GitLab CI vs Semaphore:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, GitLab CI had more branded searches than Semaphore among CI/CD tools worldwide. GitLab CI had about 8,100 branded searches, while Semaphore had 620. GitLab CI made up 1.9% of all CI/CD tool searches we track, and Semaphore accounted for 0.15%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about CI/CD tools, GitLab CI appeared in all five answers and Semaphore in none.
Who do people search for more?
GitLab CI, about 13 searches for every 1 for Semaphore
Who does AI mention more?
GitLab CI, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
GitLab CI, the only one of the two named
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Top CI/CD tools in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, GitLab CI appeared in all five answers. Semaphore did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Jenkins5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
GitHub Actions5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
CircleCI5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- GitLab CI5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Argo CD3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Buildkite1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Travis CI1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
TeamCity0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Semaphore0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about CI/CD tools
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which CI/CD tool should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best CI/CD tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best CI/CD tool for software delivery?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ci/cd tools”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“continuous integration tools”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is GitLab CI or Semaphore more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for GitLab CI and Semaphore by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine CI/CD tools we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for GitLab CI, Semaphore. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Jenkins | GitHub Actions | Argo CD | CircleCI | TeamCity | Buildkite | GitLab CI | Travis CI | Semaphore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 51% | 19.4% | 17.2% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 1.4% | 3.1% | 0.91% | 0.14% |
| Nov 2025 | 51.3% | 19.5% | 17.3% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 1.4% | 2.5% | 0.92% | 0.14% |
| Dec 2025 | 53.5% | 20.2% | 14.7% | 4% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 2.6% | 0.78% | 0.14% |
| Jan 2026 | 51.6% | 19.6% | 17.4% | 3.9% | 2.5% | 1.4% | 2.5% | 0.92% | 0.13% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.8% | 19.3% | 17.1% | 3.8% | 2.5% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 0.74% | 0.13% |
| Mar 2026 | 46.7% | 26.2% | 15.7% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 0.83% | 0.14% |
| Apr 2026 | 49.6% | 22.7% | 16.7% | 3.7% | 2.4% | 2% | 2% | 0.73% | 0.1% |
| May 2026 | 49.5% | 22.6% | 16.6% | 3.7% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2% | 0.58% | 0.09% |
| Jun 2026 | 46.9% | 21.6% | 19.3% | 4.3% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 0.68% | 0.12% |
| Jul 2026 | 48.6% | 22.4% | 17.4% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 2% | 0.58% | 0.12% |
| Aug 2026 | 45.9% | 25.6% | 16.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.8% | 1.8% | 0.55% | 0.18% |
| Sep 2026 | 48.3% | 22.1% | 17.2% | 4.4% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 0.58% | 0.15% |
How has the GitLab CI and Semaphore comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- GitLab CI was ahead of Semaphore in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, GitLab CI’s share of searches among CI/CD tools worldwide moved from 3.1% to 1.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14.8K to 8.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Semaphore’s share of searches among CI/CD tools worldwide moved from 0.14% to 0.15%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 690 to 620.
How did search popularity change for CI/CD tools worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using GitLab CI’s and Semaphore’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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