Docker Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Docker costs Free to $24 per user/month as of June 2026, with 4 plans available including a free tier. Plans: Docker Personal (free), Docker Pro at $11/user/month, Docker Team at $16/user/month, and Docker Business at $24/user/month. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: Yes
Docker offers 4 pricing tiers: Docker Personal, Docker Pro, Docker Team, Docker Business. A free plan is available. Paid plans include Docker Pro at $11/user/month, Docker Team at $16/user/month, Docker Business at $24/user/month. The Docker Pro plan is individual professionals who require more advanced features and additional resources.
Yes, Docker offers a free trial plan as of June 2026. The free tier includes 10 features with limits on users and scout repos. Paid plans start at $11/user/month (Docker Pro). Pricing verified from 3 sources by CostBench.
Docker's free offering is a time-limited trial to test the full product.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- Docker Desktop
- Docker Engine + Kubernetes
- Docker Hub
- Docker Scout
- Docker Debug
- 1 user
- 1 Docker Scout-enabled repo
- 100 Docker Hub pulls/hr
- 1 private Docker Hub repo
- Docker Build Cloud and Testcontainers Cloud free trial
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- Everything in Personal
- Docker Build Cloud
- Testcontainers Cloud
- Synchronized File Shares
- Visibility into Docker Scout health scores
- 5 business day support response
- 2 Docker Scout-enabled repos
- Unlimited Docker Hub pull rate
- 200 Docker Build Cloud build minutes
- 100 Testcontainers Cloud runtime minutes
Free Plan Limits
| Limit | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Users | 1 | Unlimited/Higher |
| Scout repos | 1 | Unlimited/Higher |
| Docker Hub pulls | 100 pulls/hr per user | Unlimited/Higher |
| Private repos | 1 | Unlimited/Higher |
| Build Cloud | Free trial | Unlimited/Higher |
| Testcontainers Cloud | Free trial | Unlimited/Higher |
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the 1 limit
- You need features like Everything in Personal or Docker Build Cloud
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Docker branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Docker Pro Plan Comparison
| Docker Personal $0 | Docker Pro $11/user/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 10 included | 10+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Docker branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Individual developers who need the essential tools to build and deploy containers | Individual professionals who require more advanced features and additional resources |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Docker free?
Yes, Docker offers a free trial plan with 10 core features included. However, there are limits on users, scout repos that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Docker's free plan?
Docker's free plan includes: Docker Desktop, Docker Engine + Kubernetes, Docker Hub, Docker Scout, Docker Debug, and 5 more features. Key limits include Users: 1, Scout repos: 1, Docker Hub pulls: 100 pulls/hr per user.
03 What's NOT included in Docker's free plan?
The free plan excludes: Everything in Personal, Docker Build Cloud, Testcontainers Cloud, Synchronized File Shares, Visibility into Docker Scout health scores. You'll also have Docker branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Docker's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like Everything in Personal or Docker Build Cloud, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $11/user/month.
05 Is Docker's free plan really free forever?
Docker's free offering is actually a time-limited trial, not a forever-free plan. After the trial period, you'll need to subscribe to a paid plan to continue using the service.