Data as of Oct 14, 2026A topic in CI/CD and DevOps Platforms.
Reviewed by Dimitry Apollonsky
AI summary
Jenkins and Gitlab share the spotlight when setting up self-hosted pipelines with complete control over resources and no per-user limits. Jenkins stands out in recommendations when teams require an extensible, open-source automation server supporting unlimited self-hosted nodes.
extensible self-hosted automation with plugins and unlimited runners
complete self-managed deployment platforms without seat constraints
lightweight self-hosted git hosting paired with native Actions
lightweight container-based pipeline automation on custom infrastructure
community-driven software forge hosting with integrated pipeline support
Mentioned in · Jul 8 – Oct 14, 2026
Google AI ModeOct 13, 2026
Running your own CI/CD pipeline on your own hardware with zero per-user limits is entirely achievable using self-hosted orchestration tools . Your only limits will be the physical CPU, RAM, and storage of the machine(s) you allocate.
The top self-hosted, open-source, or free-tier options depend on how deeply integrated you want your CI/CD to be with your source code management (SCM):
To help narrow down the best fit, tell me:
If you want a CI/CD pipeline that runs on your own hardware with no per-user build-minute quotas, I'd focus on self-hosted or fully self-managed CI/CD platforms. The important distinction is whether you control just the build runners or the entire CI/CD server.
(Best for avoiding platform quotas)
An open-source automation server you install on your own machine or server. It can build, test, and deploy software using agents on your own hardware. There are no per-user CI minutes to buy from Jenkins itself; your limits are your hardware and configuration.
Best for: Maximum control, many users, many repositories, and flexible pipelines.
Website: Jenkins ·
(Best all-in-one platform)
Host your own Git repositories, merge requests, issue tracking, CI/CD pipelines, and runners on your own infrastructure. GitLab supports self-managed runners and an installable self-managed platform.
Best for: A team that wants Git hosting and CI/CD in one integrated product.
Website: Self-managed installation ·
A lightweight, self-hosted Git platform. Pair it with act_runner to run GitHub Actions-style workflows on your hardware.
Best for: A small team or homelab that wants a lighter alternative to GitLab.
Website: Gitea ·
You can run jobs on your own computers without paying GitHub for those self-hosted runner minutes. However, GitHub still controls the orchestration service and imposes certain workflow and queue limits, so this isn't the same as a fully self-managed pipeline.
Best for: Keeping repositories on GitHub while using your own build hardware.
Docs:
| Requirement | Best fit |
|---|---|
| No per-user CI minute quotas | Jenkins |
| Git hosting and CI/CD entirely on-premises | GitLab Self-Managed |
| Lightweight, self-hosted Git and CI | Gitea + act_runner |
| Keep GitHub repositories | GitHub Actions + self-hosted runners |
One important caveat: no per-user quota does not mean unlimited execution. Your hardware, storage, concurrency configuration, and any external integrations can still impose limits. GitHub and GitLab's hosted services can also impose platform-level restrictions.
My recommendation: Start with Jenkins if your top priority is running builds for as many users and repositories as your hardware can support without per-user CI-minute billing. Choose GitLab Self-Managed if you also want a complete source-control and developer collaboration platform on your own servers.
Do you want to host the entire CI/CD platform on your hardware, including the web UI and Git repositories, or do you only need the build agents on your hardware while keeping GitHub or another hosted Git service?
Jenkins, Argo CD, and Concourse CI are top open-source, on-premise CI/CD platforms that carry no licensing fees and no per-user pricing restrictions , allowing an unlimited number of developers and contributors to build, test, and deploy.[](https://www.siit.io/tools/trending/jenkins-overview)[[2](https://checkthat.ai/brands/gocd)](https://checkthat.ai/brands/gocd)
| Platform | License | Core Architecture | User Pricing Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkins | MIT License | Extensible automation server with massive plugin ecosystem | Unlimited users , agents, and builds |
| Argo CD | Apache 2.0 | Declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes | Unlimited users and clusters |
| Concourse CI | Apache 2.0 | Pipeline-based cloud-native continuous integration |
If you'd like to narrow this down, please let me know:
ChatGPT SearchOct 14, 2026
If your main requirement is on-premises CI/CD with no per-user licensing fees, regardless of how many developers you have, I'd start with Jenkins, Gitea Actions, or Woodpecker CI. All three are self-hostable options, and you can run the build infrastructure on hardware you control rather than paying a SaaS provider per developer or build minute.
The important distinction is between a platform that is genuinely free for unlimited users and an enterprise product whose self-managed license charges per seat.
If your main requirement is a self-hosted, on-premises CI/CD platform with no per-user licensing limits, I’d shortlist Jenkins, Gitea Actions, Woodpecker CI, and TeamCity On-Premises.
The important distinction is that some platforms charge per user, while others are free for unlimited users but may limit build agents, concurrency, enterprise features, or support.
(Best for flexibility)
Free · Open source · Self-hosted
Jenkins is a mature automation server with extensive pipeline capabilities and a large plugin ecosystem. Its core uses the MIT license, with no per-user license cap.
Trade-off: You manage plugins, upgrades, security, and infrastructure yourself.
(Best all-in-one option)
Free self-managed edition · MIT license
Gitea combines Git hosting, pull requests, issue tracking, and Actions-based CI/CD. Its free self-managed offering includes unlimited users and repositories.
Trade-off: Verify that its workflow compatibility, runner scaling, and enterprise authentication features meet your needs.
Official website and pricing ·
Apache 2.0 · Self-hosted
A lightweight CI/CD engine that connects to a Git forge such as Gitea or GitHub. It supports Docker-based and Kubernetes-based execution.
Trade-off: It is primarily a CI engine, so you may need separate software for source control, identity management, and other development lifecycle features.
Free tier and paid enterprise options
TeamCity's on-premises Professional edition offers unlimited users, three build agents, and 100 build configurations for free. Its Enterprise edition also supports unlimited users, with more build configurations and paid licensing.
Trade-off: The free edition limits build capacity; additional agents cost extra.
Official pricing and licensing
| Platform | Unlimited users? | Build capacity limits | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkins | Yes, no per-user license | Infrastructure-dependent | Maximum flexibility |
| Gitea Actions | Yes, free self-managed edition | Runner/infrastructure-dependent | Git hosting + CI/CD |
GitLab Self-Managed is also worth considering. Its Free tier has no five-user maximum for self-managed installations, although paid tiers introduce subscription licensing considerations.
Official details: GitLab licensing policy.
One question that would help narrow this down: Do you need a complete DevOps platform (Git repositories, pull requests, issue tracking, and CI/CD), or just the CI/CD engine that connects to your existing Git server?
Google AI ModeOct 11, 2026
If you want an on-premise CI/CD platform completely free from per-user licensing restrictions, you need to look at open-source or source-available tools where you control the underlying hardware.
The top self-hosted options that do not charge or gate features based on headcounts include:
| Unlimited users and teams |
| GoCD | Apache 2.0 | Enterprise-grade CD focused on advanced value stream mapping | Unlimited users (fully free & open-source community maintained) |
(Best overall for CI/CD flexibility)
License: MIT · Self-hosted · No per-user fee
Jenkins is a mature automation server with a huge plugin ecosystem, support for diverse build environments, and flexible pipeline-as-code workflows. It can run on a physical server, VM, Docker, or Kubernetes.
Trade-off: More administration, plugin maintenance, and security hardening than simpler alternatives.
License: MIT · Free self-managed edition · Unlimited users
Gitea combines Git hosting, pull requests, issue tracking, package management, and Gitea Actions CI/CD. Its official pricing page explicitly lists the open-source self-hosted edition as free with unlimited users and repositories.
Trade-off: Some enterprise capabilities, such as SAML SSO, audit logs, and Kubernetes autoscaling runners, belong to paid offerings.
Best if: You want a complete, lightweight, self-hosted developer platform rather than CI/CD alone.
License: Apache 2.0 · Self-hosted · No per-user pricing model
A dedicated, lightweight CI server using YAML pipeline definitions and container-based execution. It integrates with Git hosting services such as Gitea, Forgejo, GitLab, and GitHub.
Trade-off: It is focused on CI/CD, so you'll need a separate Git forge and other services for source control, issues, and artifact management.
Best if: You already have Git hosting and want a relatively simple, independent CI/CD engine.
Open source · Self-hosted Git forge with Actions
Forgejo provides Git hosting and a GitHub Actions-compatible workflow approach through Forgejo Actions. Pair it with self-hosted runners for an integrated, self-managed development setup.
Trade-off: Check runner compatibility and workflow support against your existing pipelines before migrating.
| Platform | Unlimited users without seat fees | Built-in Git hosting | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkins | Yes | No | Flexible, general-purpose CI/CD |
| Gitea | Yes, free edition | Yes | All-in-one developer platform |
| Woodpecker CI | No per-user pricing model | No | Dedicated, lightweight CI |
| Forgejo | Open-source self-hosting | Yes | Open-source Git and Actions workflows |
| GitLab Community Edition | Free self-managed edition | Yes | Integrated Git, CI/CD, and DevOps |
GitLab deserves consideration if you want a comprehensive platform, but distinguish the free Community Edition from paid Self-Managed subscriptions. GitLab's paid subscription tiers unlock additional features, so check those against your requirements.
Remember that free licensing doesn't mean zero operating cost: you'll still provide servers, storage, backups, runner capacity, and administration.
Are you looking for an all-in-one platform, or do you already have source control?
1. What do you need?
All-in-one: Git hosting, pipelines, artifacts, and deployment
CI/CD engine only — Git hosting already exists
Primarily continuous deployment to Kubernetes
2. Where will it run?
On-premises VMs or physical servers
An existing Kubernetes cluster
Both VMs and Kubernetes
3. What licensing do you require?
Open source only, no per-user fees
Commercial support is fine, but no per-user pricing
Must operate in an air-gapped network
[Find the best match]
| No per-user license fee in the open-source project |
| Infrastructure-dependent |
| Lightweight pipelines |
| TeamCity Professional | Yes | 3 agents, 100 configurations free | Commercial-grade CI |
If you want to narrow this down, let me know:
