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Cloud · head to head

kind vs Trilio

kind logo

kind

Cloud

Run Kubernetes clusters inside Docker containers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trilio logo

Trilio

Backup

Backup and recovery for OpenStack, Kubernetes and Red Hat Virtualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: kind requires Docker or Podman, so it inherits whatever container runtime limitations exist on the host; Trilio coverage is deliberately narrow, so a mixed estate with VMware and physical servers needs a second backup product and two sets of restore procedures.
  • They diverge on capability: kind covers Nodes as containers, Trilio covers OpenStack backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which kind and Trilio actually diverge.

Attributes where kind and Trilio differ
AttributekindTrilio
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer node per year
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsLinux, Web
CategoryCloudBackup

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 kind

  • Nodes as containers
  • Multi-node topologies
  • CI-friendly
  • Local image loading

Only in Trilio

  • OpenStack backup
  • Kubernetes backup
  • OpenShift Virtualization
  • Open format backups
  • Incremental forever
  • Self-service restore
  • Free basic edition

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 Trilio
  • Testing controllers and operators against several Kubernetes versionsnot Trilio
  • Local multi-node clusters without the memory cost of virtual machinesnot Trilio

Trilio

  • A telco running an OpenStack cloud whose incumbent backup vendor supports it only through generic agentsnot kind
  • An organisation migrating virtual machines from VMware to OpenShift Virtualization and needing protection on the new platform from day onenot kind
  • A research institution protecting tenant workloads where each tenant should restore its own data without a ticketnot kind
  • A platform team wanting to evaluate Kubernetes backup properly on ten nodes before committing budgetnot 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

Trilio

  • Coverage is deliberately narrow, so a mixed estate with VMware and physical servers needs a second backup product and two sets of restore procedures.
  • Trilio is a small vendor next to the backup incumbents, and buyers with ten year retention obligations should assess the risk of the company being acquired or wound down.
  • Enterprise pricing is per node or per virtual machine and is not published, which makes it hard to compare against per-terabyte competitors without going through sales.
  • The free basic edition stops at ten nodes with community support only, so the step from evaluation to production is a full commercial negotiation rather than a tier upgrade.
  • Restore performance depends on the object storage or NFS target you supply, and egress charges from a cloud object store during a large recovery sit outside the vendor quote entirely.

Pricing, plan by plan

kind

Free
  • kindFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Trilio

Free
  • Basic EditionFree
    • Up to ten nodes
    • No time limit
    • Community support only
  • Enterprise Edition$undefined/year
    • Priced per node or per virtual machine annually
    • No scale limits
    • OpenStack, Kubernetes, OpenShift and Red Hat Virtualization

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.
kind review

Choose Trilio if

  • You need openstack backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web.
  • You also want kubernetes backup.
Trilio review

Questions people ask

Is kind or Trilio better?
Neither clearly leads. kind starts at Free and Trilio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, kind or Trilio?
kind starts at Free and Trilio at Free.
Does kind or Trilio run on more platforms?
kind runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Trilio runs on Linux, Web.
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 Trilio is typically brought in for.
What can kind do that Trilio cannot?
kind covers Nodes as containers, Multi-node topologies, CI-friendly, Local image loading. Trilio covers OpenStack backup, Kubernetes backup, OpenShift Virtualization, Open format backups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

kind: Is kind free?

Yes, open source and maintained under Kubernetes SIGs.

Trilio: Is the free edition production usable?

It is functionally complete up to ten nodes with community support only. Use it to evaluate, but understand that production incidents have no vendor behind them at that tier.

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.

Trilio: Does it support OpenShift Virtualization?

Yes, which is the main reason it appears on shortlists for organisations moving virtual machines off VMware.

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.

Trilio: Where are backups stored?

On NFS or S3-compatible object storage you provide, in an open format rather than a proprietary vendor container.

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