Caddy

The ultimate server with automatic HTTPS

About Caddy

Caddy is a powerful, enterprise-ready web server with automatic HTTPS. It obtains and renews TLS certificates for all your sites by default, can run an internal private CA, and works as a reverse proxy and static file server configured through a simple Caddyfile or a RESTful JSON API. Its modular architecture is extensible with Go plugins. Caddy suits developers and operators who want secure serving without certificate busywork.

Caddy website preview

Live preview of caddyserver.com via the WordPress mShots service — it can take a few seconds to generate on a first visit.

Caddy: strengths & things to check

Strengths

Completely free to use — this directory lists no paid plan for it.
Covers web server, https, reverse proxy — see the focus areas listed in its key facts.
Has 6 close alternatives in the same category on this page, so switching or comparing is easy.

Things to check

Free tools can change their model or shut down — avoid locking critical work into it without an export path.
Current plan prices are not listed here (they change too often to print reliably) — confirm the exact price on the official site.
It is one of 1164 tools in the Developer Tools category here — compare it against the alternatives below before you commit.

Derived from this listing's own data (pricing model, focus areas and category) — not a hands-on review score.

Caddy pricing

Pricing model	Free — listed in this directory as a free tool, with no paid plan required to use it.
Free access	Yes — fully free
Current plan prices	Listed on the official site — prices change, so this directory links out instead of printing a number that may already be stale.
Official site	caddyserver.com

Caddy key facts

Category: Developer Tools
Pricing: Free — listed in this directory as a free tool, with no paid plan required to use it.
Focus areas: web server, https, reverse proxy
Official site: caddyserver.com

Caddy FAQ

How much does Caddy cost?

Free — listed in this directory as a free tool, with no paid plan required to use it. Current plans and prices are listed on the official site (caddyserver.com).

What is Caddy used for?

The ultimate server with automatic HTTPS Its focus areas in the Developer Tools category: web server, https, reverse proxy.

Where can I try Caddy?

On its official site, caddyserver.com — the Visit Official Site button above goes straight there.

Caddy vs alternatives

	Caddy	NGINX	Algernon	Apache HTTP Server
Pricing	Free — listed in this directory as a free tool, with no paid plan required to use it.	Free — listed in this directory as a free tool, with no paid plan required to use it.	Free — listed in this directory as a free tool, with no paid plan required to use it.	Free — listed in this directory as a free tool, with no paid plan required to use it.
Focus areas	web server, https, reverse proxy	web server, reverse proxy, load balancer, open source	web server, go, lua	web server, apache, hosting, open source
Official site	caddyserver.com	nginx.org	algernon.roboticoverlords.org	httpd.apache.org
Directory status	Listed	Listed	Listed	Listed

Side-by-side from each listing's own directory data. Full alternative cards are below.

About the Developer Tools category

Editors, platforms, and services developers rely on to build and ship software. The Developer Tools category on Tools Hub currently lists 1164 tools. Alongside Caddy, it includes Nginx Proxy Manager, Pomerium, UUSEC WAF, PageKite.

FreeDeveloper Toolsweb-serverhttpsreverse-proxy

Alternatives to Caddy

Tools in the same Developer Tools category that share focus areas with Caddy — worth comparing before you commit:

Developer Tools

NGINX

HTTP and reverse proxy server, load balancer and mail proxy server.

Freeweb-serverreverse-proxyload-balanceropen-source

Developer Tools

Algernon

Small self-contained pure-Go web server

Freeweb-servergolua

Developer Tools

Apache HTTP Server

A fast, reliable and extensible open-source web server for modern systems.

Freeweb-serverapachehostingopen-source

Developer Tools

Ferron

A fast, memory-safe web server in Rust, built for production debugging.

Freeweb-serverrustobservabilityopen-source

Developer Tools

lighttpd

Secure, fast, flexible web server

Freeweb-serveropen-sourceself-hosted

Developer Tools

Nginx Proxy Manager

Expose your services easily and securely

Freenginxreverse-proxyssl

More in Developer Tools

Comparing tools in the Developer Tools category? These related listings are worth a look: Nginx Proxy Manager — Expose your services easily and securely; Pomerium — Identity-aware proxy for secure, zero-trust application access; UUSEC WAF — AI-powered web application firewall and API security gateway.

Developer Tools

Nginx Proxy Manager

Expose your services easily and securely

Freenginxreverse-proxyssl