GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD
type: Article
description: GitHub Actions excels in ecosystem integration and free tier generosity with 2,000 free minutes/month, while GitLab CI/CD offers superior built-in DevOps features and lower per-minute costs at $0.0085/minute versus GitHub's $0.25/minute for overages.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-07-09T12:29:19.419Z
date created: 2026-07-09T12:29:19.419Z
date modified: 2026-07-09T12:29:20.524Z
content reference time: 2026-07-09T12:29:20.524Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: GitHub Actions
about: GitLab CI/CD
abstract: GitHub Actions excels in ecosystem integration and free tier generosity with 2,000 free minutes/month, while GitLab CI/CD offers superior built-in DevOps features and lower per-minute costs at $0.0085/minute versus GitHub's $0.25/minute for overages.
text: Free Monthly Minutes. Per-Minute Overage Cost (Linux). Native Marketplace Actions. Built-in Container Registry. Maximum Job Timeout. Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier). Native Security Scanning Features
conclusion text: Choose GitHub Actions if you prioritize a large ecosystem of pre-built actions, generous free tier (2,000 minutes), and tight integration with GitHub repositories—ideal for startups and open-source projects. Choose GitLab CI/CD if you need comprehensive built-in DevOps features (container registry, security scanning, artifact management), lower overage costs, and don't mind being locked into the GitLab platform.
additional property: Free Tier Monthly Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 3,000 (public repos) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Supported VCS Platforms
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 1 (GitHub only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Maximum Parallel Jobs
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 256 concurrent | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Setup Time for New Projects
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 5 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Community Actions/Orbs Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 20,000+ actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Support SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Standard support available | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Self-Hosted Runner Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Supported with basic controls | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Estimated Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 1-2 weeks | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 15 minutes to first workflow | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Available Plugins/Actions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 10000+ actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Free Monthly Build Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2000 minutes (GitHub-hosted runners) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only (primary) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Low - Simple YAML syntax | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Deployment Model Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Cloud-hosted and self-hosted | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Scalability Ceiling
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Limited by GitHub account quotas | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Support Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $231/user/year (GitHub Enterprise) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes (Private Repos)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Container Registry Free Storage
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 0.5 GB per project | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Marketplace Ecosystem Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 11,000+ Actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Security (SAST) Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $200/month (Advanced Security tier) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Self-Hosted Option Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Enterprise Server tier (paid only, $231+/month) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Built-in Project Management Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Issues, basic Boards, limited automation | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Native GitHub Integration Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Integrated (GitHub-only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 20 matrix configurations | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Available Extensions/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 13,000+ actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Monthly Infrastructure Cost (10-developer team)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $25 (usage-based + GitHub Team) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Build Minutes/Month
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (private) / unlimited (public) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Learning Curve (Beginner to Productive)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 1 week (YAML basics) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Concurrent Workflows (free tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 20 (GitHub-hosted runners) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: GitHub Repository Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Native (zero additional setup) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Data Residency Control
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: No (GitHub cloud default, Enterprise option) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Deployment Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Push-based (imperative) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Supported Infrastructure Types
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Any (Kubernetes, VMs, Serverless, Cloud - 20+ integrations) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: GitHub Integration Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 0 minutes (native, no setup) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Automatic Drift Detection
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Not available (manual triggers only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Base Monthly Cost (Solo Developer)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $0 (2,000 free minutes/month) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Typical Cost at Scale (100k deployments/month)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $4,800+ (800 minutes/month at $0.008/min) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Available Actions/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 15,000+ (across all domains) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Time to First Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 5-10 (simple YAML workflow) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Setup Time to First Pipeline
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 5-15 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Execution Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000-3,000 | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Not required | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Supported Git Providers
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: GitHub (primary), limited others | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Project Age
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 6 years (since 2019) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Marketplace Actions/Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 18,000+ actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Microsoft, GitHub, 60% of public repos | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Self-Hosted Option
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: Self-hosted runners available | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Starting Cost (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: $0 (free tier available) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Free Build Minutes Monthly
  type: PropertyValue
  value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (private repos) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/github-actions
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/github-actions
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/gitlab-ci-cd
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/gitlab-ci-cd
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/github-actions-vs-gitlab)
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/github-actions-vs-gitlab)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/jenkins-vs-gitlab
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-gitlab
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-jenkins
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/tekton-vs-github-actions
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-buildkite
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-bitbucket
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-travis-ci
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-github-actions
teaches: How to choose between GitHub Actions and GitLab CI/CD
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

GitHub Actions
type: Thing
alternate name: GA
alternate name: Github Actions
language: en-US
description: Free, cloud-native CI/CD platform integrated into GitHub repositories
image: ImageObject
  caption: GitHub Actions
subject of: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD
image: ImageObject
  caption: GitHub Actions

GitLab CI/CD
type: SoftwareApplication
alternate name: GC
alternate name: Gitlab Ci Cd
language: en-US
description: GitLab's integrated continuous integration and deployment platform with comprehensive DevOps features.
subject of: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD

GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD. Contains 136 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Free Tier Monthly Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Supported VCS Platforms
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Maximum Parallel Jobs
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Setup Time for New Projects
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Community Actions/Orbs Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Enterprise Support SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Self-Hosted Runner Capability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Estimated Learning Curve
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Implementation
variable measured: Available Plugins/Actions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Free Monthly Build Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Deployment Model Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Scalability Ceiling
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Enterprise Support Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes (Private Repos)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Container Registry Free Storage
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Storage & Infrastructure
variable measured: Marketplace Ecosystem Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Enterprise Security (SAST) Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security & Compliance
variable measured: Self-Hosted Option Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Built-in Project Management Features
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Project Management
variable measured: Native GitHub Integration Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Platform Integration
variable measured: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Available Extensions/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Monthly Infrastructure Cost (10-developer team)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Tier Build Minutes/Month
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Resources
variable measured: Learning Curve (Beginner to Productive)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Learning
variable measured: Concurrent Workflows (free tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: GitHub Repository Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Data Residency Control
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compliance
variable measured: Deployment Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Architecture
variable measured: Supported Infrastructure Types
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: GitHub Integration Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Automatic Drift Detection
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Base Monthly Cost (Solo Developer)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Typical Cost at Scale (100k deployments/month)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Available Actions/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Time to First Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Speed
variable measured: Setup Time to First Pipeline
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Free Tier Execution Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Kubernetes Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Supported Git Providers
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
variable measured: Project Age
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maturity
variable measured: Marketplace Actions/Extensions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Enterprise Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market
variable measured: Self-Hosted Option
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Starting Cost (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Free Build Minutes Monthly
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Maximum Job Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Execution
variable measured: Default Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Execution
variable measured: Artifact Retention Period
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Storage
variable measured: GitHub Integration Type
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Marketplace Actions Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Setup Time for First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Maximum Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Parallelization
variable measured: Available Integrations/Actions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Cost Per Minute (Overage)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Starting Team Pricing
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing & Limits
variable measured: Active Community Repositories
variable measured: Configuration File Complexity (1-5 scale)
variable measured: Repository Platform Requirement
variable measured: Free Minutes Per Month (Private Repos)
variable measured: Minimum Paid Plan Cost
variable measured: Marketplace Integrations
variable measured: Market Adoption Rate
variable measured: Linux Runner Cost Per Minute
variable measured: Multi-Platform Git Support
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-gitlab)

GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD.
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Extensibility
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Implementation
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Pricing & Limits
has defined term: Storage & Infrastructure
has defined term: Security & Compliance
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Project Management
has defined term: Platform Integration
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Resources
has defined term: Learning
has defined term: Compliance
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: Speed
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Market
has defined term: Execution
has defined term: Storage
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Parallelization
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Pricing & Quotas
has defined term: Storage & Limits
has defined term: Kubernetes Features
has defined term: Integration Quality
has defined term: Platform Support
has defined term: Development Efficiency
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: DevOps Features
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Cloud Native
has defined term: Community Support

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Extensibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: extensibility
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Implementation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: implementation
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: architecture
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-limits
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Storage & Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: storage-&-infrastructure
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security & Compliance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security-&-compliance
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Project Management
type: DefinedTerm
term code: project-management
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-integration
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Resources
type: DefinedTerm
term code: resources
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Learning
type: DefinedTerm
term code: learning
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compliance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compliance
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compatibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compatibility
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operations
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Speed
type: DefinedTerm
term code: speed
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Flexibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: flexibility
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maturity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maturity
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Execution
type: DefinedTerm
term code: execution
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Storage
type: DefinedTerm
term code: storage
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Parallelization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: parallelization
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: adoption
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Pricing & Quotas
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing-&-quotas
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Storage & Limits
type: DefinedTerm
term code: storage-&-limits
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Kubernetes Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: kubernetes-features
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration Quality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration-quality
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-support
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development-efficiency
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

DevOps Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: devops-features
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cloud Native
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cloud-native
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-support
in defined term set: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-09T12:29:20.524Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: github-actions-vs-gitlab)
main entity: Which is cheaper for high-volume CI/CD pipelines?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitLab CI/CD is significantly cheaper at scale. With GitHub's $0.25/minute overage rate, a project using 10,000 minutes/month pays $2,000 in overages. GitLab's $0.0085/minute rate on the same usage costs only $68, making GitLab 29x cheaper for heavy users. GitHub's advantage only applies if usage stays under 2,000 minutes/month.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I use GitHub Actions without GitHub repositories?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: No. GitHub Actions are exclusively available for GitHub repositories. If your code is hosted on GitLab, Bitbucket, or self-hosted Git, you must use their respective CI/CD systems or integrate with external platforms like Jenkins or CircleCI.
    language: en-US
main entity: What's the learning curve difference between the two?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitHub Actions uses YAML workflows similar to most CI/CD tools but integrates naturally if you're already on GitHub. GitLab CI/CD also uses YAML but requires understanding GitLab's broader platform (pipelines, stages, environments, runners). GitHub Actions is generally considered 30-40% easier for beginners, while GitLab offers more power once mastered.
    language: en-US
main entity: Does GitLab's built-in security scanning replace external tools?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitLab's SAST, DAST, and dependency scanning cover common use cases, but enterprise teams often layer additional specialized tools (Snyk, Checkmarx, Aqua Security). GitHub Actions users typically must choose and integrate third-party security scanning tools from the start, making GitLab's built-in approach faster to deploy.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which platform scales better for enterprise teams?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitLab CI/CD is built for enterprise scale with unlimited runners, comprehensive DevOps features, and lower per-minute costs at high volumes. GitHub Actions excels at small-to-medium team scale but becomes cost-prohibitive above 5,000-10,000 minutes/month. For 50+ person teams with complex deployment pipelines, GitLab offers better value and integrated tooling.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between GitHub Actions and GitLab CI/CD
type: HowTo
description: GitHub Actions excels in ecosystem integration and free tier generosity with 2,000 free minutes/month, while GitLab CI/CD offers superior built-in DevOps features and lower per-minute costs at $0.0085/minute versus GitHub's $0.25/minute for overages.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Free Monthly Minutes
step: Consider: Per-Minute Overage Cost (Linux)
step: Consider: Native Marketplace Actions
step: Consider: Built-in Container Registry
step: Consider: Maximum Job Timeout
step: Consider: Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
step: Consider: Native Security Scanning Features
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose GitHub Actions if you prioritize a large ecosystem of pre-built actions, generous free tier (2,000 minutes), and tight integration with GitHub repositories—ideal for startups and open-source projects. Choose GitLab CI/CD if you need comprehensive built-in DevOps features (container registry, security scanning, artifact management), lower overage costs, and don't mind being locked into the GitLab platform.

Consider: Free Monthly Minutes
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Free Monthly Minutes: GitHub Actions has 2,000 minutes, while GitLab CI/CD has 400 minutes.

Consider: Per-Minute Overage Cost (Linux)
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Per-Minute Overage Cost (Linux): GitHub Actions has $0.25/minute, while GitLab CI/CD has $0.0085/minute.

Consider: Native Marketplace Actions
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Native Marketplace Actions: GitHub Actions has 6,500+ actions, while GitLab CI/CD has Integrated in platform.

Consider: Built-in Container Registry
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Built-in Container Registry: GitHub Actions has Yes, with limits, while GitLab CI/CD has Yes, unlimited.

Consider: Maximum Job Timeout
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Maximum Job Timeout: GitHub Actions has 6 hours, while GitLab CI/CD has 1 hour (free tier).

Consider: Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier): GitHub Actions has 20 concurrent jobs, while GitLab CI/CD has 1 concurrent job.

Consider: Native Security Scanning Features
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Native Security Scanning Features: GitHub Actions has Requires third-party actions, while GitLab CI/CD has Built-in SAST, DAST, dependency scanning.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD
review body: GitHub Actions excels in ecosystem integration and free tier generosity with 2,000 free minutes/month, while GitLab CI/CD offers superior built-in DevOps features and lower per-minute costs at $0.0085/minute versus GitHub's $0.25/minute for overages.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD

Maximum Job Duration
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 360 (6 hours) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Default Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5 | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Artifact Retention Period
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 90 | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

GitHub Integration Type
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Native (built-in) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Marketplace Actions Available
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 11,000+ | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time for First Build
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5-10 (YAML config only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Monthly CI/CD Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (unlimited for public repos) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Maximum Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 concurrent jobs | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Available Integrations/Actions
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 10,000+ | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Cost Per Minute (Overage)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008 | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Starting Team Pricing
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0 (free tier available) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Active Community Repositories
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 750,000+ | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Configuration File Complexity (1-5 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 4 (complex YAML, matrix builds) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Repository Platform Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Minutes Per Month (Private Repos)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 3,000 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Minimum Paid Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0 (free tier available) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Marketplace Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 10,000+ verified actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Market Adoption Rate
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 42% of CI/CD users (2024) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Linux Runner Cost Per Minute
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008 | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Multi-Platform Git Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time for First Workflow
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5 minutes (native UI) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

OS Runner Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 3 (Linux, Windows, macOS) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Tier Monthly Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 | GitLab CI/CD: 400
value reference: GitHub Actions

Overage Per-Minute Cost (Linux)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.25 | GitLab CI/CD: $0.0085
value reference: GitLab CI/CD

Maximum Job Execution Time
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 6 hours | GitLab CI/CD: 1 hour (free)
value reference: GitHub Actions

Available Marketplace/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 6,500+ actions | GitLab CI/CD: Built-in features

Container Registry Storage
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 500MB limit (free tier) | GitLab CI/CD: Unlimited

Native Security Scanning
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Not built-in; requires actions | GitLab CI/CD: SAST, DAST, dependency, license scanning included

Setup Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Simple (1.5) | GitLab CI/CD: Moderate (2.8)
value reference: GitHub Actions

Free Tier Monthly CI Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (public repos only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Pay-As-You-Go Execution Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008/minute | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Docker Layer Caching Speed Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Standard caching (1x baseline) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Artifact Storage Max Size
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 400 GB | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Community Actions/Orbs Available
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 15,000+ actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

SSH Debug Into Failed Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Not supported | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time (GitHub Repo)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2-3 minutes (native) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Tier Limits
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 minutes/month | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Managed Service Cost (monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008 per minute | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Kubernetes CRD Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Requires plugins | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time (initial)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 1-2 hours | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Tier Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Free (2,000 min/month included) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Monthly Build Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 (public: unlimited) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Marketplace Actions/Plugins
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20,000+ | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 | GitLab CI/CD: 1
value reference: GitHub Actions

Overage Cost per 1,000 Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.24 | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Native Jira Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Via third-party actions (workaround) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Years Since Launch
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 6 years (2019) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Repository Host Lock-in
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: GitHub only | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Monthly Cost (5 Private Repos, 100 builds/month)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $14.40 (2,000 free min + 1,800 excess min × $0.008) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Default Concurrent Jobs (Free/Base Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 concurrent jobs | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Supported Git Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 1 (GitHub only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Marketplace Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 10,000+ public actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Default Artifact Storage
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5GB (per repository) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2-3 minutes (GitHub integration native) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Self-Hosted Infrastructure Required
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: No (fully managed by GitHub) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Build Parallelization Ceiling
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 jobs maximum per repository | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Monthly Cost for Private Repos (Small Team)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0 (includes 2,000 minutes) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 concurrent jobs | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Minutes Per Month (Private)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Marketplace Actions/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5,000+ public actions | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time for New Project
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5-10 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Supported Languages (Pre-configured)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20+ languages | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Market Share on GitHub Projects
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 68% adoption | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Native GitHub Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: Built-in, no external setup | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Monthly Base Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0 (GitHub Free) / $4 (GitHub Pro) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free CI Minutes Per Month
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 2,000 minutes (GitHub Free) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Overage Cost Per Minute
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: $0.008 per minute (Linux/macOS) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time (First Workflow)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 5-10 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Pre-built Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 3,000+ verified actions in marketplace | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Max Concurrent Jobs (Standard Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 20 concurrent (GitHub Pro) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Build Speed for Large Monorepos
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: 1.0x baseline (cloud-hosted runners) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

On-Premise / Self-Hosted Option
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: No (GitHub-hosted only; self-hosted with Enterprise tier) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time (First Pipeline)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 0.5 hours

Available Plugins/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 50-70 official integrations

Annual Cost (50 users, self-hosted)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: $17,400 (Premium plan)

Deployment Options
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: SaaS + self-managed (GitLab Cloud, on-prem, Kubernetes)

Learning Curve (Hours to Intermediate)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 12 hours

Built-in Version Control
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: Yes (native Git hosting)

Built-in Container Registry
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: Yes (integrated)

Community Size (GitHub Stars)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 31,000+ stars

Setup Time (minutes)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 15-30 minutes (preconfigured, YAML config)

Free CI/CD Minutes per Month
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 400 minutes (GitLab.com)

Minimum Server Requirements (RAM)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 2GB (self-hosted), managed cloud option

Git Platform Support
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: GitLab (native), GitHub/Bitbucket via integrations (limited)

Pipeline Configuration Method
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: YAML-based .gitlab-ci.yml (declarative only)

Kubernetes Integration Maturity
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: Built-in Auto DevOps + Kubernetes integration (native)

Community Size (Stack Overflow Questions)
type: PropertyValue
value: GitHub Actions: N/A | GitLab CI/CD: 8,000+ Stack Overflow questions

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
css selector: #verdict
css selector: #key-differences
css selector: #faq
xpath: //*[@id='short-answer']
xpath: //*[@id='verdict']

GitHub Actions — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

GitLab CI/CD — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare GitHub Actions vs GitLab CI/CD
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-gitlab)
object: GitHub Actions
object: GitLab CI/CD

Active Community Repositories
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Configuration File Complexity (1-5 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Repository Platform Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Free Minutes Per Month (Private Repos)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Minimum Paid Plan Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Limits

Marketplace Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Market Adoption Rate
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Linux Runner Cost Per Minute
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Multi-Platform Git Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compatibility

Setup Time for First Workflow
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

OS Runner Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Free Tier Monthly Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Overage Per-Minute Cost (Linux)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Maximum Job Execution Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Available Marketplace/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Container Registry Storage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Native Security Scanning
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Free Tier Monthly CI Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Quotas

Pay-As-You-Go Execution Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Quotas

Docker Layer Caching Speed Improvement
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Artifact Storage Max Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage & Limits

Community Actions/Orbs Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

SSH Debug Into Failed Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Time (GitHub Repo)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Free Tier Limits
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Managed Service Cost (monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Kubernetes CRD Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Kubernetes Features

Setup Time (initial)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Implementation

Free Tier Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Monthly Build Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Limits

Marketplace Actions/Plugins
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Concurrent Jobs (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Overage Cost per 1,000 Minutes
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing & Limits

Native Jira Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration Quality

Years Since Launch
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maturity

Repository Host Lock-in
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Flexibility

Monthly Cost (5 Private Repos, 100 builds/month)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Default Concurrent Jobs (Free/Base Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Supported Git Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Platform Support

Marketplace Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Default Artifact Storage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Storage

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Development Efficiency

Self-Hosted Infrastructure Required
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment

Build Parallelization Ceiling
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scalability

Monthly Cost for Private Repos (Small Team)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Free Minutes Per Month (Private)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Marketplace Actions/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Setup Time for New Project
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Supported Languages (Pre-configured)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Market Share on GitHub Projects
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Native GitHub Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Monthly Base Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Free CI Minutes Per Month
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Overage Cost Per Minute
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Setup Time (First Workflow)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Pre-built Integrations Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Max Concurrent Jobs (Standard Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Build Speed for Large Monorepos
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

On-Premise / Self-Hosted Option
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Setup Time (First Pipeline)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Available Plugins/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Annual Cost (50 users, self-hosted)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Deployment Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Learning Curve (Hours to Intermediate)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Built-in Version Control
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Built-in Container Registry
type: PropertyValue
value reference: DevOps Features

Community Size (GitHub Stars)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Setup Time (minutes)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Free CI/CD Minutes per Month
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cost

Minimum Server Requirements (RAM)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Git Platform Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Integration

Pipeline Configuration Method
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Usability

Kubernetes Integration Maturity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cloud Native

Community Size (Stack Overflow Questions)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community Support