Drata vs GitLab
Drata and GitLab are both security & identity tools. Drata is aimed at small businesses and enterprise, while GitLab is aimed at developers and enterprise. Only GitLab has a free plan.
Drata
Continuous compliance automation
GitLab
DevSecOps platform with Git hosting, CI/CD, security scans and AI
| Pricing | Paid | Freemium · $29 |
| Starting price | Not published | $29/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Built for | Small businesses, Enterprise | Developers, Enterprise, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web | web, linux |
| Country | US · 2020 | US · 2014 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Drata if
B2B SaaS needing security certifications.
- Strong automation and integrations
- Good auditor network
- Competitive with Vanta
Look elsewhere if: Companies without compliance needs yet.
Choose GitLab if
Engineering teams that want source control, CI/CD and security scanning in one platform, with a self-hosting option.
- One platform replaces separate Git, CI and security tools
- Self-hosting suits regulated and air-gapped environments
- Flexible built-in CI/CD with your own runners
Look elsewhere if: Small teams that only need simple Git hosting or a dedicated planning tool (GitHub, Linear, Jira).
Drata vs GitLab pricing
Drata
- FoundationCustomUp to 50 FTEs, 1 pre-mapped framework
- AdvancedCustomAny available framework, custom tests
- EnterpriseCustomRisk Management Pro, Compliance as Code Pro
GitLab
- Free$05 users per private group, 400 compute minutes, 10 GiB
- Premium$29/user/moBilled annually; 10,000 compute minutes, approvals, code owners
- UltimateCustomContact sales; security scans, compliance, 50,000 minutes
- GitLab Credits$1/creditUsage-based AI agent credits; volume discounts on commit
Drata · Key features
- Continuous control monitoring
- Multiple frameworks and custom controls
- Evidence collection and auditor access
- Risk and vendor management
- Trust center and questionnaire automation
- Policy templates and training
Cons
- Pricing not public
- Requires internal ownership
- Costs rise with frameworks
GitLab · Key features
- Git repositories with merge requests, code owners and approval rules
- Built-in CI/CD pipelines with shared or self-hosted runners
- SAST, dependency, secret and container scanning in merge requests
- Container, package and Terraform module registries
- Issue boards, epics and roadmaps for planning
- Duo Agent Platform with agents for planning, security and code review
Cons
- Premium at $29 per user is costly for small teams
- Best security and compliance features need Ultimate
- Dense interface with a real learning curve
Drata vs GitLab: FAQ
Do Drata and GitLab have a free plan?
Drata has no free plan. GitLab has a free plan.