k3d vs kind
k3d
k3d.io
kind
kind.sigs.k8s.ioSide by side
| Figure | k3d | kind |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Local Kubernetes Tools | 8.1 (#7) | 8.7 (#1) |
| Spec score · Container Development Environments | 7.9 (#19) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Cluster configuration | A registries.yaml file can configure registries for a cluster, and the configuration can include registry authentication and certificates. | A configuration file can define multiple worker and control-plane nodes, port mappings, and Kubernetes versions. |
| Installation | The maker lists installation options including GitHub release binaries, Homebrew, AUR, Chocolatey, Scoop, arkade, asdf, and Go. | The project provides downloadable release binaries and source installation instructions; community-maintained packages are also listed. |
| Purpose | k3d is a lightweight wrapper for running k3s, Rancher Lab’s minimal Kubernetes distribution, in Docker. | kind runs local Kubernetes clusters using Docker container nodes and is designed primarily for Kubernetes testing, with local development and CI as other uses. |
| Support | The overview directs users to the Rancher community Slack and its #k3d channel for discussion. | The project directs users to its Kubernetes Slack #kind channel, GitHub issue tracker, and SIG-Testing mailing list for help and issues. |
Plans
In their own words
k3d
k3d is a free, community-driven wrapper that runs k3s, Rancher Lab’s minimal Kubernetes distribution, inside Docker. It creates single-node and multi-node clusters for local Kubernetes development and can support hot-reloading, Tilt build-deploy-test workflows, and Drone CI service use. Docker is required, while kubectl is used to interact with clusters. For k3d v5.x.x, the overview specifies Docker v20.10.5 or later and runc v1.0.0-rc93 or later. A registries.yaml file configures registries, authentication, and certificates, and documentation covers local registries managed by k3d. Services can be exposed through Ingress or NodePort by mapping container ports to the host. Covered k3s integrations include CoreDNS, local-path-provisioner, Traefik, and the Klipper service load balancer. Installation options include release binaries, Homebrew, AUR, Chocolatey, Scoop, arkade, asdf, and Go. k3d runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted setups. It is not an official Rancher (SUSE) product.
kind
kind runs local Kubernetes clusters with Docker container nodes, mainly for Kubernetes testing; local development and CI are also listed uses. It bootstraps cluster nodes with kubeadm and supports multi-node setups, including high availability. A configuration file can define worker and control-plane nodes, port mappings, and Kubernetes versions.
The tool can build Kubernetes release builds from source or use pre-published builds. It can detect Docker, Podman, or nerdctl as its container provider, including rootless providers subject to host and provider requirements. Users can load Docker images or an image archive into a cluster. Documentation covers ingress and Gateway API configuration with cloud-provider-kind, private registry workflows, and Kubernetes API audit logging.