TL;DR
GitHub offers excellent security features through GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) but many require paid plans. GitLab includes more security features in its free tier and offers self-hosting options. GitHub has a larger ecosystem; GitLab provides better all-in-one DevSecOps. Choose GitHub for open source and ecosystem; GitLab for self-hosting or budget-conscious security.
GitHub and GitLab both host your code and run your pipelines, and both sell security tooling. The difference is where they draw the paywall. GitLab gives more away on the free tier; GitHub charges for most of it on private repos. If your AI tool pushed your app to one of them, here's what you get without paying and what you don't.
Security Feature Comparison
| Security Feature | GitHub | GitLab |
|---|---|---|
| Secret Scanning | Free (public), Secret Protection add-on (private) | Free tier included |
| Dependency Scanning | Dependabot (free) | Free tier included |
| SAST | CodeQL (Code Security add-on for private) | Free tier included |
| DAST | Third-party needed | Built-in |
| Container Scanning | Third-party needed | Built-in |
| Self-Hosting | Enterprise only | Free (CE) |
| Security Dashboard | GHAS required | Ultimate tier |
| SOC 2 Compliance | Type II | Type II |
Secret Scanning
GitHub Secret Scanning
On public repos, GitHub scans for secrets from partner providers like AWS and Stripe for free. Private repos are different: they need GitHub Secret Protection, a paid add-on that was split out of Advanced Security in April 2025. Push protection is the part worth having. It blocks a commit with a secret in it before it ever lands.
GitLab Secret Detection
GitLab's free tier includes secret detection on every repository, public or private. It runs inside your CI/CD pipeline and looks for common secret patterns. Ultimate adds more rules and a dashboard to track what it finds.
Code Scanning
GitHub CodeQL
CodeQL treats your code as data and runs queries against it to find vulnerabilities. It's free on public repos. On private ones you need GitHub Code Security, the other half of the 2025 Advanced Security split. It covers JavaScript, TypeScript, Python and Go, among others.
GitLab SAST
GitLab's SAST runs on its own in your pipelines. Free gets basic scanning, and Ultimate adds more analyzers plus vulnerability management. There's also DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing), which probes the running app rather than the source.
Choose GitHub When: You're building open source, or you want the biggest ecosystem of integrations. Actions and the marketplace cover almost anything. It's the easy pick if your team already lives there, or if CodeQL's deep analysis is worth paying for.
Choose GitLab When: You want broad security tooling without paying for it, or you need to self-host. Its free tier simply includes more. It suits teams that want DevSecOps in one place, have to run it themselves, or need European data residency.
CI/CD Security
GitHub Actions Security
- OIDC for cloud provider authentication
- Environment protection rules
- Required reviewers for deployments
- Secrets management with environment scoping
GitLab CI Security
- Protected branches and environments
- Built-in container registry with scanning
- OIDC token support
- Compliance pipelines for enforced security scans
Best Practices
- Enable secret scanning and push protection
- Require code review for all changes
- Use branch protection rules
- Run security scans in CI/CD pipelines
- Use OIDC instead of long-lived credentials
- Review and fix security findings promptly
Is GitHub Advanced Security worth the cost?
If you have private repos and real security requirements, yes. CodeQL is excellent. Since 2025 you can buy Secret Protection and Code Security separately, so you don't need the whole bundle. For a small team watching costs, GitLab's free tier is often the better deal.
Can I self-host GitHub?
Only with GitHub Enterprise Server, which is expensive and limited to enterprise customers. GitLab Community Edition is free to self-host with no user limits. If self-hosting is the requirement, that settles it.
Secure Your Repository
CheckYourVibe integrates with GitHub and GitLab to scan your code for security issues.
Further Reading
Made your choice? Here's how to secure your selected stack.