# Docker Model Runner vs Foundry Local (slim)

> Foundry Local scores 60.5 (C) on agent readiness against Docker Model Runner's 57.1 (C), and leads in 3 of 7 scored categories. Docker Model Runner leads on reliability. Both do local inference. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-foundry-local.md (~2,850 tokens) · this version ~730 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-foundry-local.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-foundry-local
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-09

Foundry Local scores 60.5 (C) on agent readiness against Docker Model Runner's 57.1 (C), and leads in 3 of 7 scored categories. Docker Model Runner leads on reliability. Both do local inference.

- Docker Model Runner: C 57.1, rank #559 of 842 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/docker-model-runner.min.md
- Foundry Local: C 60.5, rank #461 of 842 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/foundry-local.min.md
- Docker Model Runner, good for A team that already runs Docker and wants local models served to containers and Compose services through OpenAI-, Anthropic- or Ollama-compatible routes, with models stored as OCI artefacts. Ahead on Reliability, 85 against 68.
- Foundry Local, good for An application that ships a model to end users' Windows, macOS or Linux devices and wants NPU and GPU variants chosen automatically, especially on Windows. Ahead on Maintenance & community, 88 against 55. Also No incidents deducted, where Docker Model Runner loses 3 points for them.

| Category | Docker Model Runner | Foundry Local |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability (16%) | 85 | 68 |
| Performance (10%) | pending | pending |
| Schema & documentation (13%) | 49 | 53 |
| Agent ergonomics (13%) | 58 | 61 |
| Security & auth (14%) | 40 | 39 |
| Payments & pricing (10%) | 60 | 60 |
| Task success (10%) | pending | pending |
| Maintenance & community (7%) | 55 | 88 |
| Transparency & trust (7%) | 73 | 72 |

| Fact (where they differ) | Docker Model Runner | Foundry Local |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | SDK + MCP |
| Vendor | Docker, Inc. | Microsoft |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 (server, CLI plugin and `dmr` binary). Docker Desktop, which bundles it, is closed software under Docker's subscription agreement, and each model carries its own licence | MIT for the SDKs and the v2 native runtime. The CLI is closed source under Microsoft Software Licence Terms. Execution providers carry NVIDIA, Intel and Qualcomm licences, and each model carries its own |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| Last release | 2026-08-12 | 2026-09-29 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-08-26 | no document linked |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-08-26 | no document linked |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text |  |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes |  |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes |  |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text |  |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes |  |
| Popularity | 656 stars | 2.6k stars, 105k npm/wk, 47k PyPI/wk |