license: one-time payment · lifetime available · self-hosted

The CDN and reverse proxy that lives on your server

Sidien caches your pages, rewrites content, blocks unwanted traffic, and keeps your site online even when your origin goes down - all from one lightweight proxy you run yourself. No subscriptions, no third-party data access, no surprises.

Free · Domain · Unlimited · Lifetime — no auto-renewal on any plan.

request trace — yoursite.com
Visitoranywhere
Sidiencache · rules · security
Your originonly when needed
section: features

Everything a CDN does. Everything a proxy does. Self-hosted.

Sidien isn't a thin wrapper around a cache - it's a full traffic-control layer for your website, configured from a clean admin panel.

cache/

Three cache strategies

Cache First, Origin First, or Stale-Cache-First - pick how aggressively Sidien serves from cache vs. your origin.

Instant cache purge

Clear a single URL, search the cache, or wipe everything in one click - no waiting for a TTL to expire.

Origin-down resilience

If your origin times out, Sidien automatically tracks affected visitors and keeps serving them cached pages.

HIT / PASS visibility

Every response carries a Sidien-Cache header so you always know whether it came from cache or a fresh fetch.

content-routing/

Regex rewrite rules

Find-and-replace across your HTML site-wide - fix broken links, swap text, or rewrite URLs without touching your origin.

API domain proxying

Route calls to external API domains through Sidien automatically - same caching and security layer, one domain in the browser.

Head & element injection

Insert analytics tags, custom CSS, or any HTML snippet right before </head> - or target any element with a regex anchor.

Smart redirects

Path-based redirects that never touch your origin, plus Location Passthrough for OAuth logins and payment flows.

security/

IP allow & deny lists

Block known bad actors outright, or lock the proxy down to an exclusive allow-list of trusted IPs only.

Cookie-gated access

On-Demand Active mode: visitors only get through with a cryptographically signed unlock cookie, everyone else gets your fallback.

User-Agent & URL blocking

Block scraper tools and bots by User-Agent, or blacklist specific URL patterns outright with an instant 403.

Rate limiting

Cap requests per IP within a time window to stop abusive traffic before it ever reaches your origin server.

monitoring-ops/

Request logs

Searchable, filterable logs of real visitor traffic - method, status, cache state, response time - live in the panel.

Page view analytics

Built-in page view and unique visitor counts - no third-party analytics script required.

Origin proxy pool

Route outbound origin requests through a pool of upstream HTTPS proxies for IP rotation, with health tracking.

Structured data capture

Define rules to capture specific form fields, query params, or headers from matching requests into a browsable store.

A/B testing & traffic split

Route a percentage of visitors to different origin servers. Set 90%/10% for a canary deploy, 50/50 for an A/B test.

section: use-cases

Where Sidien fits

A few concrete situations where people put Sidien in front of their site.

WordPress & CMS caching

Drop Sidien in front of a slow WordPress, Magento, or custom CMS site to cache pages and cut origin load - without signing up for a managed CDN or a caching plugin that ties you to one platform.

Gated partner & campaign links

Use On-Demand Active to let a campaign or partner link grant access via a signed cookie - everyone else gets a 404 or a fallback page, no code changes on your origin.

Quick content fixes without a redeploy

Legacy site with a typo, broken link, or outdated banner baked into the HTML? Write a regex rule and it's fixed site-wide on the next cache refresh - no waiting on a deploy pipeline.

Agencies running many client sites

One consistent caching/security/rules layer across every client site you manage - configured the same way each time, instead of relying on whatever each client's host happens to offer.

API + frontend on one domain

Route a separate API backend through Sidien's API Domain proxying so the browser only ever talks to one domain - fewer CORS headaches, one place to rate-limit and cache.

Resilience for a flaky origin

If your origin server is on shaky infrastructure (an old VPS, a dev box pretending to be production), Sidien's origin-down tracking keeps serving cached pages to affected visitors instead of timing out.

Throttling scrapers and abusive bots

Rate-limit aggressive crawlers before they ever reach your origin, and block known bad User-Agents outright - all without touching your origin server's firewall or code.

Migrating or restructuring a site

Moving pages around or relaunching a site? Set up redirects for the old URLs in minutes, and use regex rules to patch any stray old links left in your HTML until the origin catches up.

section: capabilities

What can you actually do with Sidien?

Concrete, specific things - not marketing fluff. Here's a sample of what gets configured in the admin panel.

sidien.rules — 9 entries
1

Cache aggressively - serve everything from cache first, even bypassing a slow or unreliable origin entirely for most requests.

2

With On-Demand Active, show a completely different origin to visitors whose query string contains a specific value - everyone else gets a 404 or your normal site.

3

Find any text, price, or HTML fragment on your pages with a regex and replace it - site-wide, without touching your origin's code.

4

Inject any script tag - analytics, a pixel, a chat widget - into every page's <head> without editing a template.

5

Drop a banner, badge, or block of HTML right before or after any element on the page, matched by a regex anchor.

6

Redirect an old URL to a new one instantly - no origin round-trip, no deploy, just a rule in the admin panel.

7

Block a specific bot or scraper by its User-Agent string, or lock the whole proxy down to an allow-list of trusted IPs only.

8

Cap how many requests a single IP can make per minute, before it ever reaches your origin server.

9

Proxy a separate API domain through your own domain, so the browser only ever talks to one origin.

section: comparison

How Sidien compares

An honest comparison - Cloudflare and bunny.net are excellent, mature products with global networks Sidien doesn't try to replicate. Here's where each one actually fits.

Sidien Cloudflare bunny.net
Self-hosted, your infrastructure only YES NO NO
Global edge network (many PoPs) NO runs where your server is YES very large YES
Regex-based HTML rewriting YES built-in, no code PARTIAL needs Workers NO
Cookie-gated conditional access YES On-Demand Active PARTIAL needs Workers NO
DDoS protection at internet scale NO limited to your server YES excellent PARTIAL good
Pricing model Flat license fee, no usage billing Free tier + usage-based paid tiers Pay-as-you-go bandwidth
Setup Install the binary on your server Point DNS at it, fully managed Point DNS at it, fully managed

If you need a massive global edge network and DDoS protection at internet scale, Cloudflare or bunny.net are the right call. If you want a self-hosted layer with deep content-rewriting and conditional-access control that you fully own, that's where Sidien fits.

section: requirements

Easy to install, runs almost anywhere

A single executable - no runtime to install, no dependencies to manage.

Windows

  • Single .exe - no installer, no Python required
  • Run as a normal process or a Windows Service
  • Works on any modern Windows Server release

Linux

  • Single binary - no dependencies to install
  • Works behind systemd, Docker, or just a terminal
  • Runs on any modern x86_64 distro

Any setup

  • Lightweight - runs comfortably on a small/entry VPS
  • Just needs outbound network access to your origin
  • No database server, no separate cache service to manage
section: download

Download Sidien

Free to download and run - no account, no credit card. Pro features unlock with a license.

New to Sidien? The installation guide walks through setup on both platforms in a few minutes.

section: setup

Running in minutes

No containers to orchestrate, no managed service to configure. Drop the binary on your server and point your domain at it.

step 1/3

Deploy on your server

Windows or Linux. One executable, no dependencies to install.

step 2/3

Point your domain at it

Sidien forwards everything to your real origin and starts caching automatically.

step 3/3

Configure from the admin panel

Turn on the features you need - rules, security, redirects - all from a clean web UI.

section: pricing

Pick the plan that fits

Two ways to use Sidien: self-hosted (you run it on your own server) or cloud (we run it for you). No auto-renewal on any plan.

self-hosted/  you run it · your server · your infrastructure
FREE
$0 / forever

No license needed. Core caching and proxy features, a few advanced ones locked.

  • Caching, redirects, page rules
  • User-agent & URL blocking, rate limiting
  • Regex rules, API domain proxying
  • IP rules, On-Demand Active
  • Head & Element Injection
Download Free
DOMAIN · YEARLY
$89 / year

Licensed to one domain - covers that domain and all its subdomains. Not tied to any server.

  • All current features, unrestricted
  • Covers one domain + all its subdomains
  • Portable - move servers anytime
  • No auto-renewal
Get Domain License
UNLIMITED · MONTHLY
$99 / month

Billed once a month. Not limited to one domain - use it anywhere.

  • All current features, unrestricted
  • Unlimited domains & servers while active
  • No auto-renewal
  • Windows and Linux supported
Get Unlimited
cloud/  we run it · no server needed · beta
CLOUD FREE BETA
$0 / forever

Try Sidien Cloud with no commitment. Your site runs on a name.sidien.net subdomain.

  • yourname.sidien.net subdomain
  • 1 GB bandwidth / month
  • Basic caching & proxying
  • Custom domain
  • WAF, regex rules, IP rules
  • Analytics & request logs
Start free
CLOUD · YEARLY BETA
$89 / site / year

Same as monthly, 365 days. Equivalent to $7.4/month.

  • All Sidien features unlocked
  • yourname.sidien.net subdomain
  • Custom domain (CNAME)
  • Save $19 vs monthly
Get started

Not sure yet? Contact us for a free demo, or try it free for a day. Or buy online with Bitcoin →

section: faq

Frequently asked questions

Is Sidien a hosted service or something I run myself?

Sidien comes in two flavors. Self-hosted: you run the executable on your own server (Windows or Linux), in front of your existing website — no third party in the request path. Sidien Cloud (beta): we run Sidien for you, you get a yourname.sidien.net subdomain, point it at your origin, and you're done — no server to manage.

What is Sidien Cloud?

Sidien Cloud is a hosted version of Sidien, currently in beta. Instead of installing anything, you create an account, choose a subdomain, and enter your origin server's IP. Your site is proxied through our infrastructure at yourname.sidien.net. Cloud plans start at $9/month — no auto-renewal, no credit card required (Bitcoin only).

What's the difference between Domain, Unlimited, and Lifetime?

These are self-hosted license types. Domain ($89/year) covers one domain and all its subdomains, on any server. Unlimited ($99/month) has no domain restriction. Lifetime ($1799 once) is permanently bound to one server's IP, covers unlimited domains on that server, and never requires renewal.

Is there a free version?

Yes — the self-hosted version. Run Sidien with no license at all and you get core caching, redirects, page rules, user-agent and URL blocking, and rate limiting — free, forever. Pro features (Regex Rules, API Domain proxying, IP Rules, On-Demand Active, Head/Element Injection) require a paid license.

How does the Domain license actually enforce "one domain"?

Sidien checks the incoming request's Host header against the domain you licensed. A Domain license for "example.com" works for "example.com" and any subdomain ("www.example.com", "api.example.com", etc.) - but not for a different domain. This is checked on every request, not just at setup.

Does the Unlimited license cover multiple domains or servers?

Yes - while an Unlimited subscription is active, it works on any number of domains and servers, with no per-domain or per-site limit. It's not tied to any IP either, so moving servers is seamless.

Do any plans auto-renew?

No — none of them. Not self-hosted, not Cloud. You pay for a period, use it, and come back when you want to renew. No surprise charges, no card on file. Cloud subscriptions have a 3-day grace period after expiry before sites go offline.

What exactly does "lifetime" mean?

You pay once and never pay again for that license. It includes every future update we ship for as long as the product exists — no maintenance renewals, no version upgrade fees. It's tied to your server's IP, not a domain.

How is the Lifetime license tied to my server?

Each Lifetime license is generated against your server's public IP address and is bound to it. We recommend licensing a public/cloud IP (e.g. your VPS's public IPv4) rather than a private network IP, since public IPs are globally unique.

What if I move my Lifetime license to a new server?

We'll re-issue it for the new IP as a courtesy — up to 5 times total, and no more than once per year. Just email us when you need a re-issue. If you expect to move servers often, Domain or Unlimited (fully portable) may fit better.

Does Sidien work with any backend or CMS?

Yes. Sidien sits in front of any HTTP(S) origin — WordPress, a custom app, a static site, anything. It doesn't require any code changes on your origin server.

How do I buy a self-hosted license?

Go to sidien.net/buy, pick your plan, enter your email and domain (for Domain license), and pay with Bitcoin. Your license key is generated automatically and emailed to you within minutes of payment confirmation. You can check your order anytime at sidien.net/buy/order.

How do I activate my license key?

Open the .env file in your Sidien install directory, add SIDIEN_LICENSE_KEY=your-key-here, and restart Sidien. Pro features unlock immediately.

What's your refund policy?

No refunds on any paid plan. If you're unsure whether Sidien fits your setup, request a free 1-day trial or a free demo before purchasing.

Put a CDN in front of your site - on your own terms

Plans from $89/year, or $1799 once for life. Email us and we'll get you set up.

Get in touch