MicroK8s

Canonical's small, single-package Kubernetes distribution for workstations, edge devices and clusters.

Open sourceSelf-hostableContainer orchestration platforms

Updated Nov 7, 2026 · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted

Visit MicroK8s See 5 alternatives

Is MicroK8s free?

Yes, free and open source

License:: Apache-2.0

Checked on MicroK8s's site Nov 5, 2026

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All 5

K3s
Open source
Rancher Desktop
Open source
Kubernetes
Open source

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About MicroK8s

MicroK8s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution from Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu. It installs as a single snap package on Linux and runs upstream Kubernetes with sensible defaults, so a working cluster takes one command. Extra components such as DNS, ingress, storage, GPU support, observability and service meshes like Istio or Linkerd are bundled as add-ons that are switched on or off with a single command. It can run on one machine for development or join several nodes into a high-availability cluster, and it runs on both Intel and ARM hardware, including Raspberry Pi boards, which makes it popular for edge and IoT setups. On Windows and macOS it runs inside a lightweight Ubuntu virtual machine through an installer. MicroK8s is free and Apache-licensed; Canonical sells security maintenance and support through its Ubuntu Pro subscription. It fits developers and operators who want real Kubernetes without assembling the parts, especially on Ubuntu.

Best for: Developers and edge operators who want upstream Kubernetes installed with one command.

What works

Single snap install with a working cluster in minutes
Add-ons for DNS, ingress, storage, GPU and meshes toggle with one command
Runs on ARM and Intel, including Raspberry Pi
Free and Apache-licensed, with optional paid support

Why people leave

Depends on snap, which some distributions don't ship by default
Windows and macOS installs run inside a VM
Less common than K3s outside the Ubuntu ecosystem

MicroK8s vs K3s, Rancher Desktop and Kubernetes

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

Attribute	MicroK8s	K3s	Rancher Desktop	Kubernetes
Pricing	Open source	Open source	Open source	Open source
Verified price	—	—	—	—
Free plan	Free app	Free app	Free app	Free app
Open source	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Self-hostable	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Platforms	Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted	Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux, Self-hosted

Top MicroK8s alternatives

See all 5

1
K3s
Equally light certified Kubernetes from SUSE, installed as one binary without needing snap.
68.8
2
Rancher Desktop
Desktop app that runs a local K3s cluster on Windows and macOS with a GUI.
66.2
3
Kubernetes
Upstream Kubernetes set up yourself, for full control over every component.
64.8
4
Red Hat OpenShift
Enterprise Kubernetes platform with built-in developer tooling and Red Hat support.
61.8
5
HashiCorp Nomad
Simpler scheduler for containers and plain binaries if you don't need Kubernetes itself.
57.5

Why people left MicroK8s

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MicroK8s: common questions

What is MicroK8s?

MicroK8s: Canonical's small, single-package Kubernetes distribution for workstations, edge devices and clusters. Best for developers and edge operators who want upstream Kubernetes installed with one command. Available for Linux, Windows and macOS, and you can host it yourself.

Is MicroK8s free?

Yes. MicroK8s is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is MicroK8s open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at canonical/microk8s. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does MicroK8s run on?

MicroK8s is available for Linux, Windows, macOS and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to MicroK8s?

The highest-ranked MicroK8s alternatives right now are K3s, Rancher Desktop and Kubernetes. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

MicroK8s vs K3s: what's the difference?

Both MicroK8s and K3s are free and open source. Only MicroK8s runs on Windows and macOS.

See all 5 MicroK8s alternatives

MicroK8s facts

5 of 5 verified

License: Apache-2.0; Checked Nov 5, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: Apache-2.0 (Apache License 2.0).”
Install: Single snap package; Checked Nov 8, 2026microk8s.io(opens source in a new tab); “sudo snap install microk8s --classic Don't have the snap command?”
Platforms: Linux, Windows, macOS; Checked Nov 8, 2026microk8s.io(opens source in a new tab); “Watch the webinar: K8s at the edge: easy as “Pi” &rsaquo; Install MicroK8s Linux Windows MacOS”
Windows support: Windows 10/11; Checked Nov 5, 2026microk8s.io(opens source in a new tab); “Installing MicroK8s on Windows 10/11 | Canonical Skip to main content Your submission was sent successfully!”
Add-ons: Toggle with one command; Checked Nov 8, 2026microk8s.io(opens source in a new tab); “Turn them on or off with one command.”