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GitLab vs IBM Engineering Workflow Management comparison

GitLab and IBM are both solutions in the Enterprise Agile Planning Tools category. GitLab is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.3, while IBM is ranked #11 with an average rating of 6.3. GitLab holds a 28.6% mindshare in EAP, compared to IBM’s 1.6% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of GitLab users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 66% of IBM users who would recommend it.
GitLab
Read 87 GitLab reviews
  • 18,203 Views
  • 7,463 Comparison Views
97% willing to recommend
IBM Engineering Workflow Ma...
Read 18 IBM Engineering Workflow Management reviews
  • 1,157 Views
  • 359 Comparison Views
66% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 18, 2024

IBM Engineering Workflow Management and GitLab compete in software development management. GitLab has the upper hand thanks to its extensive feature set despite IBM's competitive pricing and support.

Features: IBM Engineering Workflow Management offers comprehensive change management and workflow capabilities that support well-coordinated process control and collaboration. Jazz Source Control provides isolated sandboxes for seamless code management and integration with tasks. It is valuable for managing stories, sprints, and releases, offering traceability and reporting from requirements to test cases. GitLab provides robust DevOps integrations and excels with its CI/CD pipeline support, simplifying configurations and deployment. It integrates source-code repository management with development, offering a streamlined architecture for modern practices.

Room for Improvement: IBM sometimes faces challenges with deployment ease, requiring structured planning and potential upfront investments. Users might also benefit from enhanced user interface updates to match current usability standards and feature sets. It would be helpful for IBM to simplify integrations and enhance flexibility. GitLab's vast feature set might be overwhelming, creating a steep learning curve for new users. Its user interface could benefit from refinement for more intuitive operations. Enhanced built-in analytics and reporting could better aid those unfamiliar with external tools.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Engineering Workflow Management requires meticulous deployment planning but offers strong customer support, addressing complex process and system requirements. GitLab is praised for its ease of deployment across cloud-based and on-premises environments, supported by a large online community and abundant resources. While IBM's customer support is robust, GitLab's flexible deployment options and community resources make it notably adaptable.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Engineering Workflow Management involves notable setup costs yet promises significant ROI through structured process management. GitLab offers more flexible pricing with a potentially faster ROI, leveraging open-source components and broad feature availability. The flexibility in GitLab's pricing and quicker returns make it appealing for diverse development teams and practices, optimizing cost-efficiency for varying scales.

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To learn more, read our detailed GitLab vs. IBM Engineering Workflow Management Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
GitLab vs. IBM Engineering Workflow Management
September 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.7
GitLab boosts ROI by enhancing DevOps efficiency, reducing deployment time, and integrating securely with tools, improving user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
6.1
IBM Engineering Workflow Management boosted productivity by 30%, improving task tracking and offering valuable insights for scrum teams.
Migrating to GitLab is bringing time-saving benefits, and everything is easier to automate.
We have saved time significantly, reducing deployment time from four hours to five minutes per deployment.
For more quotes and insights, download the GitLab report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Engineering Workflow Management report
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.6
GitLab support varies; premium users enjoy better assistance, while others rely on community forums or internal teams for help.
Sentiment score
6.3
IBM Engineering Workflow Management's support is generally good, but feedback varies and requires dedicated management for best results.
We have rarely needed to escalate issues to technical support since GitLab usually runs seamlessly.
I have interacted with architects for some advice during the implementation, and they were prompt in their response.
I have had meetings where they taught me, explained things, and provided guidance for starting from scratch.
For more quotes and insights, download the GitLab report
The technical support from IBM rates an eight out of ten.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Engineering Workflow Management report
Gaurav Chandel - PeerSpot reviewerMikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2603940 - PeerSpot reviewerManoj Sajjan - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
GitLab scales well, especially with containers and enterprise use, though smaller teams find scalability mixed.
Sentiment score
6.6
IBM Engineering Workflow Management is scalable, handling small to large projects; updates promise better reporting, though containerization is missing.
It has all the features required for our coding and deployment needs, which makes it scalable to our changing requirements.
We're transitioning to OpenShift for future scalability with increased user numbers.
For scaling, other deployment options from GitLab's side need to be adopted.
For more quotes and insights, download the GitLab report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Engineering Workflow Management report
Sarfaraz Khan - PeerSpot reviewerMikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewerRohit Kesharwani - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
GitLab is stable and reliable, highly rated by users, but may slow under heavy load and complex projects.
Sentiment score
6.4
IBM Engineering Workflow Management is generally stable, but performance issues and customization challenges affect user experience and stability ratings.
I have not encountered any performance or stability issues with GitLab so far.
The updates are frequent and demanding, happening at least once a week due to security reasons.
We raised a request with GitLab support, but they were unable to help because they could not find the root cause of what went wrong.
For more quotes and insights, download the GitLab report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Engineering Workflow Management report
Gaurav Chandel - PeerSpot reviewer
AS
AvdheshSharma - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Room For Improvement

GitLab users seek better AWS/Jira integration, enhanced CI/CD features, improved documentation, more affordable pricing, and streamlined navigation.
IBM Engineering Workflow Management needs UI modernization, better tool integration, improved permissions, and streamlined upgrades to enhance adoption.
It would be beneficial to have a user-friendly interface for setting up these configurations, instead of just writing YAML files.
It is essential to conduct proper testing, such as unit tests and code coverage, within the SDLC pipelines.
GitLab can improve its user interface to make conflict resolution more user-friendly.
For more quotes and insights, download the GitLab report
Improved graphics in terms of metrics and connectivity to SharePoint from Microsoft products would be beneficial.
IBM Engineering Workflow Management can be improved by enhancing its pricing structure.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Engineering Workflow Management report
reviewer2603940 - PeerSpot reviewerRohit Kesharwani - PeerSpot reviewerSarfaraz Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
JB
Manoj Sajjan - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

GitLab offers a free version and paid tiers, with prices ranging from reasonable to expensive based on user needs.
IBM Engineering Workflow Management offers complex, costly licensing, yet its effectiveness and ROI justify the investment for many organizations.
Even when working in other small organizations, we opted for GitLab as it was cost-efficient.
The pricing of GitLab is reasonable, aligning with what I consider to be average compared to competitors.
The price is high, and it limits user accessibility.
For more quotes and insights, download the GitLab report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Engineering Workflow Management report
Sarfaraz Khan - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2603940 - PeerSpot reviewerAndrea PICCININI - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

GitLab enhances productivity with CI/CD, code review, and automation, supporting seamless collaboration and fast, secure deployments.
IBM Engineering Workflow Management enhances task management with robust traceability, customizable dashboards, and seamless integration for agile adoption.
As we implement automated testing and DevSecOps, it speeds up the process by forty to sixty percent.
The Ultimate version offers enhanced features for security scanning through DAST and SAST analysis, which have greatly benefitted our project workflow.
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the GitLab report
The capability of IBM Engineering Workflow Management in managing end-to-end workflows is quite robust, especially with the built-in change management capabilities.
It provides more efficiencies for our scrum team, ensures everyone is on the same page, and offers leadership insight into progress.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM Engineering Workflow Management report
Mikhael Ibrahim - PeerSpot reviewerAndrea PICCININI - PeerSpot reviewerRohit Kesharwani - PeerSpot reviewerManoj Sajjan - PeerSpot reviewer
JB
 

Categories and Ranking

GitLab
Ranking in Enterprise Agile Planning Tools
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
87
Ranking in other categories
Application Security Tools (11th), Build Automation (1st), Release Automation (2nd), Static Application Security Testing (SAST) (7th), Rapid Application Development Software (11th), Software Composition Analysis (SCA) (5th), Fuzz Testing Tools (3rd), DevSecOps (1st)
IBM Engineering Workflow Ma...
Ranking in Enterprise Agile Planning Tools
11th
Average Rating
6.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
18
Ranking in other categories
Software Configuration Management (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Enterprise Agile Planning Tools category, the mindshare of GitLab is 28.6%, down from 33.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Engineering Workflow Management is 1.6%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Enterprise Agile Planning Tools Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
GitLab28.6%
IBM Engineering Workflow Management1.6%
Other69.8%
Enterprise Agile Planning Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Rohit Kesharwani - PeerSpot reviewer
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
Suvajit Chakraborty - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers good traceability elements but UI needs improvement
There is room for improvement in the UI. The UI has to improve a lot compared to the competitive tools, like Atlassian Jira, for example. It's very easy to use. It is easy to manage and easy to use. Anybody can learn it right quickly and start with it. But IBM ELM is something where somebody has to have good knowledge, training, and understanding and then only start using it. But there's a big known knowledge curve for IBM ELM. But once that is there, it's normally; organizations do have their own internal team to basically manage it IBM ELM portfolio, the tool chain. So if they have internal teams who are doing it for quite some time, not something new, then it is definitely better. But if there's if somebody is starting new, definitely there is a knowledge curve time it can take at least a year or maybe a couple of years before they can start realizing the benefits.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
17%
Government
16%
Computer Software Company
6%
Healthcare Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business35
Midsize Enterprise9
Large Enterprise42
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise9
 

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 needs to improve the CI/CD functionality because it is not compatible with Jenkins and other tools, as it is not that efficient. Security-wise, we have security features enabled in GitLab fo...
See all answers
What do you like most about IBM Engineering Workflow Management?
We can track the status of test cases (passed or saved) in a single view. Based on releases and other attributes, we generate various reports and extract metrics from the data.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Engineering Workflow Management?
I've heard IBM Engineering Workflow Management is more expensive than other tools. On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a six out of ten.
See all answers
What needs improvement with IBM Engineering Workflow Management?
Improved graphics in terms of metrics and connectivity to SharePoint from Microsoft products would be beneficial.
See all answers
 

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Compared 3% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
GitLab
October 2025
GitLab reportDownload GitLab product report
Buyer's Guide
IBM Engineering Workflow Management
October 2025
IBM Engineering Workflow Management reportDownload IBM Engineering Workflow Management product report
 

Also Known As

Fuzzit
IBM Rational Team Concert (IBM ALM), IBM RTC
 

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

IBM Engineering Workflow Management manages plans, tasks, the project status and acts as the critical link between required and delivered work. It provides flexibility to adapt to any process, which enables companies to adopt faster release cycles and manage dependencies across both small and complex development projects. This solution offers no-charge server software and flexible pricing models. It becomes a complete IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management solution—when purchased as a set of seamlessly integrated tools: IBM Engineering Workflow Management, IBM Engineering Test Management, and IBM Engineering Requirements Management DOORS Next.

IBM
 

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
Telstra Corporation, Visteon, Atos SE, Panasonic Automotive Systems, IBM Global Technology Services, CareCore National, JTEKT Corp., ItaÒ BBA, Avea, CACEIS, Danske Bank Group, APIS IT
Buyer's Guide
GitLab vs. IBM Engineering Workflow Management
September 2025
Free Report: GitLab vs. IBM Engineering Workflow Management
Find out what your peers are saying about GitLab vs. IBM Engineering Workflow Management and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
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