Skip to main content
TrustRadius
Portainer

Portainer

Overview

What is Portainer?

Portainer is a centralized container management platform for containerized apps and IoT device management. It helps accelerate container adoption and reduce time-to-value on Kubernetes, Docker, and Swarm with a management portal, allowing users to deliver and manage containerized applications from…

Read more
Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Portainer has emerged as a valuable solution for managing Docker environments, assisting users in reducing effort and focusing on other …
Continue reading

Portainer, best choice!

10 out of 10
October 24, 2023
Incentivized
Allows me to manage everything myself without going through another provider. Can crash quickly if you make a mistake, but the community …
Continue reading
Read all reviews

Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 6 features
  • Cluster Management (69)
    8.2
    82%
  • Security and Isolation (77)
    8.0
    80%
  • Resource Allocation and Optimization (72)
    7.7
    77%
  • Analytics, Monitoring, and Logging (78)
    7.5
    75%

Reviewer Pros & Cons

View all pros & cons
Return to navigation

Pricing

View all pricing

Portainer Business - 3 Nodes Free

$0

Cloud

Home & Student

$149

Cloud
per year

Starter

$995

Cloud
per year

Entry-level set up fee?

  • Setup fee optional
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.portainer.io/pricing

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Return to navigation

Product Demos

Putting a UI around Docker with Portainer

YouTube

RBAC: Portainer vs Kubernetes

YouTube

Portainer 2.5.1 Top 5 Features

YouTube

SSO Support & Authentication with Portainer

YouTube

Portainer Deployment - PGBlitz.com

YouTube

How to automate software delivery with simple GitOps integration in Portainer

YouTube
Return to navigation

Features

Container Management

Features commonly found in Container Management software.

7.8
Avg 7.9
Return to navigation

Product Details

What is Portainer?

Portainer is a centralized container management platform for containerized apps and IoT device management. It helps accelerate container adoption and reduce time-to-value on Kubernetes, Docker, and Swarm with a management portal, allowing users to deliver and manage containerized applications from the data center to the edge. Portainer helps -
  • Reduce the operational complexity associated with multi-cluster management
  • Bridge the skills gap and facilitate feature discovery and learning with its UI
  • Codify cloud-native best practices with design templates and default configurations
  • Consistently apply and centrally manage access, permissions and activity logging
Portainer can help with multiple use cases including -
Deploy containers
Troubleshoot apps
Platform management
Security & Compliance
Lifecycle Management
IoT Device Management

Portainer Business is built on Portainer's open-source foundation, which boasts more than 1M users. Portainer is presented as a solution to transition to Kubernetes or speed up the adoption of containers inside an organization.

Portainer Features

Container Management Features

  • Supported: Security and Isolation
  • Supported: Cluster Management
  • Supported: Storage Management
  • Supported: Resource Allocation and Optimization
  • Supported: Discovery Tools
  • Supported: Analytics, Monitoring, and Logging

Additional Features

  • Supported: Platform Access Control

Portainer Screenshots

Screenshot of Portainer is a universal container management platform to help adopt and manage Docker, Kubernetes, Nomad and Edge environments.

Portainer Videos

Portainer for Kubernetes - making multi-cluster container management easier
Introducing Portainer - Container Management

Portainer Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo
Supported CountriesWorldwide

Frequently Asked Questions

Red Hat OpenShift, SUSE Rancher, and Mirantis Kubernetes Engine are common alternatives for Portainer.

Reviewers rate Cluster Management highest, with a score of 8.2.

The most common users of Portainer are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
Return to navigation

Comparisons

View all alternatives
Return to navigation

Reviews and Ratings

(190)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Portainer has emerged as a valuable solution for managing Docker environments, assisting users in reducing effort and focusing on other projects. By offering an intuitive GUI interface, Portainer simplifies the management of Docker containers, eliminating the need for command-line interaction. Users have greatly benefited from the ability to easily view running containers and their logs across multiple machines, streamlining debugging and troubleshooting processes. Moreover, Portainer enables the creation of isolated and sandboxed instances of applications, effectively resolving issues related to version and dependency mismatches. It's particularly useful for small teams as it saves valuable time by eliminating the need to troubleshoot infrastructure software problems. Additionally, Portainer facilitates container management on a single node server, allowing users to conveniently start or stop stacks when problems arise. Its seamless implementation and management capabilities make it an ideal option for getting started with Docker in enterprise environments, offering an intuitive web interface. With its user-friendly design and straightforward usability, Portainer proves to be a valuable tool in managing stacks and services. It simplifies various container management tasks such as starting, stopping, and restarting containers, managing configurations, and monitoring performance. The integration with container registries like Docker Hub further simplifies image deployment. From managing internal and external ports to handling volume management and data organization, Portainer provides comprehensive features that enhance security while simplifying these processes. Suitable for both development and production environments, Portainer is widely used in overseeing Docker installations, facilitating easy cluster deployment and monitoring tasks. It also proves effective in managing Docker Swarm environments by streamlining updates, scaling processes, and providing a comprehensive view of the environment. Portainer's extensive functionalities are valued in organizing and managing databases, websites, storage solutions, and CRM systems with ease of access to stack and container details. Furthermore, it supports secure user authentication through OAuth implementation and allows for role-based access control with flexible user provisioning. The API integration enables seamless container deployment through CI/CD pipelines. Portainer's versatility extends beyond Docker, as it is also utilized in Windows environments for easy adoption of containerization and cost reduction. Overall, Portainer presents a user-friendly interface that simplifies the day-to-day management of Docker containers, enabling users to troubleshoot, configure, and manage containers effectively.

Intuitive and User-Friendly Interface: Users have consistently praised Portainer's intuitive and user-friendly interface, with many reviewers stating that it is easy to navigate and provides a positive user experience. The clean and organized layout of the interface has been particularly appreciated by users, as it allows for efficient management of multiple repositories and reduces incidents. Additionally, users have found the GUI design to be visually appealing and well-suited for users of all levels of expertise.

Seamless User Access Control: Reviewers have commended Portainer's RBAC feature, which integrates seamlessly with SAML IDP services like Azure and Okta. This functionality has received positive feedback from users who appreciate the flexibility it offers in terms of user access control. Furthermore, users value the support for various authentication options provided by Portainer, as it enhances security while ensuring a smooth login experience.

Simplified Management of Complex Clusters: Many users have highlighted Portainer's capability to manage complex clusters such as Swarm or Kubernetes as one of its standout features. With this functionality, deploying new applications, stacks, and clusters becomes simpler and more streamlined. The visualization of the overall infrastructure has also been highly regarded by reviewers, as it provides a comprehensive view of all components in one place, making management and monitoring tasks easier to handle.

Confusing User Interface: Some users have found the user interface of Portainer to be confusing and have expressed difficulties in completing tasks. They mentioned that navigating through the various menus and options can be overwhelming, leading to a steep learning curve.

Performance Issues: Users have frequently reported experiencing performance issues with Portainer. They have noticed that the software can feel slow, especially when working with large clusters or managing multiple containers simultaneously. This has resulted in delays and frustration during their workflow.

Lack of Additional Features: Many users have expressed the need for additional features in Portainer to enhance its functionality. Specifically, they would like to see more add-ons or extensions available that can extend the capabilities of the software. These additional features could potentially improve productivity and provide more flexibility in managing containerized applications.

Users have made several recommendations for Portainer based on their experience with the product. Firstly, many users find Portainer to be user-friendly and easy to use. They appreciate the fact that it has almost no learning curve and is easy to set up as a self-hosted instance. This makes it a great option for beginners who are new to Docker and Kubernetes management. Secondly, Portainer is highly recommended for managing multiple Docker hosts without using Kubernetes. Users find it effective in overseeing and controlling various Docker environments, making it a valuable tool for both beginners and experts. Lastly, users suggest that Portainer is ideal for rapid deployment of services and troubleshooting in Kubernetes clusters. They praise its ability to manage containers efficiently and consider it an excellent solution for Docker management. Many users highly recommend giving it a try for effective containerization. Overall, users recommend Portainer for its ease of use, flexibility in managing multiple hosts, and its ability to rapid deploy and troubleshoot services in Kubernetes clusters.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 81)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
Ubaidillah Hakim F | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Mantain docker swarm cluster for our microservice. I think Portainer is very well suite than others. Easily to manage cluster and change to other cluster, manage user, manage container with feature auto pulling from docker registry. Easily deleting imae that unused by container with tag for easily delete for free space
Sathir M. Mansoor | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
For developers who maintain their local environment container and a person who runs a home lab with self hosted docker images this Portainer is best since the UI is very simplified.

But for someone is very advanced and wanted to manage production level containers or Kubernetes I don’t think Portainer would support well. I didn’t see any options on that.
Kevin Spharler | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Portainer has no comparable alternatives, it's easily best-in-category. If you're attempting to enter the world of containers with Docker, it's an excellent way to do so.
It supports management of Kubernetes, but it may not be quite comparable to the dedicated, official tools for Kubernetes or a 3rd-party offering like Rancher. That said, those tools are more complex, so it could be a suitable entry into managing Kubernetes.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We do have a couple of users who are new to Docker and the Linus shell environment. Portainer makes it easy for them to quickly deploy stacks of containers with its web editor to configure docker-compose files with an easy-to-use GUI. Not only does this save time, but it also encourages new users to interact more positively with Docker and Portainer in general.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Has made transitioning from virtual machines extremely quick and easy using stacks. Administering updates to individual containers is a smooth experience without needing the docker command line. Has significantly reduced the number of operating systems needed so we spend less time managing server infrastructure and allowing us to focus more time on other projects.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Well-Suited Scenarios for Portainer: Small to Medium-Sized Projects: Portainer is well-suited for small to medium-sized projects where a straightforward, user-friendly interface is valuable. It provides an easy entry point for developers and administrators managing containers without the need for extensive container orchestration knowledge. Development and Testing Environments: In scenarios where developers need a quick and efficient way to manage containerized applications in development and testing environments, Portainer's simplicity and ease of use make it a suitable choice.

Less Appropriate Scenarios for Portainer: Large-Scale, Complex Deployments: In large-scale projects with complex deployment requirements and intricate orchestration needs, organizations might find Portainer's simplicity limiting. Advanced features and fine-grained control offered by other tools may be more appropriate.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We have 2 Portainer servers and it does really well in that scenario. Small to Medium businesses seem ideally suited for using Portainer. I have no idea how well it would do in a large corporate environment with many Portainer servers.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Portainer is an excellent tool for software developers, either a solo developer, small ou big teams. I believe its also suitable for single project deployment on production servers.
For data centers, managing hundreds or thousands of containers from a lot of different users, i believe the interface is not the ideal.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Because we use a small size portainer / docker setup, I can only confirm that Portainer is very well suited for a small setup. But I guess that portainer is also well suited for mid-size and large setups, because of the avaibility to manage many instances. Also, the gui is very intuitive.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
If you want to manage docker services in a comfortable way, this tool, it's awesome. But it should be used in scenarios where you expect to manage a thousand of docker containers. The strong point of Portainer it's, in my opinion, a home server or a production server with just a bunch of stacks deployed. In my opinion, it lacks the capacity to manage thousands of services in an easy way.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We choosed Portainer to have a global vision of our standalone containers in a central place and after that we also added Kubernetes clusters. We think it could be a good first step before using more complex product like rancher...
Moreover the Portainer technical teams are very professional and available. We had an integration session included with our business edition licences and they didn't hesitate to offer us other complementary sessions, at no extra cost.
Thibaut Boudier | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
One of the well suited moment is for the day to day use of Docker or K3s. To limit too much interaction and to limit the learning of complex command lines (even more for K3s with sub-modules), and to have a clear understanding through the use of the graphical interface.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Portainer is well suited for teams that want to move a micro-service architecture, quickly. Especially when coming from monolithic systems where deployments were handled by different teams. Portainer makes it easier for Developers to be in full control of deployment cycles, especially when integrated with systems like GitLab. Updating web services by using the webhook functionality in Portainer will make life so much easier for devs. It will help them focus on the thing they are paid to do: develop.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
If anyone prefers a graphical solution for managing their Docker containers to be able to configure them much more easily, access multiple environments from one panel, use pre-made application templates, have easier access to logs, or more easily create, modify networks, or volumes for their containers, then I highly recommend it!
September 12, 2023

Portaining my containers

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Management of different development environments like QA, devops, server, etc.
In addition with the use of jenkins and Portainer I recreate different development environments, like all the containers or just specific ones.
Ahmed Elemam | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Portainer is best used for managing multiple docker environments.
Makes it really easy for support teams to check health, logs and availability of the containers in a couple of clicks without the need of having high docker knowledge and without elevated privileges
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Its well suited for small business and IT individuals. Information well layed out with interface to manage containers. Further integration with AWS and Azure will make it even better.

Secured access to applications within the platform via separte network bridges, live data/resource monitoring makes it even more user friendly.


Internal and External database, querries and automation of containers makes it the best choice of docker/container managemen platform. Defintely giving users peace of mind with their day to day buisness management.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Portainer is a versatile tool that caters to platform teams, developers, and DevSecOps teams. It offers features like standardized container usage, cluster provisioning, and secure API proxy for platform teams. Developers benefit from cluster provisioning, Git-Ops pipelines, and container runtime status monitoring. DevSecOps teams can centrally manage authentication, access, audit, and single sign-on through integration with CI/CD tools and identity management systems. Portainer simplifies the transition from VMs to containers, showcases container capabilities, and provides an intuitive user interface for easy exploration and experimentation. Its no-code UI enables fast deployment of container-based micro-services, eliminating platform complexity and facilitating the adoption of declarative, orchestrated environments.
Return to navigation