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Docker Desktop vs OrbStack: catalog facts
Docker Desktop	OrbStack
Freemium Free for personal use, education, open source projects and small businesses. Larger…	Freemium Free for personal use. Commercial use requires a paid licence.
Windows, macOS, Linux	macOS
Everything in one installer: engine, Compose, Kubernetes and a dashboard The reference implementation, so every tutorial assumes it	Starts in seconds and uses far less memory and battery than Docker Desktop Runs full Linux machines alongside containers with host networking integration
Paid subscription required above a company size threshold Closed source, unlike the Docker engine itself	macOS only Commercial use requires a paid licence
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.