Comparison

Distribution vs GitLab Container Registry

On the evidence we track, Distribution leads this comparison with a composite score of 59/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Machine formatsJSONMarkdownGraphQLor send Accept: application/json
Distribution59
GitLab Container Registry45
Score
Vioscale score
Distribution59 / 100medium · 67%updating
GitLab Container Registry45 / 100medium · 74%updating
Pricing
Free tier
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Model
Distributionopen_source
GitLab Container Registryfreemium
Price level
Distributionfree
GitLab Container Registrylow
Transparent
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Integrations
Count
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry2
Reliability
Status page
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Adoption
Dependent repos
Distribution2,403
GitLab Container Registry
Github stars
Distribution10,582
GitLab Container Registry
Activity
Commits last 30d
Distribution8
GitLab Container Registry
Release
Cadence days
Distribution55
GitLab Container Registry
History
Distribution20 items
GitLab Container Registry
License
Spdx
DistributionApache-2.0
GitLab Container Registry
Language
Primary
DistributionGo
GitLab Container Registry
Market
Availability
Distribution
GitLab Container RegistryAvailable worldwide

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for container registries. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Deployment
Hosting
DistributionSelf-hosted only
GitLab Container RegistryCloud + self-hosted
Standards
OCI Distribution Spec compliant
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Scope
Artifact types
DistributionContainer images only
GitLab Container RegistryContainer images only
Security
Built-in vulnerability scanning
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry-
Image signing (Cosign/Notation)
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry-
SBOM generation / storage
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry-
Access
Fine-grained RBAC / robot accounts
Distribution-
GitLab Container Registry-
Private repositories
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Distribution
Geo-replication / mirroring
Distribution-
GitLab Container Registry-
Pull-through cache / proxy
Distribution-
GitLab Container Registry
Integration
Native cloud IAM integration
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry-
Pricing
Pull-rate limits
Distribution-
GitLab Container Registry-
UX
Web UI / console
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Ops
High-availability deployment
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry-

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

Distribution

Leader

Open-source registry implementing OCI Distribution Spec version 1.0.1 that enables you to store and distribute container images with full control over your distribution pipeline.

Independently observed

GitLab Container Registry

Store, manage, and organize container images for each GitLab project using an integrated registry. Supports multiple deployment models and tiers with web-based management and CLI access.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

Distribution

Leader
Open sourceFree tier

Open source under Apache license

as of verify ↗

GitLab Container Registry

SubscriptionFree tier30-day trial

Container Registry included across Free, Premium, and Ultimate GitLab tiers. Free 30-day trial available.

  • FreeFree
  • Premium-
  • Ultimate-
as of verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platforms
Web
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Linux
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
CLI
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Deployment
Cloud / SaaS
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
Self-hosted
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry
On-premise
Distribution
GitLab Container Registry

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

Distribution

Leader

Not documented yet.

GitLab Container Registry

2 total
  • Docker Hub
  • CI/CD pipelines
Independently observed

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.

Distribution vs GitLab Container Registry: an evidence-based comparison · Vioscale