Practical guide
EKS vs GKE: estimate control-plane and worker cost
Compare Kubernetes platform estimates by separating cluster fees, worker capacity, runtime, and omitted services.
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Separate the cluster from capacity
A fair estimate lists control-plane or management fees, worker VM hours, storage, load balancing, and network separately. For a hypothetical 3-node, 730-hour month, use the same worker capacity and runtime assumptions before comparing platform totals.
The comparison tool cannot decide node utilization, autoscaling, observability, support, or application performance. Add those items in a separate worksheet when they differ between designs.
Does managed Kubernetes remove VM cost?
No. Worker nodes and attached services remain part of the workload. Keep cluster fees and worker costs visible so a small platform charge does not hide a larger capacity choice.
Use the EKS vs GKE calculator.