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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs GitLab

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

Cloud-based builds and CI runs 55x faster with less cost

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GitLab logo

GitLab

Technology

The One DevOps Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; GitLab baseline requires 8 vCPU and 16 GB RAM for single-node installations; resource-intensive
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, GitLab covers Git repository management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and GitLab actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and GitLab differ
AttributeDepotGitLab
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLILinux, Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology
Founded20222011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

Only in GitLab

  • Git repository management
  • CI/CD pipelines
  • Issue tracking
  • Code review
  • Wiki
  • Container registry
  • Security scanning
  • Monitoring

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Depot

  • Accelerating Docker builds for container-based developmentnot GitLab
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot GitLab
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot GitLab
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot GitLab

GitLab

  • Git repository management and version controlnot Depot
  • CI/CD pipeline automationnot Depot
  • DevOps and release managementnot Depot
  • Security and compliance workflowsnot Depot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Depot

  • Developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Startup plan at $200/mo is expensive for smaller teams
  • Business plan requires custom pricing consultation
  • macOS M2 runners not available on Developer plan

GitLab

  • Baseline requires 8 vCPU and 16 GB RAM for single-node installations; resource-intensive
  • PostgreSQL is mandatory; no support for alternative databases
  • Redis or Valkey cache required; adds infrastructure complexity
  • High-availability deployments require inter-node latency below 5 ms; difficult to achieve across geographically distributed sites
  • Requires self-hosting and maintenance; GitLab.com SaaS only available to GitLab team members for administration

Pricing, plan by plan

Depot

Free
  • Developer$20/month
    • 1 user
    • 500 Docker build minutes per month
    • 2,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Startup$200/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 5,000 Docker build minutes per month
    • 20,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Business$undefined/custom
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom monthly compute

GitLab

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GitLab review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Depot if

  • You need depot ci.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
  • You also want container builds.
Depot review

Choose GitLab if

  • You need git repository management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want ci/cd pipelines.
GitLab review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or GitLab better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and GitLab at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or GitLab?
Depot starts at Free and GitLab at Free.
Does Depot or GitLab run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. GitLab runs on Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Depot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Depot best used for?
Depot is most often used for accelerating docker builds for container-based development, replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure, distributing cache across monorepo builds, debugging failed ci builds interactively with ssh. Of those, accelerating docker builds for container-based development and replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure are not what GitLab is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that GitLab cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. GitLab covers Git repository management, CI/CD pipelines, Issue tracking, Code review.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Depot: How much faster are Depot runners compared to GitHub Actions?

Depot runners offer 30% faster CPUs and 10x faster networking than standard GitHub-hosted runners, enabling builds to complete significantly faster.

Source
Depot: What is included in the Developer plan?

Developer plan ($20/month) includes 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Depot CI minutes, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, 25 GB storage, unlimited concurrency, and community support.

Source
Depot: Can I use Depot with my own AWS account?

Yes, Depot Managed allows deployment within customer AWS accounts. This is available to interested customers; contact sales for details.

Source
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