Bitnami's Docker Hub Exit: What Developers Need to Know About the End of Free Stable Images

The container world is abuzz after Bitnami, a Broadcom subsidiary famed for its pre-packaged application stacks, abruptly announced the end of free, stable images on Docker Hub. This decision sends shockwaves through development teams and organizations that have long relied on Bitnami’s trusted resources for streamlined deployments.

Understanding the Policy Change

Bitnami’s policy overhaul brings a staged shutdown of its Docker Hub repository beginning August 28, 2025, with full removal by September 29. During this transition, images will intermittently go offline in scheduled "brownouts," but users won’t know which ones will disappear until each event. All existing images and tags will move to a read-only "Legacy" repository, which will not receive updates, patches, or any support.

Notably, older images (including those built on Debian 8–10, CentOS 7, and Oracle Linux 7) will be completely abandoned. Only a handful of free, "hardened" images under the “latest” tag will remain available for development use in the new “bitnamisecure” namespace.

The Shift Toward Paid Subscriptions

For those needing stability, security, and versioning, Bitnami is directing users to its Secure Images subscription. While official pricing remains undisclosed, industry speculation suggests these enterprise-grade services may cost thousands of dollars monthly, putting them beyond reach for many smaller organizations and independent developers.

The clear message: Bitnami is focusing on enterprise clients, leaving smaller users to either purchase a subscription or seek alternative providers.

Migration Headaches and Community Response

This announcement has sparked widespread criticism in open-source circles and tech forums. Bitnami images power millions of deployment, even in Fortune 500 companies. Migrating away is no small feat: teams must update or rewrite Kubernetes manifests, Helm charts, Docker Compose files, and other critical infrastructure. The process is both time-intensive and technically demanding, especially for organizations deeply integrated with Bitnami’s ecosystem.

Delaying migration could cause CI/CD pipeline failures and Kubernetes outages as images vanish. Bitnami urges users to update pipelines and test new deployments as soon as possible, warning that the Legacy repository is only a short-term stopgap.

Helm Charts and Application Delivery Risks

Helm charts that depend on the main Bitnami catalog will break unless users update references to the Legacy repository or migrate to Secure Images. This added complexity can create significant headaches for DevOps teams accustomed to rapid, out-of-the-box application delivery via Bitnami.

What Do Paid Secure Images Offer?

The new subscription-based Secure Images service boasts hardened containers with minimal attack surfaces, continuous security updates, detailed software bills of materials (SBOMs), compliance documentation, and access to over 280 actively maintained apps. While these features appeal to enterprise security and compliance needs, they mark a stark departure from Bitnami’s community-driven roots.

Key Takeaway: Prepare for Impact

With the public Bitnami catalog’s disappearance looming, developers and organizations must act quickly. Whether migrating to alternative providers or considering a paid subscription, timely action is critical to avoid service interruption and broken infrastructure. Bitnami’s move highlights the growing friction between open-source values and commercial sustainability in the software world.