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GitLab vs GitHub

Side-by-side comparison of licensing terms between GitLab and GitHub.

License Comparison

Hover or tap any field name to see what it means. Highlighted rows indicate differences.

GitLab:
GitHub:
G
GitLab
Free
Visit Platform
G
GitHub
Free
Visit Platform
Price
Free
Free

Prices may vary by region and are subject to change.

Download
Yes
Yes
Commercial Use
Depends entirely on each repository's license. Same licensing model as GitHub - each project sets its own license.
Public and private repositories are available; no explicit restriction on commercial use of hosted code at the plan level.
Editing
Depends on the repository license. Most open-source licenses allow modification.
Depends on the repository license. Most open-source licenses (MIT, Apache, GPL) allow modification. No license = no modification rights.
Attribution
Nice to
Nice to
Exclusive Rights
No
No
Redistribution
Depends on the repository license. No license = no redistribution rights.
Public repositories are accessible to anyone; no plan-level restriction on redistribution of code hosted.
Print Use
Depends on repository license.
Depends on repository license. Most open-source licenses do not restrict the medium of use.
Digital Use
Depends on repository license.
Depends on repository license. Most open-source licenses permit digital use.
Client Work
Depends on repository license. GPL may impose restrictions on client work.
Depends on repository license. MIT and Apache 2.0 allow client work. GPL may require your client to also open-source derivative works.
Survives Cancellation
Forever
Forever
GitLab:

License depends on each individual repository. No license file means all rights reserved by default.

GitLab's Duo AI features may generate code influenced by open-source repositories with various licenses.

GitHub:

License depends on each individual repository. No license file means all rights reserved by default - you cannot legally use, modify, or distribute the code.

GitHub Copilot suggestions may include code from repositories with various licenses. Review suggestions carefully for license compliance.

Key Differences

Fields where these platforms differ

Commercial Use

GitLab:~Depends entirely on each repository's license. Same licensing model as GitHub - each project sets its own license.
GitHub:✓

Editing

GitLab:~Depends on the repository license. Most open-source licenses allow modification.
GitHub:✓

Redistribution

GitLab:~Depends on the repository license. No license = no redistribution rights.
GitHub:✓

Digital Use

GitLab:~Depends on repository license.
GitHub:✓

Client Work

GitLab:~Depends on repository license. GPL may impose restrictions on client work.
GitHub:✓

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Informational Only - Not Legal Advice

LicenseOrg provides informational summaries of platform license terms for educational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Always consult the platform’s official license page and a qualified legal professional.

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