
GitLab vs. Traditional Security Tools: Why DevSecOps Teams Choose GitLab
Feb 11
3 min read

Did you know? 60% of security breaches stem from vulnerabilities that could have been caught earlier in development. Yet, traditional security tools still operate as an afterthought, slowing teams down instead of protecting them. Traditional security tools vs. GitLab has become a crucial debate as organisations seek integrated security solutions.
Legacy security tools often struggle to keep up with modern DevSecOps workflows, prompting teams to look for a seamless and automated approach. Enter GitLab—a unified platform that seamlessly incorporates security within the development lifecycle. But how does GitLab compare to traditional security solutions? Let’s explore why DevSecOps teams choose GitLab over conventional options.
Traditional Security Tools: A Fragmented Approach
Traditional security solutions operate in silos, requiring separate tools for static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), container security, and dependency scanning. This disjointed approach leads to several challenges:
Lack of Integration: Traditional security tools are often bolted onto existing CI/CD pipelines, leading to compatibility issues and delays.
Slower Remediation: Since security checks happen later in the process, vulnerabilities are caught post-development, making fixes more time-consuming.
High Operational Overhead: Managing multiple security tools increases complexity, making it difficult for teams to track and remediate issues efficiently.
Limited Collaboration: Developers and security teams work in isolation, leading to misalignment between development speed and security enforcement.
Why DevSecOps Teams Choose GitLab
Unlike traditional security tools, GitLab security features are built into its single application for the entire DevSecOps lifecycle. Here’s why organizations prefer GitLab:
1. Seamless Security Integration
With GitLab security integration, security checks occur at every stage of the development pipeline. Built-in SAST, DAST, dependency scanning, and container security ensure vulnerabilities are identified early, reducing the risk of deployment delays. This proactive approach eliminates the need for last-minute security fixes that can slow down the software release cycle.
2. Faster Time to Market
GitLab’s unified approach eliminates the need for separate traditional security solutions, enabling faster releases without compromising security. Teams can focus on delivering features while the GitLab DevSecOps platform automatically ensures compliance and security best practices. This results in higher efficiency, fewer bottlenecks, and greater agility for businesses looking to scale their operations.
3. Cost Efficiency
Managing multiple traditional security solutions can be costly, with licensing fees, maintenance, and integration efforts. GitLab security comparison with other traditional tools reveals that GitLab consolidates these tools into a single platform, providing a cost-effective alternative. Organizations can reduce expenses related to third-party security tools while streamlining DevSecOps with GitLab in a centralized ecosystem.
4. Improved Developer Collaboration
Developers, security teams, and operations work together in the same environment, ensuring that security is a shared responsibility. This fosters a culture of security-first DevOps, where vulnerabilities are addressed as they arise, rather than becoming last-minute issues that require significant refactoring.
5. Comprehensive Visibility & Compliance
GitLab security monitoring provides end-to-end visibility into security risks with detailed reports and dashboards. This simplifies compliance and governance, making audits and regulatory checks seamless. By incorporating security within GitLab’s CI/CD pipeline, organizations can automatically enforce compliance policies without adding extra complexity.
Feature Comparison: GitLab vs. Traditional Security Tools

Real-World Benefits of GitLab Security
Many organizations transitioning to DevSecOps with GitLab from traditional security tools report significant improvements in efficiency, collaboration, and cost savings. Here’s how GitLab security features enhance security and operations:
Proactive Security: Instead of reacting to security threats post-deployment, the GitLab DevSecOps platform helps detect vulnerabilities early in the development process.
Simplified Workflow: Since security is integrated within GitLab security integration, teams no longer need to juggle multiple security tools.
Enhanced Productivity: Developers can remediate security issues faster, reducing development cycle times and improving release cadence.
Scalability: The GitLab DevSecOps platform scales with organizations as they grow, providing enterprise-grade security without the overhead of managing multiple tools.
Final Thoughts
For organizations looking to streamline security without slowing down development, the tradition vs GitLab security tool comparison highlights a clear winner. The benefits of GitLab for DevSecOps include built-in security, faster remediation, cost savings, and improved collaboration—making it the go-to choice over traditional security tools.
If your team is still juggling multiple security solutions, it’s time to rethink your approach. Why choose GitLab for DevSecOps? Because it’s secure, efficient, and built for the modern DevOps landscape. Ready to transform your security strategy? Explore the power of GitLab DevSecOps platform today!