Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Encore vs Caddy

Encore logo

Encore

Cloud

Automated infrastructure for humans and agents

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

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Encore and Caddy actually diverge.

Attributes where Encore and Caddy differ
AttributeEncoreCaddy
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, CLILinux, macOS, Windows, Docker

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 Encore

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

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.

Encore

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

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

Where each one falls short

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

Encore

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

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

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

Caddy

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

Which should you pick?

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

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 Encore or Caddy better?
Neither clearly leads. Encore 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, Encore or Caddy?
Encore starts at Free and Caddy at Free.
Does Encore or Caddy run on more platforms?
Encore runs on Web, CLI. Caddy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use Encore for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Encore best used for?
Encore is most often used for building microservices with database provisioning, creating feature branch preview environments, deploying typescript and go backends to aws/gcp. Of those, building microservices with database provisioning and creating feature branch preview environments are not what Caddy is typically brought in for.
What can Encore do that Caddy cannot?
Encore covers Local development environment, Preview environments, Infrastructure automation, Cloud deployment. Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Caddyfile, Reverse proxy, Single binary.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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: Is Caddy free?

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

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: 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.

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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