Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Caddy vs Traefik

Caddy logo

Caddy

Cloud

Web server with automatic HTTPS by default

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Traefik logo

Traefik

Networking

Modern cloud-native edge router and API gateway

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; Traefik no transparent pricing displayed for Traefik Hub API Gateway or API Management products
  • They diverge on capability: Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Traefik covers API Gateway.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Caddy and Traefik actually diverge.

Attributes where Caddy and Traefik differ
AttributeCaddyTraefik
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, DockerKubernetes, Docker, Cloud
CategoryCloudNetworking
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Caddy

  • Automatic HTTPS
  • Caddyfile
  • Reverse proxy
  • Single binary

Only in Traefik

  • API Gateway
  • Load Balancing
  • SSL/TLS Termination
  • Kubernetes
  • Docker
  • Consul
  • etcd
  • Linux support

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 Traefik
  • Small deployments where Nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrantsnot Traefik
  • Reverse proxying internal services with TLS without a certificate workflownot Traefik

Traefik

  • API gateway for microservices architecturenot Caddy
  • Kubernetes ingress controllernot Caddy
  • Container and VM traffic routingnot Caddy
  • Cloud-native application managementnot 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

Traefik

  • No transparent pricing displayed for Traefik Hub API Gateway or API Management products
  • No subscription period specified for paid tiers
  • Traefik Hub products require contacting sales for pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Caddy

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

Traefik

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Traefik review.

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 Traefik if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud.
  • You also want load balancing.
Traefik review

Questions people ask

Is Caddy or Traefik better?
Neither clearly leads. Caddy starts at Free and Traefik at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Caddy or Traefik?
Caddy starts at Free and Traefik at Free.
Does Caddy or Traefik run on more platforms?
Caddy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. Traefik runs on Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud.
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 Traefik is typically brought in for.
What can Caddy do that Traefik cannot?
Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Caddyfile, Reverse proxy, Single binary. Traefik covers API Gateway, Load Balancing, SSL/TLS Termination, Kubernetes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Caddy: Is Caddy free?

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

Traefik: Is Traefik Proxy free to use?

Yes, Traefik Proxy is completely free and open source. You can download and use it at no cost.

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.

Traefik: What pricing model does Traefik use for its paid products?

Traefik Hub products (API Gateway and API Management) use quote-based pricing. Specific rates are not published on the pricing page; you must contact sales to request pricing.

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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