Crossplane
Open-source Kubernetes-native control plane for orchestrating infrastructure across clouds and services.
Crossplane is an open-source Kubernetes add-on that transforms your Kubernetes cluster into a universal control plane for managing infrastructure across multiple clouds and services. Using Kubernetes CRDs, it enables platform teams to compose custom infrastructure abstractions and expose them to developers through a unified API. Crossplane supports all major cloud providers, handles resource composition, and enforces policies through Kubernetes-native mechanisms.
- Best for: Infrastructure as Code
- Pricing: Free (Apache 2.0), Upbound Cloud Team $500/mo, Enterprise custom
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Features
Drift Detection
Detect and report manual changes outside of IaC
Limited, relies on Kubernetes reconciliation
Kubernetes-Native
Built on Kubernetes CRDs for native K8s experience
Built as K8s controller, native CRD-based
Module/Package Registry
Reusable infrastructure components managed via registry
Crossplane Registry for provider packages
Multi-Cloud Support
Provision infrastructure across AWS, Azure, GCP and others
All major clouds via provider packages
Policy as Code
Define and enforce infrastructure policies programmatically
Composition validation, OPA/Gatekeeper integration
Preview/Plan
Preview infrastructure changes before applying them
Kubernetes dry-run, server-side apply preview
Programming Languages
Use general-purpose languages instead of DSL
YAML/CRD-based composition
Secret Management
Handle sensitive values like passwords and API keys
Kubernetes secrets, External Secrets Operator
State Management
Track and manage infrastructure state over time
Kubernetes-native state via etcd
Team Collaboration
Multi-user support with RBAC and audit logs
Kubernetes RBAC, multi-tenant control planes
Best For
Find the right DevOps tools for your specific needs. Crossplane is featured in these buying guides: