# Docker Desktop Licensing Cost: Pay or Switch?

> Originally published on [DevToolHub](https://devtoolhub.com/docker-desktop-licensing-cost/).

Docker Desktop is free until your company crosses **250 employees or $10M in annual revenue**. After that, every seat needs a paid subscription — and Docker Business is **$288 per seat per year** with no annual discount.

## The rule

[Docker's Subscription Service Agreement](https://www.docker.com/legal/docker-subscription-service-agreement/) §3.2: free use is limited to a company with fewer than 250 employees **and** under $10M revenue. Cross either line and you owe a subscription. Docker Engine on Linux stays free — this is only the Desktop app.

## Cost by team size

| Seats | Docker Business | OrbStack Pro | Podman / Rancher / Colima |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | $14,400/yr | $4,800/yr | $0 |
| 200 | $57,600/yr | $19,200/yr | $0 |
| 500 | $144,000/yr | $48,000/yr | $0 |

## Does switching pay off?

The free alternatives cost migration time, not license fees: 1–8 hours per developer depending on how much your workflow leans on Compose edge cases or the Docker socket, plus platform-team time. At 50 seats the switch runs ~$20,000 one-time and pays back in about 1.4 years. Past 100 seats — where you're forced onto Business — it's close to a no-brainer.

Full per-seat table and the honest trade-offs: [devtoolhub.com/docker-desktop-licensing-cost](https://devtoolhub.com/docker-desktop-licensing-cost/)