GitLab Runner vs Gogs
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?
GitLab Runner
Run CI/CD jobs for GitLab on your own infrastructure
VS
Gogs
Painless self-hosted Git service
| Feature | GitLab Runner | Gogs |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Git Hosting & Forges | Git Hosting & Forges |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,500 | ★ 47,724 |
| First released | 2015 | 2014 |
| Replaces | GitHub Actions runner | GitHub, Bitbucket |
Why pick each one
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 GitLab Runner or Gogs better?
Gogs is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider GitLab Runner if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are GitLab Runner and Gogs free and open-source?
Yes. GitLab Runner is licensed under MIT and Gogs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run GitLab Runner and Gogs with Docker?
GitLab Runner: yes. Gogs: yes.