We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Gitea is a Git platform you can self-host or pay to have managed. Replacing it makes sense if you want community-led governance, a different deployment model or a review workflow built around another tool. Forgejo is the closest fit: a self-hosted Gitea fork. Gerrit, Bitbucket and Gitee offer other approaches to hosting and review; Review Board and Graphite are narrower tools, not drop-in Git forges. Before moving, check API compatibility, automation and the full cost at your team’s size.
01Why people leave Gitea
Prefer community-led governance
A Reddit commenter favors Forgejo’s community governance over Gitea’s for-profit model and alternative pricing approach.
Need different review controls
Teams with gated patch reviews or detailed permissions may prefer Gerrit’s configurable review workflow.
Close gaps in CI and registries
A Reddit commenter flags self-hosted runners, package and container registries, and secrets management as migration work to plan.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Closest self-hosted swap
ForgejoForgejoForgejo is a free, open-source, self-hosted Gitea fork, making it the closest match for teams that want to keep repositories on their own infrastructure. A Reddit commenter says the tools have similar UI patterns and little tangible difference for some uses. Before migrating, map API calls and SDK dependencies, test repository and issue transfer, and account for server operations; the listed starting price is n/a.
Trade-off: Migration still needs testing, and you own hosting and operations.
7.7/10from
Freefree plan - Gated code review
Gerrit Code ReviewGerrit Code ReviewGerrit is an open-source, self-hostable option for teams that want configurable patch reviews and detailed permissions. Its listed starting price is n/a, so budget for hosting and operations rather than a license fee. It is a better fit for review-led workflows than a like-for-like Gitea replacement; check API and SDK compatibility, then test how repositories and review history move.
Trade-off: Plan for hosting work and a different review workflow.
7.5/10from
Freefree plan - Jira-connected teams
BitbucketBitbucketBitbucket fits teams already using Jira that want code hosting and CI/CD, with self-managed deployment listed as an option. Pricing starts at $3.65 with a free plan; verify the total for your users and usage. Before switching, check API and SDK coverage for existing integrations, and test repository, issue and review migration against your current Gitea workflows.
Trade-off: Verify usage costs and deployment terms before committing.
7.5/10from
$3.65/mofree plan - All-in-one DevOps
GiteeGiteeGitee is a self-hostable option for teams seeking code hosting and bundled DevOps workflows. Its listed starting price is $24.92 with a free plan, so check the actual cost for your team and deployment. The fit depends on your integrations: confirm API and SDK support, migration terms and whether your existing automation maps to Gitee’s workflows before moving repositories.
Trade-off: Check integration support and migration terms first.
6.5/10from
CN¥24.92/mofree plan - On-prem code review
Review BoardReview BoardReview Board suits teams that review code alongside documents and images, including organizations that need on-prem or air-gapped hosting. Pricing starts at $6 with a free plan, and it is self-hostable. It is a review system, not a complete Git forge replacement; check version-control integration, API and SDK needs, and how it fits beside your repository host.
Trade-off: You still need a separate Git hosting platform.
7.1/10from
$6/mofree plan - Stacked pull requests
GraphiteGraphiteGraphite is a focused review layer for GitHub teams adopting stacked pull requests or standardizing reviews. Its listed starting price is $20 with a free plan; check seat costs before rolling it out. It is not a self-hosted Gitea replacement, so assess its hosted-service constraints and GitHub dependency, and confirm API and SDK support for your review automation.
Trade-off: It is GitHub-focused, not a self-hosted Git forge.
7.3/10from
$20/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gitea Gitea (current) | 8.0 | $9.50/mo | Yes | Teams that want self-hosted Git |
| Forgejo Forgejo | 7.7 | Free | Yes | Teams running their own Git forge |
| Gerrit Code Review Gerrit Code Review | 7.5 | Free | Yes | Teams that self-host Git services |
| Bitbucket Bitbucket | 7.5 | $3.65/mo | Yes | Teams already using Jira |
| Gitee Gitee | 6.5 | CN¥24.92/mo | Yes | Teams seeking an all-in-one DevOps suite |
| Review Board Review Board | 7.1 | $6/mo | Yes | Teams reviewing code and documents together |
| Graphite Graphite | 7.3 | $20/mo | Yes | GitHub teams adopting stacked PRs |
Questions people ask
Is Forgejo a drop-in replacement for Gitea?
Forgejo is a Gitea fork and the closest match among these options. A Reddit commenter describes similar UI patterns and little practical difference for some use cases. Still test repository, issue, permissions and automation migration, and verify API and SDK dependencies before switching.
Which Gitea alternative is open source and self-hostable?
Forgejo and Gerrit are listed as open source and self-hostable. Forgejo is the closer Git forge alternative; Gerrit centers on configurable patch reviews. Both have a listed starting price of n/a, but self-hosting still means budgeting for infrastructure and operations.
How much does it cost to replace Gitea?
Listed starting prices range from $3.65 for Bitbucket to $24.92 for Gitee, and both include a free plan. Review Board starts at $6, Graphite at $20, and Forgejo and Gerrit list n/a. Check the vendor’s pricing for your user count, usage and hosting model.