Azure (AKS) vs STACKIT: Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
Azure (AKS) is 35% cheaper than STACKIT for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€72 vs €110/mo)
At the cluster level, Azure (AKS) runs 35% cheaper, roughly €39/mo less than its competitor. Storage IOPS differ by ~10×, with Azure (AKS) ahead — relevant if your workload relies on persistent volumes. Egress is cheaper with STACKIT: unlimited egress vs paid. Choose Azure (AKS) for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose STACKIT for IOPS-intensive stateful applications.
 Azure (AKS) |  STACKIT | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | United States | Germany |
| Managed Kubernetes | Yes | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | Free | €74.63/mo |
| Cheapest Node | €23.95/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM | €11.91/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€71.85/mo | ~€110.36/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€143.70/mo | ~€146.09/mo |
| Egress | €0.080/GB | Unlimited |
| S3 Storage | €0.018/GB | €0.006/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001, SOC2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS | ISO27001, ISO27017, ISO27018, C5, SOC2 |
| CLOUD Act Exposure | Yes (US-owned) | No |
* Estimated using cheapest available node. DIY providers include 3 additional control plane nodes. Use the calculator for exact pricing with your specs.
Data freshness: Azure (AKS) as of May 2026, STACKIT as of May 2026.
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