# Control for GitLab vs Zulip

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zulip at none against Control for GitLab's 1. Zulip also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (39% vs 30%). Control for GitLab's advantage is ratings volume (256 vs 16). On price, rating, update cadence and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Control for GitLab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Zulip asks for nothing beyond the download.

Control for GitLab holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Control for GitLab has 256 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of Control for GitLab's written reviews are positive against 39% of Zulip's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Control for GitLab ships an update every 6 weeks, Zulip monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and August 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Control for GitLab | Zulip |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (256 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-for-gitlab/id654747119/reviews)** | [3.7 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zulip/id1203036395/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **256** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 29.5% of reviews | **39.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.7.11 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Valerio Mazzeo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620011571) | [Kandra Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1194159660) |

## What reviewers say

### Control for GitLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-for-gitlab/id654747119)

Manage your GitLab projects on your iPhone or iPad from anywhere. Track projects, issues, merge requests, and code, all from your mobile device. Stay connected to your team and code even when you're on the go.

**Highlights:** Manage Projects, Issues, and Merge Requests, Browse Source Code and Commits, Full Team Management, View and Edit Branches and Tags, Markdown and Emoji Support, Secure with Passcode

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GitLab Control Pro | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to access from mobile
- 👍 Nice and easy to use
- 👍 Great UI
- 👍 Helpful tool for quick code check

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't connect to server
- 🐛 Missing critical features
- 🔍 Lacks functionality compared to website
- 💸 Paywalled features
- 🔍 Poor performance on large codebases

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues with two-factor authentication
- Inconsistent project and issue listing
- Crashes and connection errors
- Incorrect charging and purchase issues

**Requested features**

- Support for multiple GitLab instances
- Ability to approve merge requests
- Dark mode option
- Better code viewing and editing capabilities
- Support for GitLab CI/CD features


### Zulip

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zulip/id1203036395)

This app provides organized team chat for groups of any size, enabling users to read and respond to messages in context. It helps maintain focus by allowing users to catch up on topics of interest at their own pace. The application is open-source and available as a cloud service or self-hosted solution.

**Highlights:** Organized team chat, Contextual message reading, Topic-based conversations, Focus maintenance, Open-source software, Cloud and self-hosted options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Control for GitLab free?

Control for GitLab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Zulip free?

Zulip is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Control for GitLab or Zulip?

Control for GitLab is rated higher. Control for GitLab averages 3.9 out of 5 from 256 ratings, while Zulip averages 3.7 from 16 ratings.

### Do Control for GitLab or Zulip have ads?

Control for GitLab shows ads; Zulip does not.

### Which is updated more often, Control for GitLab or Zulip?

Control for GitLab ships an update every 6 weeks, and Zulip monthly. Most recently, Control for GitLab was updated on September 6, 2026 and Zulip on August 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*