SHSelfHostIndex

Nginx Proxy Manager vs Unifi-controller

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?
NG Nginx Proxy Manager Easy reverse proxy management with a web UI and free SSL VS UN Unifi-controller The Unifi-controller software is a powerful, enterprise wireless
FeatureNginx Proxy ManagerUnifi-controller
CategoryReverse Proxy & GatewaysReverse Proxy & Gateways
LicenseMITfree
LanguageTypeScriptDockerfile
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM256 MB512 MB
Deploymentdockerdocker, one-click
GitHub stars★ 33,804★ 869
First released20192022
ReplacesCloudflare—

Why pick each one

Choose Nginx Proxy Manager if…

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Free certificates built in
Nginx Proxy Manager details

Choose Unifi-controller if…

  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • One-click install on common self-host platforms
  • Written in Dockerfile
Unifi-controller details

Frequently asked questions

Is Nginx Proxy Manager or Unifi-controller better?

Neither is universally better. Nginx Proxy Manager has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Nginx Proxy Manager and Unifi-controller free and open-source?

Yes. Nginx Proxy Manager is licensed under MIT and Unifi-controller under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Nginx Proxy Manager and Unifi-controller with Docker?

Nginx Proxy Manager: yes. Unifi-controller: yes.

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