Kubernetes · AWS vs Google Cloud
EKS Pod Identity (and IRSA) vs Workload Identity Federation for GKE
EKS Pod Identity and IRSA map to Workload Identity Federation for GKE, which lets Kubernetes service accounts act as IAM principals.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | EKS Pod Identity (and IRSA) | Workload Identity Federation for GKE |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Map Kubernetes service accounts to IAM roles so pods get temporary AWS credentials. Pod Identity uses an EKS agent and association API. IAM Roles for Service Accounts (IRSA) uses OIDC federation. | Lets Kubernetes service accounts act as IAM principals, so Pods call Google Cloud APIs without service account keys. |
| Pricing model | No extra charge. | No additional charge. |
| Docs | EKS Pod Identity (and IRSA) docs | Workload Identity Federation for GKE docs |
| Pricing page | EKS Pod Identity (and IRSA) pricing | — |
Key differences
- You grant IAM roles directly to the Kubernetes service account principal, or let it impersonate a Google service account.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- No extra charge. EKS Pod Identity (and IRSA) pricing →
- GCP
- No additional charge.
And on Azure?
Direct match Azure's equivalent is Microsoft Entra Workload ID for AKS. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of EKS Pod Identity (and IRSA)?
EKS Pod Identity and IRSA map to Workload Identity Federation for GKE, which lets Kubernetes service accounts act as IAM principals.
How does pricing compare between EKS Pod Identity (and IRSA) and Workload Identity Federation for GKE?
AWS: No extra charge. Google Cloud: No additional charge. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Microsoft Entra Workload ID for AKS (direct match). EKS Pod Identity (and IAM Roles for Service Accounts) maps to Microsoft Entra Workload ID for AKS.