Apple container vs Docker Engine
| Apple container | Docker Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Paid from | Free | — |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | macOS, self-hosted | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Image building | Yes | Yes |
| Windows containers | No | Yes |
| Image format | oci | both |
| Supported host OS | macOS 26 | Linux, Windows Server |
| Rootless mode | — | Yes |
| Kubernetes CRI | — | Yes |
| Runtime interface | — | docker |
Both are listed in Best Container Engines, Best Container Runtime Software. On Freedom251, Apple container scores higher on our published basis.