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Cloud · head to head

VictoriaMetrics vs Caddy

VictoriaMetrics logo

VictoriaMetrics

Cloud

Fast, cost-effective time series database for metrics

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: VictoriaMetrics promQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back; Caddy smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer
  • They diverge on capability: VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VictoriaMetrics and Caddy actually diverge.

Attributes where VictoriaMetrics and Caddy differ
AttributeVictoriaMetricsCaddy
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatible
  • Low resource use
  • Single binary or cluster
  • Remote write target

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.

VictoriaMetrics

  • Keeping months or years of Prometheus metrics without the memory costnot Caddy
  • High-cardinality metrics where Prometheus strugglesnot Caddy
  • Consolidating metrics from many Prometheus instances into one queryable storenot Caddy

Caddy

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

Where each one falls short

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

VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back
  • Smaller community than Prometheus, so fewer guides and third-party integrations
  • The clustered version has meaningfully more moving parts than the single binary suggests
  • Some enterprise features sit outside the open-source offering

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

VictoriaMetrics

Free
  • VictoriaMetricsFree
    • Full functionality
    • No data limits
    • Community support

Caddy

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

Which should you pick?

Choose VictoriaMetrics if

  • You need promql compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want low resource use.
VictoriaMetrics 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 VictoriaMetrics or Caddy better?
Neither clearly leads. VictoriaMetrics 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, VictoriaMetrics or Caddy?
VictoriaMetrics starts at Free and Caddy at Free.
Does VictoriaMetrics or Caddy run on more platforms?
VictoriaMetrics runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Caddy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use VictoriaMetrics for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is VictoriaMetrics best used for?
VictoriaMetrics is most often used for keeping months or years of prometheus metrics without the memory cost, high-cardinality metrics where prometheus struggles, consolidating metrics from many prometheus instances into one queryable store. Of those, keeping months or years of prometheus metrics without the memory cost and high-cardinality metrics where prometheus struggles are not what Caddy is typically brought in for.
What can VictoriaMetrics do that Caddy cannot?
VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Low resource use, Single binary or cluster, Remote write target. Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Caddyfile, Reverse proxy, Single binary.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

VictoriaMetrics: Is VictoriaMetrics free?

The open-source version is free with no data limits. An enterprise edition and cloud service are paid.

Caddy: Is Caddy free?

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

VictoriaMetrics: Does it replace Prometheus?

It can, but most teams keep Prometheus for scraping and use VictoriaMetrics as the long-term store behind it.

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.

VictoriaMetrics: Is PromQL fully supported?

Very nearly. It implements PromQL and extends it with MetricsQL, though a small number of edge-case behaviours differ.

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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