# nginx-proxy vs Nova Server

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | nginx-proxy | Nova Server |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 ✓ | 46/100 |
| Rank in category | #3 of 24 in Reverse Proxy | #20 of 25 in Proxy |
| GitHub stars | 19 936 ✓ | 354 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 11 ✓ | 9 |
| Latest release | 1.11.6 · 16 Jul 2026 | v1.92.2 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | Python | Shell |

## Which one should you pick?

nginx-proxy scores 76/100 against 46/100 for Nova Server, so it is the safer default.

nginx-proxy ships more often: 11 stable releases in the past year, against 9 for Nova Server.

If you want the quickest setup, nginx-proxy is easier to run; Nova Server needs more configuration.

nginx-proxy is growing faster right now (+18 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [nginx-proxy](https://selfhost.directory/project/nginx-proxy) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nginx-proxy.md)
- [Nova Server](https://selfhost.directory/project/nova-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nova-server.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/nginx-proxy-vs-nova-server