Alternatives to Nginx
Web server, reverse proxy, cache and load balancer. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Nginx
Web server, reverse proxy, cache and load balancer.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Nginx.
Caddy
A web server that obtains and renews HTTPS certificates automatically, with a config file short enough to fit on a postcard.
Caddy adds automatic HTTPS certificates and very short configuration in a single Go binary, but it has fewer third-party modules and less documentation than Nginx.
Apache HTTP Server
The long-running modular web server behind a large share of the web.
Apache HTTP Server has a huge module ecosystem and per-directory .htaccess overrides, but uses more memory per connection than event-driven servers like Nginx.
HAProxy
High-performance TCP and HTTP load balancer and proxy.
HAProxy is a GPL-2.0 load balancer and proxy for Linux with detailed health checks and rate limiting, but it does not serve static files as a web server.
Traefik
Reverse proxy that discovers services automatically from Docker, Kubernetes and more.
Traefik is a reverse proxy that discovers routes from Docker and Kubernetes with automatic Let's Encrypt certificates, but it is not a general static web server.
Nginx Proxy Manager
Browser interface for Nginx reverse proxy hosts with automatic Let's Encrypt certificates.
Nginx Proxy Manager wraps Nginx reverse proxying in a browser interface with automatic certificates, shipping as a Docker image with advanced config limited to snippets.
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.
dnsdist
A DNS load balancer that routes queries to backend servers and blocks abusive traffic with rules.
