Canonical LXD
Container management software
DevOps software
Containerization software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
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$1,775 per server per year
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What is Canonical LXD
Canonical LXD is a system container and virtual machine manager built on Linux container technologies, used to run and manage isolated workloads on a single host or across a cluster. It targets DevOps and infrastructure teams that need a lightweight alternative to full orchestration platforms for hosting Linux environments, CI runners, or multi-tenant services. LXD provides an API-driven management layer, image handling, networking and storage abstractions, and clustering for high availability. It is commonly deployed on Ubuntu but can run on other Linux distributions.
System containers and VMs
LXD manages both system containers and virtual machines from a single control plane. This supports mixed workloads where some applications require full VM isolation while others fit well in containers. It also enables running full Linux userlands (not just single-process app containers), which can simplify lift-and-shift of legacy services. The unified tooling reduces the need to operate separate managers for containers and VMs.
API-driven operations and automation
LXD exposes a REST API and CLI that support repeatable provisioning and lifecycle management. It integrates with common automation approaches (e.g., scripting and configuration management) for creating instances, images, networks, and storage pools. This makes it suitable for internal platform teams building self-service environments without adopting a full Kubernetes-based stack. The API-first design also helps with integrating LXD into CI/CD pipelines.
Clustering with storage and networking
LXD includes built-in clustering to manage multiple hosts as a single logical pool. It provides abstractions for networking (bridges, OVN integration in many deployments) and storage backends (such as ZFS, LVM, and Ceph in supported configurations). These capabilities support high availability patterns and live migration scenarios depending on backend choices. For teams that do not need a full PaaS, this can provide a relatively direct path to multi-host operations.
Not a full app platform
LXD focuses on instance lifecycle and host/cluster management rather than higher-level application delivery. It does not provide the same breadth of built-in features as full platform or orchestration suites (for example, native service discovery, ingress patterns, and application-level deployment primitives). Teams may need to assemble additional components for routing, secrets, and app rollout workflows. This can increase integration and operational effort for application-centric use cases.
Linux-centric workload model
LXD primarily targets Linux system containers and Linux-based virtualization. Organizations with significant Windows container requirements or heterogeneous OS management needs may find coverage limited. Some features depend on specific kernel capabilities and storage/network backends, which can constrain portability across environments. This can make standardization harder in mixed-OS estates.
Operational complexity at scale
While clustering is available, operating LXD at larger scale still requires careful design around storage, networking, and image distribution. Advanced setups (e.g., distributed storage, overlay networking, multi-site) can introduce complexity comparable to other infrastructure platforms. Troubleshooting may require Linux kernel, networking, and storage expertise. Organizations may also need to define their own governance and multi-tenant controls beyond LXD defaults.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canonical LXD (open-source product) | Free | LXD is open source and can be used free of charge; full functionality available without restriction (community/OSS). |
| Ubuntu Pro — Self-Support (server) | $500 per server/year | Software-only subscription (self-support). Does NOT include commercial LXD support. |
| Ubuntu Pro — With Infra support (24/7) | $1,775 per server/year | Includes infrastructure (24/7) support and explicitly lists support coverage for LXD and Kubernetes. This is the minimum paid Ubuntu Pro tier that includes LXD support. |
| Ubuntu Pro — With Full support (24/7) | $3,400 per server/year | Full 24/7 support with broader coverage; includes support for LXD. |
| Ubuntu Pro — Personal free tier | Free for up to 5 machines | Personal users can obtain Ubuntu Pro free for up to 5 machines (community members up to 50 machines). |
Notes:
- Canonical documents LXD as open-source and usable for free; optional paid support/coverage for LXD is provided via Ubuntu Pro subscriptions.
- Ubuntu Pro offers a 30-day free trial for subscriptions.
Seller details
Canonical Ltd.
London, United Kingdom
2004
Private
https://canonical.com/
https://x.com/Canonical
https://www.linkedin.com/company/canonical-ltd-/
