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6 self-hosted options

Open-source alternatives to GitLab

The best open-source alternatives to GitLab are Gitea, OneDev and gitbucket.

About GitLab: A DevOps platform bundling Git hosting, issue tracking and CI/CD.

Every option below is free to self-host and ranked by GitHub stars, so you can move off GitLab without giving up the features you rely on.

Top picks

  1. Rank 1:

    Gitea

    go-gitea/gitea

    Git with a cup of tea! Painless self-hosted all-in-one software development service, including Git hosting, code review, team collaboration, package registry and CI/CD.

    Project ManagementGoDocker
  2. Rank 2:

    OneDev

    theonedev/onedev

    All-In-One DevOps Platform. With Git Management, Issue Tracking, and CI/CD. Simple yet Powerful.

    Project ManagementJavaDocker
  3. Rank 3:

    gitbucket

    gitbucket/gitbucket

    Git platform powered with easy installation, high extensibility & GitHub API compatibility (alternative to GitHub).

    Project ManagementScala

Why switch

Why teams move off GitLab

Self-hosting is not only about saving money. These are the reasons people make the switch.

  • Own your data

    Your data lives on a server you control, not on GitLab's infrastructure. No surprise policy changes and no lock-in.

  • No per-seat pricing

    Open-source alternatives to GitLab are free to run for as many users as your server can handle. A small VPS often costs less than a single subscription.

  • Customize and extend

    Read the code, add plugins, connect it to your own tools and automate it through open APIs. When you need a feature, you can build it or fund it.

Full ranking

All 6 GitLab alternatives

Ranked by GitHub stars. Open any app for live stats, license details and a deploy option.

  1. 1

    Gitea

    Git with a cup of tea! Painless self-hosted all-in-one software development service, including Git hosting, code review, team collaboration, package registry and CI/CD.

  2. 2

    OneDev

    All-In-One DevOps Platform. With Git Management, Issue Tracking, and CI/CD. Simple yet Powerful.

  3. 3

    gitbucket

    Git platform powered with easy installation, high extensibility & GitHub API compatibility (alternative to GitHub).

  4. 4

    Gogs

    Painless self-hosted Git Service written in Go.

  5. 5

    OpenProject

    Manage your projects, tasks and goals. Collaborate via work packages and link them to your pull requests on Github.

  6. 6

    SCM Manager

    The easiest way to share and manage your Git, Mercurial and Subversion repositories over http.

FAQ

GitLab alternatives: FAQ

Still curious? Email info@appsgit.com.

What is the best open-source alternative to GitLab?

Gitea is the most popular open-source alternative to GitLab, with 58,319 GitHub stars. OneDev and gitbucket are also strong choices. Compare features, license and recent activity to find the best fit for your team.

Is there a free alternative to GitLab?

Yes. All 6 apps on this page are open source and free to self-host, so you can run a GitLab replacement without per-user fees. You only pay for the server, and a small VPS is usually enough for personal use or a small team.

Can I self-host an alternative to GitLab?

Yes. Gitea, OneDev and Gogs ship a Docker image, so you can run them on a home server or VPS with Docker Compose in a few minutes. Your data then stays on hardware you control.

How do I migrate from GitLab?

Start by exporting your data from GitLab, then check the import options of the app you pick, since many projects ship importers for popular formats. Run both side by side for a week before you switch so nothing is lost.