Canonical and AWS work together to make Ubuntu worker nodes available for Amazon's Elastic Kubernetes Services (EKS), allowing customers to get the best of both worlds: A fully managed Kubernetes service with the Ubuntu ecosystem under the hood.
You can also upgrade to Ubuntu Pro and activate additional security features such as FIPS mode, Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM), CIS or DISA-STIG hardening and Kernel Livepatch for getting Kernel security patches without unplanned downtime.
These images are based on the official Ubuntu Minimal LTS and include the custom Ubuntu-aws optimized kernel. They have been built specifically for the EKS service, therefore are not intended as general OS images.
To deploy Ubuntu worker nodes on EKS, you can use eksctl, EC2 Launch templates on the EKS web console, Cloudformation templates and other mechanisms.
Highlights
AWS managed Kubernetes on Ubuntu AWS-optimized worker nodes
Based on minimal Ubuntu for best performance and security
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This product is available free of charge. Free subscriptions have no end date and may be canceled any time.
Additional AWS infrastructure costs may apply. Use the AWS Pricing Calculator to estimate your infrastructure costs.
If you are an AWS Free Tier customer with a free plan, you are eligible to subscribe to this offer. You can use free credits to cover the cost of eligible AWS infrastructure. See AWS Free Tier for more details. If you created an AWS account before July 15th, 2025, and qualify for the Legacy AWS Free Tier, Amazon EC2 charges for Micro instances are free for up to 750 hours per month. See Legacy AWS Free Tier for more details.
This listing is free to use, so the software itself carries no license charge. Pricing is organized by AWS EC2 instance type, with each dimension billed per hour of runtime. You pick the instance that matches your compute, memory, storage, GPU, or accelerator needs, from small shared instances to large memory-optimized, compute-optimized, and bare-metal options. Your cost scales with the size and class of instance you run and the hours it stays active. Running more or larger nodes raises your total. The instance images provide an AWS-optimized Ubuntu 24.04 LTS build for EKS worker nodes.
Top-of-mind questions for buyers
What does the hourly rate cover, since the software is free to use?
The software license itself carries no charge. The hourly rate you see reflects the AWS EC2 instance you run the Ubuntu image on. You pick an instance type that matches your compute, memory, GPU, or storage needs, and AWS bills that instance per hour it runs.
Am I charged when an EKS worker node is stopped or idle?
Charges accrue per running instance-hour. A fully stopped node stops accruing instance runtime charges. Stopped instances may still incur underlying AWS storage fees for attached volumes. The metering tracks active running time, so scaling nodes down or terminating them lowers your total.
How do I decide which instance type dimension to select for my cluster?
Each dimension maps to one AWS EC2 instance type, billed per hour. Choose based on your workload: memory-optimized (r-series), compute-optimized (c-series), GPU or accelerator instances (g, p, inf, trn), or general purpose (m, t). Larger instances in a class cost more per hour and add capacity.
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An AMI is a virtual image that provides the information required to launch an instance. Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) instances are virtual servers on which you can run your applications and workloads, offering varying combinations of CPU, memory, storage, and networking resources. You can launch as many instances from as many different AMIs as you need.
Version release notes
Automated version update for new release
Additional details
Usage instructions
For Ubuntu Cloud Guest it is suggested to manually configure your Security Group/Firewall settings. The 1-Click Security Group opens only port 22 so that you can access your instance via ssh using login 'ubuntu'. If you chose the 1-Click Security Group, you may change it later to enable applications using the AWS Console or API.
Ubuntu Pro with Support provides a supported and secure foundation for modern applications by adding 24x7 technical support for your Ubuntu Pro workloads on AWS. Learn more at
AWS Support is a one-on-one, fast-response support channel that is staffed 24x7x365 with experienced and technical support engineers. The service helps customers of all sizes and technical abilities to successfully utilize the products and features provided by Amazon Web Services.
This product has charges associated with it for seller support. Ubuntu 26 is a robust, secure, and customizable Amazon Machine Image (AMI) designed for seamless deployment within the EC2 cloud environment. It features the latest updates and enhancements to Ubuntu's performance, security, and support for cloud-native applications. With built-in compatibility for popular frameworks and tools, users can easily develop, test, and scale their applications on a reliable infrastructure. Ideal for developers and businesses, Ubuntu 26 facilitates efficient workload management, high-availability architecture, and effortless integration with other AWS services. Whether you're running web servers, databases, or microservices, this AMI enables rapid deployment while maintaining industry-standard security protocols, making it the perfect choice for your cloud-based solutions. Elevate your cloud experience with Ubuntu 26 today!
Ubuntu Pro FIPS is a FIPS 140-3 out of the box certified image for AWS. It includes security coverage for 25,000+ open source packages, CIS and DISA-STIG assisted hardening, and 10 years of support.
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