Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD
type: Article
description: Jenkins is a self-hosted, plugin-based automation server offering maximum flexibility and customization, while GitLab CI/CD is a fully integrated, cloud-native platform built directly into GitLab with lower operational overhead. Jenkins requires more infrastructure management but supports unlimited plugins, whereas GitLab CI/CD provides tighter Git integration and easier setup but less extensibility outside its ecosystem.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-07-09T06:11:02.203Z
date created: 2026-07-09T06:11:02.203Z
date modified: 2026-07-09T06:11:02.557Z
content reference time: 2026-07-09T06:11:02.557Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Jenkins
about: GitLab CI/CD
abstract: Jenkins is a self-hosted, plugin-based automation server offering maximum flexibility and customization, while GitLab CI/CD is a fully integrated, cloud-native platform built directly into GitLab with lower operational overhead. Jenkins requires more infrastructure management but supports unlimited plugins, whereas GitLab CI/CD provides tighter Git integration and easier setup but less extensibility outside its ecosystem.
text: Deployment Model. Setup Complexity. Plugin Ecosystem. Git Integration. Infrastructure Overhead. Cost Model. Learning Curve
conclusion text: Choose Jenkins if you need maximum flexibility, support for multiple Git platforms, unlimited free builds, or have complex legacy integrations requiring custom plugins. Choose GitLab CI/CD if you want faster time-to-value, integrated Git workflows, lower operational burden, and are primarily using GitLab for version control. Jenkins dominates in large enterprises with heterogeneous toolchains; GitLab CI/CD wins for teams seeking simplicity and tight Git integration.
additional property: Base Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: $0 (self-hosted only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Time to First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: ~480-1440 minutes (8-24 hours setup) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Available Plugins/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 6000+ plugins | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Infrastructure Management Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Customer responsible | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Security Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Varies (depends on deployment) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Unlimited (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Supported Build Environments
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Any OS (plugin dependent) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Setup Time (First Pipeline)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 6 hours | GitLab CI/CD: 0.5 hours
  value reference: GitLab CI/CD
additional property: Annual Cost (50 users, self-hosted)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: $5,000 (infrastructure) | GitLab CI/CD: $17,400 (Premium plan)
  value reference: Jenkins
additional property: Deployment Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Self-hosted only | GitLab CI/CD: SaaS + self-managed (GitLab Cloud, on-prem, Kubernetes)
additional property: Learning Curve (Hours to Intermediate)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 50 hours | GitLab CI/CD: 12 hours
  value reference: GitLab CI/CD
additional property: Built-in Version Control
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: No (requires external Git) | GitLab CI/CD: Yes (native Git hosting)
additional property: Built-in Container Registry
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: No (plugin available) | GitLab CI/CD: Yes (integrated)
additional property: Community Size (GitHub stars)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 23,000+ stars | GitLab CI/CD: 31,000+ stars
  value reference: GitLab CI/CD
additional property: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 40-80 hours for full enterprise setup | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Available Plugins/Actions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 2000+ plugins | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Free Monthly Build Minutes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Unlimited (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea, custom platforms | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Configuration Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: High - Groovy/Declarative DSL + extensive UI configuration | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Deployment Model Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Self-hosted only | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Scalability Ceiling
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Unlimited (with distributed agents) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Enterprise Support Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: $5000-$50000+ (optional support plans) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Setup Time (First Build)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 120-180 minutes | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Base Annual Cost (50 users)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: $0 (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Available Integrations/Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 1,800+ | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Infrastructure Maintenance Burden
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 20-40 hours/month | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Agent Auto-Scaling
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Manual provisioning via plugins | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: UI Framework
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Legacy JSP (2010s); Blue Ocean React optional | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Deployment Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: On-prem, Docker, Kubernetes, VMs, air-gapped | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Security Compliance Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Responsibility of operator | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Base Licensing Cost (Annual)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: $0 (free) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Setup Time (Small Project)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 4-8 hours | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Professional Support Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Community only (24/7 forum) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: UI/UX Rating (StackOverflow Sentiment)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 6.2/10 | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Configuration Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 2 (Jenkinsfile + UI) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Active Community Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 5,000+ (GitHub) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Available Extensions/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 1,800+ plugins | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Monthly Infrastructure Cost (10-developer team)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: $1,200 (server + maintenance) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Build Minutes/Month
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Unlimited (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Learning Curve (Beginner to Productive)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: 3 weeks (Groovy DSL mastery) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Concurrent Workflows (free tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Unlimited (on your infrastructure) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: GitHub Repository Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Medium (GitHub plugin + configuration) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: GitHub Stars
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: ~22,000 stars | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Kubernetes Native
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: No (requires agent/plugin configuration) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Configuration Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Imperative Groovy scripting | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Automatic Drift Detection
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: No (manual reconciliation) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Installation Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: ~30-60 min (VM setup, Docker, plugins) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Multi-Cloud Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: Any platform (VM, cloud, on-prem, serverless) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
additional property: Production Users (Estimated)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Jenkins: ~200,000+ organizations | GitLab CI/CD: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/jenkins
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/jenkins
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/jenkins-vs-gitlab)
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/jenkins-vs-gitlab)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/jenkins-vs-gitlab
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related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/jenkins-vs-teamcity
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/github-actions-vs-jenkins
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/argocd-vs-jenkins
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/jenkins-vs-drone-ci
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/flux-vs-jenkins
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/circleci-vs-jenkins
teaches: How to choose between Jenkins and GitLab CI/CD
genre: Software

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

A Versus B
type: Organization

Jenkins
type: Thing
language: en-US
description: Open-source self-hosted CI/CD automation server with extensive plugin ecosystem.
subject of: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD

GitLab CI/CD
type: SoftwareApplication
alternate name: GC
alternate name: Gitlab Ci Cd
language: en-US
description: Integrated CI/CD platform built natively into GitLab for streamlined DevOps workflows
subject of: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD

Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD. Contains 110 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: Base Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Time to First Build
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Implementation
variable measured: Available Plugins/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Extensibility
variable measured: Infrastructure Management Required
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Enterprise Security Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Maximum Parallel Jobs (Free Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Supported Build Environments
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Setup Time (First Pipeline)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Annual Cost (50 users, self-hosted)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Deployment Options
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Flexibility
variable measured: Learning Curve (Hours to Intermediate)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Built-in Version Control
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Built-in Container Registry
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: DevOps Features
variable measured: Community Size (GitHub stars)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Adoption
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: Setup Time (First Build)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operational Efficiency
variable measured: Base Annual Cost (50 users)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Available Integrations/Plugins
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Infrastructure Maintenance Burden
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Agent Auto-Scaling
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: UI Framework
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: User Experience
variable measured: Deployment Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Security Compliance Certifications
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Base Licensing Cost (Annual)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: Setup Time (Small Project)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Professional Support Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: UI/UX Rating (StackOverflow Sentiment)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: User Experience
variable measured: Configuration Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Configuration
variable measured: Active Community Contributors
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community
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: GitHub Stars
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Community Adoption
variable measured: Kubernetes Native
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Platform Architecture
variable measured: Configuration Model
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Automatic Drift Detection
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Installation Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: Multi-Cloud Platform Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment Target
variable measured: Production Users (Estimated)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise Adoption
variable measured: Minimum Memory Requirement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: GitHub Commits (Annual)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Development Activity
variable measured: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Kubernetes Native Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Release Cycle
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maintenance
variable measured: Configuration Language
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Configuration
variable measured: GitHub Stars (Community Size)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem & Community
variable measured: Supported Platforms
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Default Reconciliation Interval
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Infrastructure Requirements
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Deployment
variable measured: Configuration Format
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: CNCF Sandbox Status
variable measured: Learning Curve for Kubernetes Teams
variable measured: Time to Deploy First Pipeline
variable measured: Available Plugins/Extensions
variable measured: Monthly Cost (5 Users, Mid-Volume Usage)
variable measured: Infrastructure Management Overhead
variable measured: Configuration File Format
variable measured: Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
variable measured: Community Size & Activity
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/jenkins-vs-gitlab)

Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD.
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Implementation
has defined term: Extensibility
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Flexibility
has defined term: Features
has defined term: DevOps Features
has defined term: Adoption
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Operational Efficiency
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Configuration
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Resources
has defined term: Learning
has defined term: Community Adoption
has defined term: Platform Architecture
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Deployment Target
has defined term: Enterprise Adoption
has defined term: Development Activity
has defined term: Maintenance
has defined term: Ecosystem & Community
has defined term: Standardization
has defined term: Setup & Ease of Use
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Compliance
has defined term: Industry Adoption
has defined term: Containerization
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Setup & Learning
has defined term: Market Position
has defined term: Operational
has defined term: Cloud Native
has defined term: Community Support
has defined term: Onboarding & Setup
has defined term: Compliance & Security
has defined term: Support & Ecosystem

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

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

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

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

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Operational Efficiency
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operational-efficiency
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

Configuration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: configuration
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

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

Community Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community-adoption
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-architecture
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Deployment Target
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment-target
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise-adoption
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development Activity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development-activity
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maintenance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maintenance
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem & Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem-&-community
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Standardization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: standardization
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Setup & Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup-&-ease-of-use
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Industry Adoption
type: DefinedTerm
term code: industry-adoption
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Containerization
type: DefinedTerm
term code: containerization
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Setup & Learning
type: DefinedTerm
term code: setup-&-learning
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Position
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-position
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operational
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operational
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

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

Onboarding & Setup
type: DefinedTerm
term code: onboarding-&-setup
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

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

Support & Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support-&-ecosystem
in defined term set: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-09T06:11:02.557Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: jenkins-vs-gitlab)
main entity: Can I use Jenkins with GitLab?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes. Jenkins integrates with GitLab via the GitLab plugin (1,400+ downloads/month). You configure GitLab webhooks to trigger Jenkins jobs, and Jenkins can report build status back to merge requests. However, this requires additional setup compared to native GitLab CI/CD, and you lose tight Git integration benefits.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which requires less operational overhead?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: GitLab CI/CD with the SaaS option (GitLab.com) requires zero infrastructure overhead—no servers to manage or updates to apply. Jenkins always requires dedicated infrastructure maintenance (Java, plugins, security updates). Even self-hosted GitLab requires less overhead than Jenkins due to Docker-based deployment and automated updates.
    language: en-US
main entity: What if I need to use multiple Git platforms (GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab)?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Jenkins is the clear choice for multi-platform Git support. Jenkins plugins support GitHub, Bitbucket, Gitea, and on-premise Git servers. GitLab CI/CD is optimized for GitLab and offers limited first-class support for other platforms, making it unsuitable if you need to manage pipelines across multiple Git hosts.
    language: en-US
main entity: How much does each cost for a team of 10 developers?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Jenkins: $0 (free, self-hosted). You only pay for infrastructure (~$50-200/month for adequate servers). GitLab CI/CD: Free tier (400 min/month) insufficient for active team; Premium tier is $19/month per user ($190/month for 10 users). GitLab becomes more cost-effective than Jenkins infrastructure at scale, but Jenkins is free if you manage servers internally.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which has a steeper learning curve for new team members?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Jenkins has a steeper learning curve. New users must understand Jenkins UI, job configuration, plugins, and Groovy syntax. GitLab CI/CD uses declarative YAML, which is more intuitive for developers familiar with modern DevOps practices. Most developers can write a basic .gitlab-ci.yml in minutes; Jenkins requires hours of training.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Jenkins and GitLab CI/CD
type: HowTo
description: Jenkins is a self-hosted, plugin-based automation server offering maximum flexibility and customization, while GitLab CI/CD is a fully integrated, cloud-native platform built directly into GitLab with lower operational overhead. Jenkins requires more infrastructure management but supports unlimited plugins, whereas GitLab CI/CD provides tighter Git integration and easier setup but less extensibility outside its ecosystem.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Deployment Model
step: Consider: Setup Complexity
step: Consider: Plugin Ecosystem
step: Consider: Git Integration
step: Consider: Infrastructure Overhead
step: Consider: Cost Model
step: Consider: Learning Curve
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Jenkins if you need maximum flexibility, support for multiple Git platforms, unlimited free builds, or have complex legacy integrations requiring custom plugins. Choose GitLab CI/CD if you want faster time-to-value, integrated Git workflows, lower operational burden, and are primarily using GitLab for version control. Jenkins dominates in large enterprises with heterogeneous toolchains; GitLab CI/CD wins for teams seeking simplicity and tight Git integration.

Consider: Deployment Model
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Deployment Model: Jenkins has Self-hosted only (requires own servers), while GitLab CI/CD has Cloud-hosted (SaaS) or self-hosted options.

Consider: Setup Complexity
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Setup Complexity: Jenkins has High (requires Java, manual configuration, plugin management), while GitLab CI/CD has Low (preconfigured, YAML-based pipelines).

Consider: Plugin Ecosystem
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Plugin Ecosystem: Jenkins has 1,800+ community plugins available, while GitLab CI/CD has 50-70 official integrations, limited extensibility.

Consider: Git Integration
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Git Integration: Jenkins has Via plugins (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket supported), while GitLab CI/CD has Native, built-in (GitLab repositories only for native features).

Consider: Infrastructure Overhead
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Infrastructure Overhead: Jenkins has High (requires dedicated servers, Java VM, maintenance), while GitLab CI/CD has Low (managed cloud or lightweight self-hosted).

Consider: Cost Model
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Cost Model: Jenkins has Free (self-hosted), unlimited build agents, while GitLab CI/CD has Free tier limited to 400 CI minutes/month, paid plans $19-$228/month.

Consider: Learning Curve
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Learning Curve: Jenkins has Steep (UI-driven, many configuration options), while GitLab CI/CD has Moderate (declarative YAML syntax).

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD
review body: Jenkins is a self-hosted, plugin-based automation server offering maximum flexibility and customization, while GitLab CI/CD is a fully integrated, cloud-native platform built directly into GitLab with lower operational overhead. Jenkins requires more infrastructure management but supports unlimited plugins, whereas GitLab CI/CD provides tighter Git integration and easier setup but less extensibility outside its ecosystem.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD

Minimum Memory Requirement
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 512 MB | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

GitHub Commits (Annual)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 2,500+ | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Initial Setup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 8-16 hours (server, agents, plugins) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Kubernetes Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Via plugins/agents | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Release Cycle
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Biweekly (2 weeks) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Configuration Language
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Groovy DSL + YAML | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

GitHub Stars (Community Size)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 23,000+ stars | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Supported Platforms
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Kubernetes, VMs, bare metal, cloud-agnostic | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Default Reconciliation Interval
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Manual/webhook-based | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Infrastructure Requirements
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Dedicated server + agents needed | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Configuration Format
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Imperative Groovy/XML (UI + code) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

CNCF Sandbox Status
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Not CNCF member | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Learning Curve for Kubernetes Teams
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Moderate (familiar CI/CD concepts) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Time to Deploy First Pipeline
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 5 hours | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Available Plugins/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 1,800+ plugins | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Monthly Cost (5 Users, Mid-Volume Usage)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: $50-150/month (server costs only) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Infrastructure Management Overhead
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 20-40 hours | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Configuration File Format
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Groovy/XML (powerful but complex) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Unlimited (if self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Community Size & Activity
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: ~23K GitHub stars, 20+ year history | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Data Residency Control
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Full control (on-premises) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Available Plugins/Tasks
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 1,800+ plugins | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Market Share (CI/CD Tools)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: ~45% market share | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Container Integration
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Requires configuration | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Project Age
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: ~16 years (2010 launch) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

YAML/Declarative Pipeline Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Secondary (JCasC/Jenkinsfile) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Complexity (1-10, lower is easier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 5/10 (standard server setup) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Baseline Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 512-2,048 MB | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 20-40 hours | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Enterprise Market Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 72% | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Container Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 30-60 seconds | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Kubernetes Integration Type
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Via plugin (Kubernetes plugin) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Configuration Method
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: UI + Groovy DSL + Jenkinsfile | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Community Activity (GitHub stars)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 23,000+ stars | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Available Plugins/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 1,800+ | GitLab CI/CD: 50-70 official integrations
value reference: Jenkins

Memory Footprint (Minimal Deployment)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 512-1,024 MB | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Native Kubernetes RBAC Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: No, requires Kubernetes plugin | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Configuration Drift Auto-Detection Interval
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Manual polling only | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Kubernetes Market Share Among K8s Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 22% of K8s deployments (2024) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Cost for 1,000-node Enterprise Cluster
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: $0-2,000 (open-source + infrastructure + support) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Multi-Cluster Management Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: No, requires plugins and custom scripting | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time (Minutes)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 120-240 minutes (infrastructure, Java, plugins) | GitLab CI/CD: 15-30 minutes (preconfigured, YAML config)
value reference: GitLab CI/CD

Free CI/CD Minutes per Month
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Unlimited (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: 400 minutes (GitLab.com)

Minimum Server Requirements (RAM)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 4GB minimum (8GB recommended) | GitLab CI/CD: 2GB (self-hosted), managed cloud option
value reference: GitLab CI/CD

Git Platform Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea, on-premise Git (via plugins) | GitLab CI/CD: GitLab (native), GitHub/Bitbucket via integrations (limited)

Pipeline Configuration Method
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: UI-driven or Groovy-based Jenkinsfile (code-based) | GitLab CI/CD: YAML-based .gitlab-ci.yml (declarative only)

Kubernetes Integration Maturity
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Kubernetes plugin available, wide adoption (mature) | GitLab CI/CD: Built-in Auto DevOps + Kubernetes integration (native)

Community Size (Stack Overflow Questions)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 45,000+ Stack Overflow questions | GitLab CI/CD: 8,000+ Stack Overflow questions
value reference: Jenkins

Monthly Cost (Small Team)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: $0 (open-source) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Build Cache Size (Free Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Unlimited (self-configured) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Infrastructure Management Required
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: High (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

On-Premise Deployment Option
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Full support | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Concurrent Build Limit (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Unlimited | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Learning Curve
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 40-80 hours for expertise | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Setup Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 240-480 minutes (4-8 hours) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: $0 (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Learning Curve Timeline
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 2-4 weeks | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Auto-Scaling Capability
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Manual (requires custom scripting) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Data Sovereignty
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Full on-premise control | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Community Size & Maturity
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: 18+ years (since 2008) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

Free Tier Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value: Jenkins: Unlimited (self-hosted) | GitLab CI/CD: N/A

SpeakableSpecification
css selector: #short-answer
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Jenkins — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

GitLab CI/CD — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Jenkins vs GitLab CI/CD
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/jenkins-vs-gitlab)
object: Jenkins
object: GitLab CI/CD

CNCF Sandbox Status
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Standardization

Learning Curve for Kubernetes Teams
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Time to Deploy First Pipeline
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Setup & Ease of Use

Available Plugins/Extensions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Monthly Cost (5 Users, Mid-Volume Usage)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Infrastructure Management Overhead
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

Configuration File Format
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Free Tier Concurrent Jobs
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Community Size & Activity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Data Residency Control
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compliance

Available Plugins/Tasks
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ecosystem

Market Share (CI/CD Tools)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Industry Adoption

Container Integration
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Containerization

Project Age
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maturity

YAML/Declarative Pipeline Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Configuration

Setup Complexity (1-10, lower is easier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Baseline Memory Usage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Setup & Learning

Enterprise Market Adoption
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Market Position

Container Startup Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Kubernetes Integration Type
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Architecture

Configuration Method
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Community Activity (GitHub stars)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Available Plugins/Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Extensibility

Memory Footprint (Minimal Deployment)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Native Kubernetes RBAC Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Security

Configuration Drift Auto-Detection Interval
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operational

Kubernetes Market Share Among K8s Users
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Adoption

Cost for 1,000-node Enterprise Cluster
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Cost

Multi-Cluster Management Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

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

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

Build Cache Size (Free Plan)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Infrastructure Management Required
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Operations

On-Premise Deployment Option
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compliance

Concurrent Build Limit (Free Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Learning Curve
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Setup Time to First Build
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Onboarding & Setup

Base Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Learning Curve Timeline
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Auto-Scaling Capability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Data Sovereignty
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Compliance & Security

Community Size & Maturity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support & Ecosystem

Free Tier Capabilities
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing