k3s vs MicroK8s: Which Lightweight Kubernetes?

Quick Verdict

k3s is the better choice for most self-hosters. It’s lighter, faster to install, and designed specifically for edge and resource-constrained environments. MicroK8s is better if you want a more complete Kubernetes experience with easy addon management and are running on Ubuntu/snap-compatible systems.

Overview

Both k3s and MicroK8s are lightweight Kubernetes distributions designed to make Kubernetes accessible on smaller hardware — single nodes, edge devices, and home servers. They strip down full Kubernetes while maintaining API compatibility.

k3s — Apache-2.0 license, 29k GitHub stars. Built by Rancher (now SUSE). A single ~70 MB binary. CNCF sandbox project. Pronounced “k-threes.”

MicroK8s — Apache-2.0 license, 8.7k GitHub stars. Built by Canonical (Ubuntu). Distributed as a snap package. Zero-ops Kubernetes for workstations and edge.

Feature Comparison

Feature	k3s	MicroK8s
Installation method	Shell script (single binary)	Snap package
Binary size	~70 MB	~200 MB (snap)
RAM (idle, single node)	~512 MB	~800 MB
Minimum RAM	512 MB (agent), 1 GB (server)	540 MB
Supported OS	Any Linux	Linux (snap), macOS, Windows
ARM support	Yes (ARM64, ARMv7)	Yes (ARM64)
Default CNI	Flannel	Calico
Default ingress	Traefik	Nginx (addon)
Default storage	Local-path provisioner	Hostpath (addon for Ceph, NFS)
Default DNS	CoreDNS	CoreDNS
Service load balancer	Built-in (ServiceLB)	MetalLB (addon)
Container runtime	containerd	containerd
Datastore	SQLite (default), etcd, MySQL, PostgreSQL	Dqlite (distributed SQLite)
HA clustering	Yes (embedded etcd or external DB)	Yes (dqlite built-in)
Addon system	Helm charts, manifests	microk8s enable [addon]
GPU support	Manual setup	microk8s enable gpu
Istio	Manual install	microk8s enable istio
Dashboard	Manual install	microk8s enable dashboard
Registry	Manual setup	microk8s enable registry
Cert-Manager	Manual install	microk8s enable cert-manager
Uninstall	k3s-uninstall.sh	snap remove microk8s
License	Apache-2.0	Apache-2.0

Installation Complexity

k3s installs in one command — literally:

curl -sfL https://get.k3s.io | sh -

That’s it. After running this, you have a fully functional single-node Kubernetes cluster with Traefik, CoreDNS, ServiceLB, and local-path storage provisioner. kubectl is included as k3s kubectl.

To add a worker node:

# On the server, get the token:
cat /var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/node-token

# On the worker:
curl -sfL https://get.k3s.io | K3S_URL=https://server-ip:6443 K3S_TOKEN=your-token sh -

MicroK8s installs via snap:

sudo snap install microk8s --classic
sudo usermod -a -G microk8s $USER
newgrp microk8s

Then enable addons as needed:

microk8s enable dns storage ingress dashboard

To add a worker node:

# On the master:
microk8s add-node

# On the worker (use the output from above):
microk8s join 192.168.1.10:25000/token-here

Both are dramatically simpler than full Kubernetes (kubeadm). k3s wins on minimalism — one command, everything included. MicroK8s wins on addon ergonomics — microk8s enable gpu is easier than manually installing NVIDIA device plugins.

Note: Neither k3s nor MicroK8s uses Docker Compose. They are Kubernetes distributions that replace the Docker Compose workflow entirely. If you’re running a handful of services, Docker Compose is simpler. Kubernetes makes sense when you need multi-node orchestration, auto-healing, rolling updates, or you’re running 20+ services.

Performance and Resource Usage

k3s was designed from the ground up for low resource usage:

• Server node: ~512 MB RAM, 1 CPU core minimum
• Agent node: ~256 MB RAM, 0.5 CPU core minimum
• SQLite datastore means near-zero overhead for single-node setups
• The 70 MB binary is impressive — full Kubernetes in one file

MicroK8s is heavier:

• Single node: ~800 MB RAM idle
• Dqlite (distributed SQLite) adds some overhead vs plain SQLite
• Snap packaging adds a small amount of overhead
• More complete out of the box means more services running by default

For a self-hosting server with 4+ GB RAM, both are fine. For a Raspberry Pi or other edge device with 1-2 GB RAM, k3s is the clear winner.

Community and Support

k3s: 29k stars, CNCF sandbox project, backed by SUSE/Rancher. Active Slack community. Well-documented at k3s.io. Large user base in edge computing, IoT, and homelab communities.

MicroK8s: 8.7k stars, backed by Canonical. Supported as part of the Ubuntu ecosystem. Documentation at microk8s.io. Strong in the Ubuntu/snap ecosystem.

k3s has the larger community and more third-party resources (blog posts, tutorials, videos). MicroK8s benefits from Canonical’s enterprise backing.

Use Cases

Choose k3s If…

• You want the lightest possible Kubernetes distribution
• You’re running on ARM devices (Raspberry Pi, edge nodes)
• You want one-command installation with sane defaults
• You prefer Traefik as your ingress controller
• You want to join multiple architectures in one cluster
• You’re comfortable managing addons via Helm charts
• Memory is constrained (under 2 GB per node)

Choose MicroK8s If…

• You want easy addon management (microk8s enable ...)
• You’re running Ubuntu and want native snap integration
• You need GPU support with minimal setup
• You want built-in HA without external database setup
• You want Istio, Knative, or other complex addons in one command
• You prefer a more “batteries included” experience
• You’re evaluating Kubernetes for the first time

Final Verdict

k3s is the best lightweight Kubernetes for self-hosting. It’s lighter, faster to start, and has a larger community. The single-binary design makes it trivially easy to deploy, update, and manage. If you’re running services on a home server or edge device and want to graduate from Docker Compose to Kubernetes, k3s is where to start.

MicroK8s excels as a learning and prototyping platform. The addon system makes it easy to experiment with Kubernetes features without manual installation. If you’re on Ubuntu and want to try Kubernetes with GPU workloads, Istio, or other complex addons, MicroK8s gets you there faster.

For production self-hosting: k3s. For learning Kubernetes: either works, but MicroK8s is slightly more approachable for beginners.

Related

• How to Self-Host k3s: Lightweight Kubernetes Setup
• How to Self-Host MicroK8s: Snap-Based Kubernetes
• k3s vs k0s
• Best Self-Hosted Container Orchestration
• Docker Compose Basics
• Docker Networking Guide
• Getting Started with Self-Hosting