Best CNI Plugins Alternatives in 2026
The top CNI Plugins alternatives are Cilium, Calico Open Source and Antrea: 15 container networking software our editors would look at instead of CNI Plugins, in our ranking order.
CNI Plugins: A free, composable CNI toolkit for low-level Linux and Windows container networking. Where it falls short: native network-policy functionality is not verified.
Switching from CNI Plugins? For most container networking software buyers the best CNI Plugins alternative is Cilium, built for broad Kubernetes networking and observability.
Why People Look for a CNI Plugins Alternative
- Native network-policy functionality is not verified
- Requires a CNI-compatible container runtime
- Provides components rather than a hosted networking service
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallCilium9.4
Broad Kubernetes networking and observability
Visit Cilium - Best free optionCilium9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Cilium
All 15 CNI Plugins Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
-
Best forBroad Kubernetes networking and observability
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 6.6
A broad open-source networking and observability layer for Kubernetes environments.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Cilium -
Best forFree, full-featured Kubernetes networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 6.6
A free, broad Kubernetes networking stack with policy, encryption, and multi-cluster support.
- Multi-cluster networking
- Encryption in transit
- Egress control
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Calico -
Best forAdvanced policy and multi-cluster networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 6.6
A strong open-source choice for advanced Kubernetes networking, policy, and visibility.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Antrea -
Best forFeature-rich Linux and Windows clusters
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 6.6
A feature-rich, free CNI for Kubernetes clusters spanning Linux and Windows.
- Encryption in transit
- Egress control
- CNI plugin
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit OVN-Kubernetes -
Best forMulti-tenant Kubernetes and VM networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 6.6
A broad self-hosted CNI for multi-tenant Kubernetes and KubeVirt networking.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Kube-OVN -
Best forEnterprise Kubernetes security and networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 6.6
A broad Kubernetes networking and security suite for enterprises operating complex clusters.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Tigera -
Best forEnterprise Cilium networking for self-hosted clusters
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 6.6
A self-hosted Cilium platform for policy-controlled Kubernetes networking and visibility.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Cisco -
Best forAmazon EKS and native AWS networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 6.6
A native AWS networking plugin for Kubernetes clusters running on Amazon infrastructure.
- Egress control
- CNI plugin
- Network policies
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Amazon VPC CNI -
Best forAzure Kubernetes Service networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 6.6
A free, open-source CNI for flexible AKS networking and policy control.
- Encryption in transit
- Egress control
- CNI plugin
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Azure CNI -
Best forBGP-based Kubernetes networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 6.6
A broad open-source Kubernetes networking stack for BGP-based cluster designs.
- Egress control
- CNI plugin
- Network policies
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Kube-router -
Best forStraightforward Kubernetes cluster networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 6.6
A free, focused CNI for straightforward Kubernetes cluster networking.
- Encryption in transit
- CNI plugin
- Network policies
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Flannel -
Best forComplex multi-interface IPAM environments
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 7.8 vs 6.6
A broad Kubernetes networking layer for complex multi-interface and RDMA environments.
- Multi-cluster networking
- Encryption in transit
- Egress control
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Spiderpool -
Best forFree cross-cluster Kubernetes connectivity
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 7.7 vs 6.6
A free open-source layer for connecting Pods and Services across Kubernetes clusters.
- Multi-cluster networking
- Encryption in transit
- Egress control
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Submariner -
Best forVMware-centered Kubernetes networking
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 7.6 vs 6.6
A VMware-focused Kubernetes networking layer with policy, visibility, and troubleshooting controls.
- Multi-cluster networking
- Egress control
- CNI plugin
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Broadcom -
Best forManaged multicloud Kubernetes traffic governance
- Better than CNI Plugins:
- Editor score 7.5 vs 6.6
Centralized multicloud Kubernetes traffic governance without replacing the CNI.
- Multi-cluster networking
- Egress control
- Network policies
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Aviatrix
CNI Plugins Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to CNI Plugins?
Cilium: #1 in our Container Networking Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad open-source networking and observability layer for Kubernetes environments.
Is there a free alternative to CNI Plugins?
Yes. Cilium, Calico Open Source, Antrea, OVN-Kubernetes and Kube-OVN have a free plan or a free tier (11 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for CNI Plugins alternatives?
Native network-policy functionality is not verified; Requires a CNI-compatible container runtime; Provides components rather than a hosted networking service.
How do I switch from CNI Plugins?
Export your data from CNI Plugins (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel CNI Plugins.
How to Switch from CNI Plugins
- Export your data from CNI Plugins (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel CNI Plugins.
CNI Plugins vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | CNI plugin | Network policies | Egress control | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | CNI Plugins | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 6.6 | |
| 1 | Cilium | Free | 9.4 | ||||
| 2 | Calico Open Source | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 3 | Antrea | Free | 9.0 | ||||
| 4 | OVN-Kubernetes | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 |
| 5 | Kube-OVN | Yes | Free | 8.6 | |||
| 6 | Calico Enterprise | No | 8.5 | ||||
| 7 | Isovalent Enterprise for Cilium | 8.4 | |||||
| 8 | Amazon VPC CNI | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | |
| 9 | Azure CNI | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 |
| 10 | Kube-router | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 11 | Flannel | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 7.9 | |
| 12 | Spiderpool | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.8 | |
| 13 | Submariner | Yes | Free | No | No | Yes | 7.7 |
| 14 | VMware NSX Container Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.6 | ||
| 15 | Aviatrix Kubernetes Firewall | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7.5 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update