Best Platform Engineering Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Backstage is ranked #1 of 28 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Port and Cycloid. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Port. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Terraform at $0.10/mo.
Platform engineering software concerns the infrastructure capabilities and workflows made available to development teams. Compare deployment models, infrastructure as code, and Kubernetes support to assess technical scope. Self-service provisioning and workflow automation are useful comparison points for how teams access and manage infrastructure, while policy and governance adds another dimension. Northflank, Terraform, and Upbound are among the options covered. Free-plan availability and the listed paid starting price help frame access and cost. Weigh these capabilities against the infrastructure and team workflows you need to support.
28 platform engineering software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 Backstage No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.2Free
- 2 Port No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.1$30/mo
- 3 Cycloid No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.7$45/mo
- 4 Pulumi No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.7$40/mo
- 5 Terraform No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.7$0.10/mo
- 6 Spacelift No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.5$1666.67/mo
- 7 Cortex No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.3
- 8 Scalr No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.3Free
- 9 Roadie No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.2$24/mo
- 10 Mia-Platform Console No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.2
- 11 Upbound No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.2$1,000/mo Self-service provisioning: YesInfrastructure as code: YesWorkflow automation: Yes
- 12 StackGen No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.0Free Self-service provisioning: YesInfrastructure as code: YesWorkflow automation: Yes
- 13 KubeSphere No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.9Free
- 14 Northflank No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.9Free
- 15 Devtron Release Orchestration No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.5$499/mo
- 16 Kratix No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.1
- 17 KubeVela No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.0Free
- 18 Humanitec No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.9$1,979/mo
- 19 Substrate No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.9$299/mo
- 20 Rafay Kubernetes Operations Platform No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.8
- 21 Crossplane No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.7
- 22 Wayfinder No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6
- 23 Porter No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6$6/mo
- 24 Qovery No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5$299/mo
- 25 Sealos No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5$7/mo Self-service provisioning: YesInfrastructure as code: YesWorkflow automation: Yes
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which platform engineering software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
Backstage is ranked #1 of 28 with a score of 8.2. Port is second and Cycloid third.
How many of these have a free plan?
14 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Terraform has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.10/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.