Is Docker Desktop free? Licensing and pricing in 2026
By EZGH Cloud · · 2 min read
In short
Docker Desktop is free for personal use, education, non-commercial open source projects and small businesses with fewer than 250 employees and less than $10 million in annual revenue. Professional use at larger companies, and by government entities, needs a paid plan, from $9 per user per month billed yearly. The Docker CLI and Docker Engine themselves stay free and open source.
Short answer: yes for most individuals and small companies, no for larger ones. Docker Desktop has been under the Docker Subscription Service Agreement since 2021, which keeps it free for some uses and requires a paid plan for others.
Checked October 14, 2026 against Docker’s license page and pricing page. Prices change; confirm there before you buy.
Who can use Docker Desktop for free
Docker Desktop stays free for:
- Personal use.
- Small businesses: fewer than 250 employees and less than $10 million in annual revenue. Both conditions have to be true.
- Education.
- Non-commercial open source projects.
Who has to pay
- Professional use in larger organizations: any company over either threshold.
- Government entities.
The thresholds apply to the organization, not the team. A five-person team inside a 300-person company needs paid seats.
How much it costs
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $11 per user per month | $9 per user per month |
| Team | $16 per user per month | $15 per user per month |
| Business | Not offered | $24 per user per month |
See Docker’s pricing page for what each plan includes.
What’s free regardless: the CLI and the engine
The subscription covers Docker Desktop, the app that bundles a VM, the Docker Engine and a GUI. The pieces underneath are open source:
- The Docker CLI (
docker, Apache 2.0), installable withbrew install docker. - Docker Engine, from the open-source Moby project.
- Buildx and Compose, the CLI plugins.
On Linux you can run the engine directly. On a Mac, containers need a Linux VM, which is the part Docker Desktop provides. Any other engine that speaks the Docker API can fill that role while you keep using the CLI and Compose.
Options if you’d rather not pay
| Option | License | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Colima | MIT | CLI only; Docker engine in a Lima VM |
| Podman Desktop | Apache 2.0 | GUI; Podman engine with a Docker-compatible socket |
| Rancher Desktop | Apache 2.0 | GUI; Kubernetes-first, Moby or containerd |
| OrbStack | Closed source | Free for personal use only; $8 per user per month for business |
| EZGH DevRun | Closed source | Desktop app and CLI for Apple Silicon; Docker CLI and Compose |
Our comparison of Docker Desktop alternatives covers each one in more depth, and this guide walks through setting up the Docker CLI without Docker Desktop.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Docker Desktop free for commercial use?
- Only for small businesses, which Docker defines as fewer than 250 employees and less than $10 million in annual revenue. Both conditions must hold. Larger organizations need a Pro, Team or Business subscription.
- How much does Docker Desktop cost?
- Per user per month, Pro is $11 billed monthly or $9 billed yearly, Team is $16 monthly or $15 yearly, and Business is $24, billed yearly only, as listed on docker.com/pricing in October 2026.
- Is the docker command free?
- Yes. The Docker CLI and Docker Engine (Moby) are open source. The subscription covers Docker Desktop, the app. You can install the CLI with Homebrew and use it with another engine without a Docker Desktop subscription.
- Do government agencies need a Docker Desktop subscription?
- Yes. Docker's license lists government entities among the users that need a paid subscription.