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Apache vs Nginx

Based on 461 and 990 real audits

View Apache details | View Nginx details
MetricApacheNginxWinner
Performance5052Nginx
Accessibility8786Apache
Best Practices8887Apache
SEO9091Nginx
Security6567Nginx
TTFB570ms479msNginx
Composite7375Nginx
Performance
Apache
50
Nginx
52
Accessibility
Apache
87
Nginx
86
Security
Apache
65
Nginx
67
SEO
Apache
90
Nginx
91
Composite
Apache
73
Nginx
75

Nginx outperforms Apache in 5 of 7 categories, with a stronger composite score (75 vs 73). Apache leads in accessibility, best practices.

When to choose Apache

Choose Apache when your primary concern is accessibility and best practices. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

When to choose Nginx

Choose Nginx when your primary concern is server response time and performance. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

How this comparison was built

Scores are medians across 461 audited Apache sites and 990 audited Nginx sites in the BeaverCheck database. Every audit runs the same 100+ checks — Lighthouse performance, security headers, accessibility, SEO, server response time — against a real URL. No vendor input, no sponsorship, no affiliate links. Read the full methodology →

FAQ

Which is faster, Apache or Nginx?
Based on real BeaverCheck audits, Nginx sites score higher on Lighthouse performance (52 vs 50 on average).
Which has better security, Apache or Nginx?
Nginx sites score higher on security analysis (67 vs 65 on average).
Which has better accessibility, Apache or Nginx?
Accessibility scores measured by Lighthouse WCAG 2.1 checks favor Apache (87 vs 86). Both technologies can be made fully accessible with care — the difference reflects common patterns in the sampled sites, not inherent platform limits.
Which is better for SEO, Apache or Nginx?
Nginx sites score higher on Lighthouse SEO signals (91 vs 90 on average), which cover meta tags, crawlability, mobile friendliness, and structured data. Content strategy and backlinks still matter more than platform choice for ranking.
Which has faster server response (TTFB), Apache or Nginx?
Nginx sites show lower Time to First Byte (479 ms vs 570 ms on average). TTFB depends heavily on hosting and CDN setup rather than the technology itself, but the sampled sites suggest a meaningful difference in common deployment patterns.
Should I choose Apache or Nginx for my website?
Both platforms have trade-offs. Nginx scores higher on overall composite score while Apache may excel in metrics you care about most. Run a free BeaverCheck audit on a real site using each to compare the metrics relevant to your use case.
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