Caddy vs ZaneOps
| Tagline | Automatic HTTPS web server and reverse proxy with zero config TLS | Fast self-hosted PaaS for apps, databases, and static sites |
| Category | Self-Hosting Platforms & PaaS | Self-Hosting Platforms & PaaS |
| Replaces | Heroku, Netlify, Render | Heroku, Render, Netlify |
| GitHub stars | 74k | 1.4k |
| Language | Go | Python |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Self-host difficulty | 3/5 Moderate | 2/5 Easy |
| Deploy options | Docker Docker Compose Manual | Docker Docker Compose Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 4 days ago | 2 days ago |
| View repo | View repo |
Where each falls short
The honest trade-offs — what you give up with each, versus the proprietary tools they replace.
Caddy
- Not a full PaaS; no git push deploy, build pipelines, or app lifecycle management
- No built-in CI/CD integration; needs to be combined with other tools for deployments
- Dashboard and metrics require third-party tools (Prometheus, Grafana) — none built-in
- No managed database provisioning or environment variable secrets management
ZaneOps
- Younger project with a smaller community and less battle-testing than mature PaaS tools.
- Feature set is still expanding; fewer one-click templates and integrations.
- No managed hosting or global edge network.
- Built on Docker Swarm, limiting very large-scale orchestration.
Bottom line
Choose ZaneOps if you want the lower-effort setup; choose Caddy for the larger community and ecosystem. ZaneOps has seen more recent development. Open each guide below for deploy steps and the full feature gap.