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Cloud · head to head

Kustomize vs Scaleway

Kustomize logo

Kustomize

Cloud

Template-free customisation of Kubernetes YAML

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Scaleway logo

Scaleway

Cloud

European cloud for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kustomize no packaging or distribution story, which is exactly what Helm charts provide; Scaleway no free tier or trial period mentioned on homepage
  • They diverge on capability: Kustomize covers Overlay patching, Scaleway covers Virtual Instances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kustomize and Scaleway actually diverge.

Attributes where Kustomize and Scaleway differ
AttributeKustomizeScaleway
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeusage-based
PlatformsKubernetes, Linux, macOS, WindowsWeb, Api, Cli
FoundedUnknown1999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Kustomize

  • Overlay patching
  • No templating language
  • Built into kubectl
  • Generators

Only in Scaleway

  • Virtual Instances
  • Bare Metal
  • Kubernetes Kapsule
  • Object Storage
  • Serverless Functions
  • Managed Databases
  • Container Registry
  • Load Balancer

What people use each for

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

Kustomize

  • Managing dev, staging and production variants of the same manifestsnot Scaleway
  • Keeping manifests readable and directly applyable rather than templatednot Scaleway
  • Patching third-party manifests without forking themnot Scaleway

Scaleway

  • Web hostingnot Kustomize
  • Container orchestrationnot Kustomize
  • Development environmentsnot Kustomize
  • Data storagenot Kustomize

Where each one falls short

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

Kustomize

  • No packaging or distribution story, which is exactly what Helm charts provide
  • Deeply nested overlays become hard to follow, and reasoning about the final output requires building it
  • No release lifecycle: nothing tracks what is installed or supports rollback the way Helm does
  • Patch syntax is fiddly for anything beyond simple field replacement

Scaleway

  • No free tier or trial period mentioned on homepage
  • Specific pricing requires navigating to individual product category pages
  • Base pricing starts at 4.99 EUR per month but varies significantly by service type

Pricing, plan by plan

Kustomize

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

Scaleway

Free
  • DEV1-S$7.99/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 2GB RAM
    • 20GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose Kustomize if

  • You need overlay patching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want no templating language.
Kustomize review

Choose Scaleway if

  • You need virtual instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal.
Scaleway review

Questions people ask

Is Kustomize or Scaleway better?
Neither clearly leads. Kustomize starts at Free and Scaleway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kustomize or Scaleway?
Kustomize starts at Free and Scaleway at Free.
Does Kustomize or Scaleway run on more platforms?
Kustomize runs on Kubernetes, Linux, macOS, Windows. Scaleway runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Kustomize for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kustomize best used for?
Kustomize is most often used for managing dev, staging and production variants of the same manifests, keeping manifests readable and directly applyable rather than templated, patching third-party manifests without forking them. Of those, managing dev, staging and production variants of the same manifests and keeping manifests readable and directly applyable rather than templated are not what Scaleway is typically brought in for.
What can Kustomize do that Scaleway cannot?
Kustomize covers Overlay patching, No templating language, Built into kubectl, Generators. Scaleway covers Virtual Instances, Bare Metal, Kubernetes Kapsule, Object Storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kustomize: Is Kustomize free?

Yes, open source and part of the Kubernetes project.

Scaleway: Does Scaleway have a free tier?

Scaleway does not mention a free tier or trial period on its pricing or homepage. Users must select specific services to see rates.

Source
Kustomize: Kustomize or Helm?

Kustomize patches plain YAML and keeps bases readable; Helm templates and packages applications with a release lifecycle. Many teams use both — Helm to install third-party charts, Kustomize to patch them.

Scaleway: What is Scaleway's pricing model?

Scaleway uses transparent, usage-based pricing that varies by service. Different categories (bare metal, compute, AI, storage, network) have separate pricing. Dedibox servers start at 4.99 EUR per month.

Source
Kustomize: Do I need to install Kustomize?

No. It is built into kubectl, available through kubectl apply -k.

Scaleway: How does Scaleway billing work?

Scaleway emphasizes transparent, predictable billing where customers know exactly what they'll pay. Users must select products and view pricing within each category.

Source
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