Caddy vs HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress
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?
Caddy
Fast, multi-platform web server with automatic HTTPS
VS
HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress
Kubernetes ingress controller based on HAProxy
| Feature | Caddy | HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, bare-metal | kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 74,748 | ★ 862 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Nginx, Apache | AWS ALB Ingress |
Why pick each one
Choose HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Written in Go
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Caddy or HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress better?
Caddy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Caddy and HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress free and open-source?
Yes. Caddy is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Caddy and HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress with Docker?
Caddy: yes. HAProxy Kubernetes Ingress: check the project docs for container support.