Apptainer vs Docker Desktop
| Apptainer | Docker Desktop | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Paid from | Free | $9/mo |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | api, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Windows | Linux, macOS, Web, Windows |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Rootless mode | Yes | Yes |
| Image building | Yes | Yes |
| Windows containers | No | Yes |
| Image format | both | both |
| Runtime interface | other | docker |
| Supported host OS | Linux; Windows via WSL2; macOS via Linux VM | Linux, Windows Server |
| Kubernetes CRI | — | Yes |
Both are listed in Best Container Engines, Best Container Runtime Software. On Everything Xiaomi, Apptainer scores higher on our published basis.