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Head-to-head · Reverse Proxy Software

Traefik Proxy vs Apache Traffic Server

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Traefik Proxy #4 in Reverse Proxy Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Traefik Proxy
Apache Traffic Server #6 in Reverse Proxy Software 8.4/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 5 features Visit site

Traefik Proxy leads on 0 checks, Apache Traffic Server on 0, and 6 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 scoreTraefik Proxy · 8.8/10
  • Free planonly Traefik Proxy

Traefik Proxy scores higher on our rubric for reverse proxy software: 8.8 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.

Traefik Proxy is the better fit for broad self-hosted routing and orchestration. Apache Traffic Server is the better fit for caching-focused HTTP reverse proxying.

  • Traefik Proxy fits best

    Broad self-hosted routing and orchestration

  • Apache Traffic Server fits best

    Caching-focused HTTP reverse proxying

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Side by side

Feature Traefik Proxy 8.8/10 Visit ↗ Apache Traffic Server 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.8 8.4
Ranking #4 in Reverse Proxy Software #6 in Reverse Proxy Software
Best for Broad self-hosted routing and orchestration Caching-focused HTTP reverse proxying
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Self-hosted
Support Community, Docs Email, Community, Docs
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Traefik Proxy 4/5 · Apache Traffic Server 4/5
TLS termination ✓ ✓
Web application firewall ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Response caching Not checked yet ✓ (best)
WebSocket support ✓ ✓
Rate limiting ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment model Self-hosted Self-hosted
Configuration method Both Both
Our review
Pros
  • Dynamic discovery configures routes as services change
  • Supports L4/L7 routing plus HTTP, TCP, UDP, gRPC, and WebSockets
  • Automatic HTTPS, observability, and deployment integrations are included
  • 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 ownership
  • The broad feature set may exceed simple proxying needs
  • No AI features are 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

Traefik Proxy is an open-source application proxy, reverse proxy, ingress controller, and load balancer for cloud-native applications. It is designed for developers and DevOps teams running microservices and containerized infrastructure…

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 →
  1. Traefik ProxyReverse Proxy Software 8.8Free plan
  2. Apache Traffic ServerReverse Proxy Software 8.4Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Traefik Proxy — where it wins

    • Dynamic discovery configures routes as services change
    • Supports L4/L7 routing plus HTTP, TCP, UDP, gRPC, and WebSockets
    • Automatic HTTPS, observability, and deployment integrations are included

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure ownership
    • The broad feature set may exceed simple proxying needs
    • No AI features are 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
  • Traefik Proxy8.8/10 · Free plan

    A broad self-hosted proxy for dynamic discovery, multi-protocol routing, and cloud-native operations.

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

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

    Visit siteFull verdict →

More comparisons

All reverse proxy software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update