Forgejo Runner vs GitLab Runner
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted git hosting & forges options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Forgejo Runner
CI runner for Forgejo Actions
VS
GitLab Runner
Run CI/CD jobs for GitLab on your own infrastructure
| Feature | Forgejo Runner | GitLab Runner |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Git Hosting & Forges | Git Hosting & Forges |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 300 | ★ 8,500 |
| First released | 2023 | 2015 |
| Replaces | GitHub Actions | GitHub Actions runner |
Why pick each one
Choose Forgejo Runner if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose GitLab Runner if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 8.5k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Forgejo Runner or GitLab Runner better?
Neither is universally better. GitLab Runner has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Forgejo Runner and GitLab Runner free and open-source?
Yes. Forgejo Runner is licensed under MIT and GitLab Runner under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Forgejo Runner and GitLab Runner with Docker?
Forgejo Runner: yes. GitLab Runner: yes.