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Cloud · head to head

Caddy vs Encore

Caddy logo

Caddy

Cloud

Web server with automatic HTTPS by default

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Encore logo

Encore

Cloud

Automated infrastructure for humans and agents

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Caddy smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer; Encore limited language support (TypeScript and Go only)
  • They diverge on capability: Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Encore covers Local development environment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Caddy and Encore actually diverge.

Attributes where Caddy and Encore differ
AttributeCaddyEncore
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, DockerWeb, CLI

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

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 Caddy

  • Automatic HTTPS
  • Caddyfile
  • Reverse proxy
  • Single binary

Only in Encore

  • Local development environment
  • Preview environments
  • Infrastructure automation
  • Cloud deployment
  • Self-service operations
  • Distributed tracing

What people use each for

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

Caddy

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

Encore

  • Building microservices with database provisioningnot Caddy
  • Creating feature branch preview environmentsnot Caddy
  • Deploying TypeScript and Go backends to AWS/GCPnot Caddy

Where each one falls short

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

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

Encore

  • Limited language support (TypeScript and Go only)
  • Pro tier requires per-member subscription pricing
  • Additional resource costs beyond subscription for AWS/GCP provisioning

Pricing, plan by plan

Caddy

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

Encore

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 2 free dev environments
    • 1M distributed tracing events/month
    • 7-day log retention
  • Pro$49/month
    • Unlimited free dev environments
    • 20M tracing events/month
    • 30-day log retention
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Enterprise security and compliance
    • SSO/SAML
    • Custom RBAC

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Encore if

  • You need local development environment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI.
  • You also want preview environments.
Encore review

Questions people ask

Is Caddy or Encore better?
Neither clearly leads. Caddy starts at Free and Encore at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Caddy or Encore?
Caddy starts at Free and Encore at Free.
Does Caddy or Encore run on more platforms?
Caddy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. Encore runs on Web, CLI.
Can I use Caddy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Caddy best used for?
Caddy is most often used for sites and services where expired certificates have caused outages before, small deployments where nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrants, reverse proxying internal services with tls without a certificate workflow. Of those, sites and services where expired certificates have caused outages before and small deployments where nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrants are not what Encore is typically brought in for.
What can Caddy do that Encore cannot?
Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Caddyfile, Reverse proxy, Single binary. Encore covers Local development environment, Preview environments, Infrastructure automation, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Caddy: Is Caddy free?

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

Encore: What happens after the free tier?

The Pro plan costs $49/member/month plus usage charges of $2.50 per resource and $99 per AWS/GCP environment.

Source
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.

Encore: Do I own my infrastructure?

Yes, Encore deploys infrastructure in your own AWS or GCP cloud account, so you maintain complete control and avoid vendor lock-in.

Source
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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