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KubeAdapt

kubeadapt.io

From $0.60/mo Free plan WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 9.2 #1 of 25 in Kubernetes Cost Management Software

What it is

KubeAdapt monitors Kubernetes costs across clusters, namespaces, workloads, pods and teams, and provides cost forecasting, budget alerts and rightsizing recommendations. It works with AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, OpenShift and bare-metal Kubernetes. The agent is installed with one Helm chart; the site estimates installation takes about five minutes. Rightsizing guidance gives per-container CPU and memory recommendations as YAML for GitOps workflows, with OOM-aware, bursty-CPU and replica-aware guardrails. KubeAdapt does not apply recommended changes. Its agent has read-only Kubernetes permissions, limited to list and watch, and the company says it does not collect Secrets, ConfigMaps, environment variables, container logs or network traffic. Aggregated payloads are signed in-cluster and sent using TLS 1.3 with mutual TLS. Alerts for budgets, cost spikes and new workloads can go to Slack, email or webhooks. A read-only REST API exposes cost, capacity and resource data. The free plan covers the first 100 vCPU across an account. Paid rates range from $0.60 a month to $1.99 a month per billable vCPU, depending on tier; qualifying startups have a $0.60 a month rate.

Spec sheet

What it does
Kubeadapt provides Kubernetes cost monitoring and optimization from cluster through container, including team allocation and rightsizing guidance.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
API
The REST API provides read-only cost, capacity and resource data and authenticates with Bearer API keys.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Support
Kubeadapt offers email support for all accounts, including free accounts.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Founded
LinkedIn lists Kubeadapt as founded in 2025.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Agent architecture update
A March 2026 vendor release says the rebuilt agent removed Prometheus, OpenCost, node-exporter and kube-state-metrics dependencies, requiring metrics-server instead.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Alert integrations
Smart Alerting sends budget, cost-spike and new-workload alerts to Slack, email or webhooks.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Alerts
Smart Alerting supports budget and cost-spike alerts delivered through Slack, email or webhooks.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
API rate limit
The documented default API quota is 100 requests per minute per API key, with HTTP 429 responses when exceeded.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Best-practice checks
Best Practices evaluates Kubernetes configuration and assigns a score for each cluster.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Changelog activity
The changelog lists a public API release on February 25, 2026 and a CLI release on March 14, 2026.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
CLI
Kubeadapt CLI can be installed with Homebrew, go install or release archives for macOS, Linux and Windows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Company founding
Kubeadapt says it was founded in 2025 by engineers and cloud architects with enterprise Kubernetes experience.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Company size
LinkedIn lists Kubeadapt as having 2–10 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Cost views
Dashboards can show cost by cluster, namespace, workload, pod, node, node group and container, with filtering, grouping, saved dashboards and exports.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Data collection
Kubeadapt says it does not collect Secrets, ConfigMaps, environment variables, container logs or network traffic.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Data exclusions
Kubeadapt says it does not collect Secrets, ConfigMaps, environment variables, container logs or network traffic.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Data transport
Aggregated payloads are signed in the cluster and sent to Kubeadapt over TLS 1.3 with mutual TLS.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Documentation depth
The documentation site reports 71 pages across nine sections covering installation, integrations, configuration, CLI, API reference and troubleshooting.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
GCP integration limit
GCP on-demand and Spot or Preemptible pricing work without setup, while Committed Use and Sustained Use Discounts are planned and not yet reflected.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
GCP pricing limitation
GCP committed-use and sustained-use discounts are not reflected; the documentation says those capabilities are planned.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
GreenOps
GreenOps estimates kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per workload.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Helm chart licence
The public Kubeadapt Helm chart repository is licensed under Apache License 2.0.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Helm repository status
The GitHub Helm repository is public, shows 2 stars, 0 forks and 58 commits on the opened page.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Independent company post reach
Kubeadapt’s LinkedIn page displayed 56 followers when opened.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Installation
The agent is installed with a Kubeadapt Helm repository and cluster token; the vendor says initial cost data appears within minutes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Kubernetes requirements
The Helm chart supports Kubernetes 1.24 or newer, Helm 3, and an installed metrics-server.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Limit: manual change application
Rightsizing output is a proposal or YAML patch that users review and apply through their own deployment workflow.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
LinkedIn company description
LinkedIn describes Kubeadapt as an information-services company providing Kubernetes cost optimization with data-driven recommendations and carbon impact.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
MCP integration
Kubeadapt MCP is a remote Model Context Protocol server for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code and other clients, with read-only access and no separate API key.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Network intelligence
The optional eBPF network agent measures cross-zone and internet traffic per workload and currently uses AWS pricing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Network-agent requirements
Network Intelligence requires Linux kernel 5.10 or newer and runs one privileged DaemonSet pod per node.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Ownership
LinkedIn identifies Kubeadapt as privately held.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Partnership news
Kubeadapt’s LinkedIn page reports a strategic partnership with Kloia announced around KubeCon Europe 2026.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Product purpose
Kubeadapt provides Kubernetes cost monitoring and optimization with cost views by cluster, namespace, workload, pod and team.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Public API
The versioned REST API is read-only for cost, capacity and resource data, uses Bearer API keys, and publishes an OpenAPI 3.1 specification.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Rightsizing
Recommendations provide CPU and memory request changes as YAML, with usage evidence and estimated monthly savings for Git-based review.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Rightsizing safety
Recommendations use OOM-aware, bursty-CPU and replica-aware guardrails, and Kubeadapt does not apply changes to the cluster.Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Security permissions
The agent uses only Kubernetes list and watch permissions and has no write, create, update or delete rights.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Supported environments
The service lists AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, OpenShift and bare-metal Kubernetes support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io

Plans and prices

Free allowance Free first 100 vCPU across the account all features · no credit card · email support Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Free allowance Free First 100 vCPU across account No credit card · All features · Email support Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 4 $0.60 a month Per billable vCPU / month 5,000+ billable vCPU · First 100 vCPU free Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 4 $0.60 a month per billable vCPU/month after first 100 vCPU 5,000+ billable vCPU Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Startup pricing $0.60 a month Flat per billable vCPU / month Company under 3 years old · Fewer than 30 employees · Under $6M raised Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Startup pricing $0.60 a month flat per billable vCPU/month after first 100 vCPU company under 3 years old · fewer than 30 employees · under $6M raised Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 3 $0.99 a month per billable vCPU/month after first 100 vCPU 2,000–5,000 billable vCPU Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 3 $0.99 a month Per billable vCPU / month 2,000–5,000 billable vCPU · First 100 vCPU free Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 2 $1.49 a month Per billable vCPU / month 500–2,000 billable vCPU · First 100 vCPU free Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 2 $1.49 a month per billable vCPU/month after first 100 vCPU 500–2,000 billable vCPU Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 1 $1.99 a month per billable vCPU/month after first 100 vCPU 0–500 billable vCPU Read 15 Oct 2026 · kubeadapt.io
Standard tier 1 $1.99 a month Per billable vCPU / month 0–500 billable vCPU · First 100 vCPU free Read 30 Sep 2026 · kubeadapt.io

Every KubeAdapt plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Cost views by cluster, namespace, workload, pod and team
  • Per-container rightsizing guidance in YAML
  • Read-only agent permissions
  • Budget and cost-spike alerts
  • Free allowance covers the first 100 vCPU

Limits

  • GCP commitment and sustained-use discounts are not reflected
  • Network agent requires Linux kernel 5.10 or newer
  • Network agent is priced only for AWS
  • KubeAdapt does not apply recommended changes

Who it suits

KubeAdapt suits teams managing Kubernetes on supported cloud, OpenShift or bare-metal environments that want cost visibility and rightsizing guidance. Its free allowance and email support for all accounts may suit teams starting with up to 100 vCPU.

KubeAdapt in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

KubeAdapt is Kubernetes cost monitoring and optimization software for teams running workloads across cloud and on-premises environments. It suits operators who want detailed cost views and recommendations they can review before changing production. Its appeal is the mix of container-level allocation, guarded rightsizing and a free first 100 vCPU.

Key features

Cost views break spending down by cluster, namespace, workload, pod and team, with container-level allocation and cost forecasting. That makes KubeAdapt useful when a team needs to trace a bill to the workloads and owners behind it, rather than rely on cluster totals. It supports AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, OpenShift and bare-metal Kubernetes, a broad fit for mixed estates. GCP users should account for a significant gap: on-demand and Spot or Preemptible pricing work without setup, but Committed Use and Sustained Use Discounts are not reflected yet.

Rightsizing provides per-container CPU and memory recommendations as YAML, a natural fit for teams that route infrastructure changes through GitOps. OOM-aware, bursty-CPU and replica-aware guardrails add useful context, but KubeAdapt does not apply recommendations. Teams retain control of rollout risk, at the cost of implementing changes themselves.

Smart Alerting sends budget, cost-spike and new-workload alerts to Slack, email or webhooks. The read-only REST API exposes cost, capacity and resource data through Bearer API keys, which suits teams integrating reporting without granting write access. Installation uses one Helm chart; the site says it takes about five minutes.

Security boundaries are unusually clear: the agent uses read-only Kubernetes RBAC with list and watch permissions only, and does not collect Secrets, ConfigMaps, environment variables, container logs or network traffic. Aggregated payloads are signed in the cluster and sent over TLS 1.3 with mutual TLS. The optional network agent has a narrower reach: it requires Linux kernel 5.10 or newer and is currently priced for AWS, with GCP and Azure not supported yet.

Pricing

The Free Allowance costs nothing and covers the first 100 vCPU across the account, with no credit card required. All features and email support are included, making it a useful way to evaluate the product or cover a smaller estate; costs begin beyond that allowance.

Startup pricing is $0.60 a month per billable vCPU for companies under three years old, with fewer than 30 employees and under $6M raised. Standard pricing also includes the first 100 vCPU free, then charges per billable vCPU per month: 1.99 USD for 0–500 vCPU, 1.49 USD for 500–2,000, 0.99 USD for 2,000–5,000, and 0.60 USD for 5,000+ vCPU. The declining rates favor larger estates, while the startup rate gives qualifying younger companies a lower flat rate. Email support is available on all accounts, including free ones. A free trial is also offered.

Platforms

KubeAdapt supports API, Linux, self-hosted and web use. That range suits teams that want a hosted interface or prefer to manage deployment themselves; Kubernetes environments include AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, OpenShift and bare metal.

Who it's for

KubeAdapt is a strong fit for Kubernetes teams that need cost attribution below the cluster level and want optimization guidance to pass through their own review and deployment process. It is less compelling for teams that require commitment-discount-aware GCP costs or network intelligence beyond AWS, or that expect the tool to make rightsizing changes automatically. Commitment optimization is not included.

Pros and cons

Pros: Cost views reach team and pod level, with container allocation and forecasting for more actionable cost analysis.

Pros: YAML recommendations and operational guardrails fit GitOps review without handing the agent write permissions.

Pros: The first 100 vCPU are free, and every account receives email support.

Cons: GCP committed-use and sustained-use discounts are not reflected, which can leave cost views short of actual discounted spend.

Cons: The network agent requires Linux kernel 5.10 or newer and currently supports paid use on AWS only.

Cons: Recommendations are not applied automatically, and commitment optimization is absent.

Alternatives

Kubernetes Cost Management Software is a broader category directory for readers comparing tools across the space. Choose Atmosly Kubernetes Cost Optimization instead if its free Personal plan's cap of one cluster, cloud account, seat and project, plus two environments and ten applications, matches a smaller setup. PerfectScale is worth considering for its free allowance of up to 200 vCPU per month with unlimited clusters, nodes and pods; larger use moves to Expert pricing by quote.

CloudBolt may suit teams seeking free core CMP capabilities capped at 100 resources. Krossboard is another freemium option for readers comparing Kubernetes cost tools. KubeLedger is the alternative to consider when self-hosting and free internal use matter, with source code available but no resale as a managed service. Skuber+ may fit teams looking for a 30-day full-access trial covering one cluster, Smart Scaling and Spot Instance. Flexera One IT Asset Management is a paid alternative for readers who want to explore IT asset management through a demo. Klustercost is a free, open-source option under GPL-3.0.

Verdict

Choose KubeAdapt if your Kubernetes team needs granular cost attribution and guarded, GitOps-friendly rightsizing guidance without giving an agent permission to alter workloads. Its free first 100 vCPU and broad environment support make it an accessible fit for cautious optimization. Look elsewhere if GCP commitment discounts must be reflected, you need network intelligence outside AWS, or you expect automated changes.

Verdict

KubeAdapt combines Kubernetes cost views, forecasts, alerts and guarded rightsizing recommendations with a read-only agent. Check the GCP discount and network-agent limits if those matter to your setup.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to KubeAdaptAll alternatives →