Head-to-head · Reverse Proxy Software
Cloudflare Tunnel vs Caddy
Cloudflare Tunnel leads on 1 check, Caddy on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreCloudflare Tunnel · 8.9/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresCloudflare Tunnel · 4 of 5
Cloudflare Tunnel scores higher on our rubric for reverse proxy software: 8.9 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.
On deployment model, Cloudflare Tunnel gives you Both where Caddy offers Self-hosted. Cloudflare Tunnel offers response caching; Caddy doesn't.
Cloudflare Tunnel is the better fit for publishing private services with edge protection. Caddy is the better fit for simple HTTPS-enabled self-hosted proxying.
- Cloudflare Tunnel fits best
Publishing private services with edge protection
- Caddy fits best
Simple HTTPS-enabled self-hosted proxying
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Side by side
| Feature | Cloudflare Tunnel 8.9/10 Visit ↗ | Caddy 8.3/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.9 | 8.3 |
| Ranking | #3 in Reverse Proxy Software | #7 in Reverse Proxy Software |
| Best for | Publishing private services with edge protection | Simple HTTPS-enabled self-hosted proxying |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| Support | Community, Docs | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Cloudflare Tunnel 4/5 · Caddy 2/5 | ||
| TLS termination | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Web application firewall | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Response caching | ✓ (best) | — |
| WebSocket support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rate limiting | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Deployment model | Both | Self-hosted |
| Configuration method | Both | Both |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Cloudflare Tunnel connects origin servers, APIs, and private services to Cloudflare through outbound-only encrypted connections. It is designed for teams publishing applications without exposing public IP addresses, as well as… Read the review → |
Caddy is an open-source, self-hosted web server and reverse proxy for websites, applications, and services. It handles HTTP, HTTPS, WebSocket, gRPC, and FastCGI traffic, while automatically obtaining and renewing TLS certificates. Its… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Cloudflare Tunnel — where it wins
- Outbound-only encrypted connections avoid inbound origin exposure.
- Supports HTTP, SSH, RDP, SMB, TCP, and other service protocols.
- Includes dashboard, API, Terraform, and local configuration options.
Where it doesn't
- Cloudflare’s broader security features may require separate plan requirements.
- The cloudflared daemon must run on origin infrastructure.
- Its strongest fit is within the Cloudflare ecosystem and integrations.
Caddy — where it wins
- Automatic TLS certificate provisioning and renewal
- Load balancing with active and passive health checks
- Caddyfile, JSON, and RESTful API configuration
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure management
- Standard distribution does not include response caching
- Focused on proxying rather than WAF or general rate limiting
- Cloudflare Tunnel8.9/10 · Free plan
A free outbound tunnel for publishing private services through Cloudflare’s edge.
Visit CloudflareFull verdict → - Caddy8.3/10 · Free plan
A focused self-hosted proxy for automatic TLS, flexible configuration, and traffic routing.
Visit CaddyFull verdict →
More comparisons
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- Cloudflare Tunnel vs Nginx Proxy Manager
- Cloudflare Tunnel vs Apache Traffic Server
- Cloudflare Tunnel vs ngrok
All reverse proxy software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update