NGINX
HTTP and reverse proxy server, mail proxy server, and generic TCP/UDP proxy server.
NGINX vs Nginx Proxy Manager
Two self-hosted Web Servers apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| NGINX | Nginx Proxy Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | HTTP and reverse proxy server, mail proxy server, and generic TCP/UDP proxy server. | Docker container for managing Nginx proxy hosts with a simple, powerful interface. |
| GitHub stars | 32,122 | 34,717 |
| Forks | 8.4k | 4k |
| Open issues (incl. PRs) | 481 | 837 |
| Commits (12 months) | 324 | 676 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-09 | 2026-11-09 |
| Latest release | release-1.31.8 (2026-10-21) | v2.16.0 (2026-09-24) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | BSD-2-Clause | MIT |
| Language / platform | C, deb, Docker | Docker |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | Web Servers | Web Servers |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- NGINX and Nginx Proxy Manager have a similar number of GitHub stars (32.1k vs 34.7k).
- Nginx Proxy Manager had more commits in the last 12 months (676 vs 324).
- NGINX published a release more recently (release-1.31.8 on 2026-10-21; Nginx Proxy Manager's latest is v2.16.0 on 2026-09-24).
- NGINX is licensed under BSD-2-Clause, Nginx Proxy Manager under MIT.
- NGINX is written in C; the language of Nginx Proxy Manager is not listed upstream.
- Deployment options listed upstream: NGINX: deb, Docker; Nginx Proxy Manager: Docker.
- Our rough hardware estimate is lighter for NGINX (~512 MB server) than Nginx Proxy Manager (~1 GB); this is an estimate from the stack and category, not a benchmark.
Summary: Nginx Proxy Manager leads on commit activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-15. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is NGINX or Nginx Proxy Manager more popular?
They are close: NGINX has 32,122 GitHub stars and Nginx Proxy Manager has 34,717 (as of 2026-11-15).
Which is more actively maintained, NGINX or Nginx Proxy Manager?
Nginx Proxy Manager had more commits over the last 12 months (676 vs 324). Both had repository activity on 2026-11-09. Releases in the past year: NGINX 10+, Nginx Proxy Manager 8. Our health labels: NGINX is “Active”, Nginx Proxy Manager is “Active”.
What licenses do NGINX and Nginx Proxy Manager use?
NGINX: BSD-2-Clause. Nginx Proxy Manager: MIT.
Can I run NGINX and Nginx Proxy Manager with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for NGINX and Nginx Proxy Manager. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Nginx Proxy Manager
Docker container for managing Nginx proxy hosts with a simple, powerful interface.
Browse all self-hosted Web Servers apps.