Comparison

Docker vs kind

On the evidence we track, Docker leads this comparison with a composite score of 70/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Docker full profile →kind full profile →

Machine formatsMarkdownJSONGraphQLMarkdown is open. JSON and GraphQL need a free key.

★Docker70

kind52

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	DockerLeader	kind
vioscaleAI score	70 / 100medium · 61%	52 / 100medium · 54%
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	open_source	open_source
Price levelpricing.price_level	free	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	✓	-
Integrations
Countintegrations.count	-	4
Security
Disclosure policysecurity.disclosure_policy	✓	✓
Gdprsecurity.gdpr	✓	-
Iso27001security.iso27001	✓	-
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	9.1	6.6
Soc2security.soc2	✓	-
Trust centersecurity.trust_center	https://www.docker.com/blog/eu-ai-act-compliance/	-
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: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=sigs.k8s.io%2Fkind&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0
Reliability
Status pagereliability.status_page	✓	-
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	1,657	2,126
Github starsadoption.github_stars	72,148	15,550
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	100	24
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	2	85
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	Available worldwide
Content
Faqcontent.faq	7 items	5 items

Score

vioscaleAI score

Docker70 / 100medium · 61%

kind52 / 100medium · 54%

Pricing

Free tier

Docker✓

kind✓

Model

Dockeropen_source

kindopen_source

Price level

Dockerfree

kindfree

Transparent

Docker✓

kind–

Integrations

Count

Docker–

kind4

Security

Disclosure policy

Docker✓

kind✓

Gdpr

Docker✓

kind–

Iso27001

Docker✓

kind–

Scorecard

Docker9.1

kind6.6

Soc2

Docker✓

kind–

Trust center

Dockerhttps://www.docker.com/blog/eu-ai-act-compliance/

kind–

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

kindCount: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=sigs.k8s.io%2Fkind&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0

Reliability

Status page

Docker✓

kind–

Adoption

Dependent repos

Docker1,657

kind2,126

Github stars

Docker72,148

kind15,550

Activity

Commits last 30d

Docker100

kind24

Release

Cadence days

Docker2

kind85

History

Docker20 items

kind20 items

License

Spdx

DockerApache-2.0

kindApache-2.0

Language

Primary

DockerGo

kindGo

Market

Availability

DockerAvailable worldwide · Popular in US

kindAvailable worldwide

Content

Faq

Docker7 items

kind5 items

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	kind
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	-	-
UX
GUI dashboard	✓	✗

Core

Orchestration scope

DockerSwarm / Compose

kindKubernetes

Deployment

Hosting

DockerCloud + self-hosted

kindSelf-hosted only

Standards

OCI / CRI compliant

Docker-

kind-

CNCF Certified Kubernetes conformant

Docker-

kind✓

Security

Rootless operation

Docker✓

kind✓

Architecture

Daemonless architecture

Docker-

kind-

Platform

Windows containers

Docker✓

kind✓

ARM architecture support

Docker-

kind✓

Workloads

GPU scheduling

Docker-

kind✓

Stateful workloads

Docker-

kind-

Networking

Built-in networking / CNI

Docker✓

kind✓

Ops

Vendor-managed control plane

Docker-

kind-

Ecosystem

CNCF maturity

Docker-

kind-

GUI dashboard

Docker✓

kind✗

What each one is

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

Docker

Leader

An open-source project providing toolkit components for containerization, designed for engineers and developers to modify, experiment with, and build container-based systems. It includes container build tools, registries, orchestration, runtimes, and other components that work together but can be independently swapped.

Independently observed

kind

nerdctl is a command-line tool for managing containers on containerd. It enables Docker Compose workflows, rootless container execution, image encryption, lazy-pulling, and multi-platform builds.

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 ↗

kind

Open source

as of 2026-09-11verify ↗

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	kind
macOSPlatforms	✗	✓
WindowsPlatforms	✓	✓
LinuxPlatforms	✓	✓
CLIPlatforms	✓	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓

Platforms

macOS

Docker✗

kind✓

Windows

Docker✓

kind✓

Linux

Docker✓

kind✓

CLI

Docker✓

kind✓

Deployment

Self-hosted

Docker✓

kind✓

Integrations

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

Docker

Leader

Not documented yet.

kind

4 total

Docker Compose
Kubernetes
IPFS
CNI

Independently observed

Still deciding?

Docker or kind: which one depends on you

A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.

Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works

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