Apptainer vs Mirantis Container Runtime
Apptainer
apptainer.org
Mirantis Container Runtime
docs.mirantis.comSide by side
| Figure | Apptainer | Mirantis Container Runtime |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $93.75/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 8 |
| Spec score · Container Engines | 8.9 (#1) | 7.5 (#17) |
| Spec score · Container Runtime Software | 8.9 (#1) | 7.5 (#19) |
| Docker compatibility | Apptainer can import containers from OCI registries and aims to support pulling, running, and building most Docker Hub containers without changes. | MCR is compatible with Docker-based workflows, including familiar CLI, Dockerfiles, and APIs. |
| Purpose | Apptainer creates and runs containers that package software for portability and reproducibility. | MCR is an enterprise container engine for running business-critical applications with a supported runtime. |
| Support | Free support resources include Slack, a mailing list, and GitHub, while commercial support and services are offered through CIQ. | MCR subscriptions provide prioritized support, with service levels depending on subscription and the cloud or cluster designated in a support case. |
Plans
Mirantis Container Runtime
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Linux with 8X5 Support · 1 year$1,125 a year
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Windows Server with 8X5 Support · 1 year$1,125 a year
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Linux with 24X7 Support · 1 year$2,250 a year
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Windows Server with 24X7 Support · 1 year$2,250 a year
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Linux with 8X5 Support · 3 years$3,037.50 a year
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Windows Server with 8X5 Support · 3 years$3,037.50 a year
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Linux with 24X7 Support · 3 years$6,075 a year
- Mirantis Container Runtime for Windows Server with 24X7 Support · 3 years$6,075 a year
In their own words
Apptainer
Apptainer is a free container platform for creating and running portable, reproducible workloads, with a focus on shared systems and high-performance computing. It packages containers as immutable, single-file Singularity Image Format (SIF) images designed for transport and sharing. By default, users retain the same privileges inside and outside containers. Images can be signed and verified with PGP keys, PEM keys or X.509 certificates, and encrypted containers can run without writing decrypted contents to disk. Apptainer imports containers from OCI registries and aims to support most Docker Hub containers without changes. It can expose host resources such as GPUs, high-speed networks and parallel filesystems, and supports NVIDIA CUDA, AMD ROCm, Intel Gaudi and OCI Container Device Interface accelerators. Running Apptainer requires Linux; Windows and macOS need a Linux virtual machine, with Windows also listed via WSL2. Root access is unnecessary when user namespaces are available. Full functionality requires kernel support for FUSE and unprivileged user namespaces. Community support includes Slack, Google Groups and GitHub, with commercial services through CIQ.
Mirantis Container Runtime
Mirantis Container Runtime has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.