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No-Code · head to head

Corteza vs Kubernetes

Corteza logo

Corteza

No-Code

Apache-licensed open source low-code platform, formerly Crust, positioned against Salesforce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kubernetes logo

Kubernetes

Technology

Production-grade container orchestration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Corteza planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.; Kubernetes complex initial setup and configuration with multiple interdependent components
  • They diverge on capability: Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Kubernetes covers Container orchestration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corteza and Kubernetes actually diverge.

Attributes where Corteza and Kubernetes differ
AttributeCortezaKubernetes
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, DockerLinux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryNo-CodeTechnology
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Corteza

  • Corteza Low Code
  • Automation and workflow
  • Bundled CRM
  • Case management
  • Federation
  • Role-based access control
  • Corteza Messaging and integrations
  • Self-hosted deployment

Only in Kubernetes

  • Container orchestration
  • Automatic scaling
  • Self-healing
  • Service discovery
  • Load balancing
  • Storage orchestration
  • Automated rollouts
  • Secret management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Corteza

  • A European public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor feenot Kubernetes
  • An NGO replacing a Salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring costnot Kubernetes
  • An integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commerciallynot Kubernetes
  • A mid-size European company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount growsnot Kubernetes

Kubernetes

  • Microservices deploymentnot Corteza
  • Cloud-native applicationsnot Corteza
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot Corteza
  • Multi-cloud deploymentsnot Corteza
  • Edge computingnot Corteza

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Corteza

  • Planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.
  • No pricing is published for Planet Crusts support, hosting or implementation services, so the true running cost of a supported deployment cannot be estimated without a sales conversation.
  • The connector ecosystem is small compared with commercial low-code platforms, so integrations with common SaaS tools usually mean writing against the REST API rather than installing something.
  • Hiring is hard: almost nobody has Corteza on a CV, so you are training internal developers on a niche platform and you cannot easily replace them.
  • The bundled CRM is a starting point rather than a mature product, and teams that expect Salesforce-equivalent sales functionality out of the box will spend months building the gap themselves.

Kubernetes

  • Complex initial setup and configuration with multiple interdependent components
  • Significant resource requirements for both hardware infrastructure and specialized human expertise
  • Expensive specialized talent in Kubernetes domain; hiring costs prohibitive for many organizations
  • New security challenges around container isolation and network security requiring robust measures
  • Requires continuous maintenance and updates to stay current with releases and security patches

Pricing, plan by plan

Corteza

Free
  • Corteza communityFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed with no feature gating
    • Low-code builder, workflow engine, CRM and case management included
    • Self-hosted on your own infrastructure
  • Planet Crust support and services$undefined/year
    • Commercial support, hosting and implementation from Planet Crust
    • Custom application development
    • Training

Kubernetes

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Kubernetes review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Corteza if

  • You need corteza low code.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want automation and workflow.
Corteza review

Choose Kubernetes if

  • You need container orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want automatic scaling.
Kubernetes review

Questions people ask

Is Corteza or Kubernetes better?
Neither clearly leads. Corteza starts at Free and Kubernetes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Corteza or Kubernetes?
Corteza starts at Free and Kubernetes at Free.
Does Corteza or Kubernetes run on more platforms?
Corteza runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker. Kubernetes runs on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Corteza for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Corteza best used for?
Corteza is most often used for a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee, an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost, an integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commercially, a mid-size european company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount grows. Of those, a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee and an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost are not what Kubernetes is typically brought in for.
What can Corteza do that Kubernetes cannot?
Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Automation and workflow, Bundled CRM, Case management. Kubernetes covers Container orchestration, Automatic scaling, Self-healing, Service discovery.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Corteza: Is Corteza the same thing as Crust?

Yes. The project was branded Crust and renamed Corteza in 2019 when Crust Technology donated it to the Commons Conservancy.

Kubernetes: What is Kubernetes used for?

Kubernetes is a container orchestration platform that automates deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications across clusters of machines.

Source
Corteza: Who owns the code?

The Commons Conservancy, a Dutch foundation. Planet Crust in Cork is the primary developer and sells commercial services around it.

Kubernetes: Is Kubernetes free?

Yes, Kubernetes is free, open-source software maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. However, running Kubernetes clusters requires infrastructure investment.

Source
Corteza: Is there a paid enterprise edition?

No. Corteza is Apache 2.0 with no feature gating. Planet Crust sells support, hosting and development instead of a restricted edition.

Kubernetes: How hard is it to learn Kubernetes?

Kubernetes has a steep learning curve. It requires deep knowledge of containerization, networking, and distributed systems. Teams without prior container experience should expect significant training time.

Source
Corteza: Can it genuinely replace Salesforce?

For case management and a straightforward sales pipeline on a self-hosted footprint, yes. For a large sales organisation relying on AppExchange products and a mature ecosystem, no.

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