What's installed on your k3s server?
- k3s from the official installer's stable channel, on the current version at install time
- A single-node cluster, with the Kubernetes API on port 6443 and a certificate that includes your IP
- The Traefik ingress controller on ports 80 and 443
- CoreDNS, local-storage and metrics-server, as bundled with k3s
- k3s's own containerd runtime, with no Docker installed
- A kubeconfig file at /etc/rancher/k3s/k3s.yaml, readable only by root
- Firewall with ports 22, 80, 443 and 6443 open, and the pod and service networks allowed
What size do you need for k3s?
k3s's official docs ask for at least 2 CPU cores and 2 GB of RAM on a server node, so this install starts at 2 cores. k3s runs on 2 GB, but that leaves little room for your apps. As a rule of thumb, look at 4 GB for a few small pods and 8 GB for a database or more services. RAM and CPU grow from your panel; the server restarts once, and your data and IP stay the same. Persistent volumes stay on the same disk.
| Use | Size | Price | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 2 GB RAM · 2 vCore · 40 GB NVMe | $4.51/mo | |
| Medium | 4 GB RAM · 2 vCore · 60 GB NVMe | $6.89/mo | |
| Powerful | 8 GB RAM · 4 vCore · 120 GB NVMe | $13.62/mo |
Who is it for?
- Developers who want to learn Kubernetes on a cluster of their own
- Teams shipping a small app with manifests or Helm
- Pipelines that deploy with kubectl
- Anyone who wants to test local manifests on a real server
What happens after you order?
- Set the CPU to at least 2 cores, choose your size and complete your payment.
- Your server starts and k3s installs itself. On the Overview tab, wait for the App row to say k3s is ready.
- Get the file: scp root@IP:/etc/rancher/k3s/k3s.yaml ~/.kube/config. This overwrites any existing file, so copy that first.
- In the file's server line, replace 127.0.0.1 with your server's IP address.
- Try it: kubectl get nodes. The node should show Ready.
- Deploy your app and expose it on ports 80 and 443 with an Ingress.
With every server
- Daily backups included in the price
- Unlimited traffic
- Full root access
- Scale RAM and CPU up or down later, and grow the disk
- Location: Istanbul · IST-1.
Good to know
- k3s.yaml is the cluster's full access key, so don't share it. Port 6443 is open to the internet and access uses the certificate in this file; you can limit it to your own IP with ufw.
- The cluster has a single node, so your apps go down briefly while the server restarts.
- k3s renews the certificates in the admin kubeconfig each time it starts. Fetch your local copy again now and then, so it doesn't expire.
- The install doesn't add a certificate manager. For HTTPS on your Ingresses, you define the certificate yourself.
- Upgrades don't happen by themselves. The official way is to rerun the installer with the same settings, because any you leave out are lost.
- A second node needs 8472/UDP and 10250/TCP. The official docs say 8472 shouldn't be exposed to the internet, so allow only that server's IP address.
k3s questions and answers
What is k3s, and how is it different from Kubernetes?
k3s is a fully conformant, lightweight Kubernetes distribution. kubectl and your manifests work the same way. Components such as Traefik, CoreDNS and local storage are installed along with k3s, so you don't add them separately.
How much RAM does k3s need?
The official docs ask for at least 2 cores and 2 GB of RAM on a server node. As a rule of thumb, 2 GB is enough for k3s itself, 4 GB is a good start for a few apps, and 8 GB for a database and more services.
How do I connect to my k3s cluster?
Get the file with scp root@IP:/etc/rancher/k3s/k3s.yaml ~/.kube/config, replace 127.0.0.1 in it with your server's IP address and run kubectl get nodes. On the server itself, k3s kubectl also works.
How do I expose my app on k3s?
Define a Service and an Ingress. The Traefik ingress controller listens on ports 80 and 443 and forwards requests to your service. For HTTPS, add your own certificate as a Secret.
How do persistent volumes work on k3s?
k3s includes the Local Path Provisioner with the local-path storage class. Volumes are created under /var/lib/rancher/k3s/storage on the server, so they're in the nightly backup. The last 7 days are kept, and this is included in the price.
Can I use Helm with k3s?
Yes. The helm tool on your computer connects with the same kubeconfig file. k3s also applies files you place in /var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/manifests by itself, and that includes HelmChart resources.