Harbor
Harbor is a free, open source registry for securely managing artifacts across cloud native platforms such as Kubernetes and Docker.
What Harbor is
Harbor is a free, open source registry for securely managing artifacts across cloud native platforms such as Kubernetes and Docker. It offers a web UI and extensible API, and can be installed on Kubernetes or on a system with Docker support. Security controls include policies, role-based access, vulnerability scanning, and image signing and validation. Trivy scanning can be enabled during installation, and Harbor can connect to additional scanners. It can copy images and charts to or from other registries in either pull or push mode; compatible services include Docker Hub, Amazon ECR, Google Container Registry, Azure Container Registry, and GitLab Registry. Authentication options include a database, LDAP/Active Directory, and OIDC, though selecting database authentication and adding local users prevents later switching modes. Storage quotas are unlimited by default but can be set globally or per project. Harbor is a CNCF Graduated project. For production, Harbor recommends HTTPS; HTTP outside air-gapped test or development settings exposes connections to man-in-the-middle attacks. Robot account secrets must be saved when created, and those accounts cannot access the user interface.
Good
- Free and open source.
- Supports image signing and vulnerability scanning.
- Replicates images and charts across registries.
- Offers database, LDAP/Active Directory, and OIDC authentication.
- Supports OCI artifacts, immutable tags, and retention policies.
Watch out
- Trivy scanning must be enabled during installation.
- Database authentication with local users prevents switching modes.
- Robot account secrets must be saved at creation.
- Robot accounts cannot log into the user interface.
Who it suits
Harbor suits teams managing container images and other artifacts across cloud native environments, especially those needing scanning, access policies, or registry replication. It is available as a self-hosted, Linux, web, and API option.
Verdict
Harbor combines artifact storage with access controls, scanning, signing, and registry replication. Teams should plan authentication choices carefully and use HTTPS in production.
Plans and prices
From Harbor's own pricing page, checked 11 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Harbor | Free | Open source registry; project storage quotas are unlimited by default |
The facts
Each one read from Harbor's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Authentication
- Harbor supports database, LDAP/Active Directory, and OIDC authentication; choosing database authentication and adding local users prevents switching to another mode.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Harbor can be installed on Kubernetes or on a system with Docker support.checked 11 Oct 2026
- HTTPS
- Harbor recommends HTTPS in production and warns that HTTP outside air-gapped test or development environments exposes connections to man-in-the-middle attacks.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The compatibility list includes registry adapters such as Docker Hub, Amazon ECR, Google Container Registry, Azure Container Registry, and GitLab Registry.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Project status
- Harbor is a Cloud Native Computing Foundation Graduated project.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Replication
- Harbor can replicate images and charts between Harbor and non-Harbor registries in pull or push mode.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Robot account limit
- Robot account secrets are not stored by Harbor, so they must be saved when created; robot accounts cannot log into the user interface.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Security features
- Harbor supports policies, role-based access control, vulnerability scanning, and image signing and validation.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Storage quotas
- Project storage quotas are unlimited by default and can be set globally or for individual projects.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Vulnerability scanning
- Harbor provides image vulnerability scanning through Trivy when enabled during installation, and can connect to additional scanners.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Web UI and API
- Harbor provides an extensible API and web UI.checked 11 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Harbor is an open source registry for securely managing artifacts across cloud native platforms such as Kubernetes and Docker.checked 11 Oct 2026
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