Depot
GitLab
| Feature | Depot | GitLab |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $20/mo | Free / from $29/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | engineering-teams, ci-cd-pipelines, monorepo-teams, docker-heavy-teams | enterprise, devops-teams, security-focused-teams, regulated-industries |
| Founded | 2022 | 2011 |
| Fast Builds | ✓ | ✗ |
| Remote Caching | ✓ | ✗ |
| Github Actions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Platform Builds | ✓ | ✗ |
| Buildkit Compatible | ✓ | ✗ |
| Build Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Source Control | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ci Cd | ✗ | ✓ |
| Security Scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Package Registry | ✗ | ✓ |
| Issue Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Wiki | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Depot Pros
- Dramatically faster Docker builds
- Drop-in replacement for docker build
- Native layer caching
- GitHub Actions integration
✗ Depot Cons
- Only for container builds
- Costs scale with usage
- Newer platform
✓ GitLab Pros
- All-in-one DevOps — no tool sprawl
- Built-in CI/CD without separate setup
- Self-hosted option for full control
- Security scanning integrated into pipeline
✗ GitLab Cons
- Interface can feel complex and slow
- Resource-heavy for self-hosted instances
- Community features lag behind GitHub
The Verdict
Depot is built for engineering teams and ci cd pipelines, with a focus on fast-builds and remote-caching. GitLab targets enterprise and devops teams and leads with source-control and ci-cd.
On pricing, Depot is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $20/mo compared to $29/mo for GitLab. That $9/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, GitLab offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Depot takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.