Kubermatic Virtualization
Hamburg's KubeVirt platform running legacy VMs and containers on one Kubernetes control plane.
Quick Overview
| Company | Kubermatic GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Virtualization Software |
| Headquarters | Hamburg, Germany |
| Founded | 2016 |
| EU Presence | EU (Germany) |
| Data Location | Your own infrastructure |
| Open Source | No |
| Compliance | ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 |
| Pricing | Essential from €149/month (up to 3 servers, community support) / Business from €294/month / Business Pro from €594/month / Enterprise from €894/month (24/7 support) / Enterprise Plus quoted on request |
| Replaces | VMware vSphere and vSAN, Nutanix |
Detailed Review
Kubermatic Virtualization runs virtual machines through KubeVirt on the same Kubernetes control plane Kubermatic already sells for containers, with Kube-OVN for networking and KubeOne for cluster provisioning underneath. It is the same architectural bet SUSE Virtualization makes with Harvester — VMs as Kubernetes workloads rather than a separate hypervisor stack — from a second German vendor, with live migration, automatic restart on host failure and a single management console across both workload types.
Kubermatic prices it directly rather than quoting on request for every tier: Essential starts at €149 a month for up to three servers with community support, Business from €294 with limited support tickets, Business Pro and Enterprise add unlimited and 24/7 support up to €894 a month, and Enterprise Plus — multi-tenancy, ten or more sockets, KubeLB integration — is quoted separately. That published ladder is unusual in this category, where most competitors quote everything on request.
Kubermatic GmbH has operated from Hamburg since 2016 (originally as Loodse), holds ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certification, and markets the product explicitly at organisations reconsidering VMware after the Broadcom licensing change. The honest limit: this is Kubernetes-native virtualisation, so it rewards a team that already runs Kubernetes and penalises one that does not, in the same way SUSE Virtualization does — KubeVirt's VM feature set still trails a mature hypervisor's.
What Kubermatic Virtualization does well
- Published pricing from €149/month, unusual in this category
- VMs and containers on one Kubernetes control plane
- Live migration and automatic host failover
- ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified
- German company, explicitly positioned as a VMware exit
Where Kubermatic Virtualization falls short
- Rewards teams already running Kubernetes
- KubeVirt trails mature hypervisors on VM features
- Essential tier capped at three servers
- Enterprise Plus pricing not published
Standout feature. A published price list starting at €149 a month, in a category where almost everyone else quotes on request.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Published pricing from €149/month, unusual in this category
- VMs and containers on one Kubernetes control plane
- Live migration and automatic host failover
- ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified
- German company, explicitly positioned as a VMware exit
Cons
- Rewards teams already running Kubernetes
- KubeVirt trails mature hypervisors on VM features
- Essential tier capped at three servers
- Enterprise Plus pricing not published
Alternatives to Kubermatic Virtualization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kubermatic Virtualization?
Kubermatic Virtualization runs virtual machines through KubeVirt on the same Kubernetes control plane Kubermatic already sells for containers, with Kube-OVN for networking and KubeOne for cluster provisioning underneath. It is the same architectural bet SUSE Virtualization makes with Harvester — VMs as Kubernetes workloads rather than a separate hypervisor stack — from a second German vendor, with live migration, automatic restart on host failure and a single management console across both workload types.
Where is Kubermatic Virtualization based?
Kubermatic Virtualization operates from Hamburg, Germany, which places it under EU (Germany). Compliance: ISO 27001 and ISO 9001.
What does Kubermatic Virtualization cost?
Essential from €149/month (up to 3 servers, community support) / Business from €294/month / Business Pro from €594/month / Enterprise from €894/month (24/7 support) / Enterprise Plus quoted on request.
Who is Kubermatic Virtualization best for?
Kubernetes-native teams wanting VMs and containers on one control plane. A published price list starting at €149 a month, in a category where almost everyone else quotes on request.
What are the drawbacks of Kubermatic Virtualization?
Rewards teams already running Kubernetes. KubeVirt trails mature hypervisors on VM features. Essential tier capped at three servers. Enterprise Plus pricing not published.
Is Kubermatic Virtualization a good alternative to VMware vSphere and vSAN?
Kubermatic Virtualization is built as a European alternative to VMware vSphere and vSAN: Hamburg's KubeVirt platform running legacy VMs and containers on one Kubernetes control plane. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does Kubermatic Virtualization compare to other Virtualization Software?
Kubermatic Virtualization is one of several European Virtualization Software we cover. It is most often compared with VMware vSphere and vSAN, Nutanix.