How much does OrbStack cost and how do you get it?

Updated

OrbStack's website links to a dedicated Pricing page and a Download entry, with a "Get OrbStack" call to action on the homepage. That means cost and licensing are handled on a separate pricing page rather than stated in the homepage copy — so the exact price, free-vs-paid split, and license terms are not something the homepage itself answers. To get a definite number, open the Pricing page before you download. What the homepage does establish is how you obtain it and what you get once installed.

How to get OrbStack

The site presents two paths, both reachable from the main menu:

  • Download — the direct route to the app.
  • Get OrbStack — the homepage call to action, which leads into the same acquisition flow.

OrbStack is a native macOS app (described as a "native Swift app"), positioned as a drop-in replacement for Docker Desktop. The homepage says you can "easily get started with Linux machines in 1 minute with the simple, yet powerful, app and command line," so setup is intended to be quick once you have it.

What you get, per the site

The homepage groups capabilities under "Packed with helpful features." These are the things to weigh against whatever the Pricing page says:

Area What the site claims
Speed Starts in seconds; turbocharged networking; Rosetta x86 emulation; VirtioFS file sharing
Resource use Low CPU and disk usage; minimal memory; under 0.1% background CPU on Apple Silicon; under 10 MB disk out of the box
Integration Seamless containers, CLI integration, file sharing, remote SSH editing with Linux machines
Simplicity Drop-in replacement for Docker Desktop; Linux machines in about 1 minute
Capability Containers, Kubernetes, Linux distros, USB passthrough, isolated sandboxes for untrusted code
Connectivity Container-to-machine connections, IPv6, VPN and DNS handling

What to check on the Pricing page before you commit

Because the homepage does not state cost, treat these as the questions the Pricing page should answer for you:

  1. Is there a free tier, and what does it include? The homepage does not say whether a free version exists or what limits it carries.
  2. What does a paid license cost, and is it per-user or per-machine? Not stated on the homepage.
  3. Is it a one-time purchase or a subscription? Not stated on the homepage.
  4. Are there commercial-use or team terms? Not stated on the homepage.

The site's own navigation includes a Pricing link, so that page is the authoritative place to resolve all four. Do not assume free access just because a Download link is prominent — the presence of a Pricing page means cost is a real consideration.

A practical sequence

  1. Open the Pricing page and read the plan structure and any license conditions.
  2. If the terms fit your use, use Download or Get OrbStack to obtain the app.
  3. Install and confirm the resource behavior matches the claims (low background CPU, small disk footprint) on your own machine.
  4. If you are replacing Docker Desktop, verify your existing Compose files and tooling work as expected — the site describes it as a drop-in replacement, but your specific setup is what matters.

The short version: the homepage tells you how to get OrbStack and what it does; the Pricing page is where you find out what it costs. Check that page first.