Depot vs GitLab CI/CD: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Depot and GitLab CI/CD? Both are popular ci/cd tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
GitLab CI/CD is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while Depot does not. Choose Depot when its specific features justify the cost.
Depot vs GitLab CI/CD — Side by Side
| Depot | GitLab CI/CD | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | CI/CD | CI/CD |
| Pricing | From $20/mo | Free · paid from $29/mo |
| Starting price | From $20/mo | Free tier available |
| Free tier | — | |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| Best for | CI/CD — ci-cd, docker | CI/CD — devops, pipelines |
Pros & Cons
- Dramatic speed-up on Docker builds
- Persistent cache shared across branches
- Native Arm builders, no emulation
- Drops into existing CI
- Another vendor alongside your CI
- Build minutes meter separately
- Only pays off if builds are your bottleneck
- Tightly integrated with GitLab
- Generous free minutes
- Pipelines as code
- Self-host option
- Best when you already use GitLab
- Minutes can run out on free
Key Features Compared
Depot
- Unlimited concurrency
- 500 Docker build minutes
- 2,000 Depot CI minutes
- Native Intel and Arm builders
GitLab CI/CD
- Pipelines as code
- Free CI/CD minutes
- Container registry
- Built into GitLab
Choose Depot if…
- Budget is tight — paid plans start lower ($20/mo vs $29/mo).
- Dramatic speed-up on Docker builds
- Persistent cache shared across branches
- Native Arm builders, no emulation
Choose GitLab CI/CD if…
- You want to start free — GitLab CI/CD has a free tier and Depot does not.
- Tightly integrated with GitLab
- Generous free minutes
- Pipelines as code
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Depot better than GitLab CI/CD?⌄
GitLab CI/CD is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while Depot does not. Choose Depot when its specific features justify the cost.
What is the difference between Depot and GitLab CI/CD?⌄
Depot — Remote build acceleration — Docker images and CI jobs on fast machines with a persistent shared cache. GitLab CI/CD — Built-in CI/CD inside GitLab — pipelines as code with a generous free tier of compute minutes. Both are ci/cd tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
Depot vs GitLab CI/CD: which is cheaper?⌄
Depot pricing: From $20/mo. GitLab CI/CD pricing: Free · paid from $29/mo. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Depot or GitLab CI/CD?⌄
In our catalog, Depot rates 4.5 out of 5 and GitLab CI/CD rates 4.4 out of 5, so Depot has a slight edge on reviews.
See more options in our guide to the best ci/cd tools for startups.
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