Docker EnginevsPortainer
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Docker Engine | Portainer | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 77/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #1 of 44 in Container Management |
| GitHub stars | 72 220 | 38 736 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +88 | +187 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 21 |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | 2.45.3 · 21 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Zlib |
| Main language | Go | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Docker Engine scores 80/100 against 77/100 for Portainer, so it is the safer default.
Portainer ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.
If you want the quickest setup, Portainer is easier to run; Docker Engine needs more configuration.
Portainer is growing faster right now (+187 stars in 30 days).
Docker Engine details →Portainer details →
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