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# GitLab vs Gitea Comparison - What are their main differences?

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GitLabGitea[+ Add Product](#)

Pricing

**GitLab**
Free Trial

No pricing available

**Gitea**
Free Trial

**Free** · Open Source

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**GitLab**
1 monthFaster

Based on 66 responses

**Gitea**
6 months

Based on 6 responses

Return on Investment

**GitLab**
12 months

Based on 50 responses

**Gitea**
Not enough reviews yet

Perceived Cost

**GitLab**
$$$$$

**Gitea**
Not enough reviews yet

Average Discount

**GitLab**
12%

**Gitea**
Not enough reviews yet

**Pros & Cons**
from reviews

**GitLab**
[
Ease of Use (40)
](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1917513&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Features (39)
](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1914521&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Complexity (20)
](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1917041&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Difficult Learning (18)
](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1917007&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

**Gitea**
Not enough data

Integrations

**GitLab**
[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_3a7a925cc43d97814fa81ec2d6c06f45/amazon-web-services-ai.jpeg "Product Avatar Image")

Amazon Web Services AI

](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-web-services-ai/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_dc218a7b4e898f9384267cbd98b09aa8/apache-airflow.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

Apache Airflow

](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-airflow/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_9d00048205a466c174da3c77093a1336/apache-maven.png "Product Avatar Image")

Apache Maven

](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-maven/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_5ef078d7e2f128d165c94b1859097bbf/argo-cd.png "Product Avatar Image")

Argo.io

](https://www.g2.com/products/argo-cd/reviews)[
View all
](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/integrations)

**Gitea**
[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_502edbf6187fbd277b0968c085d60a02/textaify-discord.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

Discord

](https://www.g2.com/products/textaify-discord/reviews)[
View all
](https://www.g2.com/products/gitea/integrations)

Screenshots

**GitLab**
 ![GitLab screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/1269847/Sec-Loop.png)

**Gitea**
No screenshot available

**Ratings**
from reviews

Meets Requirements

**GitLab**

9.1

9.1688

**Gitea**

9.2

9.211

Ease of Use

**GitLab**

8.7

8.7692

**Gitea**

9.1

9.111

Ease of Setup

**GitLab**

8.7

8.7252

**Gitea**

6.2

6.27

Ease of Admin

**GitLab**

8.6

8.6175

**Gitea**

6.4

6.46

Quality of Support

**GitLab**

8.5

8.5548

**Gitea**

6.9

6.98

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**GitLab**

8.8

8.8150

**Gitea**
Not enough data

Product Direction (% positive)

**GitLab**

8.8

8.8653

**Gitea**

10.0

10.010

**Features**
ratings from reviews

Application Release Orchestration

8.7

149

Not enough data

Cloud Infrastructure Automation

8.8

92

Not enough data

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

9.0

27

Not enough data

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

9.0

38

Not enough data

Bug Tracking

8.5

172

Not enough data

Secure Code Review

8.5

133

Not enough data

Continuous Delivery

8.3

254

Not enough data

Continuous Integration

8.2

255

Not enough data

Software Composition Analysis

8.9

78

Not enough data

DevOps Platforms

8.8

192

Not enough data

Value Stream Management

8.8

49

Not enough data

User Insights

**Reviewers' Company Size**

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
37.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
36.6%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
26.4%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
37.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
36.6%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
26.4%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
62.5%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
31.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
6.3%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
62.5%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
31.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
6.3%

**Reviewers' Industry**

[![GitLab](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/2397ccd7309ef2bca71e3a275d59a5a3/gitlab.svg "GitLab")](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews)
GitLab

Computer Software
33.1%

Information Technology and Services
24.4%

Internet
3.9%

Financial Services
3.4%

Telecommunications
2.4%

Other
32.8%

[![Gitea](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/d610fdd8bafe867596af43db6799bb06/gitea.svg "Gitea")](https://www.g2.com/products/gitea/reviews)
Gitea

Information Technology and Services
31.3%

Computer Software
31.3%

Warehousing
6.3%

Printing
6.3%

Internet
6.3%

Other
18.8%

FAQs

## GitLab vs Gitea FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 14, 2026

### What is the difference between GitLab vs Gitea?

GitLab and Gitea differ most clearly in scale and reviewer-cited strengths, with GitLab excelling in integrated DevOps features and Gitea favored for lightweight, easy setup.

| [GitLab](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews) | [Gitea](https://www.g2.com/products/gitea/reviews) |
| --- | --- |
| 4.5/5 (901 reviews) | 4.7/5 (17 reviews) |
| Small-Business | Small-Business |
| 8.7 | 6.2 |
| 8.5 | 6.9 |
| Integrated DevOps platform with CI/CD and automation | Lightweight, easy to set up, open-source alternative |

### How do the pricing models of GitLab and Gitea compare?

GitLab is viewed as the stronger value on pricing satisfaction, with reviewers noting more positive sentiment on cost compared to Gitea.

- **GitLab:** Reviewers highlight that GitLab offers a competitive cost for its feature set, though some mention that advanced features are locked behind higher-priced tiers.
- **Gitea:** Reviewers appreciate Gitea's open-source and free model, especially for self-hosted deployments, but note that it lacks some enterprise features and support found in commercial options.
- **Switching reasons:** In recent reviews, buyers mention switching to Gitea for its lightweight, cost-effective self-hosting, while others choose GitLab for its all-in-one DevOps capabilities despite higher pricing for advanced features.

### What are the best alternatives to GitLab and Gitea?

The best alternatives to GitLab and Gitea are GitHub, Harness Platform, and CloudBees.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [GitLab](https://www.g2.com/products/gitlab/reviews) | 4.5/5 (901 reviews) | Small-Business | Competitive cost for feature set, higher tiers for advanced features | Integrated DevOps platform with CI/CD and automation |
| [Gitea](https://www.g2.com/products/gitea/reviews) | 4.7/5 (17 reviews) | Small-Business | Free, open-source, cost-effective for self-hosting | Lightweight, easy to set up, open-source alternative |
| [GitHub](https://www.g2.com/products/github/reviews) | 4.7/5 (2399 reviews) | Small-Business | — | Large community and collaboration features |
| [Harness Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/harness-platform/reviews) | 4.6/5 (315 reviews) | Mid-Market | — | Continuous delivery and automation |
| [CloudBees](https://www.g2.com/products/cloudbees/reviews) | 4.4/5 (621 reviews) | Enterprise | — | Enterprise-grade CI/CD and scalability |

### Which Version Control Hosting features should I prioritize when comparing GitLab and Gitea?

Buyers comparing GitLab and Gitea should prioritize CI/CD automation, integrations, ease of setup, support quality, and repository management.

- **CI/CD Automation:** GitLab is cited in 33 reviews for CI and 31 for CD integration, while Gitea requires external CI tools.
- **Integrations:** GitLab is mentioned in 32 reviews for integrations, including Jenkins (44 mentions) and Jira (29 mentions); Gitea has limited integration mentions, with Discord cited once.
- **Ease of Setup:** GitLab scores 8.7, Gitea 6.2 on Ease of Setup.
- **Quality of Support:** GitLab scores 8.5, Gitea 6.9 on Quality of Support.
- **Repository Management:** GitLab is mentioned in 25 reviews for repository management; Gitea is praised for lightweight, easy self-hosting in recent reviews.

### What are the pros and cons of GitLab vs Gitea?

GitLab's headline strength is its integrated DevOps platform with automation, while Gitea's is its lightweight, easy-to-set-up, open-source model.

- **GitLab strengths:** Integrated DevOps platform (39 mentions for features), CI/CD automation (33 CI, 31 CD integration mentions), strong collaboration (31 mentions), and repository management (25 mentions).
- **GitLab trade-offs:** Complexity is cited as a trade-off (20 mentions), with reviewers noting a learning curve and interface heaviness for new users.
- **Gitea strengths:** Reviewers highlight Gitea's lightweight footprint, ease of setup, and suitability for self-hosted, cost-effective deployments.
- **Gitea trade-offs:** Reviewers note limited enterprise features, fewer integrations, and less polished support compared to commercial platforms.

### Is GitLab or Gitea better for small businesses?

Gitea is the better fit for small businesses seeking a lightweight, cost-effective, and easy-to-set-up solution, while GitLab is favored for teams needing integrated DevOps features.

- **GitLab:** Small-Business is the largest segment, with reviewers appreciating its all-in-one DevOps capabilities but noting complexity and higher cost for advanced features.
- **Gitea:** Small-Business is the largest segment, with reviewers consistently citing its ease of setup, open-source model, and suitability for teams with limited budgets or self-hosting needs.

### Which Version Control Hosting platform has better integrations?

GitLab is favored by reviewers for integrations, with significantly more integration mentions and third-party tool support than Gitea.

- **GitLab:** Integrates with Git (700 mentions), Jenkins (44 mentions), and Jira (29 mentions), with 32 reviews citing integrations overall.
- **Gitea:** Integrates with Discord (1 mention) and supports basic integrations, but reviewers note limited third-party integration options.

### How do GitLab and Gitea compare on customer support?

GitLab and Gitea are within the parity threshold on Quality of Support, with GitLab at 8.5 and Gitea at 6.9, so neither is a clear winner on support quality.

- **GitLab:** Reviewers describe support as generally responsive and helpful, though some note slower responses for complex issues.
- **Gitea:** Reviewers mention that support is adequate for an open-source project but less comprehensive than commercial platforms.

### Which is easier to implement, GitLab or Gitea?

GitLab scores higher on Ease of Setup (8.7 vs. Gitea's 6.2), with reviewers citing a smoother implementation experience.

- **GitLab:** Reviewers consistently report straightforward setup, clear documentation, and easy onboarding, though some note complexity for advanced configurations.
- **Gitea:** Reviewers highlight its lightweight installation but mention that setup can require more technical knowledge, especially for self-hosted deployments.

### Which product has better Automation?

GitLab is the stronger product for Automation, with more reviewer-cited automation features and higher all-time mention counts.

- **GitLab:** Automation is cited in 27 reviews, with reviewers praising built-in CI/CD pipelines and workflow automation.
- **Gitea:** Reviewers note that Gitea lacks built-in automation and relies on external tools for CI/CD and automation workflows.

Alternatives

**GitLab Alternatives**

 ![GitHub](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_8ec3c17e3fb1df25b6a8bd7cc69cf2d1/github.png "GitHub")

[
GitHub
](/products/github/reviews)

 ![Harness Platform](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/475270ef4d082eb00bedc920f653506d/harness-platform.svg "Harness Platform")

[
Harness Platform
](/products/harness-platform/reviews)

 ![CloudBees](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/87a3b92cea3fbc3b93144f9fd68c968d/cloudbees.svg "CloudBees")

[
CloudBees
](/products/cloudbees/reviews)

 ![Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_7b1e34d1cfcc265beee0d9b4290461fa/red-hat-ansible-automation-platform.jpg "Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform")

[
Red Hat Ansible Automation...
](/products/red-hat-ansible-automation-platform/reviews)

**Gitea Alternatives**

 ![GitHub](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_8ec3c17e3fb1df25b6a8bd7cc69cf2d1/github.png "GitHub")

[
GitHub
](/products/github/reviews)

 ![Gerrit](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_62fe0edaa06514da6eecd4fab872808b/gerrit.png "Gerrit")

[
Gerrit
](/products/gerrit/reviews)

 ![Gogs](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_af9d1090ed4a6abe56a36131f40990fa/gogs.png "Gogs")

[
Gogs
](/products/gogs/reviews)

 ![Bitbucket](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1505148943/bitbucket.svg "Bitbucket")

[
Bitbucket
](/products/bitbucket/reviews)