Side by side
MicroK8s vs OKD
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.
MicroK8s covers single-node use through high-availability clusters, with addons and automation for a range of deployment settings. It has no license fees, while Ubuntu Pro subscriptions with support are separately listed at annual prices.
Visit MicroK8s
Choose OKD for a free, self-hosted Kubernetes platform with a broad set of integrated cluster components and deployment options. It is intended for learning, experimentation, contribution, and lab or development use. For a typical developer workstation with limited compute and memory, consider the cut-down Code-Ready Containers installation described for that use.
Visit OKDThe facts
| MicroK8s | OKD | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Ubuntu Pro Workstation: $25 per machine a year | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 7 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | canonical.com | okd.io |
| On container orchestration software | #8 of 32 | #12 of 32 |
MicroK8s: what it does well
- No license fees for MicroK8s.
- Three or more nodes enable high availability.
- Security updates apply automatically by default.
- Supports cluster lifecycle automation through YAML manifests.
- GPU addon supports NVIDIA Multi-Instance GPU.
What to know first
- Windows installer recommends Professional or Enterprise editions.
- Windows setup requires at least 4GB available RAM.
- Windows setup requires 40GB storage.
OKD: what it does well
- Free community Kubernetes platform.
- More than 100 preinstalled Operators for cluster components.
- Deploys on bare metal, virtualized, or cloud infrastructure.
- Supports autoscaling, rolling updates, and policy controls.
- Includes hardened configuration in its defaults.
What to know first
- Installation requires infrastructure with sufficient resources.
- A cut-down Code-Ready Containers installation may suit a typical workstation better.