shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use Apache HTTP Server?

A fast, reliable, and extensible open source HTTP server - httpd.apache.org

Depends. It's free and battle-tested, but only fits teams with someone who can manage configs and patch servers. If you just want a website without ops work, use managed hosting or a simpler server instead.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~20 public sources. Most are citations of the Apache homepage, not independent reviews — user sentiment evidence is thin; security and vendor-integration evidence is solid.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Apache HTTP Server (open source)

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Teams running their own servers
  • LAMP-stack shops
  • Fine-grained config control needs
  • Cost-sensitive, high-traffic hosting

Not for

  • Non-technical founders who just need a website
  • Small teams with no sysadmin or DevOps person
  • Buyers expecting vendor support or an SLA
  • Simple static sites — managed hosting is easier

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

No auto-updates — patching is your job, on your schedule

medium

Old 2.2 installs are unsupported; upgrade to 2.4

medium

No paid support option; rely on docs, forums, and community

medium

CVEs appear regularly; monitor the official security page

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free and open source — zero license cost
  • Fast, reliable, extensible via a large module ecosystem
  • Built-in TLS/SSL and authentication support
  • Distributed and documented by major vendors like Red Hat
  • Runs on both Linux and Windows

Cons

  • No vendor support; community-only help
  • Security patches must be applied manually and periodically
  • Apache 2.2 is end of life; forces upgrades
  • Recurring CVE advisories demand constant version tracking

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/20/2026 - 10 sources - Mature but actively targeted: security features are solid, yet recurring CVEs mean you must patch promptly.

official x2review x2security x5news x1
  • CVE-2024-38474, Listed in public exploit and severity feeds; fixed in current 2.4.x releases.
  • CVE-2024-38473, Advisory recommends users upgrade.
  • CVE-2024-43204, Listed in public vulnerability feeds; verify your version is current.
  • CVE-2026-44631, Recent listing in severity feeds; track the project's security page for fixes.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free and open source
  • Ease of use: 2/5. Guess: text config files, no admin UI
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Extensible modules; TLS/SSL and auth built in
  • Support quality: 2/5. Guess: community support only, no vendor SLA
  • Security posture: 3/5. Mature security features, but recurring CVEs need patching
  • $0 Starting price Open source, no license fees
  • Yes Free tier Entire product is free
  • 2.4.x Current version line 2.2 is end-of-life
  • 4+ CVEs in reviewed sources 2024–2026 advisories tracked

Pricing

Apache HTTP Server (open source)

$0

  • Full web server
  • Module extensibility
  • Community support only

Security

Mature but actively targeted: security features are solid, yet recurring CVEs mean you must patch promptly.

  • CVE-2024-38474Listed in public exploit and severity feeds; fixed in current 2.4.x releases.⁵
  • CVE-2024-38473Advisory recommends users upgrade.⁵
  • CVE-2024-43204Listed in public vulnerability feeds; verify your version is current.
  • CVE-2026-44631Recent listing in severity feeds; track the project's security page for fixes.

What users say

No substantive user reviews surfaced; sources overwhelmingly cite the Apache homepage, signaling ubiquity rather than sentiment.

Alternatives

Compare Apache HTTP Server with each alternative.

  • NGINX

    Event-driven server; strong for high traffic and reverse proxying

    Apache HTTP Server vs NGINX

  • Caddy

    Automatic HTTPS and simpler config; easiest modern self-host option

  • Managed hosting (e.g. Netlify)

    Skip server ops entirely for sites and web apps

Companies that use it

  • Red Hat (ships and documents it in RHEL)³
  • cPanel (EasyApache integration)⁶
  • DreamHost (hosting guidance for Apache)⁷
Full analysis

Based on ~20 public sources. Most are citations of the Apache homepage, not independent reviews — user sentiment evidence is thin; security and vendor-integration evidence is solid.

Free, battle-tested web server — great if you run your own infra; skip it if you just want a website without ops.

Methodology

Based on ~20 public sources. Most are citations of the Apache homepage, not independent reviews — user sentiment evidence is thin; security and vendor-integration evidence is solid.

Sources

  1. Welcome! - The Apache HTTP Server Projecthttpd.apache.org
    official
  2. Apache HTTP Server product security pagehttpd.apache.org
    security
  3. Securing the Apache HTTP Server - Red Hat Documentationdocs.redhat.com
    security
  4. Apache HTTP Server 2.4.64 Security Advisorylinuxsecurity.com
    security
  5. CVE-2024-38473 - Exploits & Severityfeedly.com
    security
  6. EasyApache 4 does not support the requested Apache versionsupport.cpanel.net
    news
  7. The most important steps to make an Apache server more secure - DreamHosthelp.dreamhost.com
    official
  8. Install Apache on Windows in a Few Simple Steps - DEV Communitydev.to
    review
  9. Line Me Up Port 80: Apache Linefeed Denial of Service Attackgiac.org
    security
  10. Exploring the Apache HTTP Serverblog.mustajir.org
    review

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