Alternatives to Caddy
A web server that obtains and renews HTTPS certificates automatically, with a config file short enough to fit on a postcard. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Caddy
A web server that obtains and renews HTTPS certificates automatically, with a config file short enough to fit on a postcard.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Caddy.
Nginx
Web server, reverse proxy, cache and load balancer.
Nginx has more modules, documentation and high-traffic tuning knowledge, but it does not handle HTTPS certificates automatically and some features are in paid Nginx Plus.
Traefik
Reverse proxy that discovers services automatically from Docker, Kubernetes and more.
Traefik also issues Let's Encrypt certificates automatically and discovers routes from Docker labels or Kubernetes, though its configuration is more verbose and version-sensitive.
Nginx Proxy Manager
Browser interface for Nginx reverse proxy hosts with automatic Let's Encrypt certificates.
Nginx Proxy Manager manages reverse proxy hosts and Let's Encrypt certificates from a browser interface, but it ships only as a Docker image.
Apache HTTP Server
The long-running modular web server behind a large share of the web.
Apache HTTP Server offers a huge module ecosystem and .htaccess overrides, but uses more memory per connection and has no automatic HTTPS by default.
HAProxy
High-performance TCP and HTTP load balancer and proxy.
HAProxy is a GPL-2.0 load balancer and proxy with detailed health checks and rate limiting, but it serves no files and has no native certificate issuance.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Pomerium
An identity-aware reverse proxy that gives secure access to internal applications without a VPN.
Cloudflare Tunnel
Exposes a service on your machine to the internet through Cloudflare without opening a single port in your firewall.
