Cloud containers as a service (CaaS) are changing how businesses manage, deploy, and scale their applications. Not exactly the newest technology, it is set to become a prominent cloud trend in 2025.
By blending agility, security, and cost-efficiency, containers as a service help organizations efficiently deal with hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
So, why do organizations choose containers as a service in 2025? Read on to learn more about CaaS and the reasons your business might need it to stay ahead of the competition.
Key Takeaways
- CaaS streamlines app deployment, automates scaling and supports agile workflows.
- The global CaaS market is projected to grow from $3.6 billion in 2024 to $12.0 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.4%.
- Trends like the rise of serverless containers, GPU-based compute for AI/ML, and ARM-based compute adoption are shaping the containers as a service market.
- Security, complexity, and monitoring remain the top challenges for CaaS adoption, with 89% of companies reporting container-related security issues in 2024.
- Platforms like Kubernetes and Docker lead the CaaS market.
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What Is Containers as a Service?
Containers as a Service (CaaS) is a cloud computing service that helps developers and IT teams easily deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications.
Key features include:
- Uses a container platform to simplify development while the provider handles infrastructure.
- Positioned between Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS).
- Offers more control than PaaS without the complexity of IaaS.
So, why is CaaS so important?
- Ensures applications run smoothly across hybrid and multi-cloud setups.
- Automates tasks like scaling, resource allocation, and orchestration.
- Supports agile workflows, enabling businesses to focus on innovation while leaving infrastructure management to the provider.
CaaS in 2025: A New Cloud Trend?
In 2025, the containers as a service market is expected to grow rapidly. Recent reports show that global revenues will increase from $3.6 billion in 2024 to $12.0 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 22.4%.
This growth is driven by how lightweight containers help businesses use resources better, lower infrastructure costs, and scale applications quickly.
As a result, it is clear that CaaS will play a central role in helping businesses create agile, scalable, and cost-effective solutions, making it a major trend in 2025 cloud technology.
CaaS Adoption
The CNCF Annual Survey 2023 showed that by the end of the year, 90% of organizations using cloud-native technologies relied on containers for development and deployment.
This included businesses still testing containers, proving their growing importance in modern IT systems.
As more companies use containers, there are three main trends to watch:
- More organizations are adopting serverless containers
- Use GPU-based compute for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)
- Turn to ARM-based compute for container workloads
But even though containers are being used more, companies still face some challenges when adopting CaaS.
Growing Use of Serverless Containers
According to Datadog’s 2023 Container Report, 46% of organizations using containers used serverless containers, which was a big increase from 31% in 2021.
Serverless containers are a technology that allows cloud providers (like Google or AWS) to take care of the infrastructure for you. This means businesses don’t need to set up or manage servers manually. It reduces the time and effort needed for managing operations and allows developers to focus more on creating apps.
Rise of GPU-Based Compute for AI and ML
The use of GPU-based compute in containerized workloads (applications running in containers) increased by 58% in 2023 compared with 2022.
This was much higher than the 25% growth in non-containerized GPU workloads recorded over the same period.
GPUs, originally designed for graphics in video games, have become essential for powering AI and ML applications, which need to handle large amounts of data. Containers prove to be a great way to run these GPU-intensive applications because they are flexible and easy to scale.
Prebuilt container images and managed Kubernetes services (tools for managing containers) made it easier for teams to integrate GPUs into their systems, improving their workflows and saving on costs.
Doubling of ARM-Based Compute Adoption
The adoption of ARM-based compute instances for containerized workloads more than doubled in 2023 compared with 2022, increasing from 2.6% to 7.1%.
ARM-based processors are more energy efficient than traditional x86 processors (the most common type of CPU) – meaning that they are popular because they help businesses save up to 20% on costs. Essentially, these types of processors consume less energy and produce less heat while still delivering on the performance aspect. This makes them ideal for running containerized applications in a cost-effective way.
Challenges in CaaS Adoption
Despite its growth, CaaS adoption still faced some barriers:
- 40% of companies who were potentially or generally consumers of cloud services in 2023 said security was their biggest challenge when using containers
- 36% of companies said it was complexity
- 35% said it was monitoring
Beyond Kubernetes: Exploring the Container Ecosystem
Kubernetes is one of the most popular container compute services around the world, controlling around 26% of the containers as a service market.
This platform was developed by Google, and its open-source nature and ability to work across different environments – such as on-premises systems and hybrid clouds – have made it a favorite for businesses seeking flexibility and efficiency.
However, as of 2025, it is no longer the leading container services platform. The leading container services platform is actually Docker, which controls more than a third (around 34%) of the containers as a service market.
Originally a container runtime, Docker now includes orchestration features through Docker Swarm, making it a popular choice for organizations that value simplicity.
The containerization market also features many other platforms, each serving different purposes:
- LXC (11%): Focuses on OS-level virtualization, enabling lightweight and isolated Linux environments.
- Packer (8%): Creates consistent machine images for multiple platforms.
- Red Hat OpenShift (4%): Built on Kubernetes, it provides enterprise-grade features like enhanced security and scalability.
- Rkt (3%): A pod-native solution for specific cloud-native needs.
- Marathon (2%): Designed for large-scale orchestration on Mesosphere’s platform.
- Nomad (2%): A lightweight scheduler for containerized and non-containerized workloads.
- Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service (1%): A cloud-based Kubernetes solution integrated into Azure.
- Swarm (1%): Docker’s tool for simple clustering and container scheduling.
Hybrid Cloud Integration: The Role of Containers as a Service
Container compute services play an important role in helping businesses manage containerized applications across multiple cloud platforms. As more companies adopt hybrid clouds, CaaS offers the flexibility needed to ensure smooth operations across different environments.
Benefits of CaaS for hybrid cloud setups:
- CaaS allows businesses to move workloads easily between private and public clouds, offering more flexibility.
- It ensures applications run the same way across hybrid environments, avoiding technical issues.
- With centralized tools, businesses can manage and monitor containers more easily in hybrid setups.
- By processing workloads in the best location, CaaS helps companies save money.
- Security policies are applied consistently, and workloads stay separated for better protection and compliance.
- It also avoids vendor lock-in, giving companies the freedom to use multiple cloud providers.
In fact, data shows that 56% of large organizations preferred hybrid cloud computing services in 2023 because they combine the strengths of both on-premises and cloud environments.
Multi-cloud strategies, where companies used an average of 2.3 cloud providers, were also becoming more popular.
As hybrid cloud computing services become more common, cloud containers as a service are playing a key role in helping organizations reduce costs, improve performance, and achieve their digital transformation goals.
Security Concerns: Managing Risks in Containerized Environments
Security remained one of the biggest challenges for businesses using container platforms in 2024.
According to a 2024 report published by Red Hat, 67% of organizations delayed or slowed down application deployments because of security concerns in their containerized environments. This highlights how critical strong security measures are for maintaining efficient operations.
Containers as a Service (CaaS) providers offer important security features to handle the challenges of containerized environments. These features help organizations protect their applications throughout the development lifecycle, from deployment to runtime:
- Role-based access control (RBAC): CaaS providers use RBAC to ensure that only authorized people can access specific resources. This prevents unauthorized changes to container settings or access to sensitive data.
- Container isolation: By keeping containers separate from each other, CaaS platforms reduce the risk of vulnerabilities spreading between applications. This is especially useful in shared environments where many containers run on the same system.
- Built-in security scanning: Many CaaS platforms include tools to scan container images for vulnerabilities before deployment. These scans help detect outdated software or security misconfigurations.
- Automated security policies: Organizations can both create and enforce security policies automatically. For example, blocking unauthorized API access or ensuring that the containers meet compliance regulations.
- Runtime monitoring: CaaS platforms often have tools that continuously monitor container activity during its runtime. These tools can detect any suspicious activity, like unusual file changes or unexpected network traffic, and alert the business immediately.
Despite these measures, 89% of companies reported at least one security issue related to containers during the application lifecycle in 2024. The most common problems were:
- Runtime security incidents (45% of companies)
- Major vulnerabilities that needed fixing (44%)
- Misconfigurations in their container setups (40%)
- Failed audits due to non-compliance (26%)
These security issues had serious impacts on businesses. That year:
- 53% reported delays or disruptions in projects
- 46% suffered revenue or customer losses
- 30% faced fines or legal actions
- 26% reported employee terminations
To address these challenges, businesses need to improve their security strategies, invest in better tools, and encourage teamwork between DevOps and security teams.
Ensuring the safety of containerized environments is essential for maintaining smooth operations and safeguarding business results in the expanding containers as a service market.
The Bottom Line
Embracing CaaS could potentially boost your business’s efficiency.
Containers as a Service (CaaS) is changing how businesses create, manage, and secure applications in a cloud hosting-driven world. With features like role-based access control and container isolation, CaaS offers flexibility, scalability, and strong security, helping companies innovate faster while cutting costs.
FAQs
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References
- Containers as a Service Market Size & Share Analysis – Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2025 – 2030) (Global Information)
- CNCF Annual Survey 2023 (CNCF)
- 10 insights on real-world container use (Datadog)
- Containerization Software Market Share (Datanyze)
- The state of Kubernetes security report (RedHat)