What is CRI-O?
A runtime implementation that enables Kubernetes to execute and manage containers, supporting OCI-compliant container images from any registry.
CRI-O pricing
We don't have CRI-O's full plan breakdown yet (its pricing page resisted automated reading). Here's what we could confirm. Always check live pricing for exact numbers.
What CRI-O does
The capabilities that matter for container orchestration tools, normalised so it lines up with every alternative. “-” means we haven't confirmed it, not that it's missing.
- Orchestration scope
- Kubernetes
- Hosting
- Self-hosted only
- OCI / CRI compliant
- ✓
- CNCF Certified Kubernetes conformant
- ✓
- Rootless operation
- -
- Daemonless architecture
- -
- Windows containers
- -
- ARM architecture support
- ✓
- GPU scheduling
- -
- Stateful workloads
- -
- Built-in networking / CNI
- ✓
- Vendor-managed control plane
- -
- CNCF maturity
- -
- GUI dashboard
- -
Platform & deployment
Independently observed- CLI
- Linux
- Self-hosted
Security & compliance
Known vulnerabilities: 13 (0 in the last 12 months), max severity HIGH sourcea count reflects scale & disclosure, not quality
CRI-O FAQ
Common questions about CRI-O, answered from independent, dated evidence.
What is CRI-O?
A runtime implementation that enables Kubernetes to execute and manage containers, supporting OCI-compliant container images from any registry. It is indexed under Container Orchestration Tools.
Source: https://cri-o.io
Is CRI-O free to use?
CRI-O 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://cri-o.io
What platforms does CRI-O support?
CRI-O supports Linux. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.
Source: https://cri-o.io
Can CRI-O be self-hosted?
Yes. CRI-O can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.
Source: https://cri-o.io
Is CRI-O open source?
Yes. CRI-O 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/cri-o/cri-o
CRI-O alternatives
Other container orchestration tools we track, ranked by the same independent score.
- Google Kubernetes EngineA managed Kubernetes platform that abstracts away cluster operations and infrastructure managementlow · 40%
- DockerPlatform for building, packaging, and running containerized applicationsmedium · 65%
- KubernetesOpen-source system for automating containerized application deployment, scaling, and managementlow · 30%
- BuildahA command-line tool for building Open Container Initiative-compliant container imageslow · 41%
- containerdlow · 33%
- HelmPackage manager for Kubernetes applicationslow · 41%
Compare CRI-O
Side by side against other container orchestration tools, attribute by attribute, with a source on every value.
The vioscaleAI score: one lens on the evidence
Not user reviews and not a paid placement: a confidence-weighted blend of the independent signals below (adoption, activity, security posture, and more), which you can sort and re-weight yourself. Vendors can correct their listing but can never move their rank, and stars are weighted low as a vanity metric. It is one way to read the evidence for CRI-O, not the verdict.
| Signal | Score | Weight | Contribution | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development activity | 61 | 0.09 | 5.8 | ✓ |
| Capabilities | 67 | 0.06 | 4.2 | ✓ |
| Security score | 84 | 0.04 | 3.5 | ✓ |
| Dependent projects | 30 | 0.06 | 1.9 | ✓ |
| Stars | 71 | 0.03 | 1.8 | ✓ |
| Integrations | 0 | 0.07 | 0.0 | - |
| Release cadence | 0 | 0.05 | 0.0 | - |
| Security posture | 0 | 0.12 | 0.0 | - |
| Package downloads | 0 | 0.14 | 0.0 | - |
| Developer Q&A activity | 0 | 0.06 | 0.0 | - |
Computed . Re-weight it by intent, or see the full method.
All data & sourcesshow ↓
Every value we hold, with its source, retrieval date, and confidence. This is the evidence behind the score: don't trust it, verify it.
Activity
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Commits last 30d | 87 | mediumsource · 2026-09-11 · 65% |
Adoption
Content
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Faq | 5 items | mediumsource · 2026-09-10 · 67% |
Features
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Capabilities | Hosting: self · Arm support: Yes · Oci compliant: Yes · Orchestration: kubernetes · K8s conformant: Yes · Built in networking cni: Yes | mediumsource · 2026-09-14 · 60% |
Language
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Go | highsource · 2026-09-11 · 90% |
License
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Spdx | Apache-2.0 | highsource · 2026-09-11 · 95% |
Pricing
Release
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| History | 20 items | mediumsource · 2026-09-11 · 70% |
Reliability
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Status page | Yes | mediumsource · 2026-08-03 · 60% |
Security
Is CRI-O the right choice for you?
Tell us the job, the constraints and what you weigh most, and we will rank CRI-O against the rest of the container orchestration tools we index, using the same dated evidence weighted your way.
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