No more typing reviews! Try our Samantha, our new voice AI agent.

Apache Web Server vs NGINX Plus comparison

Why PeerSpot?
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Apache Web Server
Ranking in Application Infrastructure
4th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
NGINX Plus
Ranking in Application Infrastructure
3rd
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
32
Ranking in other categories
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) (10th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of Apache Web Server is 7.0%, down from 11.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NGINX Plus is 7.9%, down from 9.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Infrastructure Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
NGINX Plus7.9%
Apache Web Server7.0%
Other85.1%
Application Infrastructure
 

Featured Reviews

Dimitrios Zigkos - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise Architect at Smals vzw
Faced limitations with integration and long-term adaptability but benefited from a lightweight architecture for standalone applications
I find valuable and beneficial the independence that comes with Apache Web Server. You can build a small project using a simple application server without bothering too much about how to manage it. The compatibility with multiple operating systems has helped my operations since most of the time we use Linux. Some systems rely on Windows, but they are few; in the past, Windows was the dominant operating system for mainstream PCs and infrastructure, but not for business. All the companies I worked for had 90% Linux and maybe up to 10% Windows. The initial setup of Apache Web Server was straightforward and okay.
Nadeem-Inamdar - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Information Security Engineer at a tech company with 10,001+ employees
Advanced policies and web firewall have strengthened application protection and reduced attack traffic
There were some vulnerabilities in F5. They tried to fix it, but the fixes were not available at the time because they were zero days, so they attempted to fix it, but their support was not proper. Their support should be improved because sometimes features which we need for customization take time, and they are sometimes feasible and sometimes not feasible by the team, so their support and the engineering team should improve their product. I would like to see more features regarding customization which should be built into the application, and the tool optimization should be good, and the dashboard should be more crisp and clear.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The solution's most valuable feature is reporting."
"Its community is its most valuable feature, and solving problems is easier on Apache because so many people know this product."
"The most significant advantage is the ability to swiftly enable HTTPS services when my DNS is configured correctly."
"The best thing about Apache is that it is open-source, so implementing my platform on-premises is less expansive than other solutions."
"Apache Web Server is freeware with no setup or licensing costs, yet it efficiently and stably runs our web applications in the cloud, including Java-based ones with Apache Tomcat and SSL for secure connectivity, providing substantial cost-savings for our organization."
"Apache has proven to be incredibly reliable, and everything has operated smoothly without encountering any issues."
"The open-source nature is one of its most significant advantages."
"I do find some benefits with Nginx."
"Nginx is simple to configure, very stable in a highly utilized environment and very modular, allowing DevOps to create it's own modules for interactive use with Nginx."
"The robust software architecture allows for it to be scalable and very stable."
"NGINX is much easier to deploy and configure, and the skillset required to handle NGINX is more available in the market compared to deploying F5, Radware, or Citrix."
"I need to highlight that the number one thing about NGINX is that it is free."
"The product is lightweight and fast."
"Zero Downtime has always been a strength in recommending infrastructure web services, and NGINX allows me to execute such infrastructure with less complications and the ability to switch from server to server easily."
"I find the solution’s community support and documentation most valuable. Compared to HAProxy, have found a lot of documentation and community support on Quora. If you would be asking me as a developer whether to choose this product, I would recommend this since it has good community support, documentation, and signature updates. The configuration of HAProxy is also very tedious. However, NGINX’s configuration is very simple."
"NGINX Plus also has NGINX App Protect. It's a separate module, which is inspired by the F5 apps."
 

Cons

"There isn't a dedicated customer support available"
"The only thing that gives me a frown about the Apache Web Server is the command-line configuration."
"The product's initial setup process could be easier for users."
"You know what? I found negligible difference between Apache and Nginx."
"I would like to see improvements in the functionality and core of Apache Web Server, focusing on building an infrastructure that can be resilient and robust enough to handle resource shortages, and fast enough in edge cases without crashing under too much traffic during spikes."
"Apache Server and the Nginx also do not require any licenses, and I think because of this that the support is not so good for us."
"It would be great if technical support for Apache were available in Iran. It is a very important need."
"So far, for us, everything is okay."
"The solution needs to be easier to setup and deploy."
"The solution's GUI is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement."
"NGINX is a very basic load balancer and cannot do as many customizations as F5."
"The scalability could be improved."
"The solution must improve its performance."
"I would suggest adding GUI-based configuration panels to NGINX Plus to simplify setup and management tasks."
"Make modules easier to enable or disable. The beauty and ugly side of the NGINX modules is you have to know how to compile the module. For beginners or non-very technical aspirant(s) going for NGINX, they have to learn how to compile the modules.​"
"The KPI on NGINX Plus should be more focused on load balancing and the latency in application calling from the end system."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is a free-of-cost solution."
"It is an open-source solution."
"The apache software is free, open-source."
"There is no licensing cost for the product."
"The solution is free, but you can spend a lot of money with a complex solution."
"Compared to other similar solutions on the market, I think it's over-priced."
"I use the solution's community edition which is free of cost."
"HAProxy is cheaper than NGINX."
"​NGINX Plus is worth it, if you need it. If you do not need the features or support, the free and open source package is more than capable. ​"
"Nginx is free. I don't have experience with the Plus version."
"The price is the cost to contract support with a specialized company, usually during consulting hours.​"
"It's an open source solution, so it's free."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Infrastructure solutions are best for your needs.
913,683 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Comparison Review

it_user240036 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior IT Architect at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Apr 10, 2016
Apache vs. Nginx
Originally posted https://zitseng.com/archives/10435 Apache or Nginx. This is a question that many website administrators have considered. It’s a question that I’ve also considered several times, and again just the past week. Apache is the most popular web server on the Internet. Nginx, on the…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Construction Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise11
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise11
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Apache Web Server?
There are no fees associated with the usage of Apache Web Server in my projects. If you want to have support, then there is some cost, but today I do not know how many companies pay for that servic...
What needs improvement with Apache Web Server?
I would like to see improvements in the functionality and core of Apache Web Server, focusing on building an infrastructure that can be resilient and robust enough to handle resource shortages, and...
What is your primary use case for Apache Web Server?
I am currently working with Apache Web Server in my projects because I'm an architect. Some years ago, it was the application server and the web server; it was Apache Daemon and Apache, the web ser...
Which is better - IIS or NGINX Plus?
IIS is a flexible, secure, and manageable web server to host anything on the web. IIS’s scalable and open architecture can handle the most demanding tasks. From media streaming to web applications,...
What needs improvement with NGINX Plus?
There were some vulnerabilities in F5. They tried to fix it, but the fixes were not available at the time because they were zero days, so they attempted to fix it, but their support was not proper....
 

Also Known As

Apache HTTP Server
NGINX, F5 NGINX Plus
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Cisco, Intuit, General Electric, Adobe, VMware, PayPal, HP, EMC, eBay, Apple, SAP, Qualcomm, SanDisk, Allstate, FedEx
Locaweb, AppNexus, Wix, Reliam, Montana Interactive, MuleSoft, Warpwire, Discovery Education, InkaBinka, WordPress.com, Gogo, GOV.UK, NASA
Find out what your peers are saying about Apache Web Server vs. NGINX Plus and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
913,683 professionals have used our research since 2012.