GitLab CI/CD vs GitHub Actions 2026: Complete DevOps Pipeline Comparison

Introduction

GitLab CI/CD and GitHub Actions are the two leading CI/CD platforms in 2026. This guide compares features, pricing, performance, and use cases to help you choose the right platform for your DevOps pipeline.

Quick Comparison

GitLab CI/CD Advantages

• Complete DevOps platform (CI/CD, registry, security scanning, issue tracking)
• Better for self-hosted/on-premise deployments
• Auto DevOps for automatic pipeline creation
• Built-in container registry and security features
• Better compliance and audit tools

GitHub Actions Advantages

• Larger marketplace (10,000+ pre-built actions)
• More generous free tier (2,000 vs 400 minutes)
• Better integration with GitHub ecosystem
• Easier for beginners
• Matrix builds for cross-platform testing

Pricing Comparison 2026

GitHub:

• Free: 2,000 minutes/month
• Pro: $4/user/month + $0.008/minute
• Team: $4/user/month + 3,000 minutes
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

GitLab:

• Free: 400 minutes/month
• Premium: $29/user/month + 10,000 minutes
• Ultimate: $99/user/month + 50,000 minutes
• Self-hosted: Free (unlimited minutes)

Example Workflows

GitHub Actions:

name: CI Pipeline
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
      - run: npm install
      - run: npm test
      - run: npm run build

GitLab CI:

stages:
  - test
  - build

test:
  stage: test
  script:
    - npm install
    - npm test

build:
  stage: build
  script:
    - npm run build

Performance Benchmarks

• GitHub Actions: Average startup 20-30 seconds
• GitLab CI/CD: Average startup 15-25 seconds (self-hosted faster)
• Both support parallel jobs and caching

Best Use Cases

Choose GitHub Actions if:

• Already using GitHub for source control
• Need large marketplace of pre-built actions
• Prefer generous free tier
• Building open source projects

Choose GitLab CI/CD if:

• Need complete DevOps platform
• Require self-hosted deployment
• Want built-in security scanning
• Enterprise compliance requirements

Conclusion

Winner for startups: GitHub Actions (generous free tier, easier to start)

Winner for enterprises: GitLab CI/CD (complete platform, self-hosted options)

Both are excellent choices – your decision should align with your source control platform and specific DevOps needs.