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Software · head to head

Nginx vs Vultr

Nginx logo

Nginx

Software

High-performance web server and reverse proxy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vultr logo

Vultr

Software

High performance cloud compute

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Nginx open-source nginx has no admin API for changing arbitrary config at runtime; dynamic reconfiguration requires editing the config file and reloading via 'nginx -s reload'; Vultr vultr Cloud Compute pricing as captured 31 December 2022 started at $5/month (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 25GB storage, 1TB transfer), scaling to $10/month and $20/month with more vCPU/RAM/storage; bandwidth overage billed at $0.01 to $0.05 per GB depending on plan
  • They diverge on capability: Nginx covers High-performance web server, Vultr covers Cloud servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nginx and Vultr actually diverge.

Attributes where Nginx and Vultr differ
AttributeNginxVultr
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, Api, Cli
Founded20112014

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

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 Nginx

  • High-performance web server
  • Reverse proxy
  • Load balancing
  • HTTP caching
  • SSL/TLS termination
  • Gzip compression
  • Rate limiting
  • Static file serving

Only in Vultr

  • Cloud servers
  • Bare metal servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Firewalls
  • Private networks
  • Terraform

Both cover

  • Kubernetes
  • DDoS protection

What people use each for

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

Nginx

  • HTTP web server and static file servingnot Vultr
  • Reverse proxy and load balancernot Vultr
  • TLS/SSL termination (SNI, HTTP/2, HTTP/3)not Vultr
  • Content cachingnot Vultr
  • Kubernetes Ingress Controller backendnot Vultr
  • TCP/UDP stream proxyingnot Vultr

Vultr

  • High performance computingnot Nginx
  • Game serversnot Nginx
  • Streamingnot Nginx
  • Database hostingnot Nginx
  • Application serversnot Nginx

Where each one falls short

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

Nginx

  • Open-source nginx has no admin API for changing arbitrary config at runtime; dynamic reconfiguration requires editing the config file and reloading via 'nginx -s reload'
  • No official built-in GUI or dashboard for management or live metrics in the open-source edition
  • Advanced capabilities such as active health checks, dynamic upstream reconfiguration without reload, and a full API gateway feature set are exclusive to the paid NGINX Plus product, not open-source nginx
  • No published list price for NGINX Plus on the current F5 product page; pricing requires contacting sales

Vultr

  • Vultr Cloud Compute pricing as captured 31 December 2022 started at $5/month (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 25GB storage, 1TB transfer), scaling to $10/month and $20/month with more vCPU/RAM/storage; bandwidth overage billed at $0.01 to $0.05 per GB depending on plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Nginx

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Web server
    • Reverse proxy
    • Load balancing

Vultr

Free
  • Cloud Compute$2.5/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • 10GB SSD
    • 500GB bandwidth
  • Bare Metal$32/month
    • Dedicated hardware
    • High performance
    • Full root access

Which should you pick?

Choose Nginx if

  • You need high-performance web server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want reverse proxy.
Nginx review

Choose Vultr if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal servers.
Vultr review

Questions people ask

Is Nginx or Vultr better?
Neither clearly leads. Nginx starts at Free and Vultr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nginx or Vultr?
Nginx starts at Free and Vultr at Free.
Does Nginx or Vultr run on more platforms?
Nginx runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Vultr runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Nginx for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Nginx best used for?
Nginx is most often used for http web server and static file serving, reverse proxy and load balancer, tls/ssl termination (sni, http/2, http/3), content caching. Of those, http web server and static file serving and reverse proxy and load balancer are not what Vultr is typically brought in for.
What can Nginx do that Vultr cannot?
Nginx covers High-performance web server, Reverse proxy, Load balancing, HTTP caching. Vultr covers Cloud servers, Bare metal servers, Block storage, Object storage. Both handle Kubernetes, DDoS protection.
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