Docker vs Kubernetes comparison

Docker and Kubernetes are both solutions in the Container Management category. Docker is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.9, while Kubernetes is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.2. Docker holds a 4.5% mindshare in CM, compared to Kubernetes’s 6.2% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Docker users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of Kubernetes users who would recommend it.

Docker

Read 56 Docker reviews

2,195 Views
1,558 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Kubernetes

Read 78 Kubernetes reviews

2,392 Views
2,368 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Docker

Kubernetes

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 13, 2024

Docker and Kubernetes are key competitors in the container orchestration category. Kubernetes has a competitive edge due to its robust scalability features and widespread cloud provider support.

Features: Kubernetes is known for its scalability, autoscaling features, and resilience. It integrates well with cloud providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure. Kubernetes also offers high availability and storage orchestration, which are essential for building cloud infrastructures. Docker, on the other hand, is valued for its simplicity and ease of use. It provides efficient container management with robust security features and straightforward integration, making it accessible to developers.

Room for Improvement: Kubernetes encounters challenges with complex setup procedures, integration, and user-friendly access. Improving debugging interfaces and security features without third-party reliance is necessary. Docker, while user-friendly, could enhance stability and management features. Better documentation and integration with tools like Docker Swarm could improve its scalability and security.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Kubernetes offers deployment flexibility across hybrid, public, and private clouds. However, the initial setup can be complex, with varying support levels depending on distribution. Docker is recognized for its ease of scaling containers across clouds, but users note issues with support effectiveness and documentation. Both platforms benefit from strong community support.

Pricing and ROI: Kubernetes, being open-source, has no licensing fees but requires investments in infrastructure, affecting costs. Efficient management can significantly improve ROI through optimized container use. Docker's open-source nature provides initial cost-effectiveness, but scaling with Docker Swarm can increase expenses. Both can deliver substantial ROI by implementing agile systems for faster time-to-market and cost savings.

To learn more, read our detailed Docker vs. Kubernetes Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Docker vs. Kubernetes

September 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Docker

Ranking in Container Management

5th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Development Platforms (1st), Software Supply Chain Security (3rd)

Kubernetes

Ranking in Container Management

4th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Container Management category, the mindshare of Docker is 4.5%, up from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Kubernetes is 6.2%, down from 6.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Container Management Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Kubernetes	6.2%
Docker	4.5%
Other	89.3%

Container Management

Featured Reviews

Sunny Nair

Solution Architect and Senior Consultant at Keysight Technologies

Offers application conversion to Docker image and a mature environment

The learning curve with Docker is huge and extensive. Adopting Docker is a bit difficult because it requires a lot of expertise and background, including an understanding of networking and security concepts. Many professionals are facing issues with the different architectures that interact with each other in Docker. Whenever in our company, we are working with the production environment, professionals are hesitant to adopt Docker due to the extensive learning curve, and most of the team members in our company are more accustomed to an environment like VMware instead of Docker. Docker runs on scripts, so if AI can automate most of the scripting process in Docker, it would be a great advantage in the future version of Docker. As of now, we can create scripts utilizing most of the functions within Docker, but that initial planning phase wherein to understand exactly how you will plan for the resources, how you will convert applications into a Docker-based image, and similar tasks needs to be simplified so that more professionals can adopt Docker.

Read full review

Venu Boddu

AWS DevOps Engineer at Hexaware Technologies Limited

Manage infrastructure automation and smooth application deployment with robust auto-scaling capabilities

Kubernetes is highly valuable for its node-based setup, which allows for the running of multiple pods. This feature is essential for infrastructure automation and application deployment. Kubernetes also offers rollback control and auto-scaling capabilities, which are crucial for maintaining an application's availability even if nodes or pods go down. Additionally, Kubernetes supports load balancing to distribute traffic efficiently across multiple pods.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"When used in conjunction with Kubernetes, it is seamless because it integrates very well."

"The solution is easy to deploy for clients so it saves a lot of hassle."

"Docker creates lightweight applications that are easy to manage and scale."

"The deployment is quite fast, which is beneficial."

"We are using Docker to host applications."

"The most valuable feature of Docker is the dedicated QA environment for connecting the team members. Additionally, there are many core features available and it is highly secure when we are imaging a client's server."

"Docker is easy to understand and follow. It provides good scalability to the application."

"In our line of work, we've been involved in various sectors, such as industrial products, transportation, client engineering, telecom, and medical. For instance, we're currently developing an IT platform. One key use case we're tackling is device management."

More Docker pros

"A good interface, better than comparable solutions."

"Provision of a managed platform as a service."

"The best thing about Kubernetes is orchestration. It is very good. We will not see much downtime unless there are some human errors. We do not see much downtime or issues with the container or automation."

"All the current features are quite harmonic."

"The most valuable feature is the Zero Touch Operations, which involves a new way of performing operations and support. We do not have to do maintenance, the operations are very simple."

"Kubernetes is easy to use, maintain resources, and configure YAML efficiently."

"The most valuable feature of Kubernetes is automation. It is the best tool for automation."

"Kubernetes is highly valuable for its node-based setup, which allows for the running of multiple pods."

More Kubernetes pros

Cons

"The solution could offer better documentation."

"We have found that it is not easy to install it into a Windows system."

"Unfortunately, base images are not currently available."

"There may not be much room for improvement with Docker as it has greatly evolved. However, one area that could be improved upon is the documentation on their website which was once easy to follow but has become quite terrible with numerous versions being released. As an example, the installation process for Docker now requires more than just a one-line command, causing inconvenience. Additionally, based on my experience as a college instructor, teaching students to install Docker was a difficult task due to the lack of straightforward and easy-to-follow documentation. Docker should focus on improving their documentation to make it more user-friendly for all."

"We are facing multiple issues with the solution's stability."

"Docker volumes. When I integrated volumes, I faced challenges. I have not essentially used add volumes to the existing instances."

"Sometimes, we have sync-up issues where the build doesn't get processed due to these sync issues, causing the build to fail. That's one of the drawbacks I see. When we did a huge sync-up, we faced a couple of issues. It takes some time for us to complete the sync-up. For frequent, smaller updates, we haven't had any issues. However, challenges can arise for those who prefer doing everything in one go. This might not necessarily be due to the tool itself but because of the approach of doing everything in a single batch."

"The volumes for persistent storage could be more user friendly right out of the box."

More Docker cons

"Although we face issues when migrating to new versions of Kubernetes, such as misunderstandings on using new features or integration with proxy services, these issues can be addressed with proper preparation."

"Kubernetes can be used for most companies, but for some companies that may be too small, it may not be worth the investment, as it is expensive."

"The solution could be more stable."

"One thing I noticed is when you have multiple deployments and your node count increases beyond eight or nine, the container creation process doesn't copy properties correctly."

"We would to have additional features related to security within the API, instead of needing to install add-ons."

"It would be useful to have a basic and stable interface for monitoring and quick deployment purposes, especially when the deployments are big like a proof of concept or proof of technology. Currently, you need to use the Kubernetes console for all functionalities. It is not a quick-to-learn product if you are not from a Linux background. You need to be very skilled at Linux to learn it quickly. It took me two to three months because I mostly work with Microsoft products. For people who are not from a Linux background, the learning curve is a little bit longer."

"This product should have a more advanced built-in scheduler that uses real application metrics in the scheduling strategy."

"The security of the solution is in its infancy and needs a lot of work."

More Kubernetes cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs."

"Pricing is based on the number of users."

"Its convenience edition is free of cost."

"Docker's price is good."

"Docker has made some changes and there is an enterprise version that is affordable."

"Docker is cost-effective and open-source."

"Docker is open source. To use a Docker enterprise model, we would need to pay for it."

"Docker is a free-to-use solution. However, Docker Enterprise is not free."

More Docker pricing and cost advice

"We use the solution's open-source version."

"The solution is open source and has no fees."

"Google Kubernetes Engine is free in the simplest setup, AWS Kubernetes Engine costs about $50 (depending on the region), in a three master setup, so it's almost the same as the cost of the EC2 instances and it's totally fine from my point of view."

"Kubernetes is free; it's open-source software."

"In addition to Kubernetes, you have to pay for support."

"I would say the solution is worth the money, but it depends on the required workloads, the type of workload, and the scaling requirements etc."

"The solution requires a license to use it."

"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs associated with its use."

More Kubernetes pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Government

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	22
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	34

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	25
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	47

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Docker?

We are using Docker to host applications.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Docker?

Regarding the cost, Mirantis Container Cloud is cheaper than other solutions like Red Hat. The license costs around 10,000 Indian rupees per year.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Docker?

Mirantis Container Cloud should have AI integration tools, which are not available right now. These tools should assist in app scalability and deployment error handling.

See all answers

What do you like most about Kubernetes?

There are many good features. I feel that the scale-out features, like replica sets, are very good. The number of running containers can be autoscaled.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kubernetes?

Since we use Kubernetes on-premises, the costs are related to our expertise and the personnel we hire.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Kubernetes?

Although we face issues when migrating to new versions of Kubernetes, such as misunderstandings on using new features or integration with proxy services, these issues can be addressed with proper p...

See all answers

Comparisons

VMware Tanzu Platform vs Docker

Compared 15% of the time

Portainer vs Docker

Compared 9% of the time

Codespaces vs Docker

Compared 8% of the time

Mirantis Container Runtime vs Docker

Compared 8% of the time

Minimus vs Docker

Compared 8% of the time

More Docker Competitors

VMware Tanzu Platform vs Kubernetes

Compared 33% of the time

Portainer vs Kubernetes

Compared 13% of the time

Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) vs Kubernetes

Compared 8% of the time

Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform vs Kubernetes

Compared 8% of the time

HashiCorp Nomad vs Kubernetes

Compared 5% of the time

More Kubernetes Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Docker

October 2025

Download Docker product report

Buyer's Guide

Kubernetes

September 2025

Download Kubernetes product report

Also Known As

No data available

Overview

Docker is a versatile container platform used for running and deploying applications in isolated environments, ensuring consistency across development, testing, and production.

Docker offers solutions for containerizing applications, automating deployments, and managing infrastructure through its robust platform. It supports CI/CD workflows, provides a development platform for container management, and simplifies the setup by using streamlined tools. Organizations leverage Docker for building microservices, running UI applications, deploying web services, and setting up secure environments. It also facilitates managing containers via Kubernetes and creating development stacks for enhanced productivity.

What are Docker's key features?

Security: Offers containment and isolation of applications.
Easy Use: Simplifies the deployment and management of applications.
Documentation: Extensive resources to aid in understanding and implementation.
Customization: Flexible environment configurations.
Scalability: Efficiently handles applications irrespective of scale.
Internal DNS: Manages network configurations within the container ecosystem.
Overlay Networks: Facilitates seamless inter-container communication.
Resource Efficiency: Optimizes usage of system resources.

What benefits should users look for?

Consistency: Ensures homogeneous environments across development, testing, and production stages.
Portability: Allows applications to run consistently on any platform.
Cost-Effectiveness: Reduces overhead costs associated with application deployment.
Speed: Accelerates the build, test, and deployment cycles.
Flexibility: Supports various tools and integrations to adapt to different workflows.

Industries implement Docker for CI/CD pipelines, scaling services, and improving resource utilization. Tech companies use Docker for building and deploying their software in isolated environments. Finance and healthcare sectors deploy applications securely, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Educational institutions set up consistent development environments for coding labs and training students in advanced technologies.

Docker

Kubernetes (K8s) is an open-source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.
It groups containers that make up an application into logical units for easy management and discovery. Kubernetes builds upon 15 years of experience of running production workloads at Google, combined with best-of-breed ideas and practices from the community.

Kubernetes

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

China unicom, NetEase Cloud, Nav, AppDirect

Buyer's Guide

Docker vs. Kubernetes

September 2025

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