localtunnel vs ngrok

Struggling to choose between localtunnel and ngrok? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

localtunnel is a Development solution with tags like tunneling, localhost, testing, networking.

It boasts features such as Allows you to share a web server on your local development machine without configuring DNS or firewall rules, Assigns a unique publicly accessible URL that proxies to your local web server, Works by establishing an SSH tunnel from a public server to your local machine, Supports HTTP and HTTPS requests, Can inspect traffic flowing over the tunnel, Customizable subdomain names and pros including Easy to set up and use, Great for testing locally developed sites and applications, No need to configure DNS or firewall rules, Free and open source.

On the other hand, ngrok is a Development product tagged with tunneling, networking, development, testing.

Its standout features include Secure tunnels to localhost, Inspect HTTP traffic, Replay past requests, Online subdomain management, Custom subdomains, HTTP/HTTPS support, TCP/TLS tunnels, Webhook forwarding, Concurrent connections, and it shines with pros like Easy to set up, Works across platforms, Free tier available, Good documentation, Feature-rich paid tiers, Allows testing locally-hosted apps externally.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

localtunnel

localtunnel

localtunnel is an open source command line tool that allows you to easily share a web server running on your local machine without configuring DNS or firewall rules. It does this by assigning you a unique publicly accessible url that will proxy all requests to your locally running web server.

Categories:
tunneling localhost testing networking

Localtunnel Features

  1. Allows you to share a web server on your local development machine without configuring DNS or firewall rules
  2. Assigns a unique publicly accessible URL that proxies to your local web server
  3. Works by establishing an SSH tunnel from a public server to your local machine
  4. Supports HTTP and HTTPS requests
  5. Can inspect traffic flowing over the tunnel
  6. Customizable subdomain names

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Easy to set up and use

Great for testing locally developed sites and applications

No need to configure DNS or firewall rules

Free and open source

Cons

Temporary URLs may change each time you start localtunnel

Requires a publicly accessible server to act as the tunnel endpoint

Not designed for production use


ngrok

ngrok

ngrok is a cross-platform application that enables developers to expose a local development server to the Internet for testing and sharing their work. It creates secure tunnels from a public URL to a locally running web service.

Categories:
tunneling networking development testing

Ngrok Features

  1. Secure tunnels to localhost
  2. Inspect HTTP traffic
  3. Replay past requests
  4. Online subdomain management
  5. Custom subdomains
  6. HTTP/HTTPS support
  7. TCP/TLS tunnels
  8. Webhook forwarding
  9. Concurrent connections

Pricing

  • Free
  • Freemium
  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Easy to set up

Works across platforms

Free tier available

Good documentation

Feature-rich paid tiers

Allows testing locally-hosted apps externally

Cons

Limited concurrent connections on free tier

No SLA on free tier

Can be complex for beginners

Paid tiers can get expensive for individuals