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Gitea suits teams comfortable running their own Git service, but it is not the only option. Forgejo is the closest alternative for teams that want to keep self-hosting. Bitbucket and Gitee offer different code-hosting paths, while Gerrit, Review Board and Graphite focus more on review workflows. We’ve included listed prices where provided and called out when an option changes only part of your setup—not the whole job Gitea does.
01Why people leave Gitea
Different governance preferences
Some commenters prefer Forgejo’s community governance and no alternative pricing model, while acknowledging Gitea’s business model for enterprise customers.
CI still depends on GitHub
Commenters flag self-hosted runners and marketplace actions pulled from GitHub unless teams mirror the actions they use.
Self-hosting needs recovery plans
A Reddit user described restoring a Gitea VM after hardware failure, a reminder that uptime and recovery remain your responsibility.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Closest self-hosted alternative
ForgejoForgejoIf you want to keep self-hosting, Forgejo is the closest move: a Reddit commenter calls it a Gitea fork and says common Git, issues and wiki use may show little tangible difference. Another reports using it at work and home, with setup effort and self-hosted runners. Its listing includes a free plan, with no starting price published.
Trade-off: You still manage servers and runners; its listing gives no starting price.
7.6/10from
Freefree plan - Best for Jira teams
BitbucketBitbucketBitbucket makes sense if your team already uses Jira or wants configurable merge checks. Its listing starts at $3.65 and includes a free plan, making it a lower-priced listed option than Gitea’s $9.50 starting figure. This is a different path from running your own Gitea instance, so check whether its pipeline costs fit your workflow.
Trade-off: Pipeline costs and mixed switching sentiment temper the low entry price.
7.0/10from
$3.65/mofree plan - Code plus project tools
GiteeGiteeConsider Gitee if you want code hosting alongside project workflows, or are considering private deployment. Its listing includes a free plan and starts at $24.92. That makes it a higher listed entry price than Gitea, so compare the plan limits and trust trade-offs before moving repositories.
Trade-off: The listing flags limits and trust trade-offs; starting price is $24.92.
6.8/10from
CN¥24.92/mofree plan - Best for patchset reviews
Gerrit Code ReviewGerrit Code ReviewGerrit is worth considering when configurable approvals and patchset-based code reviews matter more than a familiar forge workflow. Its listing describes an open-source Git review system with no license fee. It is not presented as a like-for-like Gitea replacement, so check whether its review model covers what your team needs before planning a move.
Trade-off: Its review workflow needs to fit your team; no starting price is listed.
6.8/10from
Freefree plan - Best for mixed-media reviews
Review BoardReview BoardReview Board fits teams reviewing code and documents, especially when image-diff workflows or on-prem deployment matter. The listing includes a free plan and starts at $12. Treat it as a review-focused option rather than assuming it replaces every part of your Gitea setup.
Trade-off: Check integration caps; seat limits are not published.
6.7/10from
$12/mofree plan - Best for stacked PRs
GraphiteGraphiteGraphite suits teams adopting stacked pull requests, merge queues or an AI review workflow around GitHub. Its listing starts at $20 and includes a free plan. It is a workflow alternative, not a clearly documented replacement for Gitea hosting, so confirm that it addresses the reason you are switching.
Trade-off: Monthly prices are unpublished, and free AI features are limited.
6.5/10from
$20/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gitea Gitea (current) | 7.5 | $9.50/mo | Yes | Teams comfortable self-hosting Git |
| Forgejo Forgejo | 7.6 | Free | Yes | Teams that want to self-host Git |
| Bitbucket Bitbucket | 7.0 | $3.65/mo | Yes | Teams already using Jira |
| Gitee Gitee | 6.8 | CN¥24.92/mo | Yes | Small teams wanting a free code-hosting plan |
| Gerrit Code Review Gerrit Code Review | 6.8 | Free | Yes | Teams wanting open-source code review |
| Review Board Review Board | 6.7 | $12/mo | Yes | Teams reviewing code and documents |
| Graphite Graphite | 6.5 | $20/mo | Yes | Teams adopting stacked pull requests |
Questions people ask
Is Forgejo a direct alternative to Gitea?
Forgejo is the closest option in this list for teams staying self-hosted. A Reddit commenter describes it as a Gitea fork and says common Git, issues and wiki use may have little tangible difference. The same discussion notes setup work and self-hosted runners.
Which Gitea alternative is best for Jira teams?
Bitbucket is the clearest fit in this list: its listing names teams already using Jira and configurable merge checks. It starts at $3.65 with a free plan. The listing also warns that pipeline costs and mixed switching sentiment are reasons to compare plans carefully.
What should we check before moving Gitea CI?
Check whether you need to run your own Actions runners and whether your workflow pulls marketplace actions from GitHub. Reddit commenters warn that builds can retain a GitHub dependency unless actions are mirrored. Confirm the runner and mirroring setup before switching repositories.