Side by side
Longhorn vs OpenEBS
Both stand on storage replication 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
Longhorn combines Kubernetes block storage with replication, scheduled protection, and cross-cluster recovery options. Account for its privileged access requirements and NFS dependencies when considering it.
Visit Longhorn
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted
OpenEBS combines several local volume types with replicated storage, Kubernetes-native snapshots and Velero-based backup. Before choosing it, consider the single-device DiskPool limit, non-rotatable encryption keys and default plaintext communication.
Visit OpenEBSThe facts
| Longhorn | OpenEBS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web | API, Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | longhorn.io | openebs.io |
| On storage replication software | #2 of 24 | #6 of 24 |
Longhorn: what it does well
- Free, open-source distributed block storage for Kubernetes
- Offers three replicated or sharded volume types
- Schedules snapshots and backs up to NFS or S3-compatible storage
- Supports recovery volumes across Kubernetes clusters
- Upgrades can leave running storage volumes undisturbed
What to know first
- mTLS is disabled by default
- Components require root access with privileged permissions
- Backup requires an NFSv4 client
- ReadWriteMany volumes require NFSv4.1
OpenEBS: what it does well
- Free and described as 100% open source.
- Offers local and replicated Kubernetes persistent volumes.
- Supports copy-on-write snapshots and clones.
- Velero backup targets include S3, GCP Object Storage and MinIO.
- Exposes volume metrics for Prometheus and Grafana.
What to know first
- Mayastor DiskPools support only one block device.
- Encryption keys cannot be rotated.
- Plaintext communication is the default.
- The kubectl plugin is available for Linux.
Alternatives to Longhorn Alternatives to OpenEBS The whole list