About
OrbStack is a drop-in replacement for Docker Desktop that runs containers, full Linux machines and Kubernetes on macOS while barely registering on the battery. Idle CPU use sits below 0.1 per cent and the app itself takes under 10 MB of disk, yet containers start in seconds and networking simply works, with local domain names for every container and VPN-friendly connectivity. Rosetta handles x86 images on Apple Silicon at speeds emulation is not supposed to reach.
Because it answers the standard Docker CLI, adopting it means installing the app and changing nothing else. Files, SSH agent forwarding and remote VS Code editing all carry across. Developed by Orbital Labs, it is always free for personal use; commercial use requires a Pro plan at $96 per user a year, or $10 a month billed monthly.
Alternatives
- Docker Desktop
Pick Docker Desktop if you want the official Docker app: its Personal plan is $0, and the same app runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, which suits mixed teams.
- Colima
Pick Colima if you are happy in the terminal and want a free, MIT-licensed runtime: it runs Docker, containerd or Incus on Intel and Apple silicon Macs, and on Linux.
At a Glance
- Requires
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later
- Price
- Free for personal use; Pro for business use is $96 a year per user
- Get It From
- orbstack.dev
Curator's Note
“Swapped in for Docker Desktop in five minutes; the fans have not spun up since.”
Theo, Mac Dept.
