Guest users

{{< details >}}

• Tier: Free, Premium, Ultimate
• Offering: GitLab.com, GitLab Self-Managed, GitLab Dedicated

{{< /details >}}

Users with the Guest role have limited access and capabilities compared to other user roles. Their permissions are restricted and designed to provide only basic visibility and interaction without compromising sensitive project data.

Users with the Guest role:

• Can access public groups and projects.
• Can view project plans, blockers, and progress indicators.
• Can create and link new project work items.
• Can view high-level project information such as:
  • Analytics
  • Incident reports
  • Issues and epics
  • Licenses
• Cannot create projects, groups, and snippets in their personal namespaces.
• Cannot modify existing data they didn't create.
• Cannot view code in projects.

Seat usage

• In GitLab Free and Premium, users with the Guest role count as a billable user and consume a license seat.
• In GitLab Ultimate, users with the Guest role do not count as a billable user or consume a license seat.

[!note] While the Guest role generally provides limited access, creating a custom role with the View repository code permission allows you to provide access to code in your repositories without consuming a license seat. Adding any other permissions causes the role to occupy a billable seat.

Assign Guest role to users

Prerequisites:

• You must have the Maintainer or Owner role.

You can assign the Guest role to a current member of a group or project, or assign this role when creating a new member. You can do this through the API (for groups or projects) or the GitLab UI.

To assign the Guest role to a current group or project member:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your group or project.
2. Select Manage > Members.
3. In the Role column of the group or project member you want to assign the Guest role to, select their current role (for example, Developer).
4. In the Role details drawer, change the Role to Guest.
5. Select Update role.

If the user you want to assign the Guest role to is not yet a member of the group or project:

1. In the top bar, select Search or go to and find your group or project.
2. Select Manage > Members.
3. Select Invite members.
4. In Username, name or email address, select the relevant user.
5. In Select a role, select Guest.
6. Optional. In Access expiration date, enter a date.
7. Select Invite.