Docker vs VMware Tanzu Platform comparison

Docker and VMware are both solutions in the Development Platforms category. Docker is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.9, while VMware is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5. Docker holds a 42.0% mindshare in DP, compared to VMware’s 23.4% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Docker users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of VMware users who would recommend it.

Docker

Read 56 Docker reviews

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72 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

VMware Tanzu Platform

Read 22 VMware Tanzu Platform reviews

234 Views
206 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Docker

VMware Tanzu Platform

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 15, 2025

Docker and VMware Tanzu Platform compete in the realm of containerization and cloud management solutions. Docker seems to have the upper hand in terms of cost-effectiveness and ease of use, while VMware Tanzu excels with its integration within the VMware ecosystem and robust cloud capabilities.

Features: Docker offers strong security, user-friendly documentation, and simplicity in deployment, making it highly popular for containerized applications. It is known for its portability and cost-effectiveness, which are enhanced by seamless integrations. VMware Tanzu Platform stands out with its native integration with VMware products, comprehensive management for Kubernetes clusters, and multi-cloud support, providing a full-stack cloud solution.

Room for Improvement: Docker could improve its firewall setup, security vulnerability reporting, and integration with Microsoft Windows. Enhancements are also suggested for its UI and command line interface. VMware Tanzu Platform users see integration with non-VMware ecosystems and its high cost as areas to address. Additional granular networking controls and improved disaster recovery features are also desired.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Docker offers a variety of deployment options and is praised for its comprehensive documentation and active community support. Support experiences vary but are generally positive. VMware Tanzu Platform supports diverse environments but is more complex due to its integration within the VMware suite. Support is responsive with positive customer engagement.

Pricing and ROI: Docker is cost-effective with its open-source model, providing significant ROI through reduced development times. Its Enterprise version offers more features but remains competitive. VMware Tanzu Platform, being pricier, targets larger enterprises, delivering ROI through its full-featured management capabilities and integration, yet its high cost can be a disadvantage for smaller businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed Docker vs. VMware Tanzu Platform Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Docker vs. VMware Tanzu Platform

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Docker

Ranking in Development Platforms

1st

Ranking in Container Management

5th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Supply Chain Security (6th)

VMware Tanzu Platform

Ranking in Development Platforms

3rd

Ranking in Container Management

3rd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Build Automation (13th), PaaS Clouds (13th), Cloud Management (25th), Service Mesh (8th), Agile and DevOps Services (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Development Platforms category, the mindshare of Docker is 42.0%, up from 38.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VMware Tanzu Platform is 23.4%, up from 20.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Development Platforms

Featured Reviews

Gur Sannikov

Technical program manager at Intel Corporation

Offers reliability and helps to save on costs

In terms of the impact of container orchestration, I would say that though my company does not currently use a lot of containers, we plan to move to containers. I recommend others to just use the internet than ChatGPT since mostly all issues are already known and very easy to deal with so it is better to use the knowledge from the industry. In terms of the use of Docker for AI projects or workflows, I would say that my company deploys AI applications on Docker, like any other application and pipeline. The tools or practices that have proven to be the most beneficial for our company's AI initiatives are agnostic to Docker. There is nothing special in Docker, and our company just uses it to deploy applications. The value derived from the use of the product revolves around the scalability and the reliability it offers. The product helps with the cost-savings part since it saves time and money linked with the amount of engineers required to spend time on operations. I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

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DarshanChaudhari

Solutions Architect Hybrid Cloud Practice US/Europe at Tech Mahindra Limited

Empowers seamless connectivity and integration through APIs while offering robust auto-scaling

I am involved in IT services and we provide a solution to customers. We work with VMware, Nutanix, OpenShift, and Microsoft Hyper-V The Tanzu platform is highly available, scalable, and flexible. It offers native services for autoscaling and integrations through APIs, allowing seamless…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It is a very stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"The ability to use an image with the software built into it, rather than just the software, is beneficial."

"We find the auto scaling and auto healing functionality of this solution very good."

"The most valuable feature of Docker is its portability, ease of security management, and low resource usage."

"The most valuable feature is the simple containerization."

"The current version is quite good with our application."

"Feature-wise, Docker is very user-friendly...The solution's initial setup process was straightforward."

"I think the best feature is to replicate anything in our local machine using a simple command."

More Docker pros

"The initial setup is easy."

"There are a lot of services available in VMware Tanzu Application Service, such as databases and application servers. You have everything you need in one application and you do not need to search outside of the solution."

"Tanzu Mission Control has quite a set of rich features when compared to OpenShift."

"We feel very good about these features."

"The Tanzu platform is highly available, scalable, and flexible."

"A feature we find valuable is that other products can also be integrated with Mission Control. This means that we can see the status of specific clusters, as well as view the monitoring application logs all from one point."

"We never experienced any problems with scalability."

"I have multiple Kubernetes environments within my environment. TMC gives me a single pane view, which is good for managing everything."

More VMware Tanzu Platform pros

Cons

"I would like to see a single package image orchestration bundled together."

"Deployment could be quicker."

"Unfortunately, base images are not currently available."

"The solution could improve with a GUI instead of only a command line interface. Having to use the command line interface can be a hassle."

"One of the challenges I face with Docker is debugging containers within the infrastructure. It can be tricky to debug applications inside containers, which is a common issue among developers. If easier tools or methods were available to debug applications within Docker containers, it would be very beneficial."

"There can be challenges with port mapping, however, that's not related to Docker itself."

"Sometimes, we have sync-up issues where the build doesn't get processed due to these sync issues, causing the build to fail. That's one of the drawbacks I see. When we did a huge sync-up, we faced a couple of issues. It takes some time for us to complete the sync-up. For frequent, smaller updates, we haven't had any issues. However, challenges can arise for those who prefer doing everything in one go. This might not necessarily be due to the tool itself but because of the approach of doing everything in a single batch."

"The solution’s documentation could improve a bit."

More Docker cons

"Tanzu could provide more granular control over whatever networking is being done on the containers. I would also like to see a slightly more detailed view of application-level tracing. I'm referring to the connections between different microservices. If they added a service-matching feature, that would be helpful for the customers to build or be more effective."

"Having a unified dashboard to manage all infrastructure, whether it involves additional IT infrastructure or modern apps, would be highly advantageous"

"Another area of improvement is pricing."

"We want to see a new feature that helps build more security architecture like Zero Trust Security or shifting left in Kubernetes."

"The disaster recovery feature could be improved to provide better tracking of issues. I would also like to see the introduction of a dashboard view, for even further integration of all the areas that Mission Control looks at."

"Customers have noticed a considerable price increase after VMware's acquisition by Broadcom."

"LYNX is a managed cluster solution that takes care of specific details within a cluster, such as sequences or services. I haven't seen this feature in Tanzu Mission Control."

"The solution could improve by having better integration with other solutions such as HPE."

More VMware Tanzu Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs."

"Regarding pricing, we primarily use AWS for our deployments since we have funding for it. We don't spend much on Docker-specific services, just the containerization product. Docker Hub isn't particularly expensive either, so overall, the pricing is pretty reasonable."

"There is a license needed to use Docker."

"Docker has made some changes and there is an enterprise version that is affordable."

"We are using the open-source version of the solution."

"Docker is a free open-source solution."

"I use the solution's open-source version."

"It's an open-source solution, so it doesn't cost anything"

More Docker pricing and cost advice

"One of our Spanish customers told us that VMware Tanzu Service Mesh is a very expensive product for their data center."

"It is not the most expensive option, and I believe the capabilities align well with the value it provides."

"The solution is only for large or medium size enterprises because it is expensive."

"The license for VMware Tanzu Application Service is expensive. The license should be cheaper."

"The price of VMware Tanzu Mission Control is greater than that of Red Hat's competitor solution"

"The solution is bundled in with Cloud Foundry so the pricing is not independent."

"Since we were at a large data center, the price might not have been a concern for us."

"The least expensive licensing cost for VMware is around $350 per core."

More VMware Tanzu Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Docker?

We are using Docker to host applications.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Docker?

Regarding the cost, Mirantis Container Cloud is cheaper than other solutions like Red Hat. The license costs around 10,000 Indian rupees per year.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Docker?

Mirantis Container Cloud should have AI integration tools, which are not available right now. These tools should assist in app scalability and deployment error handling.

See all answers

Which is better - OpenShift Container Platform or VMware Tanzu Mission Control?

Red Hat Openshift is ideal for organizations using microservices and cloud environments. I like that the platform is auto-scalable, which saves overhead time for developers. I think Openshift can b...

See all answers

What do you like most about VMware Tanzu Mission Control?

It definitely gives the end customer a good overview and perspective of running applications in terms of overall workload footprint. TMC provides a very detailed description of your cloud-native ap...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware Tanzu Mission Control?

The price of VMware Tanzu Mission Control is greater than that of Red Hat's competitor solution. I would rate the pricing of VMware Tanzu Mission Control as four out of ten.

See all answers

Comparisons

Codespaces vs Docker

Compared 12% of the time

Mirantis Container Runtime vs Docker

Compared 12% of the time

Rancher Labs vs Docker

Compared 9% of the time

Portainer vs Docker

Compared 9% of the time

AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) vs Docker

Compared 7% of the time

More Docker Competitors

Rancher Labs vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 16% of the time

Kubernetes vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 14% of the time

Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 10% of the time

Red Hat OpenShift vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 9% of the time

Pivotal Cloud Foundry vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 5% of the time

More VMware Tanzu Platform Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Docker

June 2025

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Buyer's Guide

VMware Tanzu Platform

June 2025

Download VMware Tanzu Platform product report

Also Known As

No data available

Tanzu Application Catalog, Application Platform, Application Service, Hub, Mission Control, Service Mesh, Build Service, Concourse for VMware Tanzu

Overview

Docker is a versatile container platform used for running and deploying applications in isolated environments, ensuring consistency across development, testing, and production.

Docker offers solutions for containerizing applications, automating deployments, and managing infrastructure through its robust platform. It supports CI/CD workflows, provides a development platform for container management, and simplifies the setup by using streamlined tools. Organizations leverage Docker for building microservices, running UI applications, deploying web services, and setting up secure environments. It also facilitates managing containers via Kubernetes and creating development stacks for enhanced productivity.

What are Docker's key features?

Security: Offers containment and isolation of applications.
Easy Use: Simplifies the deployment and management of applications.
Documentation: Extensive resources to aid in understanding and implementation.
Customization: Flexible environment configurations.
Scalability: Efficiently handles applications irrespective of scale.
Internal DNS: Manages network configurations within the container ecosystem.
Overlay Networks: Facilitates seamless inter-container communication.
Resource Efficiency: Optimizes usage of system resources.

What benefits should users look for?

Consistency: Ensures homogeneous environments across development, testing, and production stages.
Portability: Allows applications to run consistently on any platform.
Cost-Effectiveness: Reduces overhead costs associated with application deployment.
Speed: Accelerates the build, test, and deployment cycles.
Flexibility: Supports various tools and integrations to adapt to different workflows.

Industries implement Docker for CI/CD pipelines, scaling services, and improving resource utilization. Tech companies use Docker for building and deploying their software in isolated environments. Finance and healthcare sectors deploy applications securely, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Educational institutions set up consistent development environments for coding labs and training students in advanced technologies.

Docker

VMware Tanzu Platform is designed for cloud-native development and management of Kubernetes, CI/CD processes, microservices, and containerized workloads. It supports deployments both on cloud and on-premises, providing centralized management via Mission Control.

VMware Tanzu Platform offers seamless integration with vSphere, ESX, and vSAN, supporting centralized cluster management and lifecycle management. The platform provides a GUI for monitoring CI/CD pipelines and network policies, enhancing multi-tenancy and Day 2 operations. Users can easily manage Kubernetes clusters, monitor applications, and integrate with tools such as GitHub, GitLab, Cloud Foundry, and Azure. It ensures compliance and security for service providers, financial institutions, and businesses.

What are the key features of VMware Tanzu Platform?

Integration with vSphere, ESX, and vSAN: Enhances compatibility and flexibility.
Seamless Cluster Management: Centralized control over Kubernetes clusters.
CI/CD Pipelines and Network Policies: Simplifies monitoring and management.
Multi-tenancy Support: Facilitates resource sharing among multiple users.
Comprehensive Lifecycle Management: Streamlines deployment and scalability.
Observability Platform: Provides enhanced visibility and control.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in VMware Tanzu Platform reviews?

Centralized Management: Simplifies operations and reduces manual effort.
Enhanced Compliance and Security: Meets regulatory requirements.
Flexibility in Deployment: Supports both cloud and on-premises options.
Seamless Integration: Works with multiple vendors and tools.
Developer-Friendly Environment: Improves productivity and innovation.

Industries such as financial institutions, service providers, and businesses requiring rigorous compliance and security deploy VMware Tanzu Platform. These entities benefit from centralized management, streamlined DevOps processes, and integrated tools, enhancing their capabilities in cloud-native developments and containerized workloads.

VMware

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Verizon, Cerner, Zipcar, Avarteq

Buyer's Guide

Docker vs. VMware Tanzu Platform

June 2025

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