Charmed Kubernetes
Charmed Kubernetes: A self-hosted Kubernetes distribution for multi-cloud and bare-metal operations. Ranked #10 of 30 in Container Orchestration Software by our editors (8.2/10); pricing: Free plan; best for multi-cloud self-hosted Kubernetes.
At a glance
- Editor score8.2 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forMulti-cloud self-hosted Kubernetes
- Free planYes
- Multi-cluster managementYes
- Founded2004 · London, United Kingdom
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Supports AWS, GCP, Azure, OpenStack, VMware, and bare metal
- Centralizes operations across multiple Kubernetes clusters
- Includes HA, upgrades, pluggable components, monitoring, and GPU support
Where it doesn't
- Requires self-managed deployment and ongoing operations
- Linux and self-hosted deployment limit platform scope
- Ubuntu Pro security maintenance costs $500 per machine annually
Our verdict on Charmed Kubernetes
Charmed Kubernetes is Canonical’s open-source Kubernetes distribution for teams running container platforms across public clouds, private infrastructure, virtual machines, and bare metal. It uses Juju and Charmed Operators to automate cluster deployment, configuration, upgrades, and ongoing lifecycle management. The product is aimed at organizations that want control over their Kubernetes infrastructure, including multi-cloud and multi-cluster environments, rather than a fully managed service.
Its strongest fit is infrastructure flexibility. Charmed Kubernetes supports AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, OpenStack, VMware, MAAS, and bare metal, while pluggable CNI networking, CSI storage, and CRI runtime components allow teams to select options such as Calico, Flannel, Cilium, and Kube-OVN. Centralized operational control covers multiple clusters, and high-availability configuration, automatic patch-release upgrades, and security updates address ongoing platform administration. Monitoring integrations include Prometheus, metrics-server, ELK, and Nagios. GPU, FPGA, and SR-IOV workload support also gives it a broader infrastructure profile than a narrowly focused Kubernetes installer.
The main trade-off is operational ownership. Charmed Kubernetes is self-hosted on Linux, so teams remain responsible for deployment and platform management rather than handing those responsibilities to a managed Kubernetes provider. The Free plan provides self-managed Kubernetes deployment at no charge. Ubuntu Pro Server is listed at $500 per machine per year and adds security maintenance for Kubernetes infrastructure, with optional enterprise support add-ons. RBAC, Kubernetes authorization controls, and CIS benchmark compliance tooling support teams with policy and compliance requirements. Choose Charmed Kubernetes if multi-cloud portability, bare-metal support, multi-cluster control, and composable infrastructure matter. Choose an alternative if the priority is a fully managed Kubernetes experience or minimal infrastructure administration.
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Charmed Kubernetes pricing
Charmed Kubernetes fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Deployment model | Self-hosted |
| Multi-cluster management | Yes |
| Autoscaling | Yes |
| Rolling updates | Yes |
| Policy controls | Yes |
| Cluster limit | Not verified |
| Node limit | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Linux |
| Support | Email, Phone, Community, Docs · 24/7 |
| Built for | Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 12 integrations: OpenStack, VMware, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Calico … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | ubuntu.com |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
Charmed Kubernetes integrations
Charmed Kubernetes lists 12 integrations on its own site.
- OpenStack
- VMware
- Amazon Web Services
- Google Cloud
- Microsoft Azure
- Calico
- Flannel
- Prometheus
- Elasticsearch
- Kibana
- Nagios
- MAAS
Alternatives to Charmed Kubernetes
- KubernetesA flexible, open-source foundation for broad Kubernetes container orchestration needs.9.4
- Azure Kubernetes ServiceA strong Azure-native choice for managed Kubernetes, scaling, governance, and hybrid deployment.9.2
- Kubermatic Kubernetes PlatformA broad, open-source Kubernetes control plane for teams managing clusters across many environments.9.0
See all Charmed Kubernetes alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Charmed Kubernetes is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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