Side by side
Docker Swarm vs KubeSphere
Both stand on container orchestration software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Swarm provides cluster service management, networking, and rolling updates as a built-in Docker Engine feature. Its limits around autoscaling, multi-cluster management, and overlay traffic encryption matter when planning a deployment.
Visit Docker Swarm
Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
KubeSphere pairs a free self-managed Community Edition with an Enterprise offering that adds security, permissions, and support options. Teams should compare the editions and contact sales for Enterprise pricing.
Visit KubeSphereThe facts
| Docker Swarm | KubeSphere | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Windows | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Docker Pro: $9 per user a month | KubeSphere Backup Basic: $65 a month |
| Plans published | 5 | 7 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | docs.docker.com | kubesphere.io |
| On container orchestration software | #2 of 32 | #1 of 32 |
Docker Swarm: what it does well
- Built into Docker Engine and managed through the CLI
- Supports replicated and global services
- Provides incremental updates and rollback
- Uses mutual TLS for node communications
What to know first
- Application traffic on overlay networks is not encrypted by default
- IPsec overlay encryption can reduce performance
- No multi-cluster management or autoscaling
- Docker recommends no more than seven manager nodes
KubeSphere: what it does well
- Community Edition is free forever and self-managed
- Supports multi-tenancy and multi-cluster management
- Includes Jenkins-based CI/CD workflows
- Supports online or offline installation
What to know first
- Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
- Enterprise extensions are available by subscription
- Community Edition is self-managed
Alternatives to Docker Swarm Alternatives to KubeSphere The whole list