Are GeoDNS and Nginx load balancers different things?

Yes, GeoDNS load balancer and Nginx are different things, although both can be used for load distribution.

GeoDNS is a DNS server or service that returns IP addresses in response to DNS queries based on the client's geographic location. This allows directing users to the nearest or most optimal servers.

Nginx is a web server and reverse proxy that can perform load balancing at the HTTP/HTTPS level, distributing requests among multiple servers.

Thus, GeoDNS operates at the DNS level and routes traffic by IP, while Nginx operates at the application level, distributing HTTP requests.