Side by side
Skaffold vs Telepresence
Both stand on container development environments. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIExtensionLinux+2
Choose Skaffold if you want an open-source CLI for a development loop that can build and deploy applications, with multiple builder and deployment options. Developers whose workflow depends on HTTPS compatibility for the Skaffold gRPC server should look elsewhere for that capability.
Visit Skaffold Free plan APILinuxMac+2
Telepresence connects local development workflows to Kubernetes clusters with several attachment and traffic options. Review permissions, authentication mode, usage reporting, and pod-restart behavior before deployment.
Visit TelepresenceThe facts
| Skaffold | Telepresence | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Extension, Linux, Mac, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | skaffold.dev | telepresence.io |
| On container development environments | #23 of 40 | #27 of 40 |
Skaffold: what it does well
- Free and open source, with a standalone CLI and IDE integrations.
- Watches source files and can rebuild, sync, test, and redeploy.
- Offers builder choices including Docker, Jib, Bazel, and Buildpacks.
- Supports deployment options including Helm, Cloud Run, Kustomize, and Render.
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
What to know first
- The Skaffold gRPC server is not compatible with HTTPS.
- Update checks contact Google servers by default.
- Anonymized usage data collection requires opting out to disable.
Telepresence: what it does well
- Free Apache 2.0 project
- Supports local tools with remote dependencies
- Offers traffic interception and filtering
- Works with kubectl or oc
- Node-agent mode avoids workload restarts
What to know first
- Cluster use may require administrative RBAC
- Default sidecar injection restarts pods once
- Anonymous usage reports are enabled
- Kubernetes-focused tool
Alternatives to Skaffold Alternatives to Telepresence The whole list