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Cloud · head to head

Linkerd vs Scaleway

Linkerd logo

Linkerd

Cloud

Lightweight service mesh for Kubernetes

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: Linkerd deliberately fewer features than Istio, so complex routing and multi-cluster policy can hit its limits; Scaleway no free tier or trial period mentioned on homepage
  • They diverge on capability: Linkerd covers Automatic mutual TLS, Scaleway covers Virtual Instances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Linkerd and Scaleway actually diverge.

Attributes where Linkerd and Scaleway differ
AttributeLinkerdScaleway
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeusage-based
PlatformsKubernetes, LinuxWeb, 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 Linkerd

  • Automatic mutual TLS
  • Golden metrics
  • Rust micro-proxy
  • Traffic policy

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.

Linkerd

  • Adding mutual TLS between services to satisfy a compliance requirementnot Scaleway
  • Getting per-service latency and success rates without instrumenting applicationsnot Scaleway
  • Progressive delivery with traffic splitting during rolloutsnot Scaleway

Scaleway

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

Where each one falls short

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

Linkerd

  • Deliberately fewer features than Istio, so complex routing and multi-cluster policy can hit its limits
  • Kubernetes only, with no story for workloads outside a cluster
  • A sidecar per pod is still real memory and latency overhead, however small, and a mesh is another layer to debug during incidents

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

Linkerd

Free
  • LinkerdFree
    • 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 Linkerd if

  • You need automatic mutual tls.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux.
  • You also want golden metrics.
Linkerd 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 Linkerd or Scaleway better?
Neither clearly leads. Linkerd 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, Linkerd or Scaleway?
Linkerd starts at Free and Scaleway at Free.
Does Linkerd or Scaleway run on more platforms?
Linkerd runs on Kubernetes, Linux. Scaleway runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Linkerd for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Linkerd best used for?
Linkerd is most often used for adding mutual tls between services to satisfy a compliance requirement, getting per-service latency and success rates without instrumenting applications, progressive delivery with traffic splitting during rollouts. Of those, adding mutual tls between services to satisfy a compliance requirement and getting per-service latency and success rates without instrumenting applications are not what Scaleway is typically brought in for.
What can Linkerd do that Scaleway cannot?
Linkerd covers Automatic mutual TLS, Golden metrics, Rust micro-proxy, Traffic policy. Scaleway covers Virtual Instances, Bare Metal, Kubernetes Kapsule, Object Storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Linkerd: Is Linkerd free?

The open-source project is free. Buoyant, its maintainer, sells enterprise distributions and support separately.

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
Linkerd: Linkerd or Istio?

Linkerd trades features for simplicity, with a smaller proxy and far less configuration. Istio is more capable and correspondingly more work to run.

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
Linkerd: Do I need a service mesh at all?

Only if you need mutual TLS, uniform retries or per-service traffic metrics across many services. For a handful of services it is usually more machinery than the problem justifies.

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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