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The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free, no paid tier

Biggest pro

Open source serverless

Biggest con

Learning curve

TL;DR - OpenFaaS

  • OpenFaaS is an open-source serverless framework for Docker and Kubernetes
  • It deploys functions as containers with auto-scaling and metrics
  • Free and open-source, Pro support available
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups

What is OpenFaaS?

Editorial review
OpenFaaS makes serverless functions portable. Functions on any infrastructure-serverless that doesn't lock you into clouds. The portability is the point. The Kubernetes integration works. The community supports it. Teams wanting portable serverless consider OpenFaaS for infrastructure-agnostic functions.

Available on: Web

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Open source serverless
  • Kubernetes native
  • Self-hostable
  • Good community
  • Language agnostic

Cons

  • Learning curve
  • Setup complexity
  • Enterprise features paid
  • Documentation gaps
  • Operational overhead

Key Features

Serverless functionsKubernetesDocker SwarmAny languageAuto-scalingOpen source

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Jul 16, 2026

Community Edition

Free

  • Open source
  • Self-hosted
  • Basic features
  • Community support

OpenFaaS Pro

Custom

  • Enterprise features
  • Scale-to-zero
  • Event connectors
  • Priority support

Reviews

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OpenFaaS FAQ

How does OpenFaaS enable portable serverless functions?

OpenFaaS makes serverless functions portable by integrating with Kubernetes, allowing functions to run on any infrastructure. This approach ensures that users are not locked into specific cloud providers for their serverless deployments.

Which teams would benefit most from using OpenFaaS?

Teams that prioritize infrastructure-agnostic functions and desire portability for their serverless deployments are well-suited for OpenFaaS. It is particularly useful for those already utilizing or planning to use Kubernetes for their infrastructure.

How does OpenFaaS compare to Knative for serverless deployments?

OpenFaaS provides serverless functions on Kubernetes with a focus on portability and self-hosting, similar to Knative. However, OpenFaaS emphasizes its open-source nature and strong community support for its Kubernetes-native approach.

What kind of operational trade-offs should users expect with OpenFaaS?

Users should be prepared for a learning curve and some setup complexity when adopting OpenFaaS. There can also be operational overhead due to its self-hostable and Kubernetes-native architecture, and some enterprise features require a paid plan.

Does OpenFaaS support functions written in various programming languages?

Yes, OpenFaaS is designed to be language agnostic, meaning it supports serverless functions developed in a wide range of programming languages. This flexibility allows teams to use their preferred languages for function development.

How is OpenFaaS priced?

OpenFaaS is free to use, as no paid plan is required to utilize its core serverless function capabilities on Kubernetes. However, certain advanced enterprise features may be part of a paid offering.

Source: openfaas.com