Quick Comparison
| GitHub Actions | GitLab CI | |
|---|---|---|
| Config file | .github/workflows/*.yml | .gitlab-ci.yml |
| Marketplace | Huge (Actions marketplace) | Smaller |
| Free tier | 2,000 min/month | 400 min/month |
| Self-hosted runners | Yes | Yes |
| Container registry | GitHub Packages | Built-in |
When to Use GitHub Actions
- Your code is on GitHub
- You want the largest marketplace of pre-built actions
- You need matrix builds across OS/versions
- You want tight integration with GitHub features
When to Use GitLab CI
- Your code is on GitLab
- You want CI/CD + container registry + package registry in one platform
- You need advanced pipeline features (DAG, child pipelines)
- Self-hosted GitLab instance
Verdict
Use whichever platform hosts your code. Both are excellent. If you’re choosing between platforms, GitHub has the larger ecosystem; GitLab has more built-in features.