Hetzner vs Exoscale: Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
Hetzner is 53% cheaper than Exoscale for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€43 vs €91/mo)
Hetzner costs 53% less — a saving of ~€48/mo on a standard 3-node cluster. Storage IOPS differ by ~2×, with Hetzner ahead — relevant if your workload relies on persistent volumes. Exoscale handles control plane operations; with Hetzner you self-host the control plane, trading simplicity for flexibility. Choose Hetzner for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose Exoscale for IOPS-intensive stateful applications.
IOPS figures from the providers' documentation: Hetzner, Exoscale.
Cheapest server with 2 vCPU / 4 GB
- Hetzner: CX23 (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 40 GB disk) for €7.13/mo
- Exoscale: Medium (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 10 GB disk) for €34.06/mo
Monthly list prices excl. VAT. More sizes in the instance finder.
We tested it
- Exoscale SKS Review: Fast, Flexible, and Waiting for VPC — hands-on review with benchmarks, Mar 2026
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 Hetzner |  Exoscale | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | Germany | Switzerland |
| Managed Kubernetes | No (DIY) | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | Self-managed | Free |
| Cheapest Node | €7.13/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM | €17.03/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€42.78/mo | ~€91.24/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€64.17/mo | ~€142.33/mo |
| Egress | 20 TB free | €0.020/GB |
| S3 Storage | €0.010/GB | €0.020/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001, C5, PCI-DSS | ISO27001, FINMA |
| CLOUD Act Exposure | No | 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: Hetzner as of Aug 2026, Exoscale as of May 2026.
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