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k3s VS Vultr

Compare k3s VS Vultr and see what are their differences

k3s logo k3s

K3s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution by Rancher Labs intended for IoT, Edge, and cloud deployments.

Vultr logo Vultr

VULTR Global Cloud Hosting - Brilliantly Fast SSD VPS Cloud Servers. 100% KVM Virtualization
  • k3s Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-09
  • Vultr Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-07

k3s features and specs

  • Lightweight
    K3s is designed to be lightweight and less resource-intensive compared to full Kubernetes distributions, making it ideal for edge and IoT devices, as well as development environments.
  • Easy Installation
    K3s provides a simple installation process, requiring only a single binary for installation, which simplifies the setup procedure for users.
  • Low Resource Usage
    By stripping away non-essential features, K3s consumes significantly fewer resources, lowering the barrier to entry for running Kubernetes on resource-constrained environments.
  • Fully CNCF Conformant
    K3s is certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as conformant with standard Kubernetes, meaning it follows the same API and operational model.
  • Built-In Database
    K3s includes an embedded SQLite database by default, which simplifies deployment and reduces the complexity associated with managing an external etcd cluster.
  • Automated TLS Management
    K3s has integrated support for TLS certificates management, which helps in ensuring secure communications between components without additional configuration.
  • Ecosystem Compatibility
    K3s supports popular Kubernetes add-ons and CI/CD tools, so it can be seamlessly integrated into existing Kubernetes-based workflows.

Possible disadvantages of k3s

  • Reduced Feature Set
    To keep K3s lightweight, some non-essential Kubernetes features and components are omitted or replaced, which might limit functionality for more advanced use cases.
  • Lack of Scalability
    K3s is optimized for smaller clusters and edge environments, so it may not scale as efficiently as standard Kubernetes distributions in large, enterprise-level deployments.
  • Embedded SQLite Limitations
    While the built-in SQLite database simplifies initial setup, it may not handle high write loads or offer the same reliability and performance as an external etcd cluster for production environments.
  • Community and Enterprise Support
    Although supported by the Kubernetes community, K3s may have less enterprise-grade support and fewer educational resources compared to other full-featured Kubernetes distributions.
  • Ecosystem Integration
    Certain Kubernetes tools or cloud services optimized for full Kubernetes distributions may not work seamlessly with K3s, requiring custom configurations or workarounds.
  • Limited Networking Options
    K3s might have fewer networking configuration options compared to full-featured Kubernetes implementations, potentially restricting advanced network setup.
  • Simplified Security Model
    K3s implements a simplified security model which might lack some advanced security features and policies found in the standard Kubernetes distribution.

Vultr features and specs

  • Global Data Centers
    Vultr offers numerous data centers worldwide, enabling users to host their services closer to their target audience, which can improve speed and reliability.
  • Scalability
    Vultr enables seamless scaling of resources, allowing users to start modestly and upgrade as their needs grow without significant downtime.
  • Competitive Pricing
    Vultr provides competitively priced plans, including affordable entry-level options, making it accessible for small businesses and startups.
  • High Performance
    With SSD-based storage and high-performance networking, Vultr offers strong performance and quick load times for applications and websites.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The Vultr control panel is intuitive and user-friendly, enabling users to deploy and manage their instances with ease.
  • Wide Range of Services
    Vultr offers various services, including compute instances, block storage, and dedicated servers, accommodating diverse hosting needs.
  • Custom ISO Support
    Users can upload their custom ISOs, which provides greater flexibility in deploying operating systems and specialized software.

Possible disadvantages of Vultr

  • Limited Customer Support
    Vultr's customer support options may be limited as it primarily relies on ticket-based support, which can result in slower response times for urgent issues.
  • No Free Tier
    Unlike some competitors, Vultr does not offer a free tier, which could be a deterrent for developers looking to test the platform without incurring costs.
  • Complex Pricing Structure
    Customers may find Vultr's pricing structure somewhat complex, especially when factoring in additional costs for features like bandwidth and snapshots.
  • Lack of Advanced Managed Services
    Vultr primarily offers unmanaged services, which may require more hands-on management and maintenance from users compared to other providers with advanced managed services.
  • Variable Performance Metrics
    Some users report variability in performance metrics, especially under high load conditions, which could affect critical applications.
  • Limited Pre-configured Options
    While Vultr provides flexibility, it has fewer pre-configured, out-of-the-box solutions for popular applications compared to its competitors.

Analysis of Vultr

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Vultr is a solid choice for those seeking cloud hosting services. While it may not be perfect for everyone, its combination of performance and affordability makes it a strong contender in the market.

Why this product is good

  • Vultr is considered good by many users due to its reliable infrastructure, competitive pricing, and wide array of services. It offers data centers around the globe, allowing for flexible and scalable cloud solutions. Additionally, its user-friendly interface and responsive customer support are often highlighted as positives.

Recommended for

    Vultr is recommended for small to medium-sized businesses, developers looking for scalable solutions, and anyone in need of affordable cloud hosting with a global footprint. It may also be a good fit for startups and individuals seeking reliable virtual private servers and cloud computation facilities.

k3s videos

Siroko K3s Sun Glasses Unboxing and Review | Big Muscle Gains

More videos:

  • Review - Elecraft K3S Transceiver Review

Vultr videos

Vultr Cloud Server Review

More videos:

  • Review - SITEGROUND VS VULTR REVIEW 🤑 HONEST 💯 PROMO CODES
  • Review - Digital Ocean VS Vultr VS Linode for Don't Starve Together Dedicated Servers

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to k3s and Vultr)
Cloud Computing
21 21%
79% 79
DevOps Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Cloud Infrastructure
0 0%
100% 100
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare k3s and Vultr

k3s Reviews

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Vultr Reviews

Best Linux VPS [Top 10 Linux VPS Provider 2024]
Like DigitalOcean, Vultr can be hard to navigate through. They offer many different VPS services that can confuse you if you need a standard Linux VPS. Their prices vary from plan to plan, but they can get as high as $14.000 a month, depending on your needs. Vultr also has a strict policy about not offering a refund guarantee. If you are looking for a basic Linux VPS, Vultr...
Source: cloudzy.com
Top 50 Cheapest Cloud Services Providers | Affordable Cloud Hosting
Vultr is a low-cost cloud hosting service that offers monthly plans starting at $2.50. Vultr’s plans are very similar to DigitalOcean’s; in fact, Vultr’s cloud plans are more affordable. The most basic plan costs $2.50 per month and includes 20GB SSD storage, 512 RAM, 1 CPU core, and 500GB bandwidth. The next package costs $5 and includes a 25GB SSD, 1 CPU, 1024 RAM, and...
13 Best Windows VPS and Cloud Hosting Platform
Vultr servers are built on Intel core CPU and got multiple locations worldwide. There is no long-term contract.
Source: geekflare.com
Best Vultr Alternatives and Competitor Cloud Services of 2022
Scaleway is another well reputed Vultr competitor that offers cloud based solutions such as virtual instances, GPU instances, Bare metal cloud servers, Kubernetes Kapsule, and various block storage services. Similar to Vultr pricing, they also have cheaper prices as well as the best money value packages. Some large enterprises like Adobe, Dailymotion, Safran, Seloger, and...
Top 10+ Alternatives to DigitalOcean
Vultr is another DigitalOcean alternative that provides its cloud computing services with high-performance cloud servers. Vultr provides cloud computing services with its powerful control panel and APIs.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, k3s should be more popular than Vultr. It has been mentiond 175 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

k3s mentions (175)

  • Scaling Spin Apps With KEDA
    Setting up the Kubernetes cluster and the AWS SQS queue is outside the scope of this article, but you can deploy an Amazon EKS cluster by following this guide, or use k3s as a lightweight, local alternative. For setting up an SQS queue, refer to this tutorial. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • My 2024 review
    Start with small-scale experiments using k3s/k3d. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Using SpinKube on Kairos
    This will initialize K3S (a lightweight Kubernetes distribution), and will configure the Kairos SpinKube bundle we will install in a moment. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • A Very Deep Dive Into Docker Builds
    Finally the main reason for us is the choice of runtime. We have very decent container runtimes (RKE, RHOS, K3s) available to deploy applications. We are very familiar with them, and they offer us a lot of functionality. These all support containers primarily. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Building a Kubernetes Cluster from Scratch With K3s And MetalLB
    I used K3S in my cluster because it is a lightweight, stripped-down version of Kubernetes that’s ideal for running on resource-constrained devices like Raspberry PIs I plan to use in my home lab cluster. K3S can be installed through a shell script:. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
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Vultr mentions (58)

  • Switching from Squarespace to WooCommerce. Not a dev.
    Vultr.com pick the $5 monthly plan and enable backup. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Recommendation request - no transfer limit and allows custom images, <=$10/mo
    Most reputable places out there will allow everything above (and match your budget), such as Linode, or Vultr (there are others). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Lamp Stack website
    I recommend Hetzner or Vultr as a VPS provider as they're cheap and I/my friends have had good experiences with them. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • VPS servers
    Am I allowed to use VPS servers from vultr to use honeygain. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Unlimited bandwidth vps cloud service in India?
    Linode (Mumbai) and DigitalOcean (Bangalore) each have a single DC in India, and Vultr has 3 (Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi). Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing k3s and Vultr, you can also consider the following products

Kind - Kind is a web-based tool that provides you the features to operate the local kubernetes clusters with the help of a docker container named nodes.

DigitalOcean - Simplifying cloud hosting. Deploy an SSD cloud server in 55 seconds.

Kubernetes - Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers

Linode - We make it simple to develop, deploy, and scale cloud infrastructure at the best price-to-performance ratio in the market.

k3sup - from Zero to KUBECONFIG in < 1 min 🚀. Contribute to alexellis/k3sup development by creating an account on GitHub.

Amazon AWS - Amazon Web Services offers reliable, scalable, and inexpensive cloud computing services. Free to join, pay only for what you use.