--- canonical: https://enum.co/vs-hetzner locale: en --- **enum vs. Hetzner** # enum vs Hetzner. A managed Kubernetes platform, not just VMs and hosts you operate yourself. enum is a German PaaS: Managed Kubernetes with an HA control plane included per cluster, compute, S3-compatible storage, and self-service via API and Terraform. You get private-by-default clusters, zero-downtime upgrades, and a small predictable set of line items. enum fits teams who want a managed platform with sovereignty under EU law, without operating the control plane themselves. ### Frequently asked questions **Does Hetzner offer Managed Kubernetes?** enum is a Managed Kubernetes platform: the HA control plane is operated by enum and included per cluster at no extra charge. Clusters are private by default, upgrades are zero-downtime, and you provision through CLI, API, or Terraform. Hetzner gives you VMs and hosts where you run Kubernetes yourself. **Is Hetzner GDPR-compliant?** enum is a German GmbH in Frankfurt under German and EU law with no US subprocessors. Both enum and Hetzner are GDPR-native. The difference is product model, not jurisdiction: enum is a managed platform, Hetzner is raw IaaS. **How does enum pricing compare to Hetzner?** enum bills compute per hour with optional commitment discounts, includes the HA control plane per cluster at no extra charge, and charges a flat monthly fee for load balancing. No per-request fees, no NAT surcharges. On price-per-VM, Hetzner is cheaper. On total cost of ownership for a production Kubernetes platform, enum includes the operational work Hetzner leaves to you. **What is the best Managed Kubernetes alternative to running Kubernetes on Hetzner?** enum offers upstream Kubernetes with an HA control plane included, private clusters by default, zero-downtime upgrades, and self-service via CLI, API, and Terraform. Operated in Frankfurt by a German GmbH. You stop operating the control plane and ship a managed platform instead. **Can I migrate from Hetzner to enum?** Yes. enum runs upstream Kubernetes, so manifests, Helm charts, and GitOps workflows port directly. Object storage is S3-compatible, so existing tools work as-is. Migration support is available if you need help with the cutover. **Do I lose control running Managed Kubernetes instead of my own cluster?** No. You keep full control over workloads, RBAC, Helm, and GitOps. enum operates the control plane, node OS, and upgrades for you, with HA and zero-downtime rolling upgrades included. Node shapes and scaling stay in your hands. ### Product comparison What you operate yourself versus what the platform operates for you. | Feature | enum | AWS EKS | |---|---|---| | Kubernetes | Managed Kubernetes, HA control plane included per cluster | VMs and dedicated hosts; you install and operate Kubernetes yourself | | Control Plane | Operated by enum, 3+ nodes across failure domains, automatic failover | You run it on VMs or dedicated hosts; availability is your responsibility | | Upgrades | Zero-downtime rolling upgrades, operated by enum | You plan and execute upgrades yourself | | Private Networking | Private clusters by default with host-based NAT | You configure networks, firewalls, and routing yourself | | Load Balancer | Flat monthly price, includes IPv4 | Hetzner Cloud Load Balancer available, billed per hour | | Object Storage | S3-compatible object storage, no per-request fees | Hetzner Cloud Storage (S3-compatible) or external storage | enum Kubernetes Engine is a PaaS: the highly available control plane is operated by enum and included per cluster at no per-cluster-hour charge, clusters are private by default, and upgrades are zero-downtime. You provision clusters through enumctl, the REST API, or Terraform. Hetzner is IaaS: VMs and dedicated hosts where you install and operate Kubernetes yourself. The differentiator is who runs the control plane. ### Sovereignty - **PaaS, not IaaS**: enum operates the Kubernetes control plane, upgrades, HA, and private networking for you. That is the difference: a managed platform vs. raw infrastructure where you run everything yourself. - **Own network at enum**: enum operates AS215998 with own IP ranges and EU peering. Hetzner operates its own network (AS24940) as well. Both are providers, not resellers. - **NIS2 and DORA ready**: enum is a German GmbH in Frankfurt with no US subprocessors. Structurally aligned with NIS2 and DORA for regulated workloads. ### Frequently asked questions **Does Hetzner offer Managed Kubernetes?** enum is a Managed Kubernetes platform: the HA control plane is operated by enum and included per cluster at no extra charge. Clusters are private by default, upgrades are zero-downtime, and you provision through CLI, API, or Terraform. Hetzner gives you VMs and hosts where you run Kubernetes yourself. **Is Hetzner GDPR-compliant?** enum is a German GmbH in Frankfurt under German and EU law with no US subprocessors. Both enum and Hetzner are GDPR-native. The difference is product model, not jurisdiction: enum is a managed platform, Hetzner is raw IaaS. **How does enum pricing compare to Hetzner?** enum bills compute per hour with optional commitment discounts, includes the HA control plane per cluster at no extra charge, and charges a flat monthly fee for load balancing. No per-request fees, no NAT surcharges. On price-per-VM, Hetzner is cheaper. On total cost of ownership for a production Kubernetes platform, enum includes the operational work Hetzner leaves to you. **What is the best Managed Kubernetes alternative to running Kubernetes on Hetzner?** enum offers upstream Kubernetes with an HA control plane included, private clusters by default, zero-downtime upgrades, and self-service via CLI, API, and Terraform. Operated in Frankfurt by a German GmbH. You stop operating the control plane and ship a managed platform instead. **Can I migrate from Hetzner to enum?** Yes. enum runs upstream Kubernetes, so manifests, Helm charts, and GitOps workflows port directly. Object storage is S3-compatible, so existing tools work as-is. Migration support is available if you need help with the cutover. **Do I lose control running Managed Kubernetes instead of my own cluster?** No. You keep full control over workloads, RBAC, Helm, and GitOps. enum operates the control plane, node OS, and upgrades for you, with HA and zero-downtime rolling upgrades included. Node shapes and scaling stay in your hands. ### Further reading - [enum Kubernetes Engine](/kubernetes-engine) - [S3-compatible object storage](/object-storage) - [enum vs AWS EKS](/vs-aws) - [Pricing calculator](/calculator)