Cloud · head to head
kind vs Thanos
Thanos
Cloud
Highly available Prometheus with long-term object storage
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: kind requires Docker or Podman, so it inherits whatever container runtime limitations exist on the host; Thanos several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
- They diverge on capability: kind covers Nodes as containers, Thanos covers Global query.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which kind and Thanos actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).
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 kind
- Nodes as containers
- Multi-node topologies
- CI-friendly
- Local image loading
Only in Thanos
- Global query
- Object storage retention
- Deduplication
- Downsampling
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
kind
- Spinning up and destroying a Kubernetes cluster inside a CI jobnot Thanos
- Testing controllers and operators against several Kubernetes versionsnot Thanos
- Local multi-node clusters without the memory cost of virtual machinesnot Thanos
Thanos
- Querying metrics across many clusters or regions from one placenot kind
- Retaining metrics for years without local disk growthnot kind
- Removing the gap that appears when a single Prometheus instance restartsnot kind
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
kind
- Requires Docker or Podman, so it inherits whatever container runtime limitations exist on the host
- Fewer conveniences than minikube: no addon system, so ingress and metrics need manual installation
- Because nodes are containers sharing the host kernel, it is a weaker simulation of real node behaviour and storage
Thanos
- Several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
- The compactor is a common source of operational trouble and must not run twice against the same bucket
- Query latency over object storage is meaningfully higher than local Prometheus
- Object storage costs and API request charges become real at high volume
Pricing, plan by plan
kind
Free- kindFree
- Full functionality
- No usage limits
- Community support
Thanos
Free- ThanosFree
- Full functionality
- No usage limits
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose kind if
- You need nodes as containers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
- You also want multi-node topologies.
Choose Thanos if
- You need global query.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
- You also want object storage retention.
Questions people ask
- Is kind or Thanos better?
- Neither clearly leads. kind starts at Free and Thanos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, kind or Thanos?
- kind starts at Free and Thanos at Free.
- Does kind or Thanos run on more platforms?
- kind runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Thanos runs on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
- Can I use kind for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is kind best used for?
- kind is most often used for spinning up and destroying a kubernetes cluster inside a ci job, testing controllers and operators against several kubernetes versions, local multi-node clusters without the memory cost of virtual machines. Of those, spinning up and destroying a kubernetes cluster inside a ci job and testing controllers and operators against several kubernetes versions are not what Thanos is typically brought in for.
- What can kind do that Thanos cannot?
- kind covers Nodes as containers, Multi-node topologies, CI-friendly, Local image loading. Thanos covers Global query, Object storage retention, Deduplication, Downsampling.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
kind: Is kind free?
Yes, open source and maintained under Kubernetes SIGs.
Thanos: Is Thanos free?
Yes, open source and CNCF-incubating. Costs are the object storage it uses.
kind: Why run Kubernetes nodes as containers?
Speed and cost. A container node starts in seconds and uses far less memory than a virtual machine, which is what makes per-CI-run clusters realistic.
Thanos: Does Thanos replace Prometheus?
No. It runs alongside existing Prometheus servers, adding global query, deduplication and long-term storage.
kind: Is kind suitable for production?
No. It is a development and testing tool, and node isolation is weaker than real nodes because containers share the host kernel.
Thanos: Thanos or VictoriaMetrics?
Thanos layers onto Prometheus using object storage and is the more established multi-cluster answer. VictoriaMetrics is a separate store aiming at lower resource use and fewer moving parts.
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