Apache HTTP Server vs Caddy
Apache HTTP Server
httpd.apache.org
Caddy
caddyserver.comSide by side
| Figure | Apache HTTP Server | Caddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 8 |
| Spec score · Web Server Software | 8.3 (#5) | 8.1 (#6) |
| Configuration | It supports per-directory .htaccess configuration, virtual hosts, and dynamic module loading. | Caddy accepts JSON configuration through a RESTful API and also supports the Caddyfile and other config adapters. |
| Purpose | Apache HTTP Server is a freely available, feature-rich source code implementation of an HTTP web server. | Caddy is an extensible server platform commonly used as a web server or proxy. |
| Support | The project directs users to documentation, its users mailing list, and the #httpd IRC channel, and says commercial support is available from third-party companies. | Free community help is available through the forum; paid sponsorship tiers offer private support and other services depending on tier. |
Plans
Caddy
- Indie$25 a month
- Indie Pro$50 a month
- Startup$99 a month
- Startup Pro$249 a month
- Business$999 a month
- Business+$2,999 a month
- Enterprise$5,900 a month
- Enterprise+$11,900 a month
In their own words
Apache HTTP Server
Apache HTTP Server has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Caddy
Caddy is an extensible server platform used as a web server or proxy, and it is self-hosted. By default, it obtains and renews TLS certificates for sites and redirects HTTP to HTTPS. Its reverse proxy supports HTTP, HTTPS, WebSockets, gRPC, and FastCGI, along with load balancing and health checks. Configuration options include JSON through a RESTful API, the Caddyfile, and other adapters. Compile-time plugins extend its static binary. DNS challenge integrations include Cloudflare, DigitalOcean, Route 53, and other providers through libdns. Caddy can run as a command-line process, system service, container, Kubernetes workload, or embedded component. The software is free, with no paywalled features; sponsorship plans add services and support while leaving the license unchanged. Free community help is available through a forum. Caddy says its TLS defaults meet PCI DSS, NIST, and HIPAA compliance requirements, and that dependencies are verified with Go modules and release artifacts are cryptographically signed.