GitHub-centric teams switch for tighter integration. Gain: Native GitHub integration, 120 free hours/month, better startup times for some. Trade-off: Only works with GitHub (no GitLab/Bitbucket), but if you're all-in on GitHub it's seamless.

Enterprises switch for self-hosting capability. Gain: Self-hosted option for compliance, runs on your infrastructure, more control over data. Trade-off: More setup complexity, but addresses on-premise requirements Gitpod can't.

Frontend developers switch for speed and offline. Gain: WebContainers boot instantly in browser, works offline, no cloud costs. Trade-off: Frontend-focused (limited backend), but much faster for JavaScript projects.

Cost-conscious teams switch for infrastructure flexibility. Gain: Open-source, runs on any cloud or local Docker, avoid vendor lock-in. Trade-off: Less polished UX, but eliminates VM-hour costs.

Developers switch to avoid cloud costs. Gain: No VM-hour charges, works offline, full local performance. Trade-off: Requires local setup and maintenance, but eliminates Gitpod's recurring costs.