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Gitlab

GitLab for Startups

Up to 100% off
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Up to 20 free GitLab Ultimate seats for a year—DevSecOps without the toolchain tax.

GitLab hands qualified startups up to 20 Ultimate seats free for 12 months, then 50% off year two. That's your CI/CD, security scanning, and deployment pipeline in one place, no separate tools to wire together. You get AI-assisted code review, container scanning, and compliance automation baked in. The catch: you need to be genuinely early-stage (usually pre-Series B, depending on their mood) and commit to actually using it. After year one, renewal pricing kicks in, so factor that into your runway math.

2 tiers

Tier 1

Seed Stage Startup

Pre-Seed or Seed stage with up to $5M in external funding, new customers only

$100

click to collapse
Application difficulty: Hard Benefits: Strong Duration: 2 years total · Year 1 free, Year 2 at 50% discount

Benefits

  • Free GitLab Ultimate license (up to 20 seats) for 1 year
  • No paid support included (self-service resources only)
  • Year 2: 50% discount on any tier, up to 20 seats

Eligibility

  • Pre-Seed or Seed funding (≤ $5M external)
  • New GitLab customers only

How to apply

  1. 1

    Complete Application Form

    Submit your details, funding proof, and seat requirements

    Apply Now →
Apply for Seed Stage Startup →

Tier 2

Early Stage Startup

Series A or Series B with up to $20M in external funding, new customers only

$50

click to collapse
Application difficulty: Hard Benefits: Standard Duration: 2 years total · Year 1 at 50% discount, Year 2 at 25% discount

Benefits

  • Year 1: 50% discount on any tier, up to 20 seats
  • Year 2: 25% discount on any tier, up to 20 seats
  • Access to GitLab Duo Pro

Eligibility

  • Series A or B (≤ $20M external)
  • New GitLab customers only

How to apply

  1. 1

    Complete Application Form

    Submit your details, funding proof, and seat requirements

    Apply Now →
Apply for Early Stage Startup →

Pros

  • ✓ Up to 20 free Ultimate seats for 12 months (roughly $2,400 value per seat annually)
  • ✓ 50% discount in year two if you renew, locking in lower costs early
  • ✓ All-in-one DevSecOps—CI/CD, security scanning, and deployment without tool sprawl

Cons

  • ✗ Eligibility is vague and subjective; 'early-stage' is interpreted loosely by their team
  • ✗ Year two pricing still applies; free tier doesn't extend indefinitely
  • ✗ Approval can take 2–4 weeks; no guaranteed timeline despite online application

Frequently asked questions

Can self-funded startups apply?
Currently, only externally funded companies that meet the specified parameters are eligible. Future iterations may include additional funding profiles.
How is the external funding validated?
Applicants must provide a Crunchbase, Pitchbook, or similar profile. If you do not have a public funding link, proof of Accelerator or VC association referencing your current funding is required.
What happens after year one?
GitLab will contact you before your first year ends to guide your renewal options and next steps. Seed Stage Startups receive a 50% discount in the second year, and Early Stage Startups receive a 25% discount.
What happens after year two?
After two years, you may choose from GitLab’s offerings to fit your needs. Many graduates stay with GitLab and continue scaling their business with the platform.
Who gets counted in the subscription?
All active users on your GitLab instance require a license seat. See GitLab’s licensing and subscription FAQ for more details.
Are we allowed to increase the number of seats in the future?
Yes. Contact startups@gitlab.com if you need additional seats, and GitLab will prepare an add-on quote.

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Tags

#dev-tools #collaboration
Apply via Gitlab →