# Free alternatives to Docker Desktop (Pro)

> Docker Desktop (Pro) (Pro) costs $108 a year. Free alternatives: Podman Desktop and Rancher Desktop. Data checked 2026-10-17.

- Page: https://stoprenting.dev/apps/docker-desktop/
- Category: Developer Tools (https://stoprenting.dev/categories/developer-tools/)
- Vendor: Docker
- Plan: Pro
- Price: $9/month, $108/year
- Billing: per user, yearly ($11 monthly)
- Price quote from the vendor's page: "Pro Pro $9 $11 per user/mo"
- Price source: https://www.docker.com/pricing/ (checked 2026-10-17)

## Alternatives

### Podman Desktop

- Website: https://podman-desktop.io
- Repository: https://github.com/podman-desktop/podman-desktop (8,073 stars, last push 2026-10-09)
- License: Apache-2.0
- Open source: yes, OSI-approved license
- Type: desktop app
- Linux: Arch extra: podman-desktop; Flathub: io.podman_desktop.PodmanDesktop
- Self-hostable: no
- Install: `sudo pacman -S podman-desktop`, `flatpak install flathub io.podman_desktop.PodmanDesktop`
- More: https://stoprenting.dev/alternatives/podman-desktop/
- Checked: 2026-10-17

### Rancher Desktop

- Website: https://rancherdesktop.io
- Repository: https://github.com/rancher-sandbox/rancher-desktop (7,388 stars, last push 2026-10-13)
- License: Apache-2.0
- Open source: yes, OSI-approved license
- Type: desktop app
- Linux: AUR: rancher-desktop
- Self-hostable: no
- Install: `yay -S rancher-desktop`
- More: https://stoprenting.dev/alternatives/rancher-desktop/
- Checked: 2026-10-17

## FAQ

### Is there a free alternative to Docker Desktop (Pro)?

Yes. The 2 free alternatives are Podman Desktop (open source, Apache-2.0) and Rancher Desktop (open source, Apache-2.0).

### How much does Docker Desktop (Pro) cost?

Docker Desktop (Pro)'s Pro plan costs $9 a month, which is $108 a year (per user, yearly ($11 monthly)). Source: the official pricing page at docker.com, checked Oct 17, 2026.

### Which Docker Desktop (Pro) alternatives run on Linux?

Podman Desktop (Arch extra: podman-desktop; Flathub: io.podman_desktop.PodmanDesktop) and Rancher Desktop (AUR: rancher-desktop).

### Can you self-host a Docker Desktop (Pro) alternative?

Podman Desktop and Rancher Desktop are desktop apps that run on your own machine, so there's nothing to host.

### Are these Docker Desktop (Pro) alternatives open source?

Yes. All 2 use OSI-approved open-source licenses: Podman Desktop (Apache-2.0) and Rancher Desktop (Apache-2.0).

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Source: Stop Renting (https://stoprenting.dev). Methodology: https://stoprenting.dev/methodology/