Kubernetes

B tier on Cloud Orchestration SoftwareScore 7.0 · #6 of 24

Android app: Not listed
Free plan: Yes
Runs on: api, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows

kubernetes.io

Summary

Kubernetes is an open-source system for deploying and managing applications packaged in containers. It supports stateless, stateful, and data-processing workloads, and can run on a local machine, in the cloud, or in a datacenter. Teams can manage their own clusters or choose a managed service. Kubernetes coordinates gradual software updates while checking application health, with an option to revert a change if problems arise. It provides network addresses and shared DNS names for groups of Pods, and can distribute traffic among them. Storage can be mounted from local, cloud, or network systems. Configuration and Secrets can be updated without rebuilding an application image. Scaling can be manual or based automatically on CPU use, while resource requests and limits can be tuned to observed patterns. Logging, monitoring, and alerting tools can be integrated, and security mechanisms include network policies, audit logging, and encryption for control-plane data at rest. Kubernetes is free and self-hosted; its built-in scope does not include application services such as databases, caches, or message buses.

Who it is for

Kubernetes suits teams that need to automate container deployment, scaling, and management across local, cloud, or datacenter environments. It can also fit teams that want cluster management without operating a cluster themselves by choosing a managed service.

What is good

Supports stateless, stateful, and data-processing workloads.
Rollouts monitor health and can be rolled back.
Manual and CPU-based automatic scaling are available.
Can mount local, cloud, or network storage.
Free, open-source platform with managed-service options.

What to know first

Does not include databases, caches, or message buses.
Does not provide cluster storage systems as built-in services.
Operating a cluster is the self-hosted deployment model.

Verdict

Kubernetes brings container deployment, scaling, networking, and updates under a common management system. Teams should account for the fact that application-level services such as databases and caches are not included as built-in services.

Kubernetes plans and pricing

All plans

Kubernetes Free Open source platform; no price stated kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026

Compared on cloud orchestration software

Free plan: Yeskubernetes.io

Facts

Purpose: Kubernetes is an open source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Workloads: It supports stateless, stateful, and data-processing workloads that can run in containers.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Rollouts: Kubernetes progressively rolls out changes while monitoring application health and can roll back a change if something goes wrong.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Networking: It gives Pods IP addresses and a shared DNS name for a set of Pods, and can load-balance across them.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Storage: Kubernetes can automatically mount storage from local systems, public cloud providers, or network storage systems such as iSCSI or NFS.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Secrets: Secrets and application configuration can be deployed and updated without rebuilding the image.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Scaling: Applications can be scaled manually or automatically based on CPU usage, and resource requests and limits can be adjusted based on usage patterns.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Integrations: Kubernetes lets users integrate logging, monitoring, and alerting solutions, and its defaults are optional and pluggable.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Security: Kubernetes expects TLS for control-plane traffic and supports encryption at rest for data stored in the control plane.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Security controls: Security mechanisms include Secrets, Pod security standards, RuntimeClasses, network policies, admission controllers, and audit logging.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Deployment options: Kubernetes can be deployed on a local machine, in the cloud, or in a datacenter, and users can choose a managed service if they do not want to operate a cluster themselves.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Downloads: Kubernetes publishes component binaries and container images; kubectl is installable on Linux, macOS, and Windows.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Support: The Kubernetes project says Kubernetes services, support, and tools are widely available.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Limitations: Kubernetes does not provide application-level services such as databases, message buses, caches, or cluster storage systems as built-in services.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026
Project status: Kubernetes is a CNCF graduated project.kubernetes.io · 29 Sept 2026