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GitLab alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave GitLab: dense interface with many features, and key features locked to expensive tiers. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces GitLab, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. GitHub currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Forgejo logoForgejoOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web, Linux4 of 462.6
2Gitea logoGiteaOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web, Linux +24 of 459.6
  1. Forgejo logo

    1. ForgejoTop pick

    Best for: Self-hosters who want a light forge run by a non-profit community rather than a company

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitLab

    Much lighter self-hosted forge with built-in Actions CI.

    Pros

    • Community governance under a non-profit
    • Light to run with built-in Actions CI
    • Copyleft licence guards against proprietary forks

    Cons

    • Smaller ecosystem than GitHub or GitLab
    • No official paid support from the project
    • Federation features are still in progress
    Visit Forgejo Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Forgejo a good GitLab alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL v3+ (from v9.0)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026forgejo.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Stewardship
    Non-profit Codeberg e.V.
    Checked Oct 25, 2026forgejo.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026forgejo.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Free software
    Always
    Checked Oct 25, 2026forgejo.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Gitea logo

    2. Gitea

    Best for: Teams and individuals who want a GitHub-like forge on their own modest hardware

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web, Linux, macOS, Windows

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from GitLab

    Simple self-hosted Git service that runs on modest hardware.

    Pros

    • Single binary that runs on very little hardware
    • Actions CI compatible with many GitHub workflows
    • Free with unlimited users

    Cons

    • Smaller ecosystem than GitHub or GitLab
    • Company-led governance split the community
    • Some enterprise features are paid
    Visit Gitea Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Gitea a good GitLab alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open-source edition
    Free, unlimited users and repos
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.gitea.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Managed hosting
    Gitea Cloud
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.gitea.com(opens source in a new tab)
    CI/CD
    Gitea Actions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.gitea.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best GitLab alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

GitHub logo

Best GitLab alternative for most people

GitHub

Bigger community and ecosystem, with cheaper per-user paid plans.

Forgejo logo

Best GitLab alternative for a free option

Forgejo

Much lighter self-hosted forge with built-in Actions CI.

Bitbucket logo

Best GitLab alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Bitbucket

Atlassian-integrated hosting with Pipelines at a lower per-user price.

Gitea logo

Best GitLab alternative for open source

Gitea

Simple self-hosted Git service that runs on modest hardware.

OneDev logo

Best GitLab alternative for self-hosting

OneDev

Self-hosted Git server with built-in CI/CD and a free community edition.

GitHub logo

Best GitLab alternative for Mac

GitHub

Bigger community and ecosystem, with cheaper per-user paid plans.

GitHub logo

Best GitLab alternative for Windows

GitHub

Bigger community and ecosystem, with cheaper per-user paid plans.

Forgejo logo

Best GitLab alternative for Linux

Forgejo

Much lighter self-hosted forge with built-in Actions CI.

GitHub logo

Best GitLab alternative for iPhone and Android

GitHub

Bigger community and ecosystem, with cheaper per-user paid plans.

Azure DevOps logo

Best GitLab alternative for working in the browser

Azure DevOps

Full ALM suite with generous free tiers for small teams.

GitLab alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to GitLab?

GitHub ranks first right now. Bigger community and ecosystem, with cheaper per-user paid plans. Forgejo and Gitea follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to GitLab?

Yes. GitHub (free plan + paid), Forgejo (open source), Gitea (open source) and OneDev (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to GitLab?

Yes: Forgejo, Gitea and OneDev. Forgejo, Gitea and OneDev can also be self-hosted.

Which GitLab alternatives work on Linux?

Forgejo and Gitea run on Linux.

Why do people switch from GitLab?

The complaints we hear most: dense interface with many features; key features locked to expensive tiers; free hosted tier is limited to 5 users per group.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces GitLab, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.