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 8.8. 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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389 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

VMware Tanzu Platform

Read 21 VMware Tanzu Platform reviews

285 Views
217 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Docker

VMware Tanzu Platform

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 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: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Docker vs. VMware Tanzu Platform

March 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

7.4

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 (12th), Cloud Management (25th), Service Mesh (7th), Agile and DevOps Services (2nd)

Featured Reviews

Rikin Parekh

Backend Engineer at Northeastern University

Useful to create sandbox environments to run applications and makes it easy to test them

Overall, setting up the Docker environment is quite easy. Many methods exist, such as using Docker Compose and Docker networks to communicate between containers. The main challenge lies in designing the architecture and integrating different frameworks and microservices. I would rate the ease of setting up the tool at around nine out of ten. The time it takes to deploy depends on the scale of the system. For the early-stage startup I'm currently working with, it doesn't take much time. It's just me handling the deployment. In our early-stage startup, we have a couple of teams with around four to five backend APIs and two front-end services. Deploying these doesn't take much time. My focus is more on minimizing costs due to our lean startup structure.

Read full review

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

"Docker allows you to run multiple virtual machines independently."

"Docker is perfect for what I do...The solution is scalable."

"We are able to stop our containers or stop the service with a single command."

"Docker's containerization property is its main selling point."

"Docker packages up an application as a single item that you can then run without the need to install or configure it to work on any specific machine."

"Containerization is the most valuable feature. I can communicate to the Docker containers using other containers."

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

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

More Docker pros

"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."

"The most important feature of Tanzu Mission Control is its integration with the other products, especially with ESX and vSAN. This is a strong part of Tanzu Mission Control. In other solutions, such as OpenShift or Kubernetes, you can find similar features, but they don't have similar integration. With Tanzu Mission Control, you get a total solution with only one provider. You have the integration with the infrastructure, virtualization of networking, and virtualization of storage. You have a natural integration, and you don't have the problem of integrating it with different products or providers. Sometimes, different companies have good integration, but it is not always guaranteed. For example, many years ago, Cisco and VMware were good partners in networking, but when VMware started to sell ESX, the relationship was broken. This is the problem that you can face when you are using solutions from two different companies."

"VMware Tanzu Mission Control has many valuable features, such as ease of use and customization."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the ability to check the flow of all the different variants within our applications."

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

"The multi-tenancy with the VCD is great."

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

More VMware Tanzu Platform pros

Cons

"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."

"I want to see if new architectures have been incorporated in Docker or if we have to wait for another release."

"As for improving Docker, I would like to see enhancements in its user interface and documentation to make it even more user-friendly and accessible. I believe Docker will expand its scope and reduce limitations to support more applications, both online and offline. For instance, in scenarios like deployments on ships or during upgrades, Docker can continue to offer software services and container-based intelligence."

"We are facing multiple issues with the solution's stability."

"There are elements of stability that are problematic. One of the most recent upgrades created a major incident on our cloud, whereby the containers were not restarting automatically."

"In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved."

"I think Docker can improve as it relates to overall stability."

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

More Docker cons

"Cost is always a concern. Smaller companies might find the price a bigger issue."

"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."

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

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

"Another area of improvement is pricing."

"This product doesn't have a GUI. In order to use it properly, I need to connect it to a new GUI or build a GUI to manage it — it's pretty difficult."

"VMware Tanzu Service Mesh could add better integration with other cloud platforms, such as vRealize Automation or VMware vCloud Director for cloud providers."

"The network control and security policies must be improved."

More VMware Tanzu Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For commercial use, it's about $30 per month. The license itself isn't expensive, but if there are many users, the price becomes high."

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

"Docker is a free open-source solution."

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

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

"There is a license needed to use Docker."

"The offering and service are quite free."

"Customers pay for the license through a yearly subscription model, where they pay per license. This means that the license is based on a subscription, and the customer pays annually for each license they use."

More Docker pricing and cost advice

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

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

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

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

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

"Its pricing is very competitive. We get around 70% or 75%, sometimes even 80%, discount on the product. I would rate it a four out of five in terms of pricing."

"The product is not expensive, but it is not cheap."

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

More VMware Tanzu Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Insurance Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

16%

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?

I consider Docker's pricing to be affordable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Docker?

In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved.

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 Application Service?

The solution is integrated very well with a lot of other systems. Also, its GUI is very good.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for VMware Tanzu Application Service?

Since I have a developer team, they use the solution for testing purposes.

See all answers

Comparisons

Rancher Labs vs Docker

Compared 18% of the time

Mirantis Container Runtime vs Docker

Compared 14% of the time

Codespaces vs Docker

Compared 13% of the time

Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE vs Docker

Compared 8% of the time

AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) vs Docker

Compared 6% of the time

More Docker Competitors

Rancher Labs vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 18% of the time

Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 12% of the time

Kubernetes vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 11% of the time

Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform vs VMware Tanzu Platform

Compared 10% 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

March 2025

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Buyer's Guide

VMware Tanzu Platform

March 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

March 2025

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