Kubernetes
Open-source system for deploying, scaling and running containerised applications across a cluster.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, Self-hosted
Is Kubernetes free?
Yes, free and open source
- License:
- Apache-2.0
Checked on Kubernetes's site Oct 29, 2026
Switch from Kubernetes to
All 6
HashiCorp NomadFree plan + paid
K3sOpen source
Red Hat OpenShiftStarting price: $0.076 per hour (reserved, 4 vCPU, 3-year contract)
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 6
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Kubernetes
Kubernetes, often shortened to K8s, is the open-source container orchestrator that most of the industry has standardised on. You describe the state you want (which container images, how many copies, what storage and networking) and its control loops keep the cluster matching that description: restarting failed containers, rolling out new versions gradually, spreading load and scaling pods up or down. Google released it in 2014 and it is now a graduated project of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, so no single vendor owns it. Kubernetes is free, but it is a set of building blocks rather than a finished platform: logging, monitoring, CI/CD and a web console are left to add-ons. Most teams run it through a managed cloud service or a packaged distribution such as K3s or OpenShift rather than assembling it by hand. It suits teams running many services that need portability across clouds and on-premises hardware; for a handful of apps it is often more machinery than needed.
Best for: Teams running many containerised services that want a portable, vendor-neutral platform.
Pros and cons
What works
- Industry standard with a huge ecosystem of tools, operators and Helm charts
- Runs the same way on every major cloud and on your own hardware
- Self-healing, rolling updates and autoscaling built in
Why people leave
- Steep learning curve and many moving parts to operate
- No built-in logging, monitoring or CI/CD; you assemble those yourself
- Overkill for a few small apps on one server
Kubernetes vs HashiCorp Nomad, K3s and Red Hat OpenShift
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Kubernetes | HashiCorp Nomad | K3s | Red Hat OpenShift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Free plan + paid | Open source | Paid |
| Verified price | — | — | — | $0.076 per hour (reserved, 4 vCPU, 3-year contract) |
| Free plan | Free app | Yes | Free app | No |
| Open source | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Linux, Self-hosted | Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted | Linux, Self-hosted | Web, Linux, Self-hosted |
Top Kubernetes alternatives
See all 6- 1HashiCorp Nomad68.8
A single binary that schedules containers, VMs and plain executables, with far less to operate than a full Kubernetes stack.
- 2K3s64.8
Still certified Kubernetes, but packaged as one small binary that is much easier to install on small servers and edge devices.
- 3Red Hat OpenShift61.8
Kubernetes with a console, build pipelines, security defaults and vendor support included, for enterprises that want a finished platform.
- 4
Coolify51.2A self-hosted Heroku-style PaaS for teams whose apps fit on a few servers and don't need cluster scheduling.
- 5
Dokku50.0Git-push deploys on a single server, a far simpler option when Kubernetes is more than the workload needs.
Why people left Kubernetes
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Kubernetes, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
No approved reviews yet. How we verify reviewers
Write a review of Kubernetes
Kubernetes: common questions
What is Kubernetes?
Kubernetes: Open-source system for deploying, scaling and running containerised applications across a cluster. Best for teams running many containerised services that want a portable, vendor-neutral platform. Available for Linux, and you can host it yourself.
Is Kubernetes free?
Yes. Kubernetes is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
Is Kubernetes open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at kubernetes/kubernetes. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does Kubernetes run on?
Kubernetes is available for Linux and Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to Kubernetes?
The highest-ranked Kubernetes alternatives right now are HashiCorp Nomad, K3s and Red Hat OpenShift. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Kubernetes vs HashiCorp Nomad: what's the difference?
Kubernetes is free and open source; HashiCorp Nomad is free with paid plans. Kubernetes is open source and HashiCorp Nomad is not. Only HashiCorp Nomad runs on Windows and macOS.