Reviewed by the Softwares.com Editorial Team · Last updated June 2026 · How we rate
Key facts
- Vendor
- Buoyant
- Pricing
- Open source - Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Self Hosted, Api
- Best for
- Devops, Platform Engineers
- Editor rating
- 4.5 / 5
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, USA
What is Linkerd?
Linkerd is a development it tool from Buoyant. A CNCF-graduated service mesh focused on simplicity and performance, providing mTLS, traffic metrics and reliability features with a tiny Rust-based proxy.
Linkerd uses open source pricing and offers a free tier you can start on without a credit card. Free.
It's best suited to devops, platform engineers and runs on Self Hosted, Api.
Standout strengths include lightweight and fast, simple to operate, automatic mtls. Worth weighing: fewer features than istio, smaller ecosystem.
Linkerd pricing
Pros
- Lightweight and fast
- Simple to operate
- Automatic mTLS
Cons
- Fewer features than Istio
- Smaller ecosystem
Linkerd vs alternatives
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Frequently asked questions
What is Linkerd?
A CNCF-graduated service mesh focused on simplicity and performance, providing mTLS, traffic metrics and reliability features with a tiny Rust-based proxy.
How much does Linkerd cost?
Linkerd is open-source-priced. It has a free tier.
Does Linkerd have a free trial?
Linkerd offers a free tier rather than a time-limited trial.
What platforms does Linkerd support?
Linkerd is available on Self Hosted, Api.