Alternative guide

A Skopeo Alternative for Downloading Images

Skopeo is great, but not always installable. ContainerDL gives you a hosted way to export images.

Base URL https://containerdl.com

Why teams pick ContainerDL

No CLI install

Use a browser or API instead of installing skopeo.

Team friendly

Share a tarball link with teammates and stakeholders.

Secure downloads

Private credentials are temporary and never stored.

How it works

Enter an image reference in ContainerDL.
Export and download the TAR.
Automate with:
Bearer token Authorization: Bearer <key>

Example

Export an image without a local CLI

curl

curl -X POST https://containerdl.com/v1/exports \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cdl_live_xxx" \
  -d '{"image":"alpine:latest"}'

Use ContainerDL when installing skopeo is not possible.
For registry mirroring, skopeo is still the right tool.

Common use cases

Locked-down laptops and build environments.
Quick tarball exports without installing tools.
Sharing images with non-technical teams.
API-driven exports in CI.

FAQs

Does this replace skopeo copy?

For downloading tarballs, yes. For full registry syncs, skopeo is still best.

Do I need docker login?

No for public images. Private access is supported for GHCR and Docker Hub on Light/Pro.

Is there an API?

Yes. API access is available on Light and Pro plans.

Related guides

Docker image downloader

Use a hosted downloader instead of local tooling.

Private registry downloads

Export private images with temporary credentials.

Download without Docker

General guide to exporting without Docker installed.

Guides hub

Browse all ContainerDL download guides.

Start exporting now

Create your first export in seconds. Free tier available, then scale with API keys and paid plans.

Create export Compare pricing API docs