Tech riderRev. 5 Oct 2026

k0s

Ch 146.9of 24 Container Management Software

1Runs onLinux, self-hosted, Windows
2CostsFree plan
3Deployment modelself-hosted

3 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: k0sproject.io

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Overview

k0s is ranked #14 of 24 in container management software on Specifiction. It runs on Linux, Self-hosted, Windows. There is a free plan.

k0s plans and pricing

All plans

k0s Free 100% open source · free for personal or commercial use k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026

Compared on container management software

Free plan: Yesk0sproject.io
Deployment model: self-hostedk0sproject.io

Facts

Purpose: k0s is a Kubernetes distribution for deploying workloads across public and private cloud, on-premises, bare metal, edge, and IoT environments.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Packaging: k0s is distributed as a single binary with no host OS dependencies besides the kernel.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Certification: The project describes k0s as CNCF-certified Kubernetes.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Architecture: The documentation lists support for x86-64, ARM64, ARMv7, and RISC-V.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Installation: The documentation lists single-node, multi-node, air-gapped, and Docker installation methods.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Lifecycle: k0sctl supports cluster lifecycle management, including upgrades and backup and restore.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Networking: k0s uses Kube-Router by default and supports custom CNI plugins, with Calico listed as a preconfigured alternative.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Datastores: The documentation lists etcd, SQLite, MySQL, and PostgreSQL datastore backends.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Security: The project site lists kube-bench, RBAC, network policies, control plane isolation, and OpenID provider support among its security features.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
FIPS: FIPS 140-2 is available upon request and commercial agreement.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
System requirements: The documentation lists minimum requirements of 1 vCPU and 1 GB RAM.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Support: The project identifies Mirantis as offering technical support, professional services, training, and support subscriptions with prioritized phone, web, and email support.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Scope: The project aims to provide a versatile Kubernetes base and says it minimizes bundled add-ons such as ingress, service meshes, and storage.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026
Intended deployments: The documentation says k0s is used from small far-edge deployments to large data centers.docs.k0sproject.io · 5 Oct 2026