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GitHub Actions vs GitLab: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of GitHub Actions and GitLab. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: GitHub Actions starts at $4/mo, making it $25/mo cheaper than GitLab ($29/mo). GitHub Actions offers a free plan.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026
Try GitHub Actions freeTry GitLab free

GitHub Actions vs GitLab: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureGitHub ActionsGitLab
Starting Price$4/mo$29/mo
Number of Plans33
Free TierYesYes
Pricing Modelusage-basedper-seat
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

GitHub Actions is the more affordable option, starting at $4/mo compared to GitLab's $29/mo. Both are Dev Tools with 6 combined pricing plans and 26 features compared.

Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget. GitHub Actions uses usage-based pricing while GitLab uses per-seat pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Dev Tools needs.

Pricing Plans
GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions
Try it free
GitLab
Tier 1
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Unlimited public/private repositories
  • Dependabot security and version updates
  • 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
  • 500MB of Packages storage
  • Issues & Projects
  • Community support
Start with Free
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Start with Free
Tier 2
Team
$4/monthCheapest
$0 / year
Includes
  • Everything included in Free, plus...
  • Access to GitHub Codespaces
  • Repository rules
  • Multiple reviewers in pull requests
  • Draft pull requests
  • Code owners
  • Required reviewers
  • Pages and Wikis
  • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
  • 2GB of Packages storage
Start with Team
Premium
$29/month
Start with Premium
Tier 3
EnterprisePopular
$21/monthCheapest
$2 / year
Includes
  • Everything included in Team, plus...
  • Data residency
  • Enterprise Managed Users
  • User provisioning through SCIM
  • Enterprise Account to centrally manage multiple organizations
  • Environment protection rules
  • Audit Log API
  • SOC1, SOC2, type 2 reports annually
  • SAML single sign-on
  • 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
Start with Enterprise
Ultimate
Custom pricing
Start with Ultimate

Swipe to compare plans →

GitHub Actions

CI/CD workflows built into GitHub repositories

View all GitHub Actions plans

GitLab

Complete DevOps platform with CI/CD and source control

View all GitLab plans
Our Pick

GitHub Actions

GitHub Actions offers a free plan, starts at $25/mo lower ($4/mo vs $29/mo).

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Best value: GitHub Actions

Try GitHub Actions free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose GitHub Actions if:

  • •You want lower per-user costs—GitHub Actions starts at $4/mo, saving $25/mo compared to GitLab at $29/mo
  • •You prefer GitHub Actions's free tier features—Unlimited public/private repositories, Dependabot security and version updates
  • •You want more features built-in—GitHub Actions offers 26 additional features across its plans

Choose GitLab if:

  • •You prefer GitLab's free tier features—features
  • •Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—GitLab offers negotiated terms for large deployments
  • •You prefer GitLab's per-seat model with its 3-tier structure

Both GitHub Actions and GitLab offer free plans [1], eliminating cost barriers for evaluation. This means you can test both tools thoroughly with your actual workflows before any financial commitment. The free tiers differ in scope: GitHub Actions includes 6 features, while GitLab includes multiple features. Evaluate which free tier matches your evaluation needs before deciding to upgrade. Your best approach is to activate both free trials and evaluate which tool's workflow, integrations, and user experience align better with your team's needs before committing to paid plans.

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Frequently Asked Questions: GitHub Actions vs GitLab

Which is cheaper, GitHub Actions or GitLab?
As of March 2026, GitHub Actions starts at a lower price point. GitHub Actions starts at $4/mo while GitLab starts at $29/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does GitHub Actions have vs GitLab?
GitHub Actions offers 3 pricing plans, while GitLab offers 3 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does GitHub Actions or GitLab offer a free plan?
Yes, both GitHub Actions and GitLab offer free plans. Compare the feature limits of each free tier to see which better fits your use case before upgrading.
Can I save money by paying annually for GitHub Actions or GitLab?
Both GitHub Actions and GitLab offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
What is the most popular GitHub Actions plan?
The Enterprise plan is GitHub Actions' most popular tier, priced at $21/mo. Key features include Everything included in Team, plus..., Data residency, Enterprise Managed Users.
Does GitHub Actions or GitLab offer custom enterprise pricing?
GitLab offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. GitHub Actions lists all its pricing publicly.
What pricing models do GitHub Actions and GitLab use?
GitHub Actions uses a usage-based pricing model, while GitLab uses per-seat pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.

Sources

  1. GitHub Actions Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
  2. GitLab Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page

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