Comparison

Docker vs K3s

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.

Docker full profile →K3s full profile →

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★Docker71

K3s51

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	DockerLeader	K3s
Vioscale score	71 / 100medium · 66%	51 / 100low · 46%
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	commercial	commercial
Price levelpricing.price_level	low	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	✓	-
Integrations
Countintegrations.count	-	9
Security
Disclosure policysecurity.disclosure_policy	✓	-
Gdprsecurity.gdpr	✓	-
Iso27001security.iso27001	✓	-
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	9.1	8
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	Count: 3 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fk3s-io%2Fk3s&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 1 · Max severity: HIGH
Reliability
Status pagereliability.status_page	✓	-
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	1,657	11
Github starsadoption.github_stars	72,001	33,826
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	100	32
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	3	-
Historyrelease.history	20 items	20 items
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	Apache-2.0	Apache-2.0
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	Go	Go
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	Available worldwide · Popular in US	-

Score

Vioscale score

Docker71 / 100medium · 66%

K3s51 / 100low · 46%

Pricing

Free tier

Docker✓

K3s✓

Model

Dockercommercial

K3scommercial

Price level

Dockerlow

K3sfree

Transparent

Docker✓

K3s–

Integrations

Count

Docker–

K3s9

Security

Disclosure policy

Docker✓

K3s–

Gdpr

Docker✓

K3s–

Iso27001

Docker✓

K3s–

Scorecard

Docker9.1

K3s8

Soc2

Docker✓

K3s–

Vulnerabilities

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

K3sCount: 3 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fk3s-io%2Fk3s&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 1 · Max severity: HIGH

Reliability

Status page

Docker✓

K3s–

Adoption

Dependent repos

Docker1,657

K3s11

Github stars

Docker72,001

K3s33,826

Activity

Commits last 30d

Docker100

K3s32

Release

Cadence days

Docker3

K3s–

History

Docker20 items

K3s20 items

License

Spdx

DockerApache-2.0

K3sApache-2.0

Language

Primary

DockerGo

K3sGo

Market

Availability

DockerAvailable worldwide · Popular in US

K3s–

Capabilities

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

Capability comparison for Container Orchestration Tools
Capability	Docker	K3s
Core
Orchestration scope	Swarm / Compose	Kubernetes
Deployment
Hosting	Cloud + self-hosted	Self-hosted only
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	-	Sandbox
UX
GUI dashboard	✓	-

Core

Orchestration scope

DockerSwarm / Compose

K3sKubernetes

Deployment

Hosting

DockerCloud + self-hosted

K3sSelf-hosted only

Standards

OCI / CRI compliant

Docker-

K3s-

CNCF Certified Kubernetes conformant

Docker-

K3s✓

Security

Rootless operation

Docker✓

K3s✓

Architecture

Daemonless architecture

Docker-

K3s-

Platform

Windows containers

Docker✓

K3s-

ARM architecture support

Docker-

K3s✓

Workloads

GPU scheduling

Docker-

K3s-

Stateful workloads

Docker-

K3s✓

Networking

Built-in networking / CNI

Docker✓

K3s✓

Ops

Vendor-managed control plane

Docker-

K3s✗

Ecosystem

CNCF maturity

Docker-

K3sSandbox

GUI dashboard

Docker✓

K3s-

What each one is

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

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

K3s

K3s is a certified Kubernetes implementation that maintains full conformance while streamlining deployment through bundled components, simplified storage options, and a single-binary installation model suitable for resource-constrained environments and edge computing scenarios.

Independently observed

Pricing

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

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 ↗

K3s

Open sourceFree tier

as of 2026-08-03verify ↗

Platform & deployment

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

Platform and deployment support comparison
Supports	Docker	K3s
WebPlatforms	✓	✗
WindowsPlatforms	✓	✗
LinuxPlatforms	✓	✓
CLIPlatforms	✓	✓
Cloud / SaaSDeployment	✓	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓
On-premiseDeployment	✗	✓

Platforms

Web

Docker✓

K3s✗

Windows

Docker✓

K3s✗

Linux

Docker✓

K3s✓

CLI

Docker✓

K3s✓

Deployment

Cloud / SaaS

Docker✓

K3s✓

Self-hosted

Docker✓

K3s✓

On-premise

Docker✗

K3s✓

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

Docker

Leader

Not documented yet.

K3s

9 total

Traefik
CoreDNS
Helm
etcd
Local Path Provisioner
MariaDB
MySQL
PostgreSQL
SQLite

Independently observed

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