Nginx Proxy Manager vs Zoraxy: Which Proxy?

Quick Verdict

Both are web-UI reverse proxies that make self-hosting accessible. Nginx Proxy Manager is more mature and widely used with a larger community. Zoraxy is newer with extra features like GeoIP blocking, Docker container discovery, and built-in VPN support. For most homelabs, NPM is the safer choice. For users who want more built-in features, Zoraxy is worth a look.

Overview

Nginx Proxy Manager (NPM) is the most popular self-hosted reverse proxy manager. It wraps Nginx with a web admin panel for managing proxy hosts, SSL certificates, redirections, and access lists. Default login: [email protected] / changeme.

Zoraxy is a newer reverse proxy written in Go with a web management UI. It includes automatic HTTPS, Docker container auto-discovery, GeoIP blocking, a web file manager, and optional ZeroTier VPN integration.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Nginx Proxy Manager	Zoraxy
Web UI	Yes	Yes
Automatic HTTPS	Let’s Encrypt via UI	Let’s Encrypt built-in
Underlying engine	Nginx	Go net/http
Docker discovery	No	Yes (via socket)
GeoIP blocking	No (custom config only)	Built-in
DDoS protection	No	No
VPN integration	No	ZeroTier built-in
Access lists	IP-based (GUI)	IP-based + GeoIP
Custom Nginx config	Yes (advanced tab)	N/A (not Nginx-based)
Redirect rules	Yes	Yes
Streaming proxy (TCP/UDP)	Streams tab	Limited
WebSocket support	Yes	Yes
Health checks	Via Nginx	Built-in
Web file manager	No	Yes
Docker image	jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:2.13.7	zoraxydocker/zoraxy:v3.3.1
Admin port	81	8000
RAM usage	~80-120 MB	~50-100 MB (1 GB with FastGeoIP)

Installation Complexity

Both are simple Docker containers. NPM needs two volumes (data + Let’s Encrypt certs). Zoraxy needs one config volume and optionally a Docker socket mount for container discovery.

NPM:

services:
  npm:
    image: jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:2.13.7
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
      - "81:81"
    volumes:
      - npm-data:/data
      - npm-letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt
    restart: unless-stopped

Zoraxy:

services:
  zoraxy:
    image: zoraxydocker/zoraxy:v3.3.1
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
      - "8000:8000"
    volumes:
      - zoraxy-config:/opt/zoraxy/config
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
    restart: unless-stopped

Both get you up and running in under 5 minutes.

Performance and Resource Usage

NPM (built on Nginx) is marginally more efficient at raw proxying since Nginx is purpose-built for this. Zoraxy uses Go’s HTTP server which is also fast but not at Nginx’s level for high concurrency. At homelab scale with dozens of services, both are indistinguishable.

Zoraxy’s FastGeoIP feature is the resource outlier — enabling it loads ~1 GB of GeoIP data into memory. Leave it disabled unless you actually need GeoIP blocking.

Community and Support

NPM dominates. 25K+ GitHub stars, every self-hosting tutorial recommends it, massive community support on Reddit and forums. If you search “self-hosted reverse proxy,” NPM is the first result. When you hit an issue, someone has already solved it.

Zoraxy has ~3K GitHub stars and a growing community. The maintainer is responsive and development is active (latest v3.3.1, January 2026). Community resources are limited compared to NPM — you may need to dig into GitHub issues for edge cases.

Use Cases

Choose Nginx Proxy Manager If…

• You want the most community support and tutorials
• You need TCP/UDP stream proxying
• You want the ability to add custom Nginx configuration
• You’re following a tutorial that recommends NPM
• You want the most battle-tested option

Choose Zoraxy If…

• You want Docker container auto-discovery
• You need GeoIP blocking without extra tools
• You want ZeroTier VPN integration
• You want a built-in web file manager
• You prefer a more modern, Go-based architecture

Final Verdict

NPM is the safer choice — it’s proven, well-documented, and community support is unmatched. Zoraxy is more feature-rich (GeoIP, Docker discovery, VPN) but newer and less documented. For a first reverse proxy, start with NPM. If NPM’s limitations bother you (no container discovery, no GeoIP), Zoraxy is a compelling alternative.

FAQ

Can I migrate from NPM to Zoraxy?

There’s no automated migration tool. You’d need to recreate your proxy hosts in Zoraxy’s UI. SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt will be re-issued automatically by Zoraxy. The manual effort scales with the number of proxy hosts you have.

Is Zoraxy stable enough for production use?

Zoraxy is stable for homelab use. It’s actively developed and at version 3.3.1. For a commercial or high-availability deployment, NPM has a longer track record. For a homelab with 5-50 services, Zoraxy works well.

Does NPM support Docker container auto-discovery?

No. You must manually create proxy hosts for each service. This is one of the main reasons people look at alternatives like Zoraxy or Traefik (which supports Docker labels for auto-discovery).

Which handles more proxy hosts?

NPM (backed by Nginx) handles hundreds of proxy hosts efficiently. Zoraxy can handle a similar number. Neither will be a bottleneck for any realistic self-hosting setup.

Related

• How to Self-Host Nginx Proxy Manager
• How to Self-Host Zoraxy
• Zoraxy vs Caddy
• Zoraxy vs Traefik
• Nginx Proxy Manager vs Traefik
• Best Self-Hosted Reverse Proxies
• Reverse Proxy Explained