GitLab alternative
A self-hosted GitLab issues alternative for focused teams
GitLab puts issues next to Git hosting and CI/CD, and many self-hosting teams already run it. Kuayle is a dedicated issue tracker under Apache 2.0, with cycles, projects and GitHub automation, and no per-user tier for planning features.
At a glance
- Licence
GitLab: MIT core; EE under a separate licence
Kuayle: Apache 2.0
- Hosting
GitLab: Cloud or self-hosted
Kuayle: Self-hosted
- Pricing
GitLab: From $29 per user a month
Kuayle: Free, no paid tier
- Difference
- GitLab is a full DevOps platform with planning features in Premium; Kuayle is a focused tracker with every feature free.
Why teams look for a GitLab alternative
Planning features sit in Premium
Multiple group boards, assignee and iteration lists and WIP limits on boards need Premium or Ultimate.
Premium is priced per user
GitLab Premium is $29 per user a month billed yearly; Ultimate is by quote.
GitLab.com Free is small
GitLab.com Free allows 5 users per top-level private group.
A lot to run for a tracker
Self-managing GitLab means operating a full DevOps platform, not just an issue tracker.
Kuayle vs GitLab, side by side
| Topic | GitLab | Kuayle |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | In part MIT core; Enterprise Edition code under a separate licence. | Yes Apache 2.0. The full source is in one public repository. |
| Hosting | Yes GitLab.com, Self-Managed or Dedicated. | Yes Self-hosted with Docker Compose (Caddy, PostgreSQL, Redis, API, frontend). There is no hosted Kuayle service. |
| Pricing | In part Free tier; Premium $29 per user a month billed yearly; Ultimate by quote. | Yes No licence fee and no paid tier. Nothing is gated behind a key; you pay for your own server. |
| SSO and SCIM | Yes Instance-wide SAML on Self-Managed Free; group SAML on GitLab.com needs Premium. | No Email and password sign-in with invite links. No SSO (SAML/OIDC), SCIM, passkeys or magic links yet. |
| AI and agents | Yes GitLab Duo, billed through GitLab Credits. | In part Opt-in Dev Machines run coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, opencode and others) in self-hosted containers linked to issues. There are no agents assigned as issue members. |
| MCP server | Yes Official MCP server on all tiers, including Self-Managed. | No No MCP server yet. |
| API and webhooks | Yes REST and GraphQL APIs with webhooks. | In part HTTP API with scoped, expiring personal access tokens, plus HMAC-signed webhooks. No published OpenAPI reference yet. |
| Importers | Yes GitHub, Bitbucket, Gitea, Jira (issues only) and other GitLab instances. | No No importer from other trackers. Kuayle-to-Kuayle workspace export and import (.kuayle.zip) is built in. |
| Git integrations | Yes Built-in Git hosting, merge requests and CI/CD. | In part GitHub App: branches, commits and pull requests link to issues, status automation on PR events, and PR comments. No GitLab, Bitbucket or Gitea yet. |
| Planning | In part Issues, boards and milestones on Free; richer boards, iterations and epics in paid tiers. | In part Cycles with burndown, velocity and carry-over; cross-team projects; workspace and team analytics. No initiatives or configurable dashboards. |
What GitLab costs a year compared with Kuayle
| Team | GitLab Premium | Kuayle licence |
|---|---|---|
| 5 people | $1,740 | $0 |
| 20 people | $6,960 | $0 |
| 50 people | $17,400 | $0 |
| 100 people | $34,800 | $0 |
Moving from GitLab to Kuayle
- 01
Export from GitLab
Export issues to CSV, export a whole project as .tar.gz (NDJSON), or read issues through the REST or GraphQL API.
- 02
Deploy Kuayle
Run the Docker Compose stack on your server (Caddy, PostgreSQL, Redis, API and frontend), then create a workspace and invite the team.
- 03
Recreate teams and workflows
Set up teams (public or private), team statuses, labels and issue templates before moving work, so issues land in the right place.
- 04
Move open work through the API
Kuayle has no built-in GitLab importer yet. Script the move of open issues with a scoped personal access token, or start fresh with active work and keep GitLab read-only for history.
When to stay on GitLab, and when to choose Kuayle
Stay on GitLab if
- Your code, merge requests and CI/CD already live in GitLab and the built-in issues are enough.
- You need epics, iterations or SAML across groups and already pay for Premium.
- You use GitLab Duo or its MCP server.
Choose Kuayle if
- You want a dedicated, keyboard-first tracker rather than issues inside a DevOps platform.
- Your code is on GitHub and you want pull requests to move issues.
- Cycles with burndown and velocity, private teams and multiple assignees should be free.
Other GitLab alternatives
Kuayle is not the only option. Compare these too, or see every tracker in the full comparison matrix.
- Jira alternative Proprietary · Vendor cloud only
- YouTrack alternative Proprietary · Cloud or self-hosted
- OpenProject alternative GPL-3.0 · Cloud or self-hosted
- Plane.so alternative AGPL-3.0 · Cloud or self-hosted
- Taiga alternative MPL-2.0 · Cloud or self-hosted
- It's a Plan alternative AGPL-3.0 · Self-hosted
GitLab alternative FAQ
Can GitLab be used just as an issue tracker?
- Yes, but it is a full DevOps platform, and several board and planning features need Premium. Kuayle is a dedicated tracker with no paid features.
Does Kuayle integrate with GitLab?
- Not yet. Kuayle integrates with GitHub through a GitHub App. GitLab, Bitbucket and Gitea are not supported today.
Is GitLab open source?
- GitLab’s core is MIT-licensed; Enterprise Edition code is under a separate licence.
Can I move GitLab issues to Kuayle?
- There is no GitLab importer. Export issues to CSV or read the GitLab API, then create issues through Kuayle’s API.
Sources
- GitLab pricing
- GitLab LICENSE file
- GitLab SAML SSO for GitLab.com groups
- GitLab SAML SSO for Self-Managed
- GitLab MCP server
- GitLab import sources
- GitLab project import/export
- GitLab issue CSV export
- GitLab issue boards
- GitLab install methods
- GitLab API
- GitLab GitHub integration
- Kuayle source code
GitLab details were checked against GitLab's own pages on 6 November 2026; Kuayle details against the v0.2.15 source code. Prices are list prices before tax and change over time; the vendor's pricing page is authoritative. This is a snapshot, not an endorsement. Kuayle is developed by Bakney and is not affiliated with GitLab. GitLab is a trademark of its owner.