Question 1

What is the best free alternative to Seldon Core after the license change?

Accepted Answer

The best alternative depends on your setup. KServe is the closest like-for-like replacement for teams already on Kubernetes. BentoML is the best option for teams that want to avoid Kubernetes entirely. NVIDIA Triton is best for GPU-heavy, multi-framework workloads. TorchServe or TensorFlow Serving work well for single-framework setups. Use the MLOpsLab Seldon Core Exit Desk tool to get a personalized recommendation based on your specific stack.

Question 2

Why does Seldon Core now cost money?

Accepted Answer

Seldon Technologies changed Seldon Core's license in January 2024. Production use now requires a paid commercial license, which costs approximately $18,000 per year. Development and testing use remains free under the new terms.

Question 3

How do I migrate from Seldon Core to KServe?

Accepted Answer

KServe uses a similar Kubernetes-native InferenceService pattern to Seldon Core, making it the lowest-friction migration path for most teams. The MLOpsLab Seldon Exit Desk generates a starter KServe InferenceService manifest based on your framework and setup.

Question 4

Can I run model serving without Kubernetes after leaving Seldon Core?

Accepted Answer

Yes. BentoML and TorchServe both run as plain Docker containers without requiring a Kubernetes cluster. BentoML is the most flexible choice for teams wanting to avoid Kubernetes entirely while still having a production-ready REST API for their models.

Seldon Core now costs$18,000 a year to run.

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Seldon Core now costs
$18,000 a year to run.