Hetzner (self-managed) pricing
Hetzner Cloud · managed Kubernetes · snapshot captured June 2026
Hetzner (self-managed) has a free control plane. Hetzner has no managed Kubernetes product — you run Kubernetes yourself (e.g. k3s/kubeadm) on cheap cloud servers, so there is no control-plane fee, but you operate the control plane. You then pay for worker nodes (CX22 shared-vCPU server (2 vCPU / 4 GB) from ~€3.79/month. A self-managed cluster of a few CX22 nodes is among the cheapest ways to run Kubernetes.) plus load balancers and egress. Its representative cheapest node is about $4/month, and it runs in germany, finland and the us (ashburn, hillsboro). This is one of the providers with a free control plane.
Source: Hetzner Cloud pricing. Data as of June 2026.
Hetzner (self-managed) pricing at a glance
| Cost factor | Hetzner (self-managed) |
|---|---|
| Control-plane fee | Hetzner has no managed Kubernetes product — you run Kubernetes yourself (e.g. k3s/kubeadm) on cheap cloud servers, so there is no control-plane fee, but you operate the control plane. |
| Est. control-plane cost / month | Free |
| Worker node example | CX22 shared-vCPU server (2 vCPU / 4 GB) from ~€3.79/month. A self-managed cluster of a few CX22 nodes is among the cheapest ways to run Kubernetes. |
| Load balancer | Hetzner Load Balancer (LB11) from ~€5.39/month. |
| Egress | 20 TB/month included traffic per server, then ~€1/TB. |
| Free tier | No managed service. No control-plane fee because you self-host the control plane on your own servers. |
| Regions | Germany, Finland and the US (Ashburn, Hillsboro). |
| SLA | No managed-Kubernetes SLA — you own uptime of the self-managed control plane. |
Source: Hetzner Cloud pricing page. Data as of June 2026.
Source: Hetzner Cloud pricing. Snapshot captured June 2026 — Kubernetes pricing changes frequently; verify before purchasing.
What drives the cost on Hetzner (self-managed)
A managed-Kubernetes bill has three main parts: the control plane (free here), the worker nodes (where most of your spend goes), and networking (load balancers and egress). For Hetzner (self-managed): CX22 shared-vCPU server (2 vCPU / 4 GB) from ~€3.79/month. A self-managed cluster of a few CX22 nodes is among the cheapest ways to run Kubernetes. Load balancers: Hetzner Load Balancer (LB11) from ~€5.39/month. Egress: 20 TB/month included traffic per server, then ~€1/TB.
Cost pros & cons
Where Hetzner (self-managed) saves money
- Cheapest raw compute (servers from ~€3.79/month)
- 20 TB/month included traffic per server
- No control-plane fee at all
Watch-outs
- No managed Kubernetes — you build and operate the control plane yourself
- No managed SLA; upgrades and HA are your responsibility
- Only a few regions
Hetzner (self-managed) vs other providers
How Hetzner (self-managed)'s control-plane and node costs compare with similar providers:
| Provider | Control plane | Est. control-plane/mo | Cheapest node/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hetzner (self-managed) (this provider) | Free | Free | $4/mo |
| Azure AKS | Free | Free | $30/mo |
| DigitalOcean DOKS | Free | Free | $12/mo |
| Akamai LKE | Free | Free | $12/mo |
| OVHcloud MKS | Free | Free | $20/mo |
| Scaleway Kapsule | Free | Free | $7/mo |
Frequently asked questions
How much does Hetzner (self-managed) cost?
Hetzner (self-managed) has a free control plane. Hetzner has no managed Kubernetes product — you run Kubernetes yourself (e.g. k3s/kubeadm) on cheap cloud servers, so there is no control-plane fee, but you operate the control plane. On top of that you pay for worker nodes (CX22 shared-vCPU server (2 vCPU / 4 GB) from ~€3.79/month. A self-managed cluster of a few CX22 nodes is among the cheapest ways to run Kubernetes.), load balancers and egress. Snapshot captured June 2026 — verify on the vendor's pricing page.
Is the Hetzner (self-managed) control plane free?
Yes — Hetzner (self-managed)'s standard/basic control plane is free; you pay only for worker nodes and resources. Hetzner has no managed Kubernetes product — you run Kubernetes yourself (e.g. k3s/kubeadm) on cheap cloud servers, so there is no control-plane fee, but you operate the control plane.
What do Hetzner (self-managed) worker nodes cost?
CX22 shared-vCPU server (2 vCPU / 4 GB) from ~€3.79/month. A self-managed cluster of a few CX22 nodes is among the cheapest ways to run Kubernetes. Node pricing is the largest part of most clusters' bills, so the choice of instance size and count usually matters more than the control-plane fee. Snapshot captured June 2026.
What hidden costs should I watch for with Hetzner (self-managed)?
Beyond nodes and the control plane, the common extras are load balancers (Hetzner Load Balancer (LB11) from ~€5.39/month.) and data egress (20 TB/month included traffic per server, then ~€1/TB.). NAT gateways, storage volumes and support plans can also add up. Always model your real workload — the calculator gives a quick estimate.
Keep exploring
Source & accuracy
Figures are a dated snapshot from Hetzner Cloud's pricing page (snapshot captured June 2026). Estimated monthly control-plane cost is the hourly fee × 730 hours (see methodology). Managed-Kubernetes pricing is volatile and varies by region, instance type and discounts — verify current prices on the vendor's page before purchasing. This is an informational comparison, not a quote.
Last updated: 2026-06-20