Tailscale vs ngrok

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

Tailscale is a Network & Admin solution with tags like networking, privacy, security, remote-access.

It boasts features such as Zero config VPN, Creates private network between devices, servers, clouds, No need for physical infrastructure or exposed ports, Uses WireGuard for secure and fast connections and pros including Easy to set up and use, Secure encrypted connections, Works across platforms and devices, Free for personal use.

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.

Tailscale

Tailscale

Tailscale is a zero config VPN that makes networks easy to manage. It creates a private network between devices, servers, and clouds. Tailscale requires no physical infrastructure or exposed ports. It uses WireGuard under the hood for secure and fast connections.

Categories:
Network & Admin Vpn
networking privacy security remote-access

Tailscale Features

  1. Zero config VPN
  2. Creates private network between devices, servers, clouds
  3. No need for physical infrastructure or exposed ports
  4. Uses WireGuard for secure and fast connections

Pricing

  • Freemium
  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Easy to set up and use

Secure encrypted connections

Works across platforms and devices

Free for personal use

Cons

Limited configuration options

No browser extension

Relies on NAT traversal which can be unreliable

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:
Development Tunneling
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