Terway

At a glance

• Editor score
  6.3 / 10
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Alibaba Cloud VPC and ENI networking
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  Free
• Network policies
  Yes
• Facts checked
  20 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Native VPC and ENI networking with shared or exclusive ENI modes
  • Supports NetworkPolicy, dual-stack IPv4/IPv6, and eBPF acceleration
  • Per-Pod IP, vSwitch, and security-group configuration with Trunk ENI

• Where it doesn't

  • Its strongest fit is limited to Alibaba Cloud ACK environments
  • NetworkPolicy support applies to shared ENI mode, not exclusive ENI mode
  • Alibaba Cloud infrastructure and ACK resources incur separate charges

Our verdict on Terway

Terway is an open-source Container Network Interface plugin for Alibaba Cloud Kubernetes Service (ACK). It assigns Alibaba Cloud VPC-native elastic network interface addresses to Pods and supports shared and exclusive ENI modes for Pod IP allocation. The product is intended for teams operating Kubernetes workloads on Alibaba Cloud infrastructure, particularly where direct VPC connectivity and Alibaba Cloud networking controls matter more than broad multi-cloud portability.

The plugin itself is free and open source. Its networking scope includes Kubernetes NetworkPolicy support, IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack networking, direct VPC connectivity without VXLAN encapsulation, and IP prefix mode for higher Pod density. Trunk ENI also supports per-Pod static IP, vSwitch, and security-group configuration. eBPF-based DataPath V2 traffic acceleration adds a focused performance option for supported deployments. These capabilities make Terway suited to teams that want Pod networking to align closely with Alibaba Cloud VPC constructs rather than rely on an overlay-first design.

Platform fit is the key decision point. Terway is built around Alibaba Cloud ACK, VPC, and ENI networking, with support covering Alibaba Cloud Linux 3/4, ContainerOS, and Ubuntu. That focus can simplify the networking model for Alibaba Cloud operators, but it makes the product a poor match for teams seeking a provider-neutral CNI or a deployment centered on other cloud platforms. NetworkPolicy support also needs careful planning because it is documented for shared ENI mode, while exclusive ENI mode does not support it. Choose Terway for Alibaba Cloud-native Kubernetes networking; consider an alternative when portability across cloud environments is the primary requirement.

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Terway pricing

Terway fact sheet

Alternatives to Terway

• CiliumA broad open-source networking and observability layer for Kubernetes environments.9.4
• Calico Open SourceA free, broad Kubernetes networking stack with policy, encryption, and multi-cluster support.9.2
• AntreaA strong open-source choice for advanced Kubernetes networking, policy, and visibility.9.0

See all Terway alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update