Caddy vs Nginx
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Caddy and Nginx.
Quick Verdict
4.9/5
Caddy
14 reviews
3.9/5
Nginx
102 reviews
Caddy is rated higher (4.9 vs 3.9). Caddy is a modern open source web server and load balancer with automatic HTTPS (Let's Encrypt/ZeroSSL) by default. No SSL configuration needed. Used for reverse proxying and load balancing. Nginx is the world's most used web server and load balancer. Powers 33% of all websites. Reverse proxy, HTTP load balancing, TCP/UDP load balancing, and web server in one binary. Free and open source.
Caddy Automatic HTTPS load balancer and web server | Nginx Open source web server and load balancer | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.9 (14 reviews)✓ | 3.9 (102 reviews) |
| Pricing model | free | free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Best for | Developers wanting a load balancer/reverse proxy with automatic SSL that requires minimal configuration | Every developer running web applications who wants the industry-standard load balancer and reverse proxy |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tieropen sourceself hostable | free tieropen sourceself hostable |
| Visit Caddy → | Visit Nginx → | |
Caddy
Pros
- + Automatic HTTPS — no SSL configuration needed
- + Simple Caddyfile configuration
- + Built-in load balancing and reverse proxy
Cons
- - Less performance than Nginx at extreme load
- - Smaller community than Nginx
Nginx
Pros
- + 33% of all websites use it — most battle-tested
- + Handles 10,000+ concurrent connections easily
- + Reverse proxy, LB, and web server in one
Cons
- - Configuration can be complex for beginners
- - Nginx Plus (enterprise) required for some features
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