Vultr VKE pricing
Vultr · managed Kubernetes · snapshot captured June 2026
Vultr VKE has a free control plane. Vultr Kubernetes Engine control plane is free. You pay only for worker nodes and associated resources. You then pay for worker nodes (Worker nodes from $10/month each (1 vCPU / 2 GB). A typical 2-node cluster plus a $10/month load balancer is about $30/month.) plus load balancers and egress. Its representative cheapest node is about $10/month, and it runs in 30+ vultr locations worldwide. This is one of the providers with a free control plane.
Source: Vultr pricing. Data as of June 2026.
Vultr VKE pricing at a glance
| Cost factor | Vultr VKE |
|---|---|
| Control-plane fee | Vultr Kubernetes Engine control plane is free. You pay only for worker nodes and associated resources. |
| Est. control-plane cost / month | Free |
| Worker node example | Worker nodes from $10/month each (1 vCPU / 2 GB). A typical 2-node cluster plus a $10/month load balancer is about $30/month. |
| Load balancer | Vultr Load Balancer from $10/month. |
| Egress | Monthly bandwidth allowance per node, then metered overage. |
| Free tier | Free control plane. Pay only for compute nodes, block storage and load balancers. |
| Regions | 30+ Vultr locations worldwide. |
| SLA | Standard Vultr availability commitments. |
Source: Vultr pricing page. Data as of June 2026.
Source: Vultr pricing. Snapshot captured June 2026 — Kubernetes pricing changes frequently; verify before purchasing.
What drives the cost on Vultr VKE
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 Vultr VKE: Worker nodes from $10/month each (1 vCPU / 2 GB). A typical 2-node cluster plus a $10/month load balancer is about $30/month. Load balancers: Vultr Load Balancer from $10/month. Egress: Monthly bandwidth allowance per node, then metered overage.
Cost pros & cons
Where Vultr VKE saves money
- Free control plane
- Cheap nodes from $10/month and wide location coverage
- High-frequency / NVMe compute options
Watch-outs
- Fewer managed-platform features than hyperscalers
- Load balancer adds $10/month
- Smaller ecosystem
Vultr VKE vs other providers
How Vultr VKE's control-plane and node costs compare with similar providers:
| Provider | Control plane | Est. control-plane/mo | Cheapest node/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vultr VKE (this provider) | Free | Free | $10/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 Vultr VKE cost?
Vultr VKE has a free control plane. Vultr Kubernetes Engine control plane is free. You pay only for worker nodes and associated resources. On top of that you pay for worker nodes (Worker nodes from $10/month each (1 vCPU / 2 GB). A typical 2-node cluster plus a $10/month load balancer is about $30/month.), load balancers and egress. Snapshot captured June 2026 — verify on the vendor's pricing page.
Is the Vultr VKE control plane free?
Yes — Vultr VKE's standard/basic control plane is free; you pay only for worker nodes and resources. Vultr Kubernetes Engine control plane is free. You pay only for worker nodes and associated resources.
What do Vultr VKE worker nodes cost?
Worker nodes from $10/month each (1 vCPU / 2 GB). A typical 2-node cluster plus a $10/month load balancer is about $30/month. 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 Vultr VKE?
Beyond nodes and the control plane, the common extras are load balancers (Vultr Load Balancer from $10/month.) and data egress (Monthly bandwidth allowance per node, then metered overage.). 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 Vultr'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