Bitbucket vs GitLab: Choosing the Right CI/CD Tool
Choosing the right CI/CD tool is important for software development teams who strive for Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery. So, we thought of thoroughly comparing two popular tools, Bitbucket and GitLab, for the same.
Bitbucket
Bitbucket is a web-based hosting service owned by Atlassian used for source code and development project management. It is another popular tool for Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery. Bitbucket also offers enterprise-grade security and a user-friendly interface.
Features
- Pull requests
- Pipelines
- Branch permissions and merging
- Code review
- Multiple deployment environments
- Issue and project management
- Collaboration tools
Pricing
Bitbucket offers a free plan that includes 'unlimited public and private repositories, but with a maximum of 5 users.' Their Standard plan starts at $3/month/user and includes unlimited private repositories, Jira Software, and project management tools. For larger organizations, they offer a Premium plan starting at $6/month/user, which includes advanced security and compliance.
GitLab
GitLab is also a web-based Git-repository manager that provides Continuous Integration and Delivery. It is an open-source tool and provides a free self-hosted version, which is a big plus. Even GitLab offers free and paid options for small teams and enterprises.
Features
- Pull requests
- Pipelines
- Code review
- Container registry
- Multiple deployment environments
- Issue and project management
- Collaboration tools
Pricing
GitLab's Community Edition is free and provides unlimited private repositories and team members with CI/CD support. For the enterprise-grade version, they offer four different plans- Starter, Premium, Ultimate, and Max. Their Starter plan begins at $19/month/user and includes enterprise-grade features like code review, project management, and security.
Comparison
| Bitbucket | GitLab | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to $6/user/month | Free to $99/user/month |
| Number of users in the free tier | 5 | Unlimited |
| Number of private repositories in the free tier | Unlimited with up to 5 users | Unlimited |
| Security | SSL encryption, 2FA, and OAuth support | SSL encryption, 2FA, and LDAP support |
| Integration support | Jira Software, Trello, and HipChat | Jira Software, Slack, and Mattermost |
| Deployment options | Cloud-hosted only | Self-hosted or cloud-hosted |
Conclusion
It’s tough to select one between Bitbucket and GitLab as both have their advantages and disadvantages. The selection of the tool depends on different factors, including but not limited to the team's size, budget, and requirements.
Bitbucket is a great choice for small to medium-sized teams looking for an easy-to-use, straightforward tool. On the other hand, GitLab provides better budget-friendly plans for enterprises, making it more suitable for larger organizations. Both offer an excellent level of security and a range of features for effective software development.
We hope this thorough comparison helped you make an informed decision. Good luck!