Incus

Incus is free software for managing system and application containers alongside virtual machines. It is best suited to Linux operators who want one control plane for mixed workloads. Its range is a strength, but running the daemon and tightly controlling access are part of the deal.

Overview

Incus lets containers and virtual machines use the same underlying storage and network, bringing different workload types into a shared management model. That is useful for teams that operate both and want consistent administration; it is less compelling if the need is only for a narrowly focused container runtime.

Instances are managed through a command-line tool, REST API, or third-party tools and integrations. The project describes its API as scaling from a laptop to clusters of thousands of compute nodes, and positions Incus for development as well as production. Images for many Linux distributions are published daily, which gives operators a broad starting point for creating instances.

Key features

Snapshots, backup and recovery, migration, configurable storage pools and networks, and resource controls cover much of the day-to-day instance lifecycle. These capabilities make Incus more than a launch-and-run tool: operators can manage persistence, movement, and resource allocation without separating container and VM infrastructure.

Documented integrations include Terraform, OpenTofu, Ansible, Packer, Distrobuilder, GARM, Kubernetes Cluster API, and Incant. That breadth can fit teams already using infrastructure-as-code and automation tools, although the value depends on whether those integrations match an existing workflow.

Containers are unprivileged by default, a useful security baseline. But local access to the Incus Unix socket grants full control of Incus, so access should be restricted to trusted users. The daemon runs on Linux; Windows and macOS builds provide a client, not a non-Linux server.

Pricing

Incus is free software under the Apache 2 license. The Incus plan costs nothing and includes rootless mode and image building, with OCI as the image format and Linux as the supported host operating system. There are no paid tiers or seat charges in this plan. Commercial support is available from Zabbly for users of its Debian or Ubuntu packages; otherwise, community support is through the Linux Containers forum.

Platforms

The Incus daemon runs on Linux, making Linux the practical host requirement for operating workloads. The client is available for Windows and macOS, and FreeBSD client packages are also listed in the installation guide. Upstream does not provide packages directly: installation is through Linux distributions, third-party repositories, or source, so prospective operators should account for that setup choice.

The project offers LTS and feature releases. Incus 6.0 LTS is supported until June 2029, while feature releases arrive about monthly and are normally supported until the next release. The LTS track is the clearer fit for operators who prioritize a longer support window over following frequent feature releases.

Who it's for

Incus suits administrators and development teams that need to manage Linux containers and virtual machines together, especially where shared storage, networking, migration, and automation matter. Its free license lowers the cost barrier, and its API and integrations can support varied management approaches. It is not the right pick for someone seeking a non-Linux host daemon or an environment where local socket access cannot be limited to trusted users.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Containers and virtual machines share storage and networks, giving mixed-workload teams one infrastructure model.
• Pro: Snapshots, recovery, migration, and resource controls address important operational tasks within the same manager.
• Pro: Free Apache 2 licensing and a broad set of documented integrations make it adaptable without a license fee.
• Con: The daemon is Linux-only, so Windows and macOS clients do not make those systems host platforms.
• Con: Unix socket access grants full control, requiring careful access restrictions.
• Con: Upstream does not supply packages directly, leaving installation to distributions, third-party repositories, or source.

Alternatives

Choose Docker Desktop if a desktop-focused option across Linux, macOS, Windows, and web fits better; its Personal plan is free, with a Pro plan at $9 a month. Apptainer is another free container platform with commercial support through partners.

Rancher Desktop is a free alternative identified as part of SUSE's Rancher Engineering group. Colima is a free, MIT-licensed option for container runtimes on macOS and Linux. Finch is free and requires no licensing tiers or commercial agreements.

LXD offers self-hosted system containers and KVM-based virtual machines, with a free open-source plan. Podman provides free container, pod, and image management, while Podman Desktop adds a free desktop option for containers and Kubernetes across macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Verdict

Choose Incus if you want free, Linux-based management for both containers and virtual machines, with shared infrastructure and useful lifecycle controls. Its main advantage is that broad management scope; look elsewhere if you need a daemon on Windows or macOS, or cannot restrict socket access to trusted operators.