Lighttpd vs Nginx Proxy Manager
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?
Lighttpd
Secure, fast, compliant, and very flexible web server that has been
VS
Nginx Proxy Manager
Easy reverse proxy management with a web UI and free SSL
| Feature | Lighttpd | Nginx Proxy Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reverse Proxy & Gateways | Reverse Proxy & Gateways |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | C | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 33,804 |
| First released | 2020 | 2019 |
| Replaces | — | Cloudflare |
Why pick each one
Choose Lighttpd if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Nginx Proxy Manager if…
- Beginner-friendly
- Free certificates built in
Frequently asked questions
Is Lighttpd or Nginx Proxy Manager better?
Nginx Proxy Manager is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Lighttpd if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Lighttpd and Nginx Proxy Manager free and open-source?
Yes. Lighttpd is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Nginx Proxy Manager under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lighttpd and Nginx Proxy Manager with Docker?
Lighttpd: yes. Nginx Proxy Manager: yes.