Side by side

Apache Traffic Server vs Traefik Proxy

Both stand on reverse proxy software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Apache Traffic Server

Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+1

Apache Traffic Server combines caching, proxying, and layer 7 load balancing in a self-hosted server. Its deployment options and plug-in APIs suit organizations that need to tailor proxy behavior.

Visit Apache Traffic Server

Traefik Proxy combines dynamic routing, traffic management, security options, and observability in a self-hosted package. Its free plan and broad integration list make it worth considering for service and API deployments.

Visit Traefik Proxy

The facts

	Apache Traffic Server	Traefik Proxy
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Yes	Yes
Runs on	API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted	API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	1	4
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	trafficserver.apache.org	traefik.io
On reverse proxy software	#1 of 33	#4 of 33

Apache Traffic Server: what it does well

Free and open source under Apache License 2.0.
Supports HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2.
Offers proxy, reverse proxy, and cache hierarchy deployments.
Plug-in APIs support custom behavior.
Includes SSL termination and client access controls.

What to know first

Self-hosted deployment requires managing the installation.
The listed stable release is 10.2.0; 9.2.15 is the LTS release.

Traefik Proxy: what it does well

Free plan listed as free
Supports HTTP, HTTP/2, HTTP/3, TCP, UDP, WebSockets, and gRPC
Provides automatic HTTPS and custom certificate support
Includes a dashboard, tracing, and metrics integrations

What to know first

Self-hosted deployment model
Requires Linux, macOS, or Windows platform support

Alternatives to Apache Traffic Server Alternatives to Traefik Proxy The whole list