Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Lazydocker VS Portainer

Compare Lazydocker VS Portainer and see what are their differences

Lazydocker logo Lazydocker

A simple terminal UI for docker and docker-compose, written in Go with the gocui library.

Portainer logo Portainer

Simple management UI for Docker
  • Lazydocker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-26
  • Portainer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-24

Lazydocker features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Lazydocker provides a simple and intuitive TUI (text user interface) that simplifies the process of managing Docker containers, images, volumes, and networks, making it accessible even for those less familiar with Docker CLI.
  • Comprehensive Management
    It offers a comprehensive view of all docker resources, allowing for easy monitoring and managing of containers, images, volumes, and networks from a single interface.
  • Quick Navigation
    Users can swiftly navigate between different docker objects and perform actions like stopping, starting, or removing containers without remembering complex commands.
  • Log Inspection
    Lazydocker allows users to easily inspect logs directly from the interface, helping quickly diagnose and address issues with containers.
  • Ease of Installation
    Lazydocker is easy to install and set up, providing straightforward instructions to get started quickly without complicated configurations.

Possible disadvantages of Lazydocker

  • Limited Functionality
    While Lazydocker covers basic functions well, it might lack some advanced features available in native Docker CLI or other comprehensive Docker management tools.
  • TUI Limitations
    As a Terminal User Interface application, it might not be as visually appealing or as detailed as GUI-based tools, potentially impacting the user experience for some users.
  • Dependency on Terminal
    Since Lazydocker is a TUI application, it requires a terminal to operate, which might not be ideal for users who prefer standalone GUI applications.
  • Not Ideal for Large Scale
    Lazydocker might not be the best tool for managing large-scale docker environments or complex multi-host setups, where more robust management and orchestration tools like Kubernetes might be more appropriate.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, new users with no prior experience with terminal applications may take some time to get accustomed to its interface and navigation.

Portainer features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Portainer provides a simple and intuitive web-based UI that makes it easy for users to manage Docker environments and Kubernetes clusters, reducing the need for command-line operations.
  • Multi-platform Support
    Portainer supports a wide range of platforms including Docker, Docker Swarm, Kubernetes, and Azure ACI, allowing users to manage different containerization technologies from a single interface.
  • Simplified Management
    Portainer allows for easy deployment, configuration, and management of containers and services, streamlining operational tasks and improving productivity.
  • RBAC and Authentication
    Portainer includes built-in role-based access control (RBAC) and authentication mechanisms, enabling secure access management and user permissions control.
  • Monitoring and Insights
    Portainer provides built-in monitoring and analytics features that give insights into resource utilization, container health, and performance metrics.
  • Community Support
    Portainer has a large and active community, offering extensive documentation, forums, and third-party resources to help users troubleshoot issues and optimize their environments.

Possible disadvantages of Portainer

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Compared to other enterprise-grade container management solutions, Portainer might lack some advanced features and customizations needed for large-scale, complex deployments.
  • Scalability Concerns
    While good for small-to-mid-sized environments, Portainer may face challenges in highly scaled or extremely high-availability environments due to its architecture and performance limitations.
  • Dependency on External Tools
    For certain specialized tasks or detailed performance monitoring, Portainer often requires the integration of external tools, which can complicate the overall setup and management process.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Use
    While basic features are user-friendly, leveraging advanced functionalities like managing Kubernetes can come with a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Resource Consumption
    Deploying Portainer adds an extra layer of resource consumption. The overhead might be minimal for small systems but could become significant in resource-constrained environments.

Lazydocker videos

LazyDocker is a user-riendly terminal GUI for Docker

More videos:

  • Demo - Lazydocker. Terminal UI for Docker and Docker-Compose. Demo.

Portainer videos

Putting a UI around Docker with Portainer

More videos:

  • Demo - Portainer - The EASIEST WAY to manage your Docker apps! (Overview + Demo)
  • Review - Portainer for Docker Management

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Lazydocker and Portainer)
DevOps Tools
26 26%
74% 74
Developer Tools
25 25%
75% 75
Cloud Computing
31 31%
69% 69
Containers As A Service
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Lazydocker and Portainer

Lazydocker Reviews

We have no reviews of Lazydocker yet.
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Portainer Reviews

Self Hosting Like Its 2025
I’ve been using Portainer for quite some time, and its widespread adoption in both homelab and professional environments makes it an excellent tool for learning through practical application. In my view, it stands out as the most stable web-managed container control interface available. It integrates seamlessly with Docker, Kubernetes, and even Podman. Portainer offers an...
Source: kiranet.org
Top 10 Best Container Software in 2022
If you are hunting for a container software that can easily integrate with Ubuntu, then LXC is a reliable option. For semi-managed clustering, you can go for CoreOS. The business purposes solved by Portainer covers querying dockerHub repositories and it is in deed a good tool for beginners.
OpenShift alternatives
The main advantage of Portainer is the flexibility of the software. In addition to Kubernetes, Docker Swarm and Docker can be used to manage clusters and containers. Portainer is based on open-source software and is offered in a freely available community version as well as a paid version with enterprise support. The software can be installed in cloud environments, on edge...
Source: www.ionos.com
7 Best Containerization Software Solutions of 2022
Portainer has one pricing edition that costs $0. A free trial of Portainer is also available if your for more advanced features.
Source: techgumb.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Portainer might be a bit more popular than Lazydocker. We know about 35 links to it since March 2021 and only 28 links to Lazydocker. 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.

Lazydocker mentions (28)

  • Docker Management Is Evolving These 8 Tools Made My Life Easier
    Lazydocker GitHub — TUI to manage containers without rage. - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • LazyJournal: A Terminal User Interface for Logs
    LazyJournal is a terminal user interface (TUI) written in Go, designed for easy analysis of system and application logs. It is inspired by tools like lazydocker and lazygit, providing interactive access to search, view, and filter logs from various sources in the local system. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Switching Fully to Neovim
    Additionally, I integrate several CLI tools into my work flow, such as lazygit for streamlined Git operations, yazi as a terminal file manager, tmux for session management, and lazydocker for handling Docker containers efficiently. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • 5 Awesome Docker Tools To Make Your Life Easier
    Lazy Docker is a terminal UI for Docker and Docker Compose that makes managing containers a breeze. Instead of having to remember and type out long Docker commands, you get an interactive interface where everything is just a keypress away. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Ask HN: Interesting TUIs (text user interfaces), maybe forgotten ones?
    Lazydocker [0] is by the same author as lazygit. I'm thoroughly familiar with the Docker CLI, but sometimes it's just easier to use a GUI or TUI for some things. In particular, I use lazydocker for cleaning up volumes or images that may no longer be needed. [0] https://github.com/jesseduffield/lazydocker. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
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Portainer mentions (35)

  • Deploy multiple apps on a single VPS with Docker
    Portainer also provides an open-source version. In comparison to Sliplane and Dokku, it lacks a deploy pipeline. It comes with a web-based UI and offers some features to manage more advanced cluster setups. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Every Project Deserves its CI/CD pipeline, no matter how small
    Portainer is a really great web UI which will help us to manage all our Docker hosts and Docker Swarm clusters very easily. Let's take a look at its interface where it lists all our stacks available in the swarm. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • paperless-ngx on Synology DS220+
    I've installed the container manager from Synology (Docker) and added portainer.io for better access. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Selfhosting Vaultwarden, How Is It Done?
    There are some docker management systems around, portainer.io seems popular, with a GUI (graphical user interface) and configurable templates. Also cloud management systems/cloud hosting seem to offer a GUI to create and manage containers. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Dashy - Cant get the widgets to show
    I am really new to the home lab game. I have been using linux heavily since I got my two pi's and set up docker, portainer.io, pi hole, dashy, etc. The problem I am having is no matter how many ways I try to add a widget as simple as a clock to my dashy it just break the whole page. I enabled highlighting in my nano so I could see any errors but I am still not finding what I am doing wrong. Does anybody have... Source: almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Lazydocker and Portainer, you can also consider the following products

lazygit - Simple terminal UI for git commands.

Kubernetes - Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers

DockStation - DockStation is a developer-centric application for managing projects based on Docker.

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

Rancher - Open Source Platform for Running a Private Container Service

CapRover - Build your own PaaS in a few minutes!