What is k3s?
A lightweight Kubernetes distribution by Rancher. k3s packages the entire Kubernetes control plane into a single binary under 100MB, ideal for edge, IoT, and small VPS deployments.
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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.
Related Calculators
k3s Resources
Calculate RAM and CPU requirements for a k3s cluster. k3s has 5–10× lower overhead than full Kubernetes — see exactly how much your server and agent nodes need.
Hetzner k3s Cost
Calculate the monthly cost of running a k3s cluster on Hetzner Cloud. k3s uses 3× less RAM than full Kubernetes — smaller servers mean lower costs.
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.
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Related Comparisons
k3s vs kubeadm Kubernetes
k3s vs kubeadm — which Kubernetes distribution is right for your self-hosted cluster? Compare setup time, resource overhead, HA complexity, and production suitability.
k3s vs MicroK8s
k3s vs MicroK8s — two lightweight Kubernetes distributions for edge, IoT, and small clusters. Compare resource usage, addon systems, ARM support, and ease of use.