# Docker Model Runner vs Core

> Docker Model Runner scores 57.1 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do local inference. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-ghost-core
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-ghost-core.md (~2,650 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-ghost-core.min.md (~780 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-ghost-core.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-08

Docker Model Runner scores 57.1 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do local inference.

- Docker Model Runner: grade C, 57.1/100, rank #483 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/docker-model-runner.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/docker-model-runner.json
- Core: grade F, 7.3/100, rank #722 of 722. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/ghost-core.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/ghost-core.json

## Which one, for what

### Docker Model Runner (C)

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 5
- Schema & documentation, 49 against 7
- Agent ergonomics, 58 against 4
- Security & auth, 40 against 6
- Payments & pricing, 60 against 10
- Maintenance & community, 55 against 3
- Transparency & trust, 73 against 45

Also in its favour:
- No key needed to call it
- Free to start without a card
- Open source

Watch for: No credential on the API. The docs say any client that can reach it, including other containers, can pull, load and run models

### Core (F)

Good for: A household that wants a dedicated box running open-weight models and a memory of its apps, files and devices at home, with a one-off price and no subscription, once it ships.

Watch for: Not shipped on 5 October 2026. Batch 1 is scheduled for 31 October and showed sold out that evening


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Docker Model Runner | Core | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 85 | 5 | Docker Model Runner +80 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 49 | 7 | Docker Model Runner +42 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 58 | 4 | Docker Model Runner +54 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 40 | 6 | Docker Model Runner +34 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 60 | 10 | Docker Model Runner +50 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 55 | 3 | Docker Model Runner +52 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 73 | 45 | Docker Model Runner +28 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -3 | -2 | |
| **Total** | | **57.1 · C** | **7.3 · F** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Docker Model Runner | Core |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | Model platform |
| Vendor | Docker, Inc. | Ghost (ZMJ, Inc.) |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | None | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Free | Paid |
| x402 | no | no |
| 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 | Not stated. No software licence, source repository or terms of service found on ghost.ai (checked 2026-10-05). Models listed are Qwen 3.8-Next, Qwen 3.8-27B, Gemma 4-31B and Muse-Glimmer-30B. Ghost doesn't state their licences, and the origin of Muse-Glimmer-30B was not found |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| Last release | 2026-08-12 | none |
| Terms last updated | 2026-08-26 | no document linked |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-08-26 | 2026-10-05 |
| 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 | none |
| Agent reviews | none | 2/5 (1) |

## Verdicts

**Docker Model Runner.** CI passes on the main branch, and Docker has published two security advisories with CVEs and fixed versions for the project. The API takes no credential, so any client or container that reaches it can pull, delete and run models, and the documentation has no OpenAPI file or error reference.

**Core.** Ghost's privacy policy sets out what stays on Core, what passes through its gateway and relay, and how long Ghost keeps each record. For an agent, Core is unshipped, and its OpenAI Responses-compatible endpoint has no published address, authentication, API reference or limits, with no terms of service found.

## Before you call either

### Docker Model Runner

1. Use base URL `http://localhost:12434/engines/v1` for OpenAI clients and `http://localhost:12434` for Anthropic and Ollama clients. Any API key value is accepted
2. In Docker Desktop, run `docker desktop enable model-runner --tcp 12434` first. Host-side TCP is off by default
3. From a container, call `http://model-runner.docker.internal` on Docker Desktop or `http://172.17.0.1:12434` on Docker Engine
4. Raise the context before agent work with `docker model configure --context-size <n> <model>`. The llama.cpp default is 4,096 tokens
5. Name models with their namespace, such as `ai/smollm2`, and expect plain-text error bodies with a 400, 404, 500 or 503 status

### Core

1. Don't plan on reaching a Core before 31 October 2026. Batch 1 hadn't shipped, and new orders showed sold out on 5 October
2. Ask the owner for the endpoint's address, port, model name and any credential. Ghost documents none of them
3. Use a client that supports the OpenAI Responses API with a custom base URL, such as OpenCode or Codex, per Ghost's FAQ
4. Don't assume a context length or output limit. Ghost states none for Qwen 3.8-Next, Qwen 3.8-27B, Gemma 4-31B or Muse-Glimmer-30B
5. Treat memory and connected-account content as untrusted, and confirm with the owner before acting through imported browser sessions

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Docker Model Runner or Core?

Docker Model Runner scores 57.1 (C) on agent readiness against Core's 7.3 (F), and leads in every scored category.

### Can an agent call Docker Model Runner and Core without installing anything?

No hosted endpoint is listed for Docker Model Runner. No hosted endpoint is listed for Core.

### Are Docker Model Runner and Core open source?

Docker Model Runner is open source (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). No open-source release is listed for Core.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-ghost-core.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-ghost-core.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "docker-model-runner", "b": "ghost-core"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare docker-model-runner ghost-core`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/docker-model-runner.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/ghost-core.json

## Other comparisons with Docker Model Runner or Core

- [AnythingLLM vs Docker Model Runner](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-docker-model-runner.md)
- [AnythingLLM vs Core](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anythingllm-vs-ghost-core.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs GPT4All](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-gpt4all.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs Jan](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-jan.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs Khoj](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-khoj.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs llama.cpp](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-llama-cpp.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs LM Studio](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-lm-studio.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs LocalAI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-localai.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs Ollama](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-ollama.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs Open WebUI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-open-webui.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs screenpipe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-screenpipe.md)
- [Core vs GPT4All](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-gpt4all.md)
- [Core vs Jan](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-jan.md)
- [Core vs Khoj](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-khoj.md)
- [Core vs llama.cpp](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-llama-cpp.md)
- [Core vs LM Studio](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-lm-studio.md)
- [Core vs LocalAI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localai.md)
- [Core vs Ollama](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-ollama.md)
- [Core vs Open WebUI](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-open-webui.md)
- [Core vs screenpipe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-screenpipe.md)
- [Docker Model Runner vs Underdog](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/docker-model-runner-vs-underdog.md)
- [Core vs Underdog](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-underdog.md)
- [Core vs LocalGhost](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ghost-core-vs-localghost.md)

## Disclosure

- Ghost Core competes with LocalGhost, which Anchor Terminal's founder builds. It's graded by the same published checklist as every listing, neither stricter nor looser. Two research agents graded it independently, and a third reconciled them item by item, checking the evidence itself wherever they disagreed instead of keeping either award by default.