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GitLab SCIM guide

Native SCIM

How to automate GitLab user provisioning, and what it actually costs

Native SCIM requires Premium or Ultimate plan

Summary and recommendation

GitLab supports SCIM for automated user provisioning, but requires Premium ($29/user/month) or Ultimate ($99/user/month) plans. While SCIM is available at the Premium tier, the implementation has significant constraints: you must configure Group SSO first, only Azure AD is officially tested and supported, and Okta users need the Lifecycle Management product tier. Configuration errors are notoriously difficult to troubleshoot, and the documentation warnings about following setup procedures "exactly" suggest a fragile implementation.

For engineering teams managing source code access, these limitations create real security risks. Manual provisioning delays mean developers can't contribute on day one, while delayed deprovisioning leaves former employees with access to critical repositories and CI/CD pipelines. SSO alone doesn't solve this - it only handles authentication, not the lifecycle management of user accounts and permissions that SCIM provides.

The strategic alternative

Stitchflow provides SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation for GitLab without the complexity and IdP restrictions. Works with any GitLab plan and any identity provider (Okta, Entra, Google Workspace, OneLogin). Flat pricing under $5K/year with 24/7 human-in-the-loop support to ensure your developers get access when they need it and lose it when they shouldn't have it.

Quick SCIM facts

SCIM available?Yes
SCIM tier requiredEnterprise
SSO required first?Yes
SSO available?Yes
SSO protocolSAML 2.0
DocumentationOfficial docs

Supported identity providers

IdPSSOSCIMNotes
OktaOIN app with full provisioning
Microsoft Entra IDGallery app with SCIM
Google WorkspaceJIT onlySAML SSO with just-in-time provisioning
OneLoginSupported

The cost of not automating

Without SCIM (or an alternative like Stitchflow), your IT team manages GitLab accounts manually. Here's what that costs:

Source: Stitchflow aggregate data across apps with 2+ instances, normalized to 500 employees
Orphaned accounts (ex-employees with access)7
Unused licenses12
IT hours spent on manual management/year101 hours
Unused license cost/year$3,925
IT labor cost/year$6,088
Cost of compliance misses/year$1,741
Total annual financial impact$11,754

The GitLab pricing problem

GitLab gates SCIM provisioning behind premium plans, forcing significant cost increases for basic user management.

Plan Structure (Billed Annually)

PlanPriceSSOSCIM
Free$0 (up to 5 users)
Premium$29/user/month ($348/user/year)
Ultimate$99/user/month ($1,188/user/year)

Note: Group SAML SSO must be configured before SCIM can be enabled. Both Premium and Ultimate include the same SCIM capabilities.

What this means in practice

Using current list prices (Free → Premium for SCIM access):

Team SizeAnnual Cost for SCIM
25 developers$104,400/year
50 developers$208,800/year
100 developers$417,600/year

For teams currently on Free: $348 × number of users per year just to get automated provisioning.

Additional constraints

SSO prerequisite
You must configure Group SAML SSO before SCIM can be enabled, adding setup complexity.
Limited IdP support
Only Azure AD is officially tested and supported. Other providers "may work" but aren't guaranteed.
Okta requirements
Okta users need the Lifecycle Management product tier, adding another cost layer.
Configuration sensitivity
SCIM must be configured exactly per documentation to avoid hard-to-debug issues.
No group provisioning
Group synchronization isn't supported through standard integrations, requiring manual group management.

Summary of challenges

  • GitLab supports SCIM but only at Enterprise tier ($99/user/month ($1,188/user/year) - Ultimate)
  • Google Workspace users get JIT provisioning only, not full SCIM
  • Our research shows teams manually provisioning this app spend significant hidden costs annually

What the upgrade actually includes

GitLab doesn't sell SCIM separately. It's bundled with Premium or Ultimate plan features:

SCIM automated provisioning
Group SAML single sign-on (SSO) - required prerequisite
Advanced group management and permissions
Code owners and push rules
Merge request approvals
Security scanning (SAST/DAST on Ultimate)
CI/CD compliance frameworks
Advanced analytics and insights
Priority support

Note that GitLab's SCIM has strict configuration requirements and limited IdP support - only Azure AD is officially tested, and Okta requires their Lifecycle Management tier on top of your GitLab subscription.

Stitchflow Insight

The Premium plan at $29/user/month gets you SCIM, but Ultimate at $99/user/month includes DevSecOps tools most teams actually want. However, if you only need user provisioning, you're paying for extensive DevOps tooling you may not use. We estimate ~60% of Premium/Ultimate features are development workflow enhancements irrelevant for basic identity management needs.

What IT admins are saying

Community sentiment on GitLab's SCIM implementation is mixed, with significant frustration around configuration complexity and limited IdP support. Common complaints:

  • SCIM configuration is fragile and errors are difficult to troubleshoot
  • Only Azure AD is officially tested and supported, leaving Okta users in limbo
  • Okta integration requires the expensive Lifecycle Management product tier
  • Group SSO must be configured first, adding setup complexity

SCIM configuration errors are difficult to resolve

GitLab Community Forum

Limited official IdP support (mainly Azure AD)

Reddit r/sysadmin

Okta requires additional product tier

GitLab Issues

The recurring theme

GitLab's SCIM works well when everything is configured perfectly, but the narrow support matrix and configuration sensitivity create headaches for IT teams using anything other than Azure AD.

The decision

Your SituationRecommendation
On Free or Premium, need SCIMUse Stitchflow: avoid the $99/user/month Ultimate upgrade
Already on Ultimate planUse native SCIM: you're paying $1,188/user/year, it's included
Using Okta without Lifecycle ManagementUse Stitchflow: avoid both GitLab Ultimate AND Okta tier upgrades
Need Ultimate features beyond SCIMEvaluate Ultimate: SCIM comes bundled with advanced DevSecOps
Small dev team, low turnoverManual may work: but source code access requires tight controls

The bottom line

GitLab's SCIM requires Ultimate at $99/user/month—a 3.4x jump from Premium's $29/user/month, plus potential IdP upgrades for Okta users. For development teams that need provisioning automation without the $1,200/user/year price tag, Stitchflow delivers SCIM functionality at a fraction of the cost.

Automate GitLab without the tier upgrade

Stitchflow delivers SCIM-level provisioning through resilient browser automation, backed by 24/7 human in the loop for GitLab at <$5K/year, flat, regardless of team size.

Works alongside or instead of native SCIM
Syncs with your existing IdP (Okta, Entra ID, Google Workspace)
Automates onboarding and offboarding
SOC 2 Type II certified
24/7 human-in-the-loop monitoring
Book a Demo

Technical specifications

SCIM Version

2.0

Supported Operations

Create, Update, Deactivate, Groups

Supported Attributes

Not specified

Plan requirement

Enterprise

Prerequisites

SSO must be configured first

Key limitations

  • Group SSO must be configured before SCIM
  • Okta requires Lifecycle Management product tier
  • SCIM must be configured exactly as documented to avoid issues
  • Only Azure AD officially tested and supported

Configuration for Okta

Integration type

Okta Integration Network (OIN) app with SCIM provisioning

Prerequisite

SSO must be configured before enabling SCIM.

Where to enable

Okta Admin Console → Applications → GitLab → Provisioning

Required credentials

SCIM endpoint URL and bearer token (generated in app admin console).

Configuration steps

Enable Create Users, Update User Attributes, and Deactivate Users.

Provisioning trigger

Okta provisions based on app assignments (users or groups).

OIN app available. Supports Create Users, Deactivate Users. Group synchronization NOT supported in standard OIN app (requires custom SCIM integration). Configure SCIM API endpoint URL and token from GitLab.

Native SCIM is available on Enterprise. Use Stitchflow if you need provisioning without the tier upgrade.

Configuration for Entra ID

Integration type

Microsoft Entra Gallery app with SCIM provisioning

Prerequisite

SSO must be configured before enabling SCIM.

Where to enable

Entra admin center → Enterprise applications → GitLab → Provisioning

Required credentials

Tenant URL (SCIM endpoint) and Secret token (bearer token from app admin console).

Configuration steps

Set Provisioning Mode = Automatic, configure SCIM connection.

Provisioning trigger

Entra provisions based on user/group assignments to the enterprise app.

Sync behavior

Entra provisioning runs on a scheduled cycle (typically every 40 minutes).

Set Provisioning Mode to Automatic. Tenant URL from GitLab SCIM API endpoint. Group provisioning NOT supported - causes confusing errors in logs. Attribute mappings required for NameID, displayName, mail.

Native SCIM is available on Enterprise. Use Stitchflow if you need provisioning without the tier upgrade.

Unlock SCIM for
GitLab

GitLab gates automation behind Premium or Ultimate plan. Stitchflow delivers the same SCIM outcomes for a flat fee.

See how it works
Admin Console
Directory
Applications
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Last updated: 2026-01-11

* Pricing and features sourced from public documentation.

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