Or, it can be a multi-cloud solution for scaling beyond Kubernetes. We offer an easy-to-use UI and compatibility with a broad array of popular DevOps tools. The bottom line: DuploCloud is a solid choice for organizations of any size.

Reach out today to schedule a demo.

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2. AWS CloudFormation

For those on Amazon Web Services (AWS), AWS CloudFormation allows for automation and provisioning. It also offers powerful infrastructure management. 

While not as fully-featured as GitLab, as an AWS product, CloudFormation integrates well with a variety of AWS services. AWS CloudFormation is technically free. But AWS charges for the creation of certain resources on a sliding scale with no upfront commitments.

3. Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps is Microsoft’s DevOps solution native to the Azure cloud service. It allows for planning, automation, testing version control, release management and has its own Git repository. It also integrates with external apps like Slack and Trello. The core strength of Azure DevOps, though, is its integration with Azure. Pricing starts at $6 per user per month for a basic plan.

4. Bitbucket

Bitbucket was developed by Jira, Confluence, and Trello creator Atlassian. It’s a specialized GitOps repository built specifically for teams using Jira. Bitbucket offers many of the same repository, security, and version control services as GitLab. But at its core strength is its integration with Jira and Confluence.  

BItbucket is also compatible with the Git alternative Mercurial, giving it a leg up on GitLab for teams not using Git. Atlassian offers a free, limited instance Bitbucket plan, and unlimited plans start at $3 per user per month.

5. CircleCI

CircleCI is another popular CI/CD platform and one of the top GitLab competitors. It offers scalable CI/CD implementation for multiple environments. It also provides a variety of third-party integrations through packages called “orbs.” 

CircleCI is also SOC 2 Type II compliant, making it one of the most secure CI/CD options. It integrates with most of the major cloud providers and offers a free pricing tier for up to five users per month. Paid plans start at $15 per month.

6. GitEA

Looking for alternatives to GitLab that are less feature-dense? Hoping for an option that offers private hosting without a lot of integrations? GitEA may be just the thing. It is fast, lightweight, and works on smaller servers than GitLab. It offers Git repository management, a simple user interface, and a modest list of basic features.  

The open-source, self-hosted version of GitEA is free. Paid plans that include a public instance and support start at $9.5 per user per month.

7. Gogs

Gogs is another self-hosted solution that boasts a lightweight, easy installation, and cross-platform compatibility. Designed to be a “painless” Git repository, it runs on Windows, Mac, or Linux machines and is free and open-source. 

8. Harness

Harness is specialized for CD and includes CI/CD automation, machine-learning verification, and enterprise-grade security. It also offers a unique feature called “cloud cost computing.” This allows you to continuously monitor and control your cloud resource allocation and help keep costs under control. 

Harness offers a free tier, and paid plans start at $57 per user per month. 

9. Jenkins

Jenkins is an open-source CI/CD solution written in Java. It allows DevOps engineers to continually create and test software releases. This allows for rapid deployment. 

Jenkins was initially developed by a former Sun Microsystems engineer prior to Sun’s acquisition by Oracle. It was transitioned to an open-source project shortly after. It is currently administered by the CD Foundation.  

Jenkins is well known for having a variety of plugins and strong support from its development community. It runs on Windows, MacOS, Unix, and Linux but requires a server. It is free to use.  

10. CloudBees CI

CloudBees CI builds on the popular Jenkins solution. It adds enterprise-ready features and support that might make it appeal to larger teams. It also offers many of the features that make Jenkins appealing. Even more, you’ll get enhanced security, scalability, and robust support.

CloudBees CI offers a free plan, and paid plans start at $100 per month.  

11. LaunchPad

LaunchPad is a Git tracking solution targeting the vibrant open-source development community. It supports Git, Bazaar, and Mercurial and runs on a variety of operating systems. 

Its standout features begin with its implementation of collaboration features. It builds on that with a community of over 46,000 active projects developers can jump in and contribute to. It also offers crowdsourced translations. This allows developers to translate their code to almost any language. 

LaunchPad is free with an account.  

Integrated Git Repository and CI/CD Workflows with DuploCloud

So, you’re looking for a Git repository with integrated CI/CD capabilities and robust security and certification. Oh, and you want top-tier support. Then it’s time to consider DuploCloud. Our DevOps automation combined with a deep level of development expertise, means fewer headaches for your organization and faster, more compliant deployments.

No more piecemeal solutions requiring multiple tools to manage infrastructure, deployments, and security. DuploCloud offers an all-in-one platform that scales with your business. Maybe you're migrating from GitLab. Perhaps you’re starting fresh. Either way, DuploCloud helps streamline operations and improve developer productivity. 

Ready to simplify your DevOps lifecycle? 

Contact us today to schedule a live demo.

FAQs for GitLab Alternatives

What is the main difference between GitLab and its alternatives?

GitLab offers a comprehensive suite of DevOps tools. But alternatives may focus on specific strengths like: 

  • Multi-cloud compatibility
  • Lightweight deployment
  • Better integrations with certain ecosystems (e.g., Azure or Jira)
  • Enhanced compliance and security features

Why should I consider DuploCloud as a GitLab alternative?

DuploCloud combines Git repository management with built-in CI/CD, cloud automation, and continuous compliance. It’s ideal for teams that want to simplify toolchains and scale securely across multiple cloud providers.

Are these GitLab alternatives suitable for small teams?

Yes. Many alternatives like Gogs, GitEA, and Bitbucket offer lightweight, affordable options with features. These are tailored to smaller teams, including free or low-cost pricing tiers.

Can I migrate my existing GitLab projects to these alternatives?

Most GitLab alternatives support Git-compatible workflows. This makes it relatively straightforward to migrate repositories. Be sure to evaluate migration tools and check for compatibility with your existing CI/CD pipelines and integrations.

Author: Duplo Cloud Editor | Thursday, May 16 2024
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