Crossplane vs Scalr
Updated June 2026 · A structured head-to-head comparison.
Provision cloud infrastructure with Kubernetes APIs
The verdict
Both Crossplane and Scalr are credible infrastructure as code tools, and the right pick comes down to your priorities.
Crossplane — Provision cloud infrastructure with Kubernetes APIs
Scalr — Terraform and OpenTofu automation and governance
Crossplane vs Scalr: side by side
| Dimension | Crossplane | Scalr |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Open source | Freemium |
| Best for | Platform Engineers, Devops | Devops, Platform Engineers |
| Platforms | Self Hosted, Api | Web, Api |
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 |
Crossplane key facts
- Vendor
- CNCF
- Pricing
- Open source — Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Self Hosted, Api
- Best for
- Platform Engineers, Devops
- Editor rating
- 4.4 / 5
- Founded
- 2018
- Headquarters
- Seattle, USA
Scalr key facts
- Vendor
- Scalr
- Pricing
- Freemium — Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Api
- Best for
- Devops, Platform Engineers
- Editor rating
- 4.5 / 5
- Founded
- 2007
- Headquarters
- Tysons, USA
Frequently asked questions
Is Crossplane better than Scalr?
Neither is universally better — Scalr edges ahead on overall rating, but the best choice depends on price, platforms, and your use case. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Crossplane or Scalr cheaper?
Crossplane is the more affordable of the two to get started, at free. Crossplane starts at free; Scalr starts at free.
Can Crossplane replace Scalr?
Yes for most teams — both are infrastructure as code tools with heavily overlapping features. The main trade-offs are pricing and platform support, covered in the comparison above.