Moby

Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API

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Freedom report

Two barsScore 5.6

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely3 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Moby is ranked #11 of 31 in container engines on Freedom251. It runs on API, Linux, macOS, Self-hosted, Windows.

Compared on container engines

Free plan: Yes
Rootless mode: Yes
Image building: Yes
Windows containers: Yes
Image format: both
Runtime interface: containerd
Supported host OS: Linux, macOS, Windows

Best Moby alternatives

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Two bars Apptainer Free tier No. 1Free6.6 Two bars BuildKit Free tier No. 2Free6.6 Two bars Docker Desktop Free tier No. 3$9/mo6.6 Two bars Incus Free tier No. 4Free6.6 One bar containerd Free tier No. 5Free6.5 One bar LXD Free tier No. 6$2.08/mo6.5

The record

What it does: Moby is an open framework created by Docker for assembling specialized container systems.
Components: It provides containerized components for operating systems, runtimes, orchestration, infrastructure, networking, storage, security, builds and image distribution.
Build outputs: Its tools create runnable artifacts for bare-metal x86 and Arm, Linux, Mac and Windows executables, and VM images for cloud and virtualization providers.
Assemblies: Reference assemblies can be used as-is, modified or used as inspiration, and components are OCI-compatible containers.
Default runtime: Moby uses containerd as its default container runtime.
Modularity: The project is modular, with components exposing functions and APIs that work together and can usually be swapped for other implementations.
Security approach: Moby says it provides secure defaults without compromising usability.
Target users: Moby is intended for engineers, integrators and enthusiasts who want to modify, experiment with and build container-based systems.
Commercial support: Moby releases are supported by maintainers, the community and users on a best-efforts basis only.
Kubernetes integration: The Moby ecosystem integrates with Kubernetes through projects including containerd, LinuxKit, InfraKit, libnetwork, Notary and libentitlement.
Security reporting: Security vulnerabilities should be reported privately to [email protected], and reporters can expect an acknowledgement within 72 hours.
License: Moby is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
Legal restriction: Use and transfer of Moby may be subject to restrictions imposed by the United States and other governments.
Purpose: Moby is an open framework created by Docker for assembling specialized container systems from standard components.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Container Engines in 2026#11 of 31

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Sources

mobyproject.org· checked 2 Oct 2026
github.com/moby/moby· checked 2 Oct 2026
mobyproject.org/kubernetes/· checked 2 Oct 2026
github.com/moby/moby/security· checked 2 Oct 2026