AdGuard Home vs Apache APISIX
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted reverse proxy & gateways options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
AdGuard Home
Network-wide DNS ad and tracker blocker
VS
Apache APISIX
Dynamic, real-time, high-performance API gateway
| Feature | AdGuard Home | Apache APISIX |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Lua |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 35,977 | ★ 16,968 |
| First released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Pi-hole, NextDNS | Kong, AWS API Gateway |
Why pick each one
Choose AdGuard Home if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 36k GitHub stars
Choose Apache APISIX if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 17k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is AdGuard Home or Apache APISIX better?
AdGuard Home is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Apache APISIX if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are AdGuard Home and Apache APISIX free and open-source?
Yes. AdGuard Home is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Apache APISIX under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AdGuard Home and Apache APISIX with Docker?
AdGuard Home: yes. Apache APISIX: yes.