Pick Docker if
individual developers who will stay on Personal at $0 while they open a first Containers list, then Pro at $9/user/month yearly ($11 monthly) when they need commercial / advanced Desktop features.
Read the Docker pageDocker vs Podman Desktop
Our take
Pick Docker if individual developers who will stay on Personal at $0 while they open a first Containers list, then Pro at $9/user/month yearly ($11 monthly) when they need commercial / advanced Desktop features. Pick Podman Desktop if developers who will stay on the Apache-2.0 desktop at $0 while they open a first EXITED Containers table — not OrbStack Pro first unless they need a paid Mac VM, and not Docker Pro
Best for
Docker A container table you start at a public $
Podman Desktop A local container list you run at a public $
Free plan
Docker $0 · “For individual developers who need the essential tools to build and deploy containers.”
Podman Desktop $0 · apache-2.0. Containers / Pods / Kubernetes / Extensions on the cover rail. No card
Lowest paid
Docker Hardened Images / extras $5
Podman Desktop Not published by the vendor
Next step up
Docker Pro $9/user/mo
Podman Desktop
Runs where
Docker Hosted
Podman Desktop Hosted
Watch out
Docker Personal is the $0 individual tile
Podman Desktop You still run an engine
Last checked
Docker 2026-10-23 · docker.com/pricing
Podman Desktop 2026-10-23 · podman-desktop.io
Which one, then?
Pick Podman Desktop if
developers who will stay on the Apache-2.0 desktop at $0 while they open a first EXITED Containers table — not OrbStack Pro first unless they need a paid Mac VM, and not Docker Pro first unless they need Docker Desktop’s commercial SKU.
Read the Podman Desktop page