# CNCF Distribution vs Docker Hub

| Attribute | CNCF Distribution | Docker Hub |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 57.6 (66% (medium)) | 60.3 (74% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 8 | - |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 2,403 | - |
| adoption.github_stars | 10,582 | - |
| deployment.options | `{"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | Open-source implementation of the OCI Distribution Specification for storing and distributing container images. Enables organizations to tightly control their image storage and distribution pipeline with full ownership of their distribution infrastructure. | Docker Hub is a cloud-based registry where developers can publish, discover, and use pre-built container images. It offers both community-contributed and official hardened images with built-in security scanning and vulnerability remediation. |
| features.capabilities | `{"hosting":"self","image_signing":true,"oci_compliant":true,"private_repos":true,"artifact_types":"images"}` | `{"web_ui":true,"hosting":"cloud","artifact_types":"images","vulnerability_scanning":true}` |
| integrations.count | - | 6 |
| integrations.list | - | `[{"name":"LambdaTest"},{"name":"OpenShift"},{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"Perplexity"},{"name":"Browserbase"},{"name":"ElevenLabs"}]` |
| language.primary | Go | - |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | - |
| market.availability | - | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | - | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://distribution.github.io/distribution/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T18:17:59.377Z"}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Personal","summary":"Free","features":["Docker Desktop","Docker Engine + Kubernetes","Docker Hub","Docker Scout","Docker Debug","Docker Build Cloud free trial","Testcontainers Cloud free trial"],"minSeats":1,"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For individual developers who need the essential tools to build and deploy containers","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"users":"1","scout_repos":"1","private_repos":"1","hub_pulls_per_hour":"100"}},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","summary":"$9/user/mo (monthly) or $11/user/mo (annual)","features":["Docker Build Cloud","Testcontainers Cloud","Synchronized File Shares","Docker Scout health scores","5 business day support response"],"minSeats":1,"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"user","amount":9,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"user","amount":11,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For individual professionals who require more advanced features and additional resources","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"users":"1","scout_repos":"2","hub_pull_rate":"unlimited","build_cloud_minutes":"200 per month","testcontainers_cloud_minutes":"100 per month"}},{"free":false,"name":"Team","summary":"$15/user/mo (monthly) or $16/user/mo (annual)","features":["Add users in bulk","Audit logs","Docker Hub role-based access control","Unlimited Docker Scout-enabled repos","Unlimited private repos","2 business day support response"],"minSeats":1,"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"user","amount":15,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"user","amount":16,"period":"year","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For small teams that need collaborative tools to make working together more efficient","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"users":"up to 100","scout_repos":"unlimited","hub_pull_rate":"unlimited","organizations":"1","private_repos":"unlimited","build_cloud_minutes":"500 per month","organization_tokens":"10","testcontainers_cloud_minutes":"500 per month"}},{"free":false,"name":"Business","summary":"$24/user/mo","features":["Hardened Docker Desktop","Single Sign-On (SSO)","SCIM user provisioning","Image and Registry Access Management","Desktop Insights Dashboard","Enhanced container Isolation","Invoice billing","1 business day support response"],"components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"user","amount":24,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For enterprises desiring robust security, control, and compliance features","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"users":"unlimited","scout_repos":"unlimited","hub_pull_rate":"unlimited","organizations":"unlimited","private_repos":"unlimited","build_cloud_minutes":"1500 per month","organization_tokens":"100","testcontainers_cloud_minutes":"1500 per month"}},{"free":true,"name":"Docker Hardened Images (DHI) - Community","summary":"Free","features":["Hardened, minimal images","Near-zero CVEs","Verifiable SBOMs & SLSA Build L3 provenance","Full, unsuppressed CVE visibility","Drop-in adoption, no workflow changes","Full catalog of open source images under Apache 2.0","Docker Hardened System Packages"],"description":"Secure, transparent, and no-cost base images for every developer","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Docker Hardened Images (DHI) - Select","summary":"Starting at $5k/repo","features":["Everything in community, plus","FIPS/STIG variants","Critical CVE fixes < 7 days with SLA-backed continuous patching","Up to 5 customizations"],"components":[{"kind":"one_time","amount":5000,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Production-ready security with compliance support","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Docker Hardened Images (DHI) - Enterprise","summary":"Contact for pricing","features":["Everything in Select, plus","Unlimited customizations, including system packages","Access to Hardened System Packages repo","Full catalog access available","Extended Lifecycle Support add-on available"],"description":"Advanced security controls and unlimited customization","contactSales":true}],"summary":"Free tier available. Personal $0, Pro $9-11/user/mo, Team $15-16/user/mo, Business $24/user/mo. Docker Hardened Images from free to $5k+/repo.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://hub.docker.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T13:21:02.154Z","startingPrice":{"amount":9,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | - | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | free |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 55 | - |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.1.1","date":"2026-05-01T15:51:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.1.0","date":"2026-04-06T17:09:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0","date":"2025-04-03T06:25:36Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.4","date":"2025-03-22T14:59:29Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.3","date":"2025-02-11T16:21:07Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.2","date":"2024-12-18T15:23:19Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.1","date":"2024-11-07T21:04:41Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-beta.1","date":"2024-07-10T13:22:40Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-beta.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-alpha.1","date":"2023-12-19T16:03:36Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-alpha.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.3","date":"2023-10-02T18:23:54Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.2","date":"2023-05-11T10:47:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.2-beta.2","date":"2023-05-09T23:32:56Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.8.2-beta.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.2-beta.1","date":"2023-05-09T22:42:12Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.8.2-beta.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.1","date":"2022-03-08T18:19:10Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.0","date":"2022-02-07T15:53:07Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.0-beta.1","date":"2022-01-21T16:49:13Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.8.0-beta.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.7.1","date":"2019-01-17T23:22:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.7.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.7.0","date":"2018-12-04T00:20:01Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.7.0-rc.0","date":"2018-09-28T23:23:36Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.7.0-rc.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.6.2","date":"2017-07-20T21:20:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.6.2"}]` | - |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.scorecard | 7.9 | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":4,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fdistribution%2Fdistribution%2Fv3&per_page=100","last_12m":3,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` | - |

## Capabilities (Container Registries)

| Capability | CNCF Distribution | Docker Hub |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Hosting | Self-hosted only | Cloud only |
| **Standards** |  |  |
| OCI Distribution Spec compliant | ✓ | - |
| **Scope** |  |  |
| Artifact types | Container images only | Container images only |
| **Security** |  |  |
| Built-in vulnerability scanning | - | ✓ |
| Image signing (Cosign/Notation) | ✓ | - |
| SBOM generation / storage | - | - |
| **Access** |  |  |
| Fine-grained RBAC / robot accounts | - | - |
| Private repositories | ✓ | - |
| **Distribution** |  |  |
| Geo-replication / mirroring | - | - |
| Pull-through cache / proxy | - | - |
| **Integration** |  |  |
| Native cloud IAM integration | - | - |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Pull-rate limits | - | - |
| **UX** |  |  |
| Web UI / console | - | ✓ |
| **Ops** |  |  |
| High-availability deployment | - | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T17:05:48.366Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*