The best alternatives to OpenShift
OpenShift’s per-core pricing punishes growth, and its proprietary APIs make migration painful. For EU teams, the lock-in and compliance overhead often outweigh the benefits, pushing them toward simpler, more portable Kubernetes alternatives like gridscale or Cloudfleet.
European alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Why do teams switch away from OpenShift?
The per-core licensing model creates unpredictable costs as hardware scales, and proprietary APIs like DeploymentConfigs or Routes lock teams into the platform. Many seek alternatives with standard Kubernetes APIs and transparent pricing.
Which OpenShift alternatives are fully EU-hosted?
gridscale and Cloudfleet offer managed Kubernetes with servers exclusively in the EU, addressing GDPR and data residency requirements. Kubermatic and SUSE Rancher can also be self-hosted on EU infrastructure.
Is migration from OpenShift to a standard Kubernetes alternative difficult?
Migration difficulty depends on how much you rely on OpenShift-specific features. Teams using standard Kubernetes resources can move more easily, while those using DeploymentConfigs, Routes, or SCCs will need to refactor manifests or use tools like `oc` to `kubectl` converters.
How do pricing models compare between OpenShift and European alternatives?
OpenShift charges per core, which can balloon with hardware upgrades. European alternatives like gridscale or Scaleway Kapsule often use pay-as-you-go or node-based pricing, avoiding the ‘success penalty’ of per-core models.
Do European OpenShift alternatives support hybrid or multi-cloud setups?
Yes. gridscale and Kubermatic support hybrid and multi-cloud deployments, allowing you to run clusters across on-premises and public cloud providers while maintaining EU data residency where needed.
Which European alternative is the best fit for strict GDPR compliance?
Cloudfleet is the only managed alternative in this list headquartered in the EU, with all infrastructure and data processing confined to the region. gridscale also offers EU-only hosting and DPA-ready contracts for strict GDPR adherence.