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Cybersecurity · head to head

Drata vs GitLab

Drata logo

Drata

Cybersecurity

Agentic trust management with compliance automation.

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit DrataFull review
GitLab logo

GitLab

Developer Tools

The One DevOps Platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit GitLabFull review

The short version

  • Drata is a compliance automation platform; GitLab is a complete DevOps platform, delivered as a single application.
  • GitLab is free; Drata prices on request.
  • Where Drata falls short: no published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes.
  • Where GitLab falls short: baseline requires 8 vCPU and 16 GB RAM for single-node installations; resource-intensive.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drata and GitLab actually diverge.

Attributes where Drata and GitLab differ
AttributeDrataGitLab
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelSubscriptionOpen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APILinux, Self-hosted, Web
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for Drata.

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 Drata

Nothing recorded that GitLab does not also cover.

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.

Drata

  • SaaS companies automating SOC 2 certification for enterprise salesnot GitLab
  • Organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneouslynot GitLab
  • Vendor management programmes requiring third-party security assessmentsnot GitLab
  • Enterprises implementing AI governance and monitoring AI systemsnot GitLab
  • Organisations seeking continuous compliance monitoring rather than point-in-time auditsnot GitLab

GitLab

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

Where each one falls short

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

Drata

  • No published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes
  • Solution tiers (Startup, Growth, Enterprise) are marketing categories with no corresponding published prices or feature differentiation
  • No transparency on cost per framework, per user, or based on organisational size
  • AI questionnaire automation claims 375+ hours saved annually but does not publish per-questionnaire costs or limits
  • Compared directly with Vanta by customers, but pricing opaque for cost-benefit analysis

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

Drata

On request
  • StartupOn request
    • 'Launch Trust Fast' with automated evidence collection
    • SOC 2 and other framework support
    • Basic compliance automation
  • GrowthOn request
    • 'Accelerate Trust Smoothly' as teams expand
    • Multi-framework compliance
    • Enhanced AI automation
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • 'Command Trust at Scale' for complex needs
    • Advanced GRC capabilities
    • Dedicated support

GitLab

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GitLab review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Drata if

  • You work on Web, API.
Drata review

Choose GitLab if

  • You need git repository management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Self-hosted, Web.
  • You also want ci/cd pipelines.
GitLab review

Questions people ask

Is Drata or GitLab better?
Neither clearly leads. Drata starts at On request and GitLab at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drata or GitLab?
GitLab has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Drata and Free for GitLab.
Does Drata or GitLab run on more platforms?
Drata runs on Web, API. GitLab runs on Linux, Self-hosted, Web.
Can I use GitLab for free?
Yes. GitLab has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drata starts at On request.
What is Drata best used for?
Drata is most often used for saas companies automating soc 2 certification for enterprise sales, organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneously, vendor management programmes requiring third-party security assessments, enterprises implementing ai governance and monitoring ai systems. Of those, saas companies automating soc 2 certification for enterprise sales and organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneously are not what GitLab is typically brought in for.
What can Drata do that GitLab cannot?
GitLab covers Git repository management, CI/CD pipelines, Issue tracking, Code review.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Drata: What compliance frameworks does Drata support?

Drata supports multiple frameworks including SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS and others, with multi-framework management capabilities.

Source
Drata: Does Drata automate questionnaires?

Yes. Drata's AI uses approved content to draft consistent responses, automating questionnaire completion and saving claimed 375+ hours per year.

Source
Drata: How many customers does Drata have?

Drata serves 8,500+ global customers ranging from startups to enterprises, with a 4.8/5.0 rating on G2.

Source
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