diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 354708c..a870bcc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Spin applications have the ability to export metrics and trace data. This plugin
 
 This plugin relies on third-party software to work properly. Please be sure you have the following installed before continuing:
 
-- Latest version of [Docker](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop)
+- Latest version of [Docker](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop) or [Podman](https://podman.io/docs)
 
 # Installation
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ The `otel` plugin currently supports two different observability stacks:
 
 - Default: Multi-container observability stack based on Prometheus, Loki, Grafana and Jaeger
 - Aspire: Single-container observability stack using .NET Aspire Dashboard
-  
+
 # Usage
 
 Once the plugin is installed, you can try the below commands:
diff --git a/cmd/cleanup.go b/cmd/cleanup.go
index 4eb80ff..4439200 100644
--- a/cmd/cleanup.go
+++ b/cmd/cleanup.go
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ func init() {
 	cleanUpCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&removeContainers, "remove", "r", false, "If specified, OTel containers will be removed")
 }
 
-func getIDs(dockerOutput []byte) []string {
+func getIDs(runtimeOutput []byte) []string {
 	var result []string
-	outputArray := strings.Split(string(dockerOutput), "\n")
+	outputArray := strings.Split(string(runtimeOutput), "\n")
 
 	// skip the first line of the output, because it is the table header row
-	// docker ps does not support hiding column headers
+	// {{runtime}} ps does not support hiding column headers
 	for _, entry := range outputArray[1:] {
 		fields := strings.Fields(entry)
 		if len(fields) > 0 {
@@ -43,21 +43,22 @@ func getIDs(dockerOutput []byte) []string {
 }
 
 func cleanUp() error {
-	if err := checkDocker(); err != nil {
+	runtime, err := detectContainerRuntime()
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	fmt.Println("Stopping Spin OpenTelemetry Docker containers...")
-	getContainers := exec.Command("docker", "ps", fmt.Sprintf("--filter=name=%s*", otelConfigDirName), "--format=table")
-	dockerPsOutput, err := getContainers.CombinedOutput()
+	fmt.Println("Stopping Spin OpenTelemetry containers...")
+	getContainers := exec.Command(runtime, "ps", fmt.Sprintf("--filter=name=%s*", otelConfigDirName))
+	processOutput, err := getContainers.CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println(string(dockerPsOutput))
+		fmt.Println(string(processOutput))
 		return err
 	}
 
-	containerIDs := getIDs(dockerPsOutput)
+	containerIDs := getIDs(processOutput)
 
-	// The `docker stop` command will throw an error if there are no containers to stop
+	// The `{{runtime}} stop` command will throw an error if there are no containers to stop
 	if len(containerIDs) == 0 {
 		fmt.Println("No Spin OpenTelemetry resources found. Nothing to clean up.")
 		return nil
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ func cleanUp() error {
 	if removeContainers {
 		cleanupArgs = []string{"rm", "-f"}
 	}
-	stopContainers := exec.Command("docker", append(cleanupArgs, containerIDs...)...)
+	stopContainers := exec.Command(runtime, append(cleanupArgs, containerIDs...)...)
 	stopContainersOutput, err := stopContainers.CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(string(stopContainersOutput))
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index d4b6d20..2e721d8 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path"
+	"strings"
 
 	open "github.com/fermyon/otel-plugin/cmd/open"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -35,19 +36,51 @@ func setOtelConfigPath() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// checkDocker checks whether Docker is installed and the Docker daemon is running
-func checkDocker() error {
-	cmd := exec.Command("docker", "--version")
-	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Docker appears not to be installed, so please visit their install page and try again once installed: https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop")
+// detectContainerRuntime checks for a supported container runtime.
+//
+// Returns the detected runtime name.
+func detectContainerRuntime() (string, error) {
+	// Default Docker, fallback Podman
+	runtimesToCheck := []string{"docker", "podman"}
+	runtime := ""
+	for _, rt := range runtimesToCheck {
+		cmd := exec.Command(rt, "--version")
+		if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		runtime = rt
+		break
+	}
+
+	if runtime == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to detect container runtime.\nPlease ensure at least one of the following is installed and in the PATH: %s\n", strings.Join(runtimesToCheck, ", "))
+	}
+
+	if runtime == "podman" {
+		// Podman doesn't auto-install a compose provider
+		composeProvidersToCheck := []string{"podman-compose", "docker-compose"}
+		composeProvider := ""
+		for _, rt := range composeProvidersToCheck {
+			cmd := exec.Command(rt, "--version")
+			if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			composeProvider = rt
+			break
+		}
+
+		if composeProvider == "" {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("Unable to detect compose provider.\n Please ensure at least one of the following is installed and in the PATH: %s\n", strings.Join(composeProvidersToCheck, ", "))
+		}
 	}
 
-	cmd = exec.Command("docker", "info")
+	cmd := exec.Command(runtime, "info")
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("The Docker daemon appears not to be running. The command to start Docker depends on your operating system. For instructions, check the correct page under https://docs.docker.com/engine/install")
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("The daemon/virtual machine for %[1]s appears not to be running. Please check the documentation for %[1]s for more information.", runtime)
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return runtime, nil
 }
 
 func Execute() {
diff --git a/cmd/setup.go b/cmd/setup.go
index df0aec0..1ff5b0f 100644
--- a/cmd/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/setup.go
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ var (
 	aspire   = false
 	setUpCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "setup",
-		Short: "Run OpenTelemetry dependencies in Docker.",
+		Short: "Run OpenTelemetry dependencies as containers",
+		Long:  "Required OpenTelemetry dependencies will be started as containers using a supported container runtime (docker, podman)",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			s := stack.GetStackByFlags(aspire)
 			if err := setUp(s); err != nil {
@@ -30,16 +31,18 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func setUp(s stack.Stack) error {
-	if err := checkDocker(); err != nil {
+	runtime, err := detectContainerRuntime()
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+
 	composeFileName := s.GetComposeFileName()
 	composeFilePath := path.Join(otelConfigPath, composeFileName)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(composeFilePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("The \"otel-config\" directory is missing the \"%s\" file, so please consider removing and re-installing the otel plugin", composeFileName)
 	}
 
-	cmd := exec.Command("docker", "compose", "-f", composeFilePath, "up", "-d")
+	cmd := exec.Command(runtime, "compose", "-f", composeFilePath, "up", "-d")
 
 	fmt.Println("Pulling and running Spin OpenTelemetry resources...")
 
diff --git a/cmd/up.go b/cmd/up.go
index 6fcdc0e..340577e 100644
--- a/cmd/up.go
+++ b/cmd/up.go
@@ -22,10 +22,6 @@ var upCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 func up(args []string) error {
-	if err := checkDocker(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	pathToSpin := os.Getenv("SPIN_BIN_PATH")
 	if pathToSpin == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Please ensure that you are running \"spin otel up\", rather than calling the OpenTelemetry plugin binary directly")