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Cloud · head to head

Skopeo vs VerneMQ

Skopeo logo

Skopeo

Cloud

Inspect, copy and sign container images without pulling them

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VerneMQ logo

VerneMQ

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker whose source is Apache 2.0 but whose official binaries need a paid subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Skopeo single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution; VerneMQ the official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • They diverge on capability: Skopeo covers Remote inspection, VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Skopeo and VerneMQ actually diverge.

Attributes where Skopeo and VerneMQ differ
AttributeSkopeoVerneMQ
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsLinux, macOSLinux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes
CategoryCloudDatabases

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Skopeo

  • Remote inspection
  • Registry-to-registry copy
  • Format conversion
  • Image signing

Only in VerneMQ

  • Erlang/OTP clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 support
  • Plugin system
  • Backpressure handling
  • Bridge support
  • Metrics export
  • MQTT over WebSockets
  • Pluggable auth backends

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Skopeo

  • Promoting images between staging and production registries without a round tripnot VerneMQ
  • Inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy itnot VerneMQ
  • Mirroring images into an air-gapped or internal registrynot VerneMQ

VerneMQ

  • An industrial operator that wants an MQTT broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not usenot Skopeo
  • A team building from source to stay strictly under Apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglementnot Skopeo
  • A deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in Lua or over a webhooknot Skopeo
  • An organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small European company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licencesnot Skopeo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Skopeo

  • Single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution
  • Command syntax with transport prefixes such as docker:// is unusual and trips people up initially
  • Documentation is sparse compared with the rest of the container ecosystem

VerneMQ

  • The official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • Octavo Labs is a very small company, so support depth, response times and the bus factor on the codebase are materially thinner than at HiveMQ or EMQ.
  • There is no data integration or rule engine layer, so routing messages into a database means writing and operating your own consumer service.
  • Operating an Erlang cluster requires runtime knowledge that most teams do not have and will use for nothing else in their stack.
  • There is no vendor-managed cloud offering, so every deployment is self-operated with the infrastructure and on-call cost that implies.

Pricing, plan by plan

Skopeo

Free
  • SkopeoFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

VerneMQ

Free
  • Source buildFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed source from GitHub
    • Full clustering and plugin capability
    • You compile and package it yourself
  • Binary packages and Docker images$undefined/year
    • Covered by the VerneMQ EULA, not Apache 2.0
    • Yearly usage subscription expected for commercial use
    • Official builds and Docker images
  • Commercial support$undefined/year
    • Evaluation, customisation and operations assistance
    • Custom development
    • Long-term maintenance agreements

Which should you pick?

Choose Skopeo if

  • You need remote inspection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS.
  • You also want registry-to-registry copy.
Skopeo review

Choose VerneMQ if

  • You need erlang/otp clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 support.
VerneMQ review

Questions people ask

Is Skopeo or VerneMQ better?
Neither clearly leads. Skopeo starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Skopeo or VerneMQ?
Skopeo starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free.
Does Skopeo or VerneMQ run on more platforms?
Skopeo runs on Linux, macOS. VerneMQ runs on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
Can I use Skopeo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Skopeo best used for?
Skopeo is most often used for promoting images between staging and production registries without a round trip, inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy it, mirroring images into an air-gapped or internal registry. Of those, promoting images between staging and production registries without a round trip and inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy it are not what VerneMQ is typically brought in for.
What can Skopeo do that VerneMQ cannot?
Skopeo covers Remote inspection, Registry-to-registry copy, Format conversion, Image signing. VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering, MQTT 5.0 support, Plugin system, Backpressure handling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Skopeo: Is Skopeo free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

VerneMQ: Is VerneMQ free?

The source is Apache 2.0 and free. The official binary packages and Docker images are covered by a separate EULA that expects a yearly fee for commercial use.

Skopeo: Why copy images without pulling them?

A registry-to-registry copy avoids downloading and re-uploading gigabytes, which is faster and much cheaper on bandwidth in CI.

VerneMQ: Is the project still maintained?

Yes. Octavo Labs AG in Zurich continues to publish 2.x releases, most recently in 2026.

Skopeo: Can Skopeo run containers?

No. It only inspects, copies, signs and deletes images. Running them is Podman’s or Docker’s job.

VerneMQ: Does it have a managed cloud?

No. Every deployment is self-hosted, with commercial support available from Octavo Labs.

VerneMQ: How does it compare to EMQX?

Narrower in features and without a rule engine, but with a simpler licence story for source builds after EMQX moved to BSL.

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