Privoxy vs Tinyproxy

Privoxy is free, non-caching web proxy software for privacy controls, access rules, and changes to HTTP headers and web pages. It can modify page text, remove banners and web bugs, filter HTML annoyances, and inspect HTTPS requests and responses. A browser-based configuration and control utility includes rule tracing and remote toggling, and Privoxy can be chained with other proxies. It can serve multiple clients across a network or as a LAN gateway. The software runs on Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, Haiku, BSD variants, Solaris, and other Unix systems. It is licensed under the GNU GPL version 2 or later, with a free plan listed at free. A basic configuration is included with a new installation, but many advanced features need to be enabled. Privoxy handles HTTP and HTTPS proxying; it does not handle FTP, SMTP, instant messaging, IRC, or ICQ. It is not designed as a malware-removal tool, and the default setup does not filter malware. The project says it lacks trusted build infrastructure; individual project members or external contributors build and upload binary packages.

Tinyproxy is a free, open-source HTTP/HTTPS proxy daemon for POSIX systems, available for Linux, macOS, and self-hosted deployments. It is aimed at embedded installations and small networks where larger proxy servers consume too many resources. The project reports memory use of about 2 MB with glibc, while CPU load rises linearly as simultaneous connections increase. Tinyproxy forwards HTTPS through CONNECT without changing traffic; administrators can limit CONNECT by port or disable it. It can operate as a transparent proxy or reverse-proxy front end. Rules filter websites by URL or domain, although URL filtering works only for plain HTTP. Upstream HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5 proxies can be selected by site. Client access can be limited by address or subnet, with HTTP Basic Authentication available. Header controls do not affect HTTPS. Source compilation is required, with packages or ports listed for several systems.