How to Choose the Best CI Tools Between Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions?

 

Comparison of Jenkins, Gitlab CI, and GitHub Actions 

Choosing the best CI tool for your team can feel like picking a roommate. Sure, you want someone reliable, but also someone who doesn’t leave passive-aggressive notes (or YAML errors) on your builds. 

Between Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions, each has its quirks, habits, and potential messes. And just like roommates, they may seem fine on paper until you're living with them every day.

Around 44% of developers were already using CI/CD tools back in 2023. That number has only grown since, and so has the pressure to select a tool that fits your team's workflow.

The problem is that most teams don’t choose their CI tools. They inherit them. 

Jenkins has been around forever, so someone set it up a few years ago, and now it’s “just what we use.” Or maybe your team started with GitHub and adopted GitHub Actions because it was easy. 

But what if that convenience is holding you back? 

What if your CI tool is a cultural fit problem that is about to blow up, besides just being a build runner?

This blog will break down Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions. You’ll walk away with clarity on what kind of tool your team needs based on how you work, collaborate, and grow.

Jenkins (Flexible but Complex Open-Source CI Tool)

What It Is

Jenkins was first introduced in 2011. It’s a self-hosted, open-source CI tool known for its flexibility and massive plugin ecosystem. Enterprises utilize this tool frequently.

Key Strengths

• Highly customizable

• Huge plugin library

• Supports almost any environment or language

• Active community

Drawbacks

• Requires manual setup and maintenance

• Plugins can break or conflict

• UI and UX are outdated

• No built-in support for cloud-native workflows

Best Fit For

Teams need maximum control and flexibility, especially with legacy systems or complex environments.

Other Considerations

• Fully self-hosted (you manage updates, scaling, security)

• Strong community but lacks official support unless through a vendor

GitLab CI (Integrated CI/CD in a Full DevOps Platform)

What It Is

GitLab CI is built into GitLab’s code hosting platform, offering a full DevOps lifecycle, from code to monitoring, in one place. CI/CD is deeply integrated with its Git repositories.

Key Strengths

• Everything in one UI: SCM + CI/CD + Security + Monitoring

• Good support for compliance, RBAC, pipeline configuration

• Review apps and container scanning included

• GitLab Runners (can be self-hosted or shared)

Drawbacks

• It can feel overwhelming for teams that only need CI

• YAML pipeline configuration has a learning curve

• Some features (security scanning, compliance tools) require paid tiers

Best Fit For

Enterprises, mid-sized teams on GitLab, or regulated industries needing compliance features

Other Considerations

• Offers free & paid tiers

• CI runners need to be configured or managed

• Good for teams that want a single DevOps automation toolchain

GitHub Actions (Lightweight, GitHub-Native CI/CD)

What It Is

GitHub Actions is a built-in automation tool inside GitHub that lets you create workflows triggered by events like pushes, pull requests, or issues.

Key Strengths

• Easy setup for existing GitHub projects

• Clean YAML syntax and fast onboard

• Large library of prebuilt Actions

• Free for public repos (generous limits for private ones)

Drawbacks

• Not ideal for complex, multi-service pipelines

• Limited visibility and monitoring compared to others

• Enterprise features are still maturing

Best Fit For

Startups, small teams, OSS projects, or anyone already on GitHub

Other Considerations

• Usage is billed per minute for private repos (unless on a paid plan)

• Limited access controls compared to GitLab or Jenkins

How to Choose the Right CI Tool for Your Team? 

Choosing between Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions

1. Assess Your Team’s DevOps Experience & Capacity

Do you have the capacity to run updates, troubleshoot plugins, and handle ongoing maintenance?

Even experienced teams can burn out managing tools like Jenkins if capacity isn’t planned for.

2. Consider Your Code Hosting Platform

Are you already deep into GitHub or GitLab for version control and collaboration?

Choosing a tool native to your hosting platform cuts friction and simplifies setup.

3. Evaluate Workflow Complexity

Do your builds require parallel jobs, custom environments, or matrix strategies?

If so, you’ll need a tool that scales without turning every pipeline into a headache.

4. Check Security, Compliance & Visibility Needs

Do you need audit trails, role-based access, or compliance certifications?

These can be deal-breakers, especially in regulated industries or large organizations.

5. Balance Cost vs. Control

Is your team prepared to trade time for money or money for speed and simplicity?

Jenkins may be free, but the maintenance adds up. Hosted platforms may cost more, but they free up your team.

Conclusion

CI/CD tools are becoming more than just automation engines for application code. Many teams now use their continuous integration platforms to build and deploy machine learning workflows, automate infrastructure, or support experimentation across languages and frameworks. That shift is bringing AI programming languages into everyday DevOps work, especially as teams adopt tools that support more intelligent, model-driven pipelines.

So, ask yourself: Is your current CI tool helping your team grow, or is it quietly holding it back? And if you had to pick it up again today, would you?

Not sure if your CI tool is still the right fit?

This blog will give you the clarity to make that call. Use it to compare the most relevant CI tools for teams, understand key differences like GitHub Actions vs. Jenkins performance, and make an informed decision about the best CI tool for your DevOps pipeline.