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CDKTF vs Crossplane: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)

CDKTF has shut down. Its own site says: “The Cloud Development Kit for Terraform is deprecated as of December 10, 2025.” Source

Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for CDKTF and Crossplane side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.

On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.

Data comparison compiled by Toolradar, not hand-reviewed Methodology
Data comparison 68 user reviews compared Pricing checked Oct 4, 2026

Short on time? Here's the quick answer

Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:

CDKTF

Define Terraform infrastructure using programming languages

Crossplane

Build cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes

Best for you if:

  • • You want to build cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes
At a glance: CDKTF vs Crossplane
At a Glance
CDKTF CDKTF
Crossplane Crossplane
Starts at
Free 100% free
Free 100% free
Category
DevOps Infrastructure as Code
DevOps Infrastructure as Code
Rating
n/a 4.3/5 SourceForge 4.3 · G2 4.0 68 reviews
Free plan
Yes Yes

Choose CDKTF or Crossplane?

CDKTF

Choose CDKTF if

  • You need DevOps features specifically.
Crossplane

Choose Crossplane if

  • You want to build cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes

In-Depth Analysis

CDKTF CDKTF

Define Terraform infrastructure using programming languages

Great value

CDKTF is entirely free, making it an incredibly generous offering compared to any paid Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solution.

Strengths

  • Pro: Terraform with programming languages
  • Pro: Type safety
  • Pro: Familiar for devs
  • Pro: HCL alternative
  • Pro: Active development

Weaknesses

  • Con: Learning curve
  • Con: Debugging harder
  • Con: Terraform knowledge needed
  • Con: Generation overhead
  • Con: Community smaller

Key features

Terraform CDK Multi-language Type safety HashiCorp Infrastructure as code Open source

Crossplane Crossplane

Build cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes

Great value

Crossplane's pricing is incredibly generous, offering a powerful open-source solution for free.

Strengths

  • Pro: Kubernetes infrastructure management
  • Pro: Multi-cloud
  • Pro: GitOps friendly
  • Pro: CNCF project
  • Pro: Active development

Weaknesses

  • Con: Steep learning curve
  • Con: Complex setup
  • Con: Resource overhead
  • Con: Documentation dense
  • Con: Debugging difficult

Key features

Infrastructure API Kubernetes native Multi-cloud Compositions CNCF Open source

Plans and prices: CDKTF vs Crossplane

Plans and prices of CDKTF and Crossplane, as read on each vendor's pricing page. Each plan keeps its own billing unit.
Tool Plans and prices Source
CDKTF
  • Free: Free
developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/cdktf read Sep 28, 2026
Crossplane
  • Open Source: Free
  • UXP (Upbound): Free
  • Upbound Commercial: Custom pricing
crossplane.io read Oct 4, 2026

Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on CDKTF pricing and Crossplane pricing.

Key Takeaways

CDKTF

  • Worth considering for DevOps

Crossplane

  • Choose Crossplane if you want to build cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes

What the data shows

On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.

  • Only Crossplane has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 68 reviews); CDKTF has none we can show.
  • Both have a free plan.

Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

How do CDKTF and Crossplane compare in 2026?

On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Crossplane has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 68 reviews); CDKTF has none we can show. Both have a free plan.

What are CDKTF and Crossplane used for?

CDKTF: Define Terraform infrastructure using programming languages. Crossplane: Build cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes.

What does CDKTF cost vs Crossplane?

CDKTF is free. Crossplane is free. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 4, 2026.

What's the main difference between CDKTF and Crossplane?

CDKTF's main strength: terraform with programming languages. Crossplane's main strength: kubernetes infrastructure management.

Spotted an outdated price or a wrong fact? Suggest a correction: we check it against the vendor's own page. Work for one of these vendors? Claim your listing to update it yourself.

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