What is Nginx Proxy Manager used for?

Nginx Proxy Manager is a Docker image with a web admin interface for managing reverse proxy hosts, redirections and free SSL certificates. It is a good fit for exposing home lab services with HTTPS and managing many domains behind one proxy.

Is Nginx Proxy Manager open source?

Yes. Nginx Proxy Manager is open source under the MIT licence. Its source code is on GitHub at NginxProxyManager/nginx-proxy-manager and is written mainly in TypeScript.

Is Nginx Proxy Manager free?

Yes. Nginx Proxy Manager is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host Nginx Proxy Manager?

Yes. Nginx Proxy Manager can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.

What are some alternatives to Nginx Proxy Manager?

Similar open-source tools in the Networking & VPN category include OpenResty Manager, wg-easy and NetAlertX. SaaS products in the same category include DNSimple, Tailscale and Akamai.

Is Nginx Proxy Manager actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Nginx Proxy Manager was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v2.16.0, published on 24 September 2026. The project has 34k stars on GitHub.

Nginx Proxy Manager: open-source networking & VPN

About Nginx Proxy Manager

Nginx Proxy Manager is a pre-built Docker image that makes it easy to forward traffic to websites and services running at home or elsewhere, including free SSL, without needing deep knowledge of Nginx or Let's Encrypt. The project grew out of a personal need for simple reverse proxying with SSL termination, and that simplicity remains its stated goal. It is MIT licensed and written in TypeScript.

The web admin interface, based on the Tabler UI kit, lets you create proxy hosts, redirections, streams and 404 hosts. Certificates can come from Let's Encrypt or be uploaded as custom certificates. Access lists and basic HTTP authentication protect individual hosts, and advanced users can add raw Nginx configuration. User management, permissions and an audit log are included. Note that armv7 is no longer supported from version 2.14 onward, and the README lists the older 2.13.7 tag for those devices.

Key features

Web UI for Nginx reverse proxy hosts
Free SSL through Let's Encrypt or custom certificates
Redirections, streams and 404 hosts
Access lists and basic HTTP authentication
Advanced Nginx configuration for power users
User management, permissions and audit log

Good fit for

→Exposing home lab services with HTTPS
→Managing many domains behind one proxy

Built with: TypeScript
Tags: reverse-proxy; nginx; docker; ssl; lets-encrypt; self-hosted; homelab; proxy-manager

Nginx Proxy Manager: questions and answers

What is Nginx Proxy Manager used for?: Nginx Proxy Manager is a Docker image with a web admin interface for managing reverse proxy hosts, redirections and free SSL certificates. It is a good fit for exposing home lab services with HTTPS and managing many domains behind one proxy.
Is Nginx Proxy Manager open source?: Yes. Nginx Proxy Manager is open source under the MIT licence. Its source code is on GitHub at NginxProxyManager/nginx-proxy-manager and is written mainly in TypeScript.
Is Nginx Proxy Manager free?: Yes. Nginx Proxy Manager is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host Nginx Proxy Manager?: Yes. Nginx Proxy Manager can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.
What are some alternatives to Nginx Proxy Manager?: Similar open-source tools in the Networking & VPN category include OpenResty Manager, wg-easy and NetAlertX. SaaS products in the same category include DNSimple, Tailscale and Akamai.
Is Nginx Proxy Manager actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Nginx Proxy Manager was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v2.16.0, published on 24 September 2026. The project has 34k stars on GitHub.