GitLab vs OWASP Zap comparison

GitLab and OWASP are both solutions in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category. GitLab is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.2, while OWASP is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.0. GitLab holds a 2.2% mindshare in SAST, compared to OWASP’s 4.3% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of GitLab users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of OWASP users who would recommend it.

GitLab

Read 88 GitLab reviews

17,371 Views
2,779 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

OWASP Zap

Read 41 OWASP Zap reviews

7,405 Views
6,813 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

GitLab

OWASP Zap

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

OWASP Zap and GitLab are both influential in the software development lifecycle, operating in security testing and broad lifecycle management categories respectively. Based on the data, GitLab often has the upper hand due to its comprehensive feature set that many find worth the higher cost.

Features: OWASP Zap provides active and passive scanning, a scripting environment, and API support for automation. It also supports multiple platforms with a detailed reporting mechanism. GitLab includes CI/CD pipelines, code repository management, and project management tools, making it a versatile choice for many development needs.

Room for Improvement: OWASP Zap could enhance its deployment flexibility, increase customer support, and offer more comprehensive security solutions. GitLab could improve its cost-effectiveness, add advanced security features, and offer simpler initial setups.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: GitLab provides extensive deployment options and active community support, giving it an advantage in usability. OWASP Zap is straightforward for on-premise deployments focused on security testing but lacks the deployment flexibility of GitLab.

Pricing and ROI: OWASP Zap remains a cost-effective choice as an open-source tool with no initial costs. GitLab, offering subscription plans, justifies its cost through extensive capabilities, appealing to those seeking comprehensive lifecycle management.

To learn more, read our detailed GitLab vs. OWASP Zap Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

GitLab vs. OWASP Zap

December 2025

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Helped 879,259 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

GitLab

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

8th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Security Tools (12th), Build Automation (1st), Release Automation (2nd), Rapid Application Development Software (10th), Software Composition Analysis (SCA) (5th), Enterprise Agile Planning Tools (2nd), Fuzz Testing Tools (2nd), DevSecOps (1st)

OWASP Zap

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

10th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category, the mindshare of GitLab is 2.2%, down from 2.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OWASP Zap is 4.3%, down from 4.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
GitLab	2.2%
OWASP Zap	4.3%
Other	93.5%

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

Featured Reviews

Rohit Kesharwani

Manager, Engineering at 7-Eleven

Improved agility and time to market with CI/CD enhancements

The CI/CD pipelines in GitLab are highly valuable. Another important feature is the single source of repository, allowing efficient repository management and source code management. GitLab provides manageability by allowing us to manage source code effectively through separate repositories. Additionally, GitLab enables the creation of individual CI/CD pipelines for each repository, making software more agile. By integrating GitLab as a DevOps platform, we have enhanced agility, improved our time to market, and different teams can work collaboratively on various projects.

Read full review

Prasant Pokarnaa

Delivery Head - DevOps at Datamato Technologies

Effective vulnerability identification enhances security scans but AI-driven enhancements are needed

OWASP is only meant for two or three different types of scans. It is a tool which will scan the code for security for vulnerabilities We were able to convince the customers to really remove those rules when GitLab was able to show the results. Customers should be aware that GitLab is not just a…

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"We have seen a couple of merge requests or pull requests raised in GitLab. I see the interface, the way it shows the difference between the two source codes, that it is easy for anyone to do the review and then accept the request; the pull request is the valuable feature."

"It scales well."

"I find the features and version control history to be most valuable for our development workflow. These aspects provide us with a clear view of changes and help us manage requests efficiently."

"CI/CD is valuable for me."

"The CI/CD pipeline with Helm has significantly improved deployment speed and efficiency."

"GitLab is kind of an image of GitHub, so it gives us the flexibility to monitor our changes in the repos."

"The CI/CD process is very efficient."

"The stability of GitLab is impressive."

More GitLab pros

"It updates repositories and libraries quickly."

"The HUD is a good feature that provides on-site testing and saves a lot of time."

"The solution is good at reporting the vulnerabilities of the application."

"You can run it against multiple targets."

"It can be used effectively for internal auditing."

"Fuzzer and Java APIs help a lot with our custom needs."

"The solution is scalable."

"It scans while you navigate, then you can save the requests performed and work with them later."

More OWASP Zap pros

Cons

"Perhaps the integration could be better."

"Merge conflicts and repository maintenance could improve. If there is someone new to the system they would not know if there is a conflict."

"We'd like to see better integration with the Atlassian ecosystem."

"This solution could be improved by adding modifications such as slack notifications."

"The tool should include a feature that helps to edit the code directly."

"For as long as I have used GitLab, I haven't encountered any major limitations. However, I think that perhaps the search functionality could be better."

"Some of the scripts that we encountered in GitLab were not fully functional and threw up errors."

"While GitLab is a great tool for developers, it lacks project planner features. Roadmaps and Gantt charts in GitLab are not as advanced as in Jira, and changing start and end dates is more laborious in GitLab."

More GitLab cons

"There isn't too much information about it online."

"They stopped their support for a short period. They've recently started to come back again. In the early days, support was much better."

"OWASP Zap needs to extend to mobile application testing."

"There are areas for improvement with OWASP Zap, particularly in the alignment of vulnerabilities concerning CVSS scores."

"The forced browse has been incorporated into the program and it is resource-intensive."

"Lacks resources where users can internally access a learning module from the tool."

"The ability to search the internet for other use cases and to use the solution to make applications more secure should be addressed."

"OWASP should work on reducing false positives by using AI and ML algorithms. They should expand their capabilities for broader coverage of business logic flaws and complex issues."

More OWASP Zap cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I'm not aware of the licensing costs because those were covered by the customer."

"The solution's standard license is paid annually. They have changed the pricing model and it used to be better. There is a free version available."

"The solution is based on a subscription model and is reasonably priced."

"This is an open-source solution."

"As I work in a vast enterprise, I'm unsure about the licensing cost for GitLab. It's the management team that takes care of that."

"The initial setup cost is excellent and you can add the premium features later."

"In terms of the pricing for GitLab, on a scale of one to five, with one being expensive and five being cheap, I'm rating pricing for the solution a four. It could still be cheaper because right now, my company has a small team, and sometimes it's difficult to use a paid product for a small team. You'd hope the team will grow and scale, but currently, you're paying a high license fee for a small team. I'm referring to the GitLab license that has premium features and will give you all features. This can be a problem for management to approve the high price of the license for a team this small."

"GitLab is an open-source solution."

More GitLab pricing and cost advice

"This solution is open source and free."

"The tool is open source."

"The solution’s pricing is high."

"It is highly recommended as it is an open source tool."

"It's free. It's good for us because we don't know what the extent of our use will be yet. It's good to start with something free and easy to use."

"The tool is open-source."

"OWASP ZAP is a free tool provided by OWASP’s engineers and experts. There is an option to donate."

"As Zap is free and open-source, with tons of features similar to those of commercial solutions, I would definitely recommend trying it out."

More OWASP Zap pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

University

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	36
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	43

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	21

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about GitLab?

I find the features and version control history to be most valuable for our development workflow. These aspects provide us with a clear view of changes and help us manage requests efficiently.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GitLab?

We are currently using general GitLab, not GitLab Premium.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GitLab?

GitLab can be improved by being more responsive in the UI and offering better pricing for premium features, which would be useful for small startups. While GitLab's CI/CD is powerful, it is somewha...

See all answers

Is OWASP Zap better than PortSwigger Burp Suite Pro?

OWASP Zap and PortSwigger Burp Suite Pro have many similar features. OWASP Zap has web application scanning available with basic security vulnerabilities while Burp Suite Pro has it available with ...

See all answers

What do you like most about OWASP Zap?

The best feature is the Zap HUD (Heads Up Display) because the customers can use the website normally. If we scan websites with automatic scanning, and the website has a web application firewall, i...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OWASP Zap?

OWASP might be cost-effective, however, people prefer to use the free edition available as open source.

See all answers

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Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 19% of the time

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Compared 14% of the time

Checkmarx One vs OWASP Zap

Compared 9% of the time

Veracode vs OWASP Zap

Compared 9% of the time

GitHub Code Scanning vs OWASP Zap

Compared 1% of the time

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Product Reports

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GitLab

December 2025

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Buyer's Guide

OWASP Zap

December 2025

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Also Known As

Fuzzit

No data available

Overview

GitLab offers a secure and user-friendly platform for CI/CD pipeline management, code repository control, and collaboration, enhancing development speed and efficiency. It facilitates automation with extensive customization and tool integration, ideal for DevOps processes.

GitLab supports source code management, version control, and collaborative development. It's frequently used in CI/CD processes to automate builds and deployments while integrating DevOps practices. GitLab allows companies to manage repositories, automate pipelines, conduct code reviews, and maintain development lifecycles. The platform supports infrastructure and configuration management, enabling efficient code collaboration, deployment automation, and comprehensive repository handling. Many organizations commit and deploy developed code using GitLab's capabilities.

What are GitLab's most valuable features?

CI/CD Pipeline Management: Streamlines development through automated testing and deployment.
User-Friendly Interface: Ensures ease of collaboration and task automation.
Code Merging and Branching: Facilitates smooth code integration and version control.
Security Platform: Provides strong security features for safe development.
Tool Integration: Enhances functionality with diverse tool integration.

What benefits should users evaluate?

Development Speed: Accelerates processes through automation.
Collaboration Ease: Simplifies team interactions and workflow.
Customization Options: Offers extensive personalization for specific needs.
Comprehensive Documentation: Provides detailed guidance for users.
Secure Platform: Maintains integrity with robust security features.

In specific industries, GitLab serves as a backbone for source code management and CI/CD implementation. Companies leverage its capabilities for infrastructure management and deployment automation, thus streamlining project delivery timelines. Its ability to handle configuration management and code repositories effectively aids in maintaining development lifecycles, making it a preferred choice for organizations committed to enhancing their DevOps practices.

GitLab

OWASP Zap is a free and open-source web application security scanner.

The solution helps developers identify vulnerabilities in their web applications by actively scanning for common security issues.

With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Zap is a popular choice among developers for ensuring the security of their web applications.

OWASP

Sample Customers

1. NASA 2. IBM 3. Sony 4. Alibaba 5. CERN 6. Siemens 7. Volkswagen 8. ING 9. Ticketmaster 10. SpaceX 11. Adobe 12. Intuit 13. Autodesk 14. Rakuten 15. Unity Technologies 16. Pandora 17. Electronic Arts 18. Nordstrom 19. Verizon 20. Comcast 21. Philips 22. Deutsche Telekom 23. Orange 24. Fujitsu 25. Ericsson 26. Nokia 27. General Electric 28. Cisco 29. Accenture 30. Deloitte 31. PwC 32. KPMG

1. Google 2. Microsoft 3. IBM 4. Amazon 5. Facebook 6. Twitter 7. LinkedIn 8. Netflix 9. Adobe 10. PayPal 11. Salesforce 12. Cisco 13. Oracle 14. Intel 15. HP 16. Dell 17. VMware 18. Symantec 19. McAfee 20. Citrix 21. Red Hat 22. Juniper Networks 23. SAP 24. Accenture 25. Deloitte 26. Ernst & Young 27. PwC 28. KPMG 29. Capgemini 30. Infosys 31. Wipro 32. TCS

Buyer's Guide

GitLab vs. OWASP Zap

December 2025

Free Report: GitLab vs. OWASP Zap

Find out what your peers are saying about GitLab vs. OWASP Zap and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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