Docker has renamed its free plan to "Personal," will now charge subscriptions for large business use

In a move that is causing some controversy for developers, Docker is now requiring medium-to-large businesses to pay in order to use their desktop software.

If your business has more than 250 employees or makes over $10 million USD annually, Docker's developers now require that you pay a subscription for their Docker Desktop application. This move comes as Docker seeks to "scale sustainably." The features that have been available for users for free will continue to be free for independent developers and small businesses, and the new subscription options will allow for full commercial use.

Docker states that over half of its users fall into categories that allow for continued free usage of the Docker Desktop app. These include "individual developers, open source projects, education, and small businesses." That said, for existing Docker users that don't meet those use cases, Docker has a grace period that lasts until January 31st, 2022 that will allow for continued use of Docker Desktop without committing to a subscription plan.

Available as software-as-a-service, Docker Business will be $21 per user per month, though it will be billed annually. However, the terms of use state that businesses with over 250 employees can use any of the paid plans available to retain access to Docker Desktop, including the base Pro subscription at $5 per user per month. For more pricing information, go to docker.com/pricing.

Read more: Docker Blog The Register