Nginx Proxy Manager
Nginx Proxy Manager is a free, open-source Docker application for routing web services, including services on a home network.
What Nginx Proxy Manager is
Nginx Proxy Manager is a free, open-source Docker application for routing web services, including services on a home network. Its web interface creates forwarding domains, redirections, streams, and 404 hosts without requiring Nginx knowledge. Certbot can issue and renew free Let’s Encrypt certificates, while custom SSL certificates are also supported. Access controls include access lists, basic HTTP authentication, user management, permissions, and an audit log. Advanced users can add custom Nginx snippets. The self-hosted admin interface is based on Tabler and uses port 81 by default. Setup instructions cover SQLite and external MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL databases. Docker is required. Current instructions list amd64 and arm64; armv7 is unsupported from version 2.14 onward. The project supports TLS termination, response caching, WebSockets, and interface or file-based configuration.
Good
- Free MIT-licensed open source
- Graphical proxy configuration
- Automatic Let’s Encrypt renewal
- Access controls and audit log
- Supports TLS, caching, and WebSockets
Watch out
- Docker is required
- Self-hosted deployment required
- armv7 unsupported in version 2.14 and later
- DNS plugins may have conflicts
Who it suits
It suits home-network operators and beginners who want a graphical reverse-proxy setup, while still offering advanced configuration options.
Verdict
Nginx Proxy Manager combines a beginner-oriented interface with proxy, certificate, access-control, and advanced configuration features. Docker and architecture requirements should be checked before deployment.
The facts
Each one read from Nginx Proxy Manager's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Access controls
- It offers access lists, basic HTTP authentication, user management, permissions, and an audit log.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Admin interface
- The admin interface is based on Tabler and is accessed on port 81 by default.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Advanced configuration
- Advanced users can add custom Nginx configuration snippets.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Database options
- Setup instructions cover SQLite and external MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL databases.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Databases
- The setup instructions show SQLite and configurations using MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Deployment requirement
- The project is packaged as a Docker image and its FAQ says Docker is required.checked 11 Oct 2026
- DNS plugin limitations
- The documentation warns that DNS plugins vary in support and testing, and that using multiple DNS providers in one instance may cause Python dependency conflicts.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The project lists Home Assistant, UnRaid/Synology, Proxmox scripts, and other community integrations, and says integrations are unsupported unless their documentation specifically says otherwise.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Intended audience
- The project describes itself as designed for home networks and aims to make reverse proxying with SSL termination accessible to beginners.checked 10 Oct 2026
- License
- Nginx Proxy Manager is released under the MIT License.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Proxy configuration
- Its interface can create forwarding domains, redirections, streams, and 404 hosts without requiring users to know Nginx.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Proxy options
- The interface can create forwarding domains, redirections, streams, and 404 hosts without requiring users to know Nginx.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Nginx Proxy Manager is a Docker image for managing proxy hosts and forwarding web services running at home or elsewhere.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Security configuration
- The image supports Docker secrets to load sensitive values from files instead of passing or preserving them in plaintext environment variables.checked 11 Oct 2026
- SSL
- It supports free SSL certificates through Let's Encrypt, which renew automatically, and lets users provide custom certificates.checked 11 Oct 2026
- SSL certificates
- It uses Certbot to issue and renew Let’s Encrypt certificates, and users can also provide custom SSL certificates.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to GitHub bug reports and discussions, and its FAQ recommends the Reddit community for proxying issues.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Supported architectures
- The Docker images support amd64 and arm64; armv7 is no longer supported in version 2.14 and later.checked 11 Oct 2026
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