GitForge vs GitLab

GitLab is powerful but complex. GitForge delivers the same core capabilities with a stateless S3-backed architecture, simpler ops, and a fully programmable API. No Gitaly, no NFS, no runner infrastructure.

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Comparison

GitLab vs GitForge — feature by feature

Feature

GitLab

GitForge

Git protocol V1 + V2

Git LFS support

LFS file locking

Unlimited LFS bandwidth

Self-hosted only

All plans

Self-hosted option

Full

BYO storage

S3-native storage

Stateless server architecture

Direct Commit API (no git client)

Limited

Full

Official SDKs (TS, Python, Go)

Community

Official

MCP server for AI agents

Path-level RBAC

Branch protection

CI/CD pipelines

SSO / SAML

Pull / Merge requests

Audit logging

Premium ($29/user)

Pro ($12/user)

Architecture

Why architecture matters

Stateless by design

GitLab depends on Gitaly for filesystem-based Git storage. Scaling means NFS shares or distributed Gitaly clusters. GitForge stores all objects in S3-compatible storage. The server layer is fully stateless and scales horizontally with zero shared filesystems.

Simpler deployment and operations

A GitLab self-hosted install includes Gitaly, Workhorse, Sidekiq, Rails, Puma, Redis, and Postgres. GitForge runs a single API server, a worker, Postgres, Redis, and any S3-compatible backend. Fewer moving parts means fewer failure modes.

No runner infrastructure for basic CI

GitLab CI requires configuring and maintaining GitLab Runner instances. GitForge has built-in YAML-based CI/CD pipelines with managed execution. No runner registration, no Docker-in-Docker setup.

API-first with official SDKs

GitLab has a large REST API, but community-maintained SDKs. GitForge ships official SDKs for TypeScript, Python, and Go, plus a CLI tool and an MCP server for AI agent integration.

Pricing

More features at a lower price point

GitLab Premium starts at $29/user/mo for features like audit logging and code review. GitLab Ultimate is $99/user/mo. GitForge Pro includes SSO, audit logging, and advanced branch protection at $12/user/mo ($10/user/mo annually).

GitForge Free$0 — 2 GB, 3 repos

GitForge Pro$12/user/mo — 100 GB, SSO

GitForge Enterprise$39/user/mo — 500 GB, SCIM

LFS bandwidth (all plans)Unlimited

Migration

Move from GitLab in four steps

Create a GitForge account

Update your remote

Point your existing repo at GitForge: git remote set-url origin https://git-forge.dev/your-org/your-repo.git

Push everything

Run git push --all && git lfs push --all origin. LFS objects transfer automatically. Tags: git push --tags.

Migrate CI pipelines

Translate your .gitlab-ci.yml to GitForge pipeline YAML. The concepts map directly: stages, jobs, artifacts, secrets, and environments.

FAQ

Common questions

Can I self-host GitForge like GitLab?+

GitForge is a managed platform, but you can bring your own S3-compatible storage (AWS S3, Cloudflare R2, GCS, MinIO) so your Git objects and LFS files stay in your infrastructure. The server layer is stateless and runs in Docker.

How does CI/CD compare to GitLab CI?+

GitForge has built-in YAML-based pipelines with stages, secrets, environments, and approvals. You do not need to manage runner infrastructure. For advanced use cases, you can trigger external CI systems via webhooks.

Does GitForge have a container registry?+

Not currently. GitForge focuses on Git hosting, LFS, and the programmable API. For container registries, you can use any external registry and reference it from your CI pipelines.

What about GitLab's built-in security scanning?+

GitForge does not include SAST/DAST scanning tools. You can integrate third-party scanners via CI pipeline steps or webhooks. GitForge focuses on Git hosting, access control, and the developer API.

Is there a free tier?+

Yes. The free plan includes 2 GB of storage, 3 repos, 3 seats, 200 pipeline minutes, and unlimited bandwidth. No credit card needed.

Simpler architecture, same power

Create a free account and push your first repo. No Gitaly, no NFS, no runner setup. Just Git, backed by S3.

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