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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Caddy

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

Open-source authentication and two-factor portal for reverse proxies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Caddy logo

Caddy

Cloud

Web server with automatic HTTPS by default

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; Caddy smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Caddy actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Caddy differ
AttributeAutheliaCaddy
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker
CategoryCybersecurityCloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authelia

  • Reverse proxy integration
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Access control rules
  • Lightweight backends

Only in Caddy

  • Automatic HTTPS
  • Caddyfile
  • Reverse proxy
  • Single binary

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Authelia

  • Putting a login and 2FA in front of self-hosted services that have nonenot Caddy
  • Adding SSO across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platformnot Caddy
  • Home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxynot Caddy

Caddy

  • Sites and services where expired certificates have caused outages beforenot Authelia
  • Small deployments where Nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrantsnot Authelia
  • Reverse proxying internal services with TLS without a certificate workflownot Authelia

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authelia

  • Depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider
  • Configuration is YAML-first with no administrative interface, so changes mean editing files
  • Not a full IAM: user management, provisioning and federation are limited compared with Keycloak
  • Scales poorly as an organisation-wide identity solution, which is not its target

Caddy

  • Smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer
  • Adding plugins means rebuilding the binary rather than loading a module
  • Under very high throughput Nginx generally still benchmarks ahead
  • Automatic certificate issuance needs outbound internet access, which complicates air-gapped deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

Free
  • AutheliaFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Caddy

Free
  • CaddyFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Authelia if

  • You need reverse proxy integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want two-factor authentication.
Authelia review

Choose Caddy if

  • You need automatic https.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want caddyfile.
Caddy review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Caddy better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Caddy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Caddy?
Authelia starts at Free and Caddy at Free.
Does Authelia or Caddy run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Caddy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Authelia best used for?
Authelia is most often used for putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none, adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform, home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxy. Of those, putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none and adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform are not what Caddy is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Caddy cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Caddyfile, Reverse proxy, Single binary.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Caddy: Is Caddy free?

Yes, open source under the Apache 2.0 licence, free for commercial use.

Authelia: Does Authelia need a reverse proxy?

Yes. It integrates through forward authentication with Nginx, Traefik, Caddy or HAProxy rather than sitting in front of traffic itself.

Caddy: What does automatic HTTPS mean?

Caddy obtains certificates from Let’s Encrypt or ZeroSSL on first request and renews them before expiry, with no cron job or configuration.

Authelia: Authelia or Keycloak?

Authelia is far lighter and aimed at protecting self-hosted services behind a proxy. Keycloak is a full identity and access management platform, and much more to run.

Caddy: Caddy or Nginx?

Caddy is dramatically simpler to configure and removes certificate management. Nginx has the larger ecosystem and better peak throughput.

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