$ k8scalc compare keepalived metallb
Keepalived vs MetalLB
Keepalived vs MetalLB for bare metal Kubernetes load balancing — when to use VRRP Floating IPs with HAProxy vs MetalLB's BGP/L2 mode for in-cluster load balancing.
Verdict
These tools solve different problems. Keepalived (VRRP) is the right choice for the Hetzner setup: run HAProxy VMs outside the cluster with Keepalived providing a shared Floating IP between them — this survives total cluster failures. MetalLB lives inside Kubernetes and announces LoadBalancer IPs via L2 ARP or BGP — ideal for on-cluster load balancing without external VMs. For production Hetzner clusters, use both: Keepalived+HAProxy for the K8s API and primary ingress entry point, MetalLB for secondary services needing their own external IP.
Related tool
K8s Cluster Cost
Calculate the monthly cost of running a self-managed Kubernetes cluster on Hetzner Cloud, Vultr, or DigitalOcean. Choose server types for control planes, workers, and load balancers with HA mode.