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Caddy vs Zoraxy: Which Proxy to Self-Host?

#selfhosted #linux #homelab

Quick Verdict

Caddy is the better reverse proxy overall — its Caddyfile is the simplest config format in the proxy world, automatic HTTPS works flawlessly, and it has a large, proven community. Zoraxy offers a web UI and built-in GeoIP blocking, which are advantages if you prefer GUI management and want network-level protection bundled in.

Overview

Caddy is a modern web server and reverse proxy with automatic HTTPS. Configuration uses the Caddyfile format — two lines per service. It's both a reverse proxy and a capable web server. Current version: 2.10.2.

Zoraxy is a newer all-in-one reverse proxy with a web management UI, built-in GeoIP blocking, ZeroTier integration, and basic DDoS protection. All configuration happens through the browser. Current version: v3.3.1.

Caddy is the "config file done right" approach. Zoraxy is the "GUI for everything" approach.

Feature Comparison

Feature Caddy 2.10 Zoraxy v3.3
Configuration Caddyfile (text) Web UI
Automatic HTTPS Yes (zero config) Yes (ACME)
Web management UI No Yes
GeoIP blocking Via plugin Built-in
DDoS protection No Basic (Smart Shield)
ZeroTier VPN No Built-in
Web file manager No Built-in
Static file serving Yes No
JSON config API Yes (hot reload) No
Plugin ecosystem Yes (xcaddy) No
HTTP/3 Experimental No
Load balancing Yes Basic
Health checks Yes Basic
Docker integration Via labels (plugin) Container listing
Written in Go Go

Installation Complexity

Caddy 

services:
  caddy:
    image: caddy:2.10.2-alpine
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
    volumes:
      - ./Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile:ro
      - caddy-data:/data
      - caddy-config:/config
    restart: unless-stopped
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Caddyfile:

app.example.com {
    reverse_proxy app:8080
}
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That's it. HTTPS is automatic.

Zoraxy 

services:
  zoraxy:
    image: zoraxydocker/zoraxy:v3.3.1
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
      - "8000:8000"
    volumes:
      - zoraxy-config:/opt/zoraxy/config
    extra_hosts:
      - "host.docker.internal:host-gateway"
    restart: unless-stopped
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Open port 8000, configure each proxy rule through the web interface.

Tie. Caddy is simpler if you're comfortable editing a text file. Zoraxy is simpler if you prefer clicking through a GUI.

Performance and Resource Usage

Metric Caddy Zoraxy
Idle RAM ~30-50 MB ~60-100 MB
With FastGeoIP N/A ~1+ GB
Requests/sec ~40,000 Moderate
Written in Go Go
Binary size ~40 MB ~50 MB

Caddy is lighter and faster. Zoraxy's additional features (GeoIP database, web UI, ZeroTier) add resource overhead.

Community and Support

Caddy has a significantly larger community, years of production use, commercial backing (ZeroSSL integration), and extensive third-party documentation. Zoraxy is newer with a smaller but active community. For troubleshooting, you'll find more Caddy resources.

Use Cases

Choose Caddy If...

  • You want the simplest reverse proxy config syntax possible
  • You want reliable, zero-config automatic HTTPS
  • You need a web server and reverse proxy in one
  • You want a plugin ecosystem (Docker labels, auth, caching)
  • You want a proven, well-documented solution
  • You prefer config-as-code (version-controlled Caddyfile)

Choose Zoraxy If...

  • You strongly prefer web UI management
  • You want built-in GeoIP blocking without plugins
  • You want ZeroTier VPN integration
  • You want basic DDoS protection included
  • You prefer clicking through a GUI over editing text files
  • You're proxying mixed Docker + non-Docker services

Final Verdict

Caddy for most self-hosters, Zoraxy for GUI-first users. Caddy's Caddyfile is so simple that it removes the main advantage of a GUI — when adding a new service takes two lines of text, a web UI isn't faster. Caddy also has the community, documentation, and plugin ecosystem that Zoraxy is still building.

That said, Zoraxy's built-in GeoIP blocking and ZeroTier integration are genuine differentiators. If you need those features and prefer visual management, Zoraxy is a solid choice.

For self-hosters who don't want to touch config files at all, Nginx Proxy Manager is the most established GUI option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Caddy's Caddyfile really simpler than Zoraxy's GUI?

For adding proxy hosts, yes. Two lines in a text file vs. navigating through a web form with multiple fields. The Caddyfile is also version-controllable — you can track changes in Git, which isn't possible with Zoraxy's GUI-based config.

Can Caddy block traffic by country like Zoraxy?

Not natively. You can add GeoIP blocking via a Caddy plugin (caddy-geoip2), but it requires building a custom Caddy image with xcaddy. Zoraxy has this as a built-in toggle.

Does Zoraxy support the Caddyfile format?

No. Zoraxy has its own configuration stored in its database, managed through the web UI. There's no way to use Caddyfile syntax with Zoraxy.

Which handles wildcard SSL better?

Both support wildcard SSL via DNS challenge. Caddy has more built-in DNS provider modules. Zoraxy also supports DNS challenge but with fewer provider integrations.

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