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GitLab CE vs GitLab CI
GitLab CI is the CI/CD component of GitLab, but GitLab CE includes the full platform (repo, issues, planning).
GitLab CEFree community edition of GitLab: Git hosting, CI/CD and issues
GitLab CICI/CD pipelines built into GitLabWhich to pick
Pick GitLab CE if you want…
- Self-hosted Git hosting & CI/CD
- Open-source code (gitlabhq/gitlabhq on GitHub)
Pick GitLab CI if you want…
- Integrated CI/CD with governance and AI assistance
- Integrated CI/CD within GitLab
Side by side
- What it is
- GitLab CE:GitLab CE is a free self-hosted platform for Git repository hosting, CI/CD pipelines, and issue tracking.
- GitLab CI:GitLab CI provides built-in CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, and AI-assisted automation within the GitLab platform.
- Best for
- GitLab CE:Self-hosted Git hosting & CI/CD
- GitLab CI:Integrated CI/CD with governance and AI assistance
- Who it’s for
- GitLab CE:Teams that need a self-managed DevSecOps solution with full control over data and infrastructure.
- GitLab CI:Software teams that need integrated source control, CI/CD, and DevSecOps in one platform.
- Pricing
- GitLab CE:Freemium
- GitLab CI:Freemium
- Plans
- GitLab CE:Free $0 per user/month · Premium $29 per user/month, billed annuall
- GitLab CI:Free $0 per user/month · Premium $29 per user/month, billed annuall
- Open source
- GitLab CE:Yes, 24,556 GitHub stars
- GitLab CI:—
- Works with
- GitLab CE:Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Helm Chart, GitLab Operator, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform
- GitLab CI:—
GitLab CE features
- Git repository hosting. Provides Git version control with web UI, merge requests and access controls.
- Built-in CI/CD. Runs automated pipelines directly in the platform without external tools.
- Issue & project management. Tracks work items, milestones, epics and integrates agile planning features.
- Security scanning. Offers SAST, DAST, container scanning and secret detection across all tiers.
- AI code assistance. GitLab Duo Agent Platform delivers AI code suggestions and chat in the IDE.
- Flexible deployment options. Install via Docker, Helm, Linux packages, Kubernetes operator or reference architectures.
GitLab CI features
- CI/CD Catalog. Reusable, versioned pipeline components reduce copy-pasting and keep pipelines up to date.
- Component Analytics. Shows adoption and version usage of shared CI/CD components across projects.
- Merge Trains & Parent-Child Pipelines. Automates merge sequencing and splits large pipelines for faster feedback.
- Hosted Runners. Runs CI jobs without provisioning or maintaining your own infrastructure.
- Security Scanning. Continuous vulnerability scanning, SAST, and compliance pipelines catch issues early.
- AI Duo Agent Platform. AI explains failures, suggests fixes, and generates pipelines based on standards.
GitLab CE vs GitLab CI FAQ
Is GitLab CE or GitLab CI free?+
GitLab CE has a free plan and paid plans. GitLab CI has a free plan and paid plans.
Is GitLab CE or GitLab CI open source?+
GitLab CE is open source (gitlabhq/gitlabhq on GitHub). DevHunt has no public source repository on record for GitLab CI.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.