Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Linode vs Portworx

Linode logo

Linode

Cloud

Affordable cloud hosting and infrastructure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Portworx logo

Portworx

Cloud

Kubernetes-native storage and data services, priced by the node hour

From
$0.33/node hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Linode has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Linode linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud; Portworx bare metal nodes are charged at 1.11 USD per node hour against 0.33 for virtual nodes, so a bare metal cluster costs more than three times a virtualised one for identical capability.
  • They diverge on capability: Linode covers Compute instances, Portworx covers Container-native volumes.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Linode and Portworx actually diverge.

Attributes where Linode and Portworx differ
AttributeLinodePortworx
Starting priceFree$0.33/node hour
Pricing modelusage-basedPer node hour
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliLinux
Founded2003Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Linode

  • Compute instances
  • Object storage
  • Block storage
  • Kubernetes
  • Managed database
  • Load balancers
  • Firewalls
  • Private networks

Only in Portworx

  • Container-native volumes
  • Failure domain placement
  • Volume encryption
  • Database automation
  • Disaster recovery
  • Autopilot capacity management
  • Hardware independence

What people use each for

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

Linode

  • Running Linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated CPU plansnot Portworx
  • Managed Kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud accountnot Portworx
  • Hosting workloads in a specific one of the listed global regionsnot Portworx

Portworx

  • Running a production PostgreSQL or Cassandra cluster on Kubernetes and needing the data to survive node lossnot Linode
  • A platform team offering self-service databases to developers on an internal Kubernetes platformnot Linode
  • Failing over stateful applications between clusters in different regions as a disaster recovery positionnot Linode
  • An OpenShift estate where the built-in storage option does not meet the availability requirement for stateful setsnot Linode

Where each one falls short

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

Linode

  • linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud
  • Charges accrue for any service on the account even when it is powered off, because RAM and network capacity stay reserved; only deleting the service stops billing
  • Network transfer beyond the monthly allotment is billed from $0.005 per GB and the rate varies by region
  • The Akamai Cloud pricing landing page shows no rates and directs visitors to regional pricing pages or sales

Portworx

  • Bare metal nodes are charged at 1.11 USD per node hour against 0.33 for virtual nodes, so a bare metal cluster costs more than three times a virtualised one for identical capability.
  • A 1,000 node hour monthly minimum applies, which means small or intermittent clusters pay for capacity they do not consume.
  • Replicating volumes across nodes consumes real capacity and network bandwidth, so the underlying infrastructure cost rises alongside the licence in a way the node hour rate does not show.
  • Pure Storage ownership means roadmap priorities are set by an array vendor, and buyers should confirm that hardware independence remains contractual rather than assumed.
  • Operating it well requires Kubernetes storage expertise, and teams that adopted Kubernetes to simplify operations often find they have added a distributed storage system to run.

Pricing, plan by plan

Linode

Free
  • Nanode 1GB$5/month
    • 1GB RAM
    • 1 vCPU
    • 25GB SSD
  • Linode 4GB$20/month
    • 4GB RAM
    • 2 vCPU
    • 80GB SSD

Portworx

$0.33/node hour
  • Portworx Enterprise on virtual machine nodes$0.33/node hour
    • Minimum 1,000 node hours per month
    • Replicated persistent volumes
    • Encryption and disaster recovery
  • Portworx Enterprise on bare metal nodes$1.11/node hour
    • Minimum 1,000 node hours per month
    • Same capabilities on bare metal clusters
    • Higher rate reflects node density

Which should you pick?

Choose Linode if

  • You need compute instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want object storage.
Linode review

Choose Portworx if

  • You need container-native volumes.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want failure domain placement.
Portworx review

Questions people ask

Is Linode or Portworx better?
Neither clearly leads. Linode starts at Free and Portworx at $0.33/node hour, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Linode or Portworx?
Linode has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Linode and $0.33/node hour for Portworx.
Does Linode or Portworx run on more platforms?
Linode runs on Web, Api, Cli. Portworx runs on Linux.
Can I use Linode for free?
Yes. Linode has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Portworx starts at $0.33/node hour.
What is Linode best used for?
Linode is most often used for running linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated cpu plans, managed kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud account, hosting workloads in a specific one of the listed global regions. Of those, running linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated cpu plans and managed kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud account are not what Portworx is typically brought in for.
What can Linode do that Portworx cannot?
Linode covers Compute instances, Object storage, Block storage, Kubernetes. Portworx covers Container-native volumes, Failure domain placement, Volume encryption, Database automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Linode: Does Linode charge for data egress?

Linode emphasizes transparent pricing with no egress surprises and a free egress allowance included in the service. The pricing is described as straightforward with no hidden fees and no vendor lock-in.

Source
Portworx: Is Portworx tied to Pure Storage hardware?

No. It runs on any Kubernetes distribution over any underlying storage, though Pure has owned it since 2020 and sets the roadmap.

Linode: What is the free trial credit amount?

New and existing enterprise customers can receive up to $5,000 in cloud credits through promotional offers.

Source
Portworx: What does a real cluster cost?

At 0.33 USD per virtual node hour, twenty nodes running continuously is roughly 4,800 USD a month. Bare metal at 1.11 USD per node hour is around 16,000 USD for the same node count.

Linode: Is there vendor lock-in with Linode's pricing model?

No. Linode explicitly states there is no vendor lock-in as part of their transparent pricing approach.

Source
Portworx: Is backup included?

No. Portworx Backup is a separately priced product covering Kubernetes application backup.

Share

Related pages

More on Linode

More on Portworx

Keep looking

Other head to heads