K9s
6.2#12 in local kubernetes toolsFree planFree planLinuxmacOSWindows
VisitK9s vs srelens
What both publish
| Fact | K9s | srelens |
|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Users can add cluster commands through plugins, which run configured commands with resource and cluster context variables. | The GitHub organization publishes native Flux and Argo CD extensions plus an extension discovery catalog. |
| Metrics | It tracks real-time metrics for resources including pods, containers, and nodes. | CPU and memory views depend on Kubernetes Metrics Server being installed and accessible under the user's RBAC permissions. |
| Purpose | K9s is a terminal UI for navigating, observing, and managing Kubernetes clusters and their applications. | srelens is a Kubernetes desktop workspace for browsing, inspecting, and operating clusters. |
K9s plans
- K9sFree
srelens plans
- FreeFree
Pick K9s if…
K9s suits Kubernetes cluster users who are comfortable working in a terminal and want live resource views and management commands. Its read-only mode may help users who need to disable modification commands.
Pick srelens if…
srelens suits SREs, platform engineers, DevOps engineers, and other engineers who need to inspect or operate Kubernetes clusters. Its MCP server also supports workflows involving AI agents.