NGINX vs Apache Traffic Server

NGINX9.3Visit Apache Traffic Server8.4Visit

Higher score NGINX #1 in Reverse Proxy Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit NGINX

vs

Apache Traffic Server #6 in Reverse Proxy Software 8.4/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 5 features Visit site

• NGINX fits best

  Established general-purpose reverse proxying

• Apache Traffic Server fits best

  Caching-focused HTTP reverse proxying

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Side by side

Feature	NGINX 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Apache Traffic Server 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.4
Ranking	#1 in Reverse Proxy Software	#6 in Reverse Proxy Software
Best for	Established general-purpose reverse proxying	Caching-focused HTTP reverse proxying
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Open source
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Platforms	Linux, Windows	macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features NGINX 4/5 · Apache Traffic Server 4/5
TLS termination	✓	✓
Web application firewall	—	Not checked yet
Response caching	✓	✓
WebSocket support	✓	✓
Rate limiting	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment model	Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Configuration method	File	Both
Our review
Pros	Free open-source deployment on Linux and Windows Supports HTTP, TCP, and UDP proxying and load balancing Includes caching, TLS termination, WebSockets, and rate limiting	Supports HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 in forward and reverse proxy modes Combines response caching, TLS termination, WebSockets, and rate limiting Plugin API extends HTTP processing and protocol capabilities
Cons	Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure administration Configuration is managed through text files Web application firewall protection is not included	Self-hosted deployment requires administrators to manage installation and configuration Rate limiting is provided through a plugin rather than a single built-in policy feature Platform support is listed for macOS and Linux
Our verdict	NGINX is open-source infrastructure software for serving web content, reverse proxying applications, caching responses, and balancing or proxying HTTP, TCP, and UDP traffic. It is designed for teams managing their own infrastructure on… Read the review →	Apache Traffic Server is an open-source, self-hosted HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 proxy server designed for high-volume traffic. It supports both forward and reverse proxy operation, making it relevant to enterprises, internet service providers,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• NGINX — where it wins

  • Free open-source deployment on Linux and Windows
  • Supports HTTP, TCP, and UDP proxying and load balancing
  • Includes caching, TLS termination, WebSockets, and rate limiting

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure administration
  • Configuration is managed through text files
  • Web application firewall protection is not included

• Apache Traffic Server — where it wins

  • Supports HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 in forward and reverse proxy modes
  • Combines response caching, TLS termination, WebSockets, and rate limiting
  • Plugin API extends HTTP processing and protocol capabilities

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosted deployment requires administrators to manage installation and configuration
  • Rate limiting is provided through a plugin rather than a single built-in policy feature
  • Platform support is listed for macOS and Linux

• NGINX9.3/10 · Free plan

  A flexible self-hosted reverse proxy with caching, load balancing, TLS, and protocol support.

  Visit NGINXFull verdict →
• Apache Traffic Server8.4/10 · Open source

  A self-hosted proxy for teams that need caching, TLS termination, and extensibility.

  Visit siteFull verdict →