Orca Desktop
Orca Desktop is an open-source container management app for Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, and GPU-accelerated AI workloads.
What Orca Desktop is
Orca Desktop is an open-source container management app for Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, and GPU-accelerated AI workloads. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, it brings container controls, live resource monitoring, terminals, logs, and file browsing into one interface. It can build images with live output, show image layers, search Docker Hub, and authenticate with Docker Hub, GitHub, GitLab, and ECR registries. Trivy-powered scans produce exportable HTML vulnerability reports with severity levels. Orca also manages Kubernetes resources, supports one-click k3s setup, and handles Helm releases. Its AI assistant supports Claude, GPT, Gemini, Ollama, and custom OpenAI-compatible providers; developer integrations include an OpenAI-compatible endpoint and bearer-token authentication. The desktop app can manage Linux servers, and a Caddy gateway supports custom domains and automatic TLS. The maker says Orca has no analytics, accounts, or cloud service and that its daemon binds to localhost. It is free forever under the MIT license.
Good
- Free forever and MIT licensed.
- Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Includes Trivy image vulnerability scans.
- Supports local Ollama AI and offline use.
- Manages Linux servers with bulk operations.
Watch out
- AI requests send shown context to the selected provider.
- Automatic update checks and template requests still make network calls.
- No cloud service is provided.
Who it suits
Orca suits developers and teams managing containers, Kubernetes resources, and Linux server fleets from a desktop app. Its stated privacy approach may also interest teams concerned with data security.
Verdict
Orca Desktop brings container, Kubernetes, AI, and fleet workflows into one free desktop app. Consider how its provider-bound AI context and local-only daemon fit your setup.
Plans and prices
From Orca Desktop's own pricing page, checked 5 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free forever · MIT licensed |
The facts
Each one read from Orca Desktop's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- AI integrations
- Its AI assistant supports Claude, GPT, Gemini, Ollama, and custom OpenAI-compatible providers, and includes an MCP server with 43 tools.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Container management
- It supports container lifecycle controls, live resource monitoring, interactive terminals, log viewing, and container file browsing.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Developer API
- It provides an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, direct tool execution, and bearer-token authentication for agent integrations.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Fleet management
- A desktop app can manage Linux servers with host groups, tags, bulk operations, health alerts, and remote deployments.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Gateway
- Its managed Caddy gateway supports localhost and custom domains, automatic TLS, path-based routing, and one-click container exposure.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Images and builds
- It offers image builds with live output, image layer visualization, Docker Hub search, and authentication for Docker Hub, GitHub, GitLab, and ECR registries.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes Orca as built for teams concerned with data security and highlights team configuration sharing and fleet workflows.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Kubernetes and Helm
- It manages Kubernetes resources, supports one-click k3s setup, and can install and uninstall Helm releases.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Network calls
- The site says automatic update checks and template-catalog requests send no user data, while AI requests send the context shown to the selected provider.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Offline use
- The site says Orca works offline with cached templates and supports local Ollama AI and private registries.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The maker states that Orca has no analytics, crash reporting, accounts, or cloud service, and that its daemon binds to localhost.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Orca Desktop is an open-source container management app for managing Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, and GPU-accelerated AI workloads in one interface.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Security
- The maker describes the project as MIT-licensed and auditable, with signed update manifests and Apple-notarized macOS and EV-signed Windows releases.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Support and community
- The site links to GitHub releases, a security policy, and a community app catalog where users can contribute templates.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Vulnerability scanning
- It uses Trivy for one-click image vulnerability scans and provides exportable HTML reports with severity levels.checked 5 Oct 2026
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