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Indie alternatives to Docker Desktop
4 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what Docker Desktop does, 4 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.
At a glance
| Product | Price | Open source | Self-host | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colima | Free | Yes | – | Mac, Linux |
| Podman | Free | Yes | – | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| Rancher Desktop | Free | Yes | – | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| OrbStack | Free plan | – | – | Mac |
The alternatives
3. Rancher Desktop
Open-source Kubernetes and containers on the desktop
Rancher Desktop, from SUSE, provides local Kubernetes and container runtimes (containerd or Moby) with a GUI.
Free · Mac, Windows, Linux · Website ↗
Questions
Is there a free alternative to Docker Desktop?
Yes. 4 of the 4 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Colima, Podman, Rancher Desktop and OrbStack.
Is there an open-source alternative to Docker Desktop?
Colima, Podman and Rancher Desktop are open source.
Which Docker Desktop alternatives work on Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android?
On Windows: Podman and Rancher Desktop. On Linux: Colima, Podman and Rancher Desktop.
What makes these alternatives to Docker Desktop “indie”?
They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as Docker Desktop.
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