Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Kata Containers VS OrbStack

Compare Kata Containers VS OrbStack and see what are their differences

Kata Containers logo Kata Containers

Lightweight virtual machines that seamlessly plug into the containers ecosystem.

OrbStack logo OrbStack

Fast, light, simple Docker & Linux on macOS
  • Kata Containers Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-07-03
  • OrbStack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-22

Kata Containers features and specs

  • Security
    Kata Containers offer enhanced security by providing hardware virtualization, which creates a secure boundary around each container. This isolation helps in protecting against attacks and vulnerabilities that might affect other containers.
  • Performance
    Kata Containers are designed to have low overhead compared to traditional virtual machines, allowing them to run with performance akin to native containers while still benefiting from hardware-based isolation.
  • Compatibility
    Kata Containers are compatible with the OCI container runtime specification, making it possible to integrate them with existing cloud-native tools and ecosystems like Kubernetes without significant changes.
  • Flexibility
    They offer a flexible choice for deploying containerized workloads that require the security of virtual machines, allowing organizations to meet both performance and security requirements effectively.

Possible disadvantages of Kata Containers

  • Complexity
    Implementing Kata Containers can introduce additional complexity compared to using regular containers, especially in managing the virtualization layer and ensuring smooth integration with existing container orchestration systems.
  • Resource Overhead
    Although they are lightweight compared to traditional VMs, Kata Containers still incur more overhead than standard containers, requiring more resources in terms of CPU and memory.
  • Maturity
    As a relatively newer technology, Kata Containers may not have the level of maturity and community support that more established container technologies enjoy, potentially leading to challenges in troubleshooting and support.
  • Infrastructure Requirements
    Running Kata Containers effectively may require specific hardware features like VT-x/AMD-V for hardware virtualization, which can limit deployment options on older or less capable hardware.

OrbStack features and specs

  • Performance
    OrbStack is optimized for high performance, providing faster boot times and efficient resource usage compared to other virtualization platforms.
  • User Interface
    The platform offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies management and set up of virtual machines and containers.
  • Integration
    OrbStack integrates well with various development tools and environments, enhancing workflow efficiency for developers.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    It supports multiple platforms, making it versatile and accessible for users across different operating systems.
  • Security
    The platform is designed with robust security features to protect virtualized environments and ensure data integrity.

Possible disadvantages of OrbStack

  • Limited Documentation
    Some users might find the available documentation scarce, making it harder to find solutions to specific issues or advanced configurations.
  • Learning Curve
    While the interface is user-friendly, there may still be a learning curve for users who are new to virtualization technologies.
  • Pricing
    Depending on the licensing model, OrbStack can be costly for individual developers or small teams with limited budgets.
  • Resource Intensity
    Though efficient, the platform may require significant system resources, which could be a drawback for users with less powerful hardware.
  • Compatibility Issues
    While OrbStack supports various platforms, there might be occasional compatibility issues with specific hardware or software configurations.

Kata Containers videos

Kata Containers and gVisor a Quantitative Comparison

More videos:

  • Review - Open Source Contribution - Kata Containers Unit Testing
  • Demo - Kata Containers Demo: A Container Experience with VM Security

OrbStack videos

OrbStack: A Lightweight Alternative for Docker

More videos:

  • Review - Practices for Docker on Mac Mini M2 Pro with OrbStack #mac #orbstack #docker #container

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Kata Containers and OrbStack)
Developer Tools
34 34%
66% 66
Containers As A Service
60 60%
40% 40
Design Tools
0 0%
100% 100
DevOps Tools
41 41%
59% 59

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OrbStack should be more popular than Kata Containers. It has been mentiond 25 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Kata Containers mentions (7)

  • Apple Announces Foundation Models Framework for Developers to Leverage AI
    They mention kata, so is this using kata underneath instead of their Hypervisor.framework? Im confused https://katacontainers.io/ https://developer.apple.com/documentation/hypervisor. - Source: Hacker News / 9 days ago
  • Microsandbox: Virtual Machines that feel and perform like containers
    Can you explain how this compares to Kata Containers? [0] That also supports OCI to run microVMs. You can also choose different hypervisors such as firecracker to run it on. [0] https://katacontainers.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 19 days ago
  • Microsandbox: Virtual Machines that feel and perform like containers
    One can definitely build a container runtime that uses virtualization to protect the host For example there is Kata containers https://katacontainers.io/ This can be used with regular `podman` by just changing the container runtime so there’s no even need for any extra tooling In theory you could shove the container runtime into something like k8s. - Source: Hacker News / 19 days ago
  • Kubernetes Without Docker: Why Container Runtimes Are Changing the Game in 2025
    Kata Containers Containers in VMs, because sometimes isolation means business. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • WASM Will Replace Containers
    See https://katacontainers.io Turns out only containers is not secure enough. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
View more

OrbStack mentions (25)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Kata Containers and OrbStack, you can also consider the following products

Docker - Docker is an open platform that enables developers and system administrators to create distributed applications.

Podman - Simple debugging tool for pods and images

FreeBSD Jails - Jails on the other hand permit software packages to view the system egoistically, as if each package had the machine to itself.

Portainer - Simple management UI for Docker

containerd - An industry-standard container runtime with an emphasis on simplicity, robustness and portability

Docker Desktop - Docker Desktop is a one-click-install application that lets you to build, share, and run containerized applications and microservices.