KubernetesContainersAWSDevOps
Most Startups Don't Need Kubernetes
Sean Lobjoit··1 min read
Hot take: Most startups don't need Kubernetes.
Before you roast me, hear me out.
When Kubernetes Actually Makes Sense
Kubernetes is incredible for:
- Large engineering teams (50+ devs)
- Microservices at scale (20+ services)
- Multi-tenant SaaS platforms
- Complex deployment requirements
The Case for Simpler Orchestration
But for a 5-10 person team building a B2B SaaS? Not so much. With AWS ECS + Fargate for example you get:
- 80% of K8s benefits
- 20% of the operational complexity
- Managed control plane (no cluster upgrades)
- Native AWS integration
- Lower learning curve for smaller teams
Match the Tool to Your Team
I've deployed both options extensively across various domains and the correct answer isn't "use the most sophisticated tool," but rather "use the tool that matches your team's size and needs."
It might sound obvious but start simple and add the complexity when you actually need it.
What's your container orchestration stack?