Packer Alternatives

Packer is described as '"source available" tool for creating identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration. Packer is lightweight, runs on every major operating system, and is highly performant, creating machine images for multiple platforms in' and is an app in the network & admin category. There are five alternatives to Packer for a variety of platforms, including Mac, Windows, Linux, Self-Hosted and VMware Workstation Pro apps. The best Packer alternative is Docker, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Packer are Vagrant, Crane, Singularity and Kata Containers.

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Packer alternatives are mainly Virtualization Tools but may also be Server Management Tools. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Packer.
Packer iconPacker
  4
  • FreemiumProprietary
  • ...

Packer is a "source available" tool for creating identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration. Packer is lightweight, runs on every major operating system, and is highly...

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Packer alternatives page was last updated Nov 15, 2023
  1. Docker icon
     285 likes

    Docker is an open-source engine that automates the deployment of any application as a lightweight, portable, self-sufficient container that will run virtually anywhere.

    29 Docker alternatives
    Docker screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • TrueNAS

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Container Virtualization
    2.  Virtualization
    3.  Server Management
    4.  Command line interface
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Portable
    7.  No registration required
    8.  Hypervisor
    Docker iconPacker Icon

    Docker VS Packer

    Is Docker a good alternative to Packer?
     
    • Docker is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Packer.

    • Docker is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Packer.

    • Docker is Freemium and Open SourcePacker is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Docker is LightweightPacker is not according to our users
  2. Vagrant icon
     102 likes

    Create and manage virtualized development environments. Vagrant is a tool for building complete development environments. With an easy-to-use workflow and focus on automation, Vagrant lowers development environment setup time, increases development/production parity, and makes...

    19 Vagrant alternatives
    Vagrant screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • VirtualBox
    • VMware Workstation Pro
    • VMware Fusion
    • FreeBSD

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Container Virtualization
    2.  Automated provisioning
    3.  Cluster management
    Vagrant iconPacker Icon

    Vagrant VS Packer

    Is Vagrant a good alternative to Packer?
     
  3. Crane icon
     7 likes

    Crane is a container image tool that includes building local Docker images; connecting to DockerHub; listing local and remote container images; pushing local images to the DockerHub registry, and importing remote container images into an MLOps platform cluster.

    13 Crane alternatives
    Crane screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows

    Crane Features

    1.  Docker Container
    2. Docker icon  Support for Docker
    Crane iconPacker Icon

    Crane VS Packer

    Is Crane a good alternative to Packer?
     
  4. Singularity icon
     9 likes

    Singularity is a container solution with a focus on building reproducible software stacks and running them most efficiently on existing HPC, scientific, compute farm and even enterprise architectures.

    9 Singularity alternatives
    Screenshot of singularity building an hello-world container

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Singularity Features

    1.  Container Virtualization
    2.  Single file container
    Singularity iconPacker Icon

    Singularity VS Packer

    Is Singularity a good alternative to Packer?
     
  5. Kata Containers icon
     Like this app

    Kata Containers is an open source, secure container runtime with lightweight virtual machines that feel and perform like containers, but provide stronger workload isolation using hardware virtualization technology as a second layer of defense.

    15 Kata Containers alternatives
    Kata Containers screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    Kata Containers iconPacker Icon

    Kata Containers VS Packer

    Is Kata Containers a good alternative to Packer?
     
5 of 5 Packer alternatives