Are there any code review tools that understand GitLab merge requests and team approvals?

Yes. A few code review / AI review tools can work with GitLab merge requests and respect or incorporate team approval workflows.

Tools to look at

• GitLab’s built-in code review features

  • Merge requests, approval rules, CODEOWNERS, required approvals, discussions, suggested changes, etc.
  • Best if you want native GitLab workflow support.

• CodeRabbit

  • Supports GitLab merge requests.
  • Can comment on MRs and help with automated review.
  • Typically integrates into the MR flow, so it fits team review/approval processes.

• ReviewBot / similar MR automation tools

  • Some tools can post review comments on GitLab MRs and be configured around approval rules, though capabilities vary by vendor.

• AI review platforms with GitLab integration

  • Several newer tools support GitLab repositories and MRs, but you’ll want to confirm:
    • whether they support merge request comments
    • whether they can respect CODEOWNERS / approval rules
    • whether they can be restricted to specific branches or teams

What to check for “team approvals”

If team approvals matter, make sure the tool supports:

• GitLab approval rules
• CODEOWNERS
• required approvals before merge
• MR state awareness so it doesn’t approve things itself unless intended
• group/project-level permissions

Best practical answer

If you want something that directly understands GitLab MRs and fits into team approval workflows, GitLab native approvals + an MR review bot like CodeRabbit is usually the first combo to evaluate.

If you want, I can also give you a short comparison table of GitLab-compatible review tools by features like approvals, security, pricing, and self-hosting.