Helm

B tier on Kubernetes Deployment ToolsScore 7.1 · #6 of 27

Android app: Not listed
Free plan: Yes
Runs on: Linux, Mac, Windows

helm.sh

Summary

Helm is a free package manager for applications running in Kubernetes clusters. It groups related Kubernetes resources into versioned charts that can be shared, installed, upgraded, or rolled back. Charts can include dependencies on other charts, and the same chart can use different settings for development, staging, and production. Helm manages applications such as databases, monitoring stacks, and ingress controllers. Its command-line client talks to the Kubernetes API server, while its library performs chart operations. Release details are kept in Kubernetes Secrets, so Helm does not need a separate database. Charts can reside on disk or come from remote repositories; Artifact Hub lists public charts. Plugins can extend Helm, including with custom chart download protocols. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows as a self-managed command-line tool under the Apache-2.0 license. Helm focuses on applications in a cluster; setting up and operating the cluster itself is outside its scope.

Who it is for

Helm is suited to application operators, developers, distributors, and tool developers working with Kubernetes applications. It is not intended to handle cluster setup or operation.

What is good

Free Apache-2.0 command-line tool.
Charts support upgrades and rollbacks.
Chart dependencies can be installed together.
Release information is stored in Kubernetes Secrets.
Available for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

What to know first

Does not cover standing up or operating Kubernetes clusters.
Requires working with a Kubernetes cluster.
Installation guidance recommends verifying checksums and PGP signatures.

Verdict

Helm organizes Kubernetes applications into reusable, versioned charts and handles their lifecycle in a cluster. Its scope stops at the applications, leaving cluster setup and operations outside the tool.

Helm plans and pricing

All plans

Helm Free Apache-2.0 license · command-line tool · self-managed github.com · 1 Oct 2026

Compared on Kubernetes deployment tools

Free plan: Yeshelm.sh
Helm support: Yeshelm.sh
Deployment model: self_hostedhelm.sh
Audit logs: Yeshelm.sh

Facts

Purpose: Helm is the package manager for Kubernetes applications.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Charts: Helm packages related Kubernetes resources into versioned charts that can be shared, installed, upgraded, and rolled back.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Application management: Helm installs and manages applications such as databases, monitoring stacks, and ingress controllers from charts.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Configuration: Helm supports supplying different values to the same chart for development, staging, and production environments.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Dependencies: Helm charts can declare dependencies on other charts and install them together.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Architecture: The Helm client is a command-line tool that communicates with the Kubernetes API server, while the Helm library performs chart operations.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Storage: Helm stores release information in Kubernetes Secrets and does not require its own database.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Repositories: Charts can be stored on disk or fetched from remote chart repositories, with Artifact Hub listing publicly available charts.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Plugins: Helm plugins extend the core feature set and can provide custom chart download protocols.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Security: Helm releases include cryptographic signatures, and the installation guide recommends verifying checksums and maintainer PGP signatures before installation.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Supported installation: Official installation methods include pre-built binary releases and an installer script; community methods include Homebrew, Chocolatey, Scoop, Winget, Apt, dnf/yum, Snap, and FreeBSD pkg.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Scope limit: Helm focuses on applications running in a Kubernetes cluster, while standing up and operating the cluster itself is outside its scope.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Users: Helm identifies application operators, application distributors, application developers, and supporting tool developers as user roles.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026
Support: Community support is available through Kubernetes Slack channels, a mailing list, developer calls, Stack Overflow, and GitHub.github.com · 1 Oct 2026
Governance: Helm is a graduated Cloud Native Computing Foundation project maintained by the Helm community.helm.sh · 1 Oct 2026