IONOS vs Hetzner: Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
Hetzner is 56% cheaper than IONOS for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€43 vs €96/mo)
The 3-node cost gap is 56% (€54/mo) in Hetzner's favour. On storage throughput, IONOS leads by ~6×, a meaningful gap for stateful Kubernetes workloads. Control plane management differs: IONOS is fully managed; Hetzner is self-operated. Choose Hetzner for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose IONOS for IOPS-intensive stateful applications.
IOPS figures from the providers' documentation: IONOS, Hetzner.
Cheapest server with 2 vCPU / 4 GB
- IONOS: vCPU 2C-4G (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM) for €32.12/mo
- Hetzner: CX23 (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 40 GB disk) for €7.13/mo
Monthly list prices excl. VAT. More sizes in the instance finder.
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 IONOS | Hetzner | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | Germany | Germany |
| Managed Kubernetes | Yes | No (DIY) |
| Control Plane Cost | Free | Self-managed |
| Cheapest Node | €32.12/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM | €7.13/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€96.36/mo | ~€42.78/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€192.72/mo | ~€64.17/mo |
| Egress | €0.050/GB | 20 TB free |
| S3 Storage | €0.015/GB | €0.010/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001 | ISO27001, C5, PCI-DSS |
| 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: IONOS as of May 2026, Hetzner as of Aug 2026.
Who Should Use Which?
IONOS offers managed Kubernetes with a free control plane — ideal if you want German data sovereignty without managing the control plane yourself. Hetzner is cheaper per node but requires self-managed K3s/K8s. Choose IONOS for convenience and compliance, Hetzner for raw cost savings.
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