specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: Cilium
providerId: cilium
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: false
tags:
  - Cloud Native
  - eBPF
  - Kubernetes
  - Networking
  - Open Source
  - Security
description: Cilium is an open-source CNCF graduated project distributed under the Apache License
  2.0 — there is no charge for the Cilium, Hubble, Hubble Relay, or Tetragon APIs and no commercial
  pricing tier on the upstream project. Commercial support and an enterprise-hardened distribution
  are available from Isovalent (acquired by Cisco) under names such as Isovalent Enterprise for
  Cilium and Isovalent Enterprise for Tetragon. Isovalent / Cisco does not publish list pricing for
  these enterprise SKUs.
notes: Upstream Cilium is free and open source. Isovalent / Cisco enterprise pricing is not
  publicly listed.
sources:
  - https://cilium.io/
  - https://docs.cilium.io/
  - https://github.com/cilium/cilium
  - https://isovalent.com/
plans:
  - id: cilium-open-source
    name: Cilium Open Source
    type: freemium
    description: Apache-2.0 licensed Cilium, Hubble, Hubble Relay, and Tetragon. No charge, no
      registration, no rate limits applied by the project.
    entries:
      - label: Software license
        name: software_license
        type: flat
        metric: usage
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: usage
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '$0 — Apache 2.0'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: API access
        name: api_access
        type: flat
        metric: request
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: usage
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: included with software
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Cilium agent and operator
      - name: Hubble observability
      - name: Hubble Relay
      - name: Tetragon runtime security
      - name: Community support (Slack, GitHub, Stack Overflow)
  - id: cilium-isovalent-enterprise
    name: Isovalent Enterprise (commercial — Cisco)
    type: enterprise
    description: Commercial distribution and support for Cilium and Tetragon from Isovalent (now
      part of Cisco). Includes hardened images, certified releases, advanced enterprise features
      (e.g. Cluster Mesh, advanced network policy), and 24x7 support. Pricing is not publicly listed.
    entries:
      - label: Subscription
        name: subscription
        type: subscription
        metric: varies
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: contact Cisco / Isovalent sales
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Support
        name: support
        type: subscription
        metric: month
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: tiered (Standard / Premium / 24x7)
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Hardened, certified Cilium / Tetragon distribution
      - name: Enterprise-only features (Cluster Mesh, advanced policy, etc.)
      - name: 24x7 vendor support and SLAs
      - name: Long-term release support
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com
x-canonical:
  generated: '2026-10-08'
  vocabulary: all/0-working/economics/plans-canonical.yml
  models:
  - subscription
  units:
  - negotiated
  - none
  - period
  - request
  plans:
  - name: Cilium Open Source
    access: freemium
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - none
    - request
    periods:
    - per-use
  - name: Isovalent Enterprise (commercial — Cisco)
    access: enterprise
    model: subscription
    model_how: derived
    units:
    - negotiated
    - period
    periods:
    - year