Minimal Kubernetes distribution by Canonical
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17 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free, no paid tier
Biggest pro
Lightweight Kubernetes
Biggest con
Ubuntu focused
TL;DR - MicroK8s
- MicroK8s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution from Canonical
- It installs as a single package for development and edge computing
- Completely free and open-source
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
4.4/5 across review platforms
What is MicroK8s?
MicroK8s provides minimal Kubernetes that runs anywhere. Small footprint, easy installation-Kubernetes from Canonical for development and edge.
The installation is trivial. The resources are minimal. The compatibility is full.
Developers wanting simple local Kubernetes use MicroK8s for minimal K8s.
Available on: Linux
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lightweight Kubernetes
- Easy setup
- Good for dev
- Snap-based
- Canonical backed
Cons
- Ubuntu focused
- Not for production
- Add-on management
- Resource usage
- Alternative to minikube
Ratings Across the Web
4.4(17 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Minimal KubernetesSnap installAdd-onsMulti-nodeCanonicalCNCF
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked May 29, 2026
Open Source
Free
- Free to use
- Full Kubernetes
- Edge & IoT ready
- Community support
Ubuntu Pro
Custom
- 12-year LTS support
- Security patches
- Enterprise support
- CVE fixes
Reviews
4.4/5
Across 17 verified user reviews on G2
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MicroK8s FAQ
Is MicroK8s free?
MicroK8s is completely free and open source from Canonical. You can run full Kubernetes without any licensing costs.
What is MicroK8s?
MicroK8s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution that installs with a single command. It's great for development, edge computing, and IoT deployments.
MicroK8s vs k3s?
Both are lightweight Kubernetes distributions. MicroK8s is from Canonical using snaps, k3s is from Rancher. Both work well for similar use cases.
Source: microk8s.io