# Helm vs Lens

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Helm

| Attribute | Helm | Lens |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 62.6 (41% (low)) | 41.6 (60% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | 0 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 5,000 | 2 |
| adoption.github_stars | 30,318 | 23,247 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | - | 30 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"Helm provides a templated configuration system and package manager for Kubernetes applications, allowing users to define complex multi-component deployments as reusable, versioned, and shareable packages. It is indexed under Container Orchestration Tools.","source":"https://helm.sh","question":"What is Helm?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Helm is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the Apache-2.0 licence. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://helm.sh","question":"Is Helm free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Helm supports Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://helm.sh","question":"What platforms does Helm support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Helm can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://helm.sh","question":"Can Helm be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Helm is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/helm/helm","question":"Is Helm open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | `[{"answer":"Lens is a desktop application that provides a graphical interface for developers and operators to manage multiple Kubernetes clusters, visualize metrics and logs, and troubleshoot cloud-native workloads. It integrates with AI coding assistants and cloud platforms, designed to reduce the complexity of working with Kubernetes. It is indexed under Container Orchestration Tools.","source":"https://lenshq.io/blog/lens-plans-and-pricing-update/","question":"What is Lens?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Lens is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the MIT licence. A commercial or hosted edition starts at $25 per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://lenshq.io/blog/lens-plans-and-pricing-update/","question":"Is Lens free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Lens supports the web, Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://lenshq.io/blog/lens-plans-and-pricing-update/","question":"What platforms does Lens support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Lens can be deployed cloud / SaaS, on-premise, air-gapped and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://lenshq.io/blog/lens-plans-and-pricing-update/","question":"Can Lens be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 6 integrations for Lens, including AWS EKS, Helm, Claude (Anthropic), GitHub Copilot, Codex and kubectl. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://lenshq.io/blog/lens-plans-and-pricing-update/","question":"What does Lens integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed SOC 2, ISO 27001 and GDPR for Lens. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Lens not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://k8slens.dev/","question":"What security certifications does Lens have?","confidence":0.48},{"answer":"Yes. Lens is published under the MIT licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens","question":"Is Lens open source?","confidence":0.99},{"answer":"Lens is available worldwide. Its primary markets are the United States and the EU.","source":"https://lenshq.io/blog/lens-plans-and-pricing-update/","question":"Where is Lens available?","confidence":0.75}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"air_gapped":true}` |
| description.long | A package management system that simplifies the installation, configuration, and deployment of applications in Kubernetes environments. Similar to traditional package managers like apt or homebrew, Helm enables developers to define and manage reusable application packages called Charts across clusters. | An integrated development environment for managing Kubernetes clusters, with features for visualizing resources, monitoring metrics, viewing logs, and deploying applications across cloud platforms. |
| features.capabilities | `{"arm_support":true,"cncf_maturity":"graduated","pricing_model":"free_open_source","architecture_model":"open_source_cli","mit_or_apache_permissive_oss_license":true}` | `{"gui_dashboard":true}` |
| integrations.count | - | 9 |
| integrations.list | - | `[{"name":"AWS EKS"},{"name":"Helm"},{"name":"Claude (Anthropic)"},{"name":"GitHub Copilot"},{"name":"Codex"},{"name":"kubectl"},{"name":"Flux","native":true,"category":"infrastructure"},{"name":"Argo CD","native":true,"category":"infrastructure"},{"name":"Azure AKS","native":true,"category":"cloud"},{"name":"GitHub","native":true,"category":"auth"},{"name":"Google","native":true,"category":"auth"},{"name":"Claude Code","native":true,"category":"ai"},{"name":"Copilot","native":true,"category":"ai"},{"name":"Google GKE","native":true,"category":"infrastructure"},{"name":"SAML","native":true,"category":"authentication","direction":"inbound"},{"name":"OIDC","native":true,"category":"authentication","direction":"inbound"}]` |
| language.primary | Go | - |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US","EU"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://helm.sh","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13T22:34:17.644Z"}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Personal","summary":"Free","features":["Multi-cluster management, metrics & real-time logs","Visualization of Kubernetes resources and metrics","Real-time logs & Smart Terminal","Helm Chart management","Port forwarding & resource editor","Community support"],"description":"For students, hobbyists, and engineers at small organizations","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Plus","summary":"$25/month with annual commitment or $30/month billed monthly","features":["Everything in Personal","Ask AI: Integration with your preferred AI agents","GitOps with Flux or Argo CD","AWS EKS, Azure AKS & Google GKE integration","Security Center (CVE reporting)","Hotbar — quick cluster access","Commercial support"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":25,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":30,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For engineers needing premium features, commercial license, and support","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","summary":"Custom pricing, contact sales","features":["Everything in Plus","Manage Lens K8S IDE subscriptions for your team","Built-in MCP Server","Hotbar & Smart Terminal","Teamwork: secure discovery & remote access","Priority support"],"description":"For teams needing full premium features and collaboration","contactSales":true},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"$50/seat/month with annual commitment or $60/seat/month billed monthly","features":["Everything in Pro","Offline activation & air-gapped mode","Centrally managed Lens K8S IDE","Single Sign-On (SSO) & SCIM provisioning","Purchase via invoicing","Security compliance assistance","Priority Enterprise Support & Technical Account Manager"],"components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":50,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":60,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For organizations requiring centralized access control, configuration, and audit","contactSales":false}],"summary":"Free tier available. Paid plans from $25/month for individuals to $50/seat/month for enterprises.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://lenshq.io/pricing/","retrievedAt":"2026-10-15T09:25:55.731Z","startingPrice":{"amount":25,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | free | mid |
| pricing.starting_price | - | `{"amount":25,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 5 | - |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.3.0","date":"2026-09-09T23:51:48Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.22.0","date":"2026-09-10T00:08:41Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.22.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.3.0-rc.1","date":"2026-08-31T22:09:46Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v4.3.0-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.22.0-rc.1","date":"2026-08-31T22:56:05Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.22.0-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.2.4","date":"2026-08-13T15:33:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.21.4","date":"2026-08-14T14:55:42Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.21.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.2.3","date":"2026-07-09T20:56:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.21.3","date":"2026-07-09T21:20:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.21.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.21.2","date":"2026-06-20T04:36:23Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.21.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.2.2","date":"2026-06-17T20:50:16Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.2.1","date":"2026-06-12T15:06:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.21.1","date":"2026-06-12T14:51:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.21.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.2.0","date":"2026-05-14T01:13:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.21.0","date":"2026-05-14T01:22:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.21.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.1.4","date":"2026-04-09T06:01:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.20.2","date":"2026-04-09T21:17:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.20.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.1.3","date":"2026-03-11T23:01:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v3.20.1","date":"2026-03-12T00:26:02Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.20.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.1.1","date":"2026-02-09T18:33:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.1.0","date":"2026-01-21T22:31:55Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.0"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2024.1.300751-latest","date":"2024-01-31T07:25:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v2024.1.300751-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2024.1.170738-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:52:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v2024.1.170738-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.12.281947-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:51:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.12.281947-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.12.80831-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:49:53Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.12.80831-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.11.241450-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:48:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.11.241450-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.11.131420-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:47:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.11.131420-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.11.81519-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:46:17Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.11.81519-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.10.181418-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:45:11Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.10.181418-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.10.122002-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:44:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.10.122002-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.9.290703-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:43:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.9.290703-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.9.190000-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:41:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.9.190000-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.8.231521-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:34:51Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.8.231521-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.8.31525-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:34:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.8.31525-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v2023.5.310801-latest","date":"2024-01-25T15:22:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v2023.5.310801-latest"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v6.5.2","date":"2023-05-30T15:40:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v6.5.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v6.5.1","date":"2023-05-29T12:59:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v6.5.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v6.5.0","date":"2023-05-26T18:02:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v6.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v6.5.0-alpha.16","date":"2023-05-25T13:59:25Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v6.5.0-alpha.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v6.5.0-alpha.15","date":"2023-05-23T19:35:19Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v6.5.0-alpha.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/lensapp/lens/releases/tag/v6.5.0-alpha.14","date":"2023-05-23T15:36:33Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v6.5.0-alpha.14"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.certifications | - | `[{"name":"SOC 2 Type 1","status":"active"},{"name":"ISO 27001","status":"active"}]` |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | yes |
| security.gdpr | - | yes |
| security.iso27001 | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 8.8 | 4.8 |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":24,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=helm.sh%2Fhelm%2Fv3&per_page=100","last_12m":1,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40k8slens%2Fcore&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Container Orchestration Tools)

| Capability | Helm | Lens |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Orchestration scope | - | - |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Hosting | - | - |
| **Standards** |  |  |
| OCI / CRI compliant | - | - |
| CNCF Certified Kubernetes conformant | - | - |
| **Security** |  |  |
| Rootless operation | - | - |
| **Architecture** |  |  |
| Daemonless architecture | - | - |
| **Platform** |  |  |
| Windows containers | - | - |
| ARM architecture support | ✓ | - |
| **Workloads** |  |  |
| GPU scheduling | - | - |
| Stateful workloads | - | - |
| **Networking** |  |  |
| Built-in networking / CNI | - | - |
| **Ops** |  |  |
| Vendor-managed control plane | - | - |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| CNCF maturity | Graduated | - |
| **UX** |  |  |
| GUI dashboard | - | ✓ |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T20:53:47.111Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*