IONOS vs GCP (GKE): Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
IONOS is 42% cheaper than GCP (GKE) for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€96 vs €166/mo)
The 3-node cost gap is 42% (€70/mo) in IONOS's favour. GCP (GKE) delivers ~8× the storage IOPS, which matters for write-heavy workloads like etcd or database operators. IONOS provides a free control plane; GCP (GKE) charges €73/mo for the managed control plane. Choose IONOS for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose GCP (GKE) for IOPS-intensive stateful applications.
IOPS figures from the providers' documentation: IONOS, GCP (GKE).
Cheapest server with 2 vCPU / 4 GB
- IONOS: vCPU 2C-4G (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM) for €32.12/mo
- GCP (GKE): e2-standard-2 (2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM) for €47.13/mo
Monthly list prices excl. VAT. More sizes in the instance finder.
Based on last-fetched pricing, IONOS runs roughly €50–100/mo less than GCP (GKE) for a 3-node cluster. Prices may have changed.
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 IONOS |  GCP (GKE) | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | Germany | United States |
| Managed Kubernetes | Yes | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | Free | €73/mo |
| Cheapest Node | €32.12/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM | €34.37/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€96.36/mo | ~€165.95/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€192.72/mo | ~€269.06/mo |
| Egress | €0.050/GB | €0.103/GB |
| S3 Storage | €0.015/GB | €0.017/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001 | ISO27001, SOC2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS |
| CLOUD Act Exposure | No | Yes (US-owned) |
* Estimated using cheapest available node. DIY providers include 3 additional control plane nodes. Use the calculator for exact pricing with your specs.
Data freshness: IONOS as of May 2026, GCP (GKE) as of May 2026.
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