# nginx-proxy vs Pterodactyl

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

| | nginx-proxy | Pterodactyl |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 ✓ | 75/100 |
| Rank in category | #3 of 24 in Reverse Proxy | #4 of 62 in Game Servers |
| GitHub stars | 19 936 ✓ | 9 438 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 | +183 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 11 | 11 |
| Latest release | 1.11.6 · 16 Jul 2026 | v1.15.2 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Main language | Python | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

nginx-proxy scores 76/100 against 75/100 for Pterodactyl, so it is the safer default.

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

Pterodactyl is growing faster right now (+183 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [nginx-proxy](https://selfhost.directory/project/nginx-proxy) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nginx-proxy.md)
- [Pterodactyl](https://selfhost.directory/project/pterodactyl) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/pterodactyl.md)

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