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 Portainer
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 Portainer if operators who will stay on Community at $0 (up to 3 nodes) while they add a first standalone-local environment, then Business Starter at $1,045/year when they need more nodes / RBAC — not
Best for
Docker A container table you start at a public $
Portainer Environments you start at a public $
Free plan
Docker $0 · “For individual developers who need the essential tools to build and deploy containers.”
Portainer $0 · home / hobby: up to 3 nodes. OSS at github.com/portainer/portainer
Lowest paid
Docker Hardened Images / extras $5
Portainer Business Starter $1/yr
Next step up
Docker Pro $9/user/mo
Portainer Business Scale $2/yr
Coding agent
Docker
Portainer Home environments
Runs where
Docker Hosted
Portainer
Watch out
Docker Personal is the $0 individual tile
Portainer Community caps at 3 nodes
Last checked
Docker 2026-10-23 · docker.com/pricing
Portainer 2026-10-23 · portainer.io/pricing
Which one, then?
Pick Portainer if
operators who will stay on Community at $0 (up to 3 nodes) while they add a first standalone-local environment, then Business Starter at $1,045/year when they need more nodes / RBAC — not Enterprise first unless they need a custom contract.
Read the Portainer page