Squid

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Score6.7

Rank#7 of 36

PriceFree

Free planYes

Runs onLinux, macOS, Self-hosted, Windows

Summary

Squid is a free, self-hosted caching proxy for web traffic. It keeps frequently requested pages and other supported data available for reuse, which can reduce bandwidth use and improve response times. Squid handles HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and gopher data; its supported cache engines also include ICP and HTCP. Access controls and request logging help administrators manage proxy traffic. Squid can accelerate servers, route content among web servers, and organize content clusters for load balancing. Multiple caches can be linked into a mesh or hierarchy through parent and sibling connections. Authentication options include Basic, NTLM, Digest and Negotiate, with helpers for LDAP, SQL databases, PAM, RADIUS and Windows domains. Basic authentication has a security limitation: it encodes credentials with Base64 instead of encrypting them. Squid is distributed under GPL version 2, with some components under compatible open-source licenses, and is available for Linux, macOS, Windows and self-hosted deployment. It can be installed through package systems, source releases or platform binaries. The free plan is 0.00 USD per free.

Who it is for

Squid suits administrators who need a self-hosted proxy to cache web data, manage access, or coordinate multiple caches. It may also fit deployments that need to route content or support server acceleration and load balancing.

What is good

Free to download, use, and modify.
Supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and gopher data.
Offers access controls and full request logging.
Multiple caches can form a mesh or hierarchy.
Available for Linux, macOS and Windows.

What to know first

Basic authentication does not encrypt credentials.
Direct project contact is not user support.
Self-hosted deployment requires operating-system installation.

Verdict

Squid offers a broad set of caching, access-control and cache-linking capabilities for self-hosted use. Basic authentication's cleartext credential caveat is important when choosing an authentication method.

Squid plans and pricing

All plans

Squid Free Free to download, use, and modify Self-hosted proxy software · third-party commercial support may be available squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on proxy software

Free plan: Yessquid-cache.org
Deployment: self_hostedsquid-cache.org
Cache targets: HTTP/HTTPS web pages and objects, FTP data, gopher datasquid-cache.org
Data persistence: Yessquid-cache.org
High availability: Yessquid-cache.org
Supported cache engines: HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, gopher, ICP, HTCPsquid-cache.org

Facts

Purpose: Squid is a caching proxy for web traffic that reuses frequently requested pages to reduce bandwidth and improve response times.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Protocols: Squid supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and other web data, including FTP, gopher, and HTTP objects described in its FAQ.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Access controls: The project describes Squid as having extensive access controls and full request logging.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Acceleration: Squid can accelerate servers, route content among web servers, and build content clusters for load balancing.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Cache hierarchy: Multiple Squid caches can be connected as a mesh or hierarchy using parent and sibling links.wiki.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Authentication: Squid documentation lists Basic, NTLM, Digest, and Negotiate proxy authentication and bundled helpers for backends including LDAP, SQL databases, PAM, RADIUS, and Windows domains.wiki.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Authentication caveat: The documentation warns that Basic authentication encodes credentials with Base64 rather than encrypting them, so credentials are effectively cleartext between browser and proxy.wiki.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Licensing: Squid is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2, with some components under GPLv2-compatible open-source licenses.wiki.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Platforms: The project routinely tests Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD, lists macOS availability through Homebrew, and says Squid is also known to run on Windows.wiki.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Installation: Squid is available through operating-system package systems, source releases and GitHub, and binary packages for a variety of platforms including Windows.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Support: The project offers documentation, a wiki, bug tracking, mailing lists, and links to commercial services; direct project contact is not for user support.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026
Foundation: The Squid Software Foundation is a Colorado nonprofit incorporated in 2011 and says it supports project governance, administration, infrastructure, copyright, and licensing.squid-cache.org · 30 Sept 2026