OrbStack

OrbStack is ranked #1 of 38 in container development environments on The Geeks Club. It runs on macOS. There is a free plan. A free trial is offered. Paid plans start at $8/mo.

OrbStack plans and pricing

All plans

Free Free Personal, non-commercial use · containers · Linux machines · community support orbstack.dev · 30 Sept 2026

Pro $8/mo $96 billed annually Business and commercial use · Debug Shell · priority support · batch organization purchases orbstack.dev · 30 Sept 2026

Enterprise Not published SAML SSO · invoice and PO payments · contact sales orbstack.dev · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on container development environments

Free plan: Yes
Paid from: 8 /user/mo
Desktop platforms: macOS 14.0 or newer
Local Kubernetes: Yes
Compose workflows: Yes
Cluster mode: single-node
IDE integration: Yes
Resource controls: Yes

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OrbStack

Product: OrbStack is an app for running Docker containers and Linux machines, positioned as an alternative to Docker Desktop.
Kubernetes: OrbStack can run a lightweight Kubernetes cluster for local development with GUI and network integration.
Performance: OrbStack says it starts in two seconds and uses optimized networking, file systems, and x86 emulation.
Developer integrations: The maker says Docker CLI, Compose, Earthly, and VS Code Dev Containers work with OrbStack.
Linux integration: Linux machines integrate with macOS networking and file sharing, and support SSH agent forwarding and remote VS Code.
Licensing: Personal use is free, while freelance, business, and commercial users must purchase a license for each user.
Device limit: A per-user license covers up to five devices owned or primarily operated by that same user.
Trial and grace period: The pricing page says OrbStack is free to try with no card required, and the FAQ gives users a 30-day grace period to purchase a license.
Enterprise features: The Enterprise plan lists SAML SSO and invoice and PO payments.
Security: For its paid subscription service, Orbital Labs describes access controls, multi-factor authentication, firewalls, monitoring, and encryption safeguards.
Privacy: The privacy policy says the app may send usage and device data, and optional anonymous crash reports and diagnostics when submitted.
Support: The pricing page lists community support for Free and priority support for Pro; the docs also offer email and community discussion support.
Notable limitations: OrbStack requires macOS 14.0 or later, and its FAQ lists Linux graphical apps and GPU as unsupported items.
Company: The website identifies Orbital Labs, LLC as the company behind OrbStack.
Price from: $8/mo

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Where it ranks on The Geeks Club

Best Container Development Environments in 2026#1 of 38
Best Container Runtime Software in 2026#9 of 26

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Sources

docs.orbstack.dev· checked 30 Sept 2026
docs.orbstack.dev/faq· checked 30 Sept 2026
docs.orbstack.dev/features· checked 30 Sept 2026
orbstack.dev· checked 30 Sept 2026
docs.orbstack.dev/licensing· checked 30 Sept 2026
orbstack.dev/pricing· checked 30 Sept 2026
docs.orbstack.dev/legal/security· checked 30 Sept 2026
docs.orbstack.dev/legal/privacy· checked 30 Sept 2026
orbstack.dev/download· checked 30 Sept 2026