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Docker vs Portainer comparison

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
4th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
Development Platforms (1st), Software Supply Chain Security (4th)
Portainer
Ranking in Container Management
14th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Container Management category, the mindshare of Docker is 4.6%, up from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Portainer is 5.1%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Container Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Docker4.6%
Portainer5.1%
Other90.3%
Container Management
 

Featured Reviews

PB
Time-saving deployment with seamless virtualization for diverse environments
I used Docker to Dockerize Java code. We had a code base, and I needed to create a Docker image from it so that it could be deployed. At the time, we used Docker Compose, which is somewhat similar to Kubernetes Docker allows virtualization at a higher level without the need for a host machine.…
EB
A GUI solution that helps to administer a docker using a browser
The first time using Portainer involves a learning curve. It takes longer as you're unfamiliar with the processes and might be lazy to consult the manual. Initially, you may rely on intuition within the GUI. However, after repeating the same tasks three or four times, the process becomes much quicker.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Containerization is the most valuable feature. I can communicate to the Docker containers using other containers."
"We find the auto scaling and auto healing functionality of this solution very good."
"It is a very stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"The solution's customer service is good."
"We use Docker to facilitate deployment, updates, and management."
"It is neat and very flexible."
"The solution is easy to deploy for clients so it saves a lot of hassle."
"The most valuable feature is that it gives you the same environment as on a developer machine as well as a production machine relevant to specifications."
"Portainer comes with the ability to take the information of docker definition. Using it, I can visually observe how the container has been created. It allows me to create networks. I can also visually generate volumes and working stacks."
 

Cons

"The solution could offer better documentation."
"In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved."
"Docker could improve by having security vulnerability reports."
"The documentation could be improved."
"Docker needs to improve its pricing."
"One item that could be improved is the overall stability of Docker."
"The backup compatibility for legacy window stations is an area of concern where improvement is required, especially since my company has certain legacy tools that we are struggling to move."
"There is always room for improvement. I often refer to forums such as StackOverflow to learn from other developers' experiences and the challenges they have faced while using Docker."
"Portainer needs to be more intuitive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's an open-source solution, so it doesn't cost anything"
"For commercial use, it's about $30 per month. The license itself isn't expensive, but if there are many users, the price becomes high."
"The solution is an open-source technology and not a commercial product. However, you will have to pay sometimes. The tool's pricing depends on the vendor."
"The product is not expensive."
"Customers pay for the license through a yearly subscription model, where they pay per license. This means that the license is based on a subscription, and the customer pays annually for each license they use."
"The solution offers an open-source version that is free and includes a lot of functionality."
"We are using the open-source version of the solution."
"We use the open-source version."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
13%
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Insurance Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
16%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
9%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business22
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise34
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Docker?
We are using Docker to host applications.
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.
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.
What do you like most about Portainer?
Portainer comes with the ability to take the information of docker definition. Using it, I can visually observe how the container has been created. It allows me to create networks. I can also visua...
What needs improvement with Portainer?
Portainer needs to be more intuitive.
What is your primary use case for Portainer?
The tool is a GUI that helps to administer a docker using a browser.
 

Comparisons

 

Overview