Tinyproxy

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted

What Tinyproxy is

Tinyproxy is a lightweight HTTP/HTTPS proxy daemon for POSIX operating systems, intended for embedded deployments and smaller networks where larger proxies may use too many resources. It can forward HTTPS connections through CONNECT without changing traffic; administrators can restrict CONNECT by port or disable it. Configurations can also make it a transparent proxy or a reverse-proxy front end for websites. Rules can filter sites by URL or domain, although URL filtering works only with plain HTTP. Upstream proxy support includes HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5, with rules to select an upstream by site. Administrators can limit client access by address or subnet and configure HTTP Basic Authentication. Selected HTTP headers can be allowed or blocked, but those controls do not affect HTTPS. The project reports memory use around 2 MB with glibc and says CPU load rises linearly with simultaneous connections. Tinyproxy is free open-source software under GNU GPL version 2 or above, distributed as source code that must be compiled.

Who it suits

Tinyproxy may suit administrators building proxy services for embedded deployments or small networks, especially when configuration and resource use matter. It is available for Linux, macOS, and self-hosted use.

What it does well

Supports transparent and reverse-proxy configurations
Upstream HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5 proxies
Client restrictions by address or subnet
HTTP Basic Authentication is available
Memory use around 2 MB with glibc

What to know first

Source code must be compiled
URL filtering works only for plain HTTP
Header controls do not affect HTTPS
CPU load rises with simultaneous connections

Limits

Tinyproxy is distributed as source code that must be compiled, though packages or ports are listed for Linux distributions, BSD systems, and Mac OS X. URL filtering is limited to plain HTTP, and header controls do not affect HTTPS connections.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Tinyproxy	Source code distributed under GNU GPL version 2 or above	Free

As tinyproxy.github.io lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit https://tinyproxy.github.io/ for the project and installation information.
Choose source code to compile, or use a listed package or port for your system.
Configure proxy mode, client access, and any upstream proxy rules you need.
Run Tinyproxy as a regular restricted user, with suitable file ownership and a port above 1024.

Verdict

Tinyproxy offers several proxy modes, access controls, and upstream options in a free, lightweight daemon. It requires compilation, and some filtering and header controls apply only to plain HTTP rather than HTTPS.

Questions

How much does Tinyproxy cost?

Tinyproxy is free and open source under GNU GPL version 2 or above.

Which systems are listed for Tinyproxy?

The listed platforms are Linux, macOS, and self-hosted. The project also lists packages or ports for Linux distributions, BSD systems, and Mac OS X.

Does Tinyproxy support upstream proxies?

Yes. Its configuration supports upstream HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5 proxies, with rules to select an upstream by site.

Can Tinyproxy filter websites?

Yes. It can filter by URL or domain using configurable rules. URL filtering works only for plain HTTP.

Can administrators limit who connects?

Yes. Client access can be restricted by address or subnet, and HTTP Basic Authentication can be configured.

What is the security guidance for running Tinyproxy?

The project recommends running it as a regular restricted user. With suitable file ownership and a port above 1024, it can run without special privileges.

Facts from Tinyproxy's own pages

Access controls: Administrators can restrict client access by address or subnet and configure HTTP Basic Authentication. · github.com, 4 Oct 2026
Filtering: It supports filtering websites by URL or domain using configurable rules; URL filtering works only for plain HTTP. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
HTTPS forwarding: It forwards HTTPS connections through CONNECT without modifying traffic, and its documentation says CONNECT can be restricted by port or disabled. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Installation: Tinyproxy is distributed as source code that must be compiled, and the project lists packages or ports for Linux distributions, BSD systems, and Mac OS X. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Intended use: The project describes it as suited to embedded deployments and small networks where larger proxies use too many resources. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Privacy controls: It can allow or block selected HTTP headers, but the project notes these controls do not affect HTTPS connections. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Proxy modes: It can be configured as a transparent proxy or as a reverse proxy front end for websites. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Resource use: The project says memory use tends to be around 2 MB with glibc and CPU load increases linearly with simultaneous connections. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Security guidance: The project recommends running Tinyproxy as a regular restricted user and says it can run without special privileges with suitable file ownership and a port above 1024. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Security support: The security policy lists version 1.11.x as supported and directs vulnerability reports to a public GitHub issue or a maintainer contacted through IRC for private reports. · github.com, 4 Oct 2026
Support: The project directs users to GitHub issues for bugs or feature suggestions and identifies #tinyproxy on Libera.Chat as a developer community channel. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
Upstream proxies: Its configuration supports upstream HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5 proxies, with rules that can select an upstream by site. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026
What it does: Tinyproxy is a lightweight HTTP/HTTPS proxy daemon for POSIX operating systems. · tinyproxy.github.io, 4 Oct 2026

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