Top Spacelift Alternatives for IaC Orchestration

TL;DR — The main Spacelift alternatives are HCP Terraform, env0, Scalr, and Pulumi Cloud as managed IaC platforms, Atlantis and Terrateam for pull-request automation, and Kestra when IaC runs belong to larger workflows with approvals, ITSM, data, or AI steps. Pick by framework coverage, deployment model, and how far beyond IaC you need to orchestrate.

Spacelift is a widely used IaC management platform covering Terraform, OpenTofu, Terragrunt, Pulumi, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, and Ansible. As organizations grow, many also need infrastructure changes to connect with the rest of their automation: data, AI, and IT service management.

This article explores the leading alternatives to Spacelift, with their strengths and trade-offs: HCP Terraform, env0, Scalr, Pulumi Cloud, Atlantis, Terrateam, and Kestra, to help platform engineers and DevOps teams choose.

The evolving landscape of IaC and the need for advanced orchestration

Infrastructure as Code changed how teams provision and manage infrastructure, bringing version control, peer review, and automation to what was once a manual process. Platforms like Spacelift have emerged to provide a structured and governed way to run IaC, offering features like remote state management, policy enforcement, and a collaborative UI.

IaC is rarely an isolated activity. A successful infrastructure change might require updating a CMDB, notifying a security team, triggering a data pipeline, or provisioning resources for an AI model. When IaC platforms operate in a silo, teams are left writing brittle glue code to connect these disparate systems, creating operational complexity and visibility gaps. That is where an orchestration platform helps: it runs the IaC lifecycle as one part of a larger, end-to-end workflow.

Why teams seek alternatives to Spacelift for IaC orchestration

While Spacelift is a powerful tool for IaC management, teams often look for alternatives when their needs evolve. Common drivers include:

• Limited cross-domain workflow integration: Spacelift is designed for IaC. Orchestrating complex workflows that span data pipelines, AI model training, or ITSM processes often requires an external tool, leading to a fragmented automation stack.
• Vendor lock-in concerns: Relying on a specialized platform can create dependencies that are hard to unwind. Teams often prefer open standards and open-source tools that keep them free to change vendors.
• Operational overhead and complexity: As the number of projects and teams grows, managing policies, permissions, and dependencies within a specialized tool can become a significant operational burden. A declarative, GitOps-native control plane can simplify management at scale.
• Inflexible pricing models: Some platforms price per resource, per run, or per seat, which may not align with an organization’s usage patterns. Teams with frequent infrastructure changes should model how each approach scales with their own usage.
• Need for a unified control plane: Many organizations are consolidating their tooling to create a “single pane of glass” for all automation. This requires a platform that can orchestrate everything, not just one part of the stack.

How we evaluated IaC orchestration alternatives

We evaluated each Spacelift alternative based on a set of key criteria for modern infrastructure and platform teams:

• Deployment Flexibility: We assessed whether the tool is offered as a SaaS product, a self-hosted solution, or a hybrid model, catering to different security and operational requirements.
• Multi-Framework and Multi-Cloud Support: We looked at the breadth of support for IaC tools like Terraform, OpenTofu, Pulumi, and Ansible, as well as the ability to operate across multiple cloud providers.
• Core Orchestration Capabilities: We examined features beyond simple IaC runs, such as event-driven triggers, parallel execution, error handling, and human-in-the-loop approvals.
• Policy as Code and Governance: We evaluated the mechanisms for enforcing security, compliance, and cost policies, including integration with standards like Open Policy Agent (OPA).
• Extensibility and Integrations: We considered how easily the tool integrates with other systems, such as Git providers, CI/CD tools, monitoring platforms, and ITSM solutions.
• Pricing Model: We looked at how each tool structures pricing (per user, per resource, per run), without comparing prices.

The top Spacelift alternatives for modern IaC workflows

1. Kestra: Unified, event-driven orchestration for IaC

Kestra is an open-source, declarative orchestration platform that unifies workflows across infrastructure, data, AI, and business systems. Unlike specialized IaC tools, it orchestrates Terraform, OpenTofu, and Ansible as steps in larger, event-driven workflows.

Workflows are defined in simple YAML files, aligning with GitOps principles and making them easy to version, review, and manage. Kestra’s language-agnostic architecture means you can run any script, container, or API call as a task, so it fits into your existing stack. This allows you to create end-to-end automation, such as triggering a Terraform deployment from a ServiceNow ticket, running a data quality check post-provisioning, and notifying a Slack channel on completion.

Kestra’s event-driven nature is a key differentiator. It can react to events such as a Git push, an S3 file upload, or a Kafka message to trigger IaC workflows for provisioning, remediation, or scaling.

Best for: Platform and DevOps teams who need a flexible, unified orchestration layer to manage IaC alongside data, AI, and business processes, breaking down automation silos.

Kestra is open source (Apache 2.0) and can be self-hosted on Docker or Kubernetes, or used as Kestra Cloud. A Fortune 500 industrial company replaced VMware Aria Automation with Kestra to cut costs and secure hybrid cloud automation across IT and OT.

2. HCP Terraform (formerly Terraform Cloud): HashiCorp’s managed IaC platform

HCP Terraform is the managed service from HashiCorp, an IBM company since 2025, for Terraform users. It provides a reliable and secure environment for collaborating on Terraform projects, with features like remote state management, a private module registry, and version control system integration.

Its main strength is native Terraform integration. It offers governance through Policy as Code using Sentinel or OPA, and its health assessments feature provides continuous Terraform drift detection. For organizations that require a self-managed solution, HashiCorp offers Terraform Enterprise.

Its main limitation is its focus on Terraform. It does not support other IaC frameworks like OpenTofu or Pulumi, which can be a drawback for teams using multiple tools. Its tight coupling with HashiCorp products also raises lock-in concerns for some organizations.

Best for: Organizations standardized on HashiCorp tools that need an authoritative, managed platform for their Terraform workflows.

3. env0: IaC automation with self-service and cost management

env0 is an IaC automation platform that supports Terraform, OpenTofu, Terragrunt, Pulumi, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, and Helm. It is designed for developer self-service with centralized governance and cost control.

A key feature of env0 is its focus on “Environments as a Service.” It allows platform teams to create templates and self-service portals, enabling developers to provision and manage their own environments within predefined guardrails. Its cost management capabilities provide detailed visibility into the cost of IaC deployments, helping teams optimize cloud spend.

While env0 offers powerful IaC management features, its primary focus is on the IaC lifecycle. Orchestrating workflows that extend significantly beyond infrastructure provisioning may require integration with other tools, a consideration when weighing the build vs. buy orchestration decision.

Best for: Teams looking to provide governed, self-service infrastructure environments to developers with a strong emphasis on cost visibility and management.

4. Scalr: Enterprise-grade IaC management for large organizations

Scalr is an IaC platform designed for large enterprises with complex organizational structures and strict governance requirements. It features a hierarchical model that allows for multi-tenant environments with granular RBAC, making it suitable for managing infrastructure across different business units or clients.

Scalr supports both Terraform and OpenTofu and integrates with OPA for policy as code enforcement. Its strengths include a structured, Git-driven workflow and features aimed at optimizing costs and ensuring compliance at scale.

The platform’s enterprise focus means it may be more complex than necessary for smaller teams or organizations with simpler governance needs. It is primarily centered on IaC management and, like other specialized tools, may not be the best fit for orchestrating diverse, cross-domain workflows.

Best for: Large enterprises that need a hierarchical, multi-tenant platform to enforce consistent governance and cost controls across numerous Terraform and OpenTofu projects.

5. Pulumi Cloud: Code-first IaC with managed backend

Pulumi Cloud is the managed service for the Pulumi IaC framework. Pulumi’s unique approach is to define infrastructure using general-purpose programming languages like Python, Go, TypeScript, and C#, rather than a domain-specific language like HCL. This makes it a natural choice for developers who want to apply their existing programming skills and tools to infrastructure management, embracing the concept of everything as code.

Pulumi Cloud provides a managed state backend, policy enforcement with CrossGuard, secrets management with Pulumi ESC, and collaboration features for teams. It allows developers to write unit tests, create abstractions, and use familiar software engineering practices for their infrastructure.

The main trade-off is its code-first paradigm. It requires proficiency in a supported programming language, which can be a barrier for operations teams or those who prefer a declarative, low-code approach.

Best for: Development teams who prefer to define and manage infrastructure using familiar programming languages and software engineering practices.

6. Atlantis: Open-source Terraform pull request automation

Atlantis is an open-source (Apache 2.0) tool that automates Terraform and OpenTofu workflows directly within pull requests. It is self-hosted and runs as a webhook server that listens for GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket events. When a developer opens a pull request with IaC changes, they can comment atlantis plan to see the proposed changes. An authorized user can then comment atlantis apply to execute the changes.

Its simplicity is its greatest strength. It provides a straightforward, Git-native workflow for teams to collaborate on infrastructure changes without needing a complex UI or managed service. It is also limited. Atlantis has no built-in UI beyond the pull request interface, no native policy engine (though it can be integrated with tools like Conftest), and no state backend of its own.

Best for: Teams looking for a free, open-source, and self-hosted solution to automate Terraform and OpenTofu workflows entirely within their Git provider’s pull request process.

7. Terrateam: GitOps-first Terraform and OpenTofu automation

Terrateam is another pull-request-driven automation tool for Terraform and OpenTofu, in the same space as Atlantis. It offers a more structured approach to GitOps workflows, with features like drift detection, access controls, and detailed plan and apply comments within the pull request.

Terrateam is available as both a hosted service and a self-hosted open-source edition. It aims to provide more out-of-the-box functionality than Atlantis while maintaining a PR-centric workflow. It can be a good middle ground for teams who want more features than Atlantis but don’t need the full-fledged UI and management capabilities of platforms like Spacelift or env0.

Best for: Teams committed to a pull-request-centric GitOps workflow who need more advanced features like drift detection and access controls than what basic tools like Atlantis offer.

Comparison table: Spacelift alternatives at a glance

Example: a Terraform plan, approval, and apply workflow in Kestra

One of Kestra’s strengths is its ability to orchestrate complex sequences involving both automated tasks and human approvals. Here’s how you can create a secure, event-driven Terraform workflow that runs a plan, pauses for manual review, and then applies the changes upon approval.

A webhook from your Git provider starts the workflow on a push to main. It clones the pushed commit, runs terraform plan, and stores the plan file in Kestra’s internal storage. The flow then pauses for a decision in the Kestra UI; without approval within eight hours, the execution is cancelled. Once approved, it clones the same commit again and applies the exact saved plan, so what was reviewed is what gets deployed. Any failure sends a Slack alert.

You can find more examples in the Terraform plugin documentation and our guide to human-in-the-loop orchestration.

id: terraform-plan-approve-apply
namespace: company.team.infra

triggers:
  - id: git_push
    type: io.kestra.plugin.core.trigger.Webhook
    key: "{{ secret('INFRA_WEBHOOK_KEY') }}"

tasks:
  - id: plan_workspace
    type: io.kestra.plugin.core.flow.WorkingDirectory
    tasks:
      - id: clone_for_plan
        type: io.kestra.plugin.git.Clone
        url: https://github.com/your-org/infra-repo.git
        commit: "{{ trigger.body.after }}"

      - id: terraform_plan
        type: io.kestra.plugin.terraform.cli.TerraformCLI
        env:
          AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: "{{ secret('AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID') }}"
          AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: "{{ secret('AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY') }}"
        beforeCommands:
          - terraform init -input=false
        commands:
          - terraform plan -input=false -no-color -out=tfplan
        outputFiles:
          - tfplan

  - id: manual_approval
    type: io.kestra.plugin.core.flow.Pause
    pauseDuration: PT8H
    behavior: CANCEL

  - id: apply_workspace
    type: io.kestra.plugin.core.flow.WorkingDirectory
    tasks:
      - id: clone_for_apply
        type: io.kestra.plugin.git.Clone
        url: https://github.com/your-org/infra-repo.git
        commit: "{{ trigger.body.after }}"

      - id: terraform_apply
        type: io.kestra.plugin.terraform.cli.TerraformCLI
        env:
          AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: "{{ secret('AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID') }}"
          AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: "{{ secret('AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY') }}"
        inputFiles:
          tfplan: "{{ outputs.terraform_plan.outputFiles.tfplan }}"
        beforeCommands:
          - terraform init -input=false
        commands:
          - terraform apply -input=false -no-color tfplan

errors:
  - id: slack_notification
    type: io.kestra.plugin.slack.notifications.SlackIncomingWebhook
    url: "{{ secret('SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL') }}"
    payload: |
      {"text": "Terraform workflow {{ flow.id }} failed (execution {{ execution.id }})."}

A few things are worth noticing:

• Same commit, same plan: both clones check out the pushed commit, and the apply step runs the saved tfplan, so nothing changes between review and apply.
• No silent apply: the Pause task cancels the execution if nobody approves it in time.
• Credentials stay in secrets: cloud keys and the webhook key never appear in the flow.

Choosing the right Spacelift alternative for your team

The best alternative depends entirely on your team’s specific needs, existing stack, and long-term automation strategy.

For platform and DevOps teams prioritizing unified orchestration

If your goal is to break down silos and create a single control plane for all automated processes, Kestra fits best: it orchestrates IaC alongside data pipelines, AI workflows, and business logic, which specialized IaC tools do not cover.

For Terraform-centric teams seeking managed services

If your organization is standardized on Terraform and you want a fully managed, authoritative solution, HCP Terraform is the most direct path. For teams who prefer a self-hosted, PR-driven approach, Atlantis offers a simple, open-source solution, while Terrateam provides a more feature-rich alternative in the same category.

For large enterprises needing advanced IaC governance and self-service

For complex organizations with multiple teams and strict compliance needs, env0 and Scalr provide governance, self-service, and cost management features. They are designed to bring order to large-scale IaC operations.

For developers who prefer code-first IaC

If your team consists of developers who are more comfortable with general-purpose programming languages than DSLs, Pulumi Cloud is the best fit. It lets developers reuse their coding skills to manage infrastructure next to application code.

Embrace a unified approach to infrastructure and workflow automation

Choosing an IaC management tool means thinking beyond terraform apply. Automation pays off when infrastructure changes connect to the tools and processes that depend on them.

By adopting a unified orchestration platform, you can move from isolated IaC runs to fully integrated, event-driven workflows. This not only reduces manual effort and operational overhead but also provides end-to-end visibility and governance across your entire stack. To see how this works in practice, explore Kestra for infrastructure automation.