Comparison

containerd vs Docker

On the evidence we track, Docker leads this comparison with a composite score of 71/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

containerd full profile →Docker full profile →

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containerd56

★Docker71

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	containerd	DockerLeader
Vioscale score	56 / 100low · 36%updating	71 / 100medium · 66%updating
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	open_source	commercial
Price levelpricing.price_level	free	low
Transparentpricing.transparent	-	✓
Security
Disclosure policysecurity.disclosure_policy	-	✓
Gdprsecurity.gdpr	-	✓
Iso27001security.iso27001	-	✓
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	-	9.1
Soc2security.soc2	-	✓
Vulnerabilitiessecurity.vulnerabilities	-	Count: 13 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fmoby%2Fmoby&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 4 · Max severity: HIGH
Reliability
Status pagereliability.status_page	-	✓
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	-	1,657
Github starsadoption.github_stars	694	72,001
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	55	100
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	-	3
Historyrelease.history	-	20 items
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	-	Apache-2.0
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	Rich Text Format	Go
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	-	Available worldwide · Popular in US

Score

Vioscale score

containerd56 / 100low · 36%updating

Docker71 / 100medium · 66%updating

Pricing

Free tier

containerd✓

Docker✓

Model

containerdopen_source

Dockercommercial

Price level

containerdfree

Dockerlow

Transparent

containerd–

Docker✓

Security

Disclosure policy

containerd–

Docker✓

Gdpr

containerd–

Docker✓

Iso27001

containerd–

Docker✓

Scorecard

containerd–

Docker9.1

Soc2

containerd–

Docker✓

Vulnerabilities

containerd–

DockerCount: 13 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fmoby%2Fmoby&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 4 · Max severity: HIGH

Reliability

Status page

containerd–

Docker✓

Adoption

Dependent repos

containerd–

Docker1,657

Github stars

containerd694

Docker72,001

Activity

Commits last 30d

containerd55

Docker100

Release

Cadence days

containerd–

Docker3

History

containerd–

Docker20 items

License

Spdx

containerd–

DockerApache-2.0

Language

Primary

containerdRich Text Format

DockerGo

Market

Availability

containerd–

DockerAvailable worldwide · Popular in US

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for container orchestration tools. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capability comparison for Container Orchestration Tools
Capability	containerd	Docker
Core
Orchestration scope	None / single-host	Swarm / Compose
Deployment
Hosting	Self-hosted only	Cloud + self-hosted
Standards
OCI / CRI compliant	✓	-
CNCF Certified Kubernetes conformant	-	-
Security
Rootless operation	✓	✓
Architecture
Daemonless architecture	-	-
Platform
Windows containers	✓	✓
ARM architecture support	-	-
Workloads
GPU scheduling	-	-
Stateful workloads	-	-
Networking
Built-in networking / CNI	-	✓
Ops
Vendor-managed control plane	-	-
Ecosystem
CNCF maturity	Graduated	-
UX
GUI dashboard	-	✓

Core

Orchestration scope

containerdNone / single-host

DockerSwarm / Compose

Deployment

Hosting

containerdSelf-hosted only

DockerCloud + self-hosted

Standards

OCI / CRI compliant

containerd✓

Docker-

CNCF Certified Kubernetes conformant

containerd-

Docker-

Security

Rootless operation

containerd✓

Docker✓

Architecture

Daemonless architecture

containerd-

Docker-

Platform

Windows containers

containerd✓

Docker✓

ARM architecture support

containerd-

Docker-

Workloads

GPU scheduling

containerd-

Docker-

Stateful workloads

containerd-

Docker-

Networking

Built-in networking / CNI

containerd-

Docker✓

Ops

Vendor-managed control plane

containerd-

Docker-

Ecosystem

CNCF maturity

containerdGraduated

Docker-

GUI dashboard

containerd-

Docker✓

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

containerd

Industry-standard container runtime that manages the complete container lifecycle including image transfer and storage, container execution, supervision, and network attachments. CNCF graduated project supporting OCI standards.

Independently observed

Docker

Leader

Docker provides a complete containerization ecosystem combining open-source components and tools (via the Moby project) with commercial products. It allows applications and their dependencies to be bundled into containers for consistent deployment across cloud and on-premise environments, with both managed and self-hosted deployment options.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

containerd

Open sourceFree tier

as of 2026-08-03verify ↗

Docker

Leader

from $9/moHybridFree tier

From free (Personal tier) to $24/seat/month (Business). Docker Hardened Images starting at $5k/repo (Select tier).

Docker PersonalFree
- Docker Desktop
- Docker Engine + Kubernetes
- Docker Hub
- Docker Scout
- Docker Debug
Docker Pro$9/seat/month (monthly billing) or $11/seat/month (annual billing)
- Docker Build Cloud
- Testcontainers Cloud
- Synchronized File Shares
- Docker Scout health scores visibility
- 5 business day support
Docker Team$15/seat/month (monthly billing) or $16/seat/month (annual billing)
- Add users in bulk
- Audit logs
- Docker Hub role-based access control
- 2 business day support
Docker BusinessContact sales
- Hardened Docker Desktop
- Single Sign-On (SSO)
- SCIM user provisioning
- Image and Registry Access Management
- Desktop Insights Dashboard
- +3 more

as of 2026-08-05verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platform and deployment support comparison
Supports	containerd	Docker
WebPlatforms	✗	✓
WindowsPlatforms	✓	✓
LinuxPlatforms	✓	✓
CLIPlatforms	✓	✓
Cloud / SaaSDeployment	✗	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓

Platforms

Web

containerd✗

Docker✓

Windows

containerd✓

Docker✓

Linux

containerd✓

Docker✓

CLI

containerd✓

Docker✓

Deployment

Cloud / SaaS

containerd✗

Docker✓

Self-hosted

containerd✓

Docker✓

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.