If you’ve ever tried to share a localhost app with someone across the internet, you already know the problem: your project works perfectly on localhost, but the moment you need to test a webhook, show a demo to a client, or connect a mobile device to your dev server, everything becomes complicated.
That’s exactly where tunneling tools come in.
Ngrok has been the default choice for years. It’s reliable, well-documented, and packed with features. But in 2026, developers have far more options than ever, and many of them are simpler, cheaper, or better suited for specific workflows like gaming, open-source self-hosting, or zero-trust networking.
This guide walks through the top 10 Ngrok alternatives in 2026, with an honest comparison of features, installation effort, ease of use, and pricing.
Overview of Ngrok (Why people still use it)
Ngrok is essentially an ingress-as-a-service: it creates secure tunnels so that your localhost app can be accessed through a public URL.
It supports:
- HTTP/HTTPS tunnels
- TCP tunnels
- TLS tunnels
- Request inspection
- traffic control (like header manipulation)
- observability and replay tools
But there’s a trade-off. For many simple use cases, Ngrok can feel heavy because it typically requires:
- downloading the client
- signing up
- configuring authentication or domains (especially for real projects)
Pros of Ngrok
- Strong access control options (Basic Auth, OAuth 2.0, JWT, mTLS)
- Request inspection + replay
- Webhook verification for popular providers
- Advanced routing and edge load balancing
- Kubernetes support
Cons of Ngrok
- No UDP tunneling
- Entry paid plan has a 5GB/month bandwidth cap
- Root/apex domain support is missing
- Account + client are required
Ngrok pricing
Starts at $10/month (5GB bandwidth). Pro is $20/month with more features, and extra bandwidth costs around $0.10/GB.
List of Top 10 Ngrok Alternatives in 2026
1) Pinggy
Pinggy is one of those tools that immediately feels built for real developer convenience. The biggest standout is the tunnel startup experience: you can create a tunnel without installing any client, using a single SSH command.
It’s especially useful when you want:
- quick demos
- temporary public access to localhost
- tunneling without dealing with DNS or port forwarding
Example (React app on port 3000):
ssh -p 443 -R0:localhost:3000 a.pinggy.io
Pinggy also supports UDP tunneling, which Ngrok lacks. And for debugging, it provides a terminal interface with QR codes and request inspection.
Pros
- No download needed
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Supports UDP tunnels
- Terminal UI with QR codes + request inspector
- Built-in web debugger (inspect/modify/replay requests)
- Works on Mac/Windows/Linux/Docker
- Supports custom domains, including apex domains
- Basic auth + Bearer token auth
- Remote tunnel management
- Test tunnels without signup
- Lower price than Ngrok
Cons
- No OAuth 2.0 for tunnel visitors
- No edge routing or global load balancing
Pricing
Free tier available. Paid starts around $2.5/month billed annually, and Pro is about $3/month.
2) LocalXpose
LocalXpose is a feature-heavy tunneling tool that feels close to Ngrok in capabilities, especially for people who want both tunneling and extra dev utilities.
It supports:
- HTTP/HTTPS
- TCP/TLS
- UDP tunnels
- file sharing via built-in file server
- GUI client experience
Pros
- UDP tunnels
- Wildcard custom domains
- Built-in file server
- Request/response viewer + editor
- GUI client makes it user-friendly
Cons
- Client download required
- Not usable as a library/plugin
- No OAuth 2.0 for visitors
Pricing
Starts around $6/month for 10 tunnels.
3) Localtunnel
Localtunnel is perfect when you want the most lightweight dev tunnel experience inside a JavaScript workflow. It runs as an npm package and is commonly used for quick sharing of Node apps.
The best part: you can treat it like a library and integrate into tooling.
Pros
- npm package (usable as JS library)
- Works across major OS platforms
- Very simple to run
Cons
- No TCP tunnels
- No TLS tunnels
- No custom domains/subdomains
- Requires Node.js (not ideal for some environments)
Pricing
Completely free.
4) Zrok
Zrok is an open-source tunneling solution built on OpenZiti, following zero trust networking ideas. It’s interesting because it’s not just about public URLs. It enables secure sharing of resources privately and publicly.
Download link (GitHub releases):
https://github.com/openziti/zrok/releases/latest
Pros
- Open source
- Self-hostable
- Private sharing supported
- Built-in file server
- UDP tunnels
Cons
- No traffic inspection or replay
- Setup can feel complex at first
Pricing
Free software, but you host it yourself.
5) localhost.run
This is arguably the simplest tool in the entire list, and it’s great for quick testing when you just need a public link and nothing else.
Command example:
ssh -R 80:localhost:8080 localhost.run
Pros
- Extremely simple
- No installation required
- Free tier available
Cons
- Minimal features
- No custom domains
- No inspection tools
- Not comparable to feature-rich alternatives
6) Inlets
Inlets is designed for developers who want control and production-style infrastructure, without depending on an external SaaS tunnel provider.
It supports:
- HTTP/HTTPS
- WebSockets
- TCP
- Kubernetes workflows
- Prometheus metrics
It’s widely used for webhook development and also works well behind NAT or corporate networks.
Pros
- Self-hosted (full infrastructure control)
- No bandwidth caps
- HTTP/HTTPS/WebSockets/TCP support
- Kubernetes LoadBalancer support
- OAuth authentication for HTTP tunnels
- Prometheus metrics
- Works through NAT/firewalls/proxies
- Can be public or private
Cons
- Requires commercial license
- You must run your own server
- Steeper learning curve
- Not ideal if you just want a quick share link
Pricing
Personal license starts around $25/month for 5 tunnels. Business and SaaS pricing goes much higher.
7) Tailscale
Tailscale is technically not a tunnel provider, but it deserves a spot because in 2026 many developers now prefer private connectivity over public tunnels.
Tailscale builds a mesh VPN using WireGuard. With Tailscale Funnel, you can route internet traffic into a node and get functionality similar to Ngrok in many situations.
Pros
- WireGuard-based mesh VPN
- Direct point-to-point connectivity when possible
- Great NAT traversal
- Works across devices/clouds
- Free tier for personal use (up to 100 devices)
- MagicDNS
- ACL access control
Cons
- Not a direct public tunneling tool by default
- Must install it on devices
- Funnel is less polished than tunneling-first services
- Public ports are limited (443/8443/10000)
- No TCP/UDP tunnel feature like classic tunnel tools
Pricing
Free personal tier. Paid starts around $5/month for teams.
8) Cloudflare Tunnel
Cloudflare Tunnel is a strong option for anyone already using Cloudflare. It connects your local service to Cloudflare’s edge without requiring a public IP, meaning you don’t have to open firewall ports.
It requires installing cloudflared, which acts as the connector daemon.
Pros
- Free with unlimited bandwidth
- Uses Cloudflare’s global network
- No public IP exposure
- Strong built-in security (including DDoS protection)
- Supports multiple protocols (HTTP, SSH, RDP)
- Integrates with Cloudflare Zero Trust tools
- Reliable infrastructure
Cons
- Requires Cloudflare account
- Requires domain setup
- Initial setup is more complex
- Tied to the Cloudflare ecosystem
- No TCP/UDP tunnels like gaming use-cases
Pricing
Cloudflare Tunnel is free. Extra enterprise security features come via Cloudflare Zero Trust plans.
9) LocalCan
LocalCan is designed mainly for developers who want a clean desktop app workflow, especially while testing HTTPS on a local Wi-Fi network.
It’s macOS-focused (with Windows support), and provides:
-
.localdomains for local network testing - persistent public URLs
- automatic HTTPS certs
Pros
- Native app with simple UI
- Unlimited
.localdomains - Persistent public URLs
- Auto HTTPS certificates
- No terminal expertise needed
- Excellent for multi-device testing (phone/laptop)
- Good for OAuth/webhook testing
Cons
- macOS and Windows only
- No free tier
- Smaller community
- Not intended for production-scale workflows
- Higher cost compared to tunnel subscriptions
Pricing
One-time purchase around $89 (single license). Team plan is subscription-based.
10) Playit.gg
Playit.gg is a tunnel tool made for gamers, but it has become popular even beyond that because it supports both TCP and UDP in a developer-friendly way.
It’s commonly used for:
- Minecraft servers
- game server hosting behind NAT
- UDP-heavy workloads
It has an open-source client and works across major platforms.
Pros
- TCP + UDP support
- Free tier includes multiple tunnels
- Works on Windows/Mac/Linux
- Open-source client
- Supports custom domains/subdomains
- Very affordable paid plan
- Optimized for gaming
Cons
- Gaming-first focus
- Less guidance for web-dev workflows
- Limited tunnels in free tier
- Not ideal for professional dev pipelines
Pricing
Free tier available. Paid starts around $3/month or $30/year.
Top 5 Open Source Ngrok Alternatives (If you want full control)
If you want to avoid SaaS tunnels entirely, these projects are worth exploring:
1) frp (Fast Reverse Proxy)
A powerful reverse proxy solution supporting HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, UDP, and WebSockets. Great when you want full customization.
Pros: flexible, lightweight, strong docs
Cons: requires self-hosted server setup
2) sshuttle
A VPN-like approach over SSH. Not a tunnel tool in the classic sense, but very useful for secure network access.
Pros: simple secure connectivity
Cons: requires SSH server, less beginner-friendly
3) Chisel
Modern and lightweight tunneling tool using WebSockets. Supports TCP and UDP with TLS options.
Pros: minimal config, portable binary
Cons: self-hosting required for advanced workflows
4) Bore
Extremely minimal and fast. Best for basic TCP tunnels.
Pros: simple and fast
Cons: limited features
5) OpenZiti (Ziti)
A full programmable zero-trust network overlay.
Pros: secure and flexible
Cons: complex setup
Conclusion: Which Ngrok alternative should you pick?
The best replacement depends less on “which tool is best overall” and more on your use case:
- If you want quick tunnels without installing anything: tools like Pinggy or localhost.run are hard to beat.
- If you want a full feature set with UDP and GUI: LocalXpose is strong.
- If you prefer self-hosting and production-style control: Inlets, Zrok, and open-source tools like frp or Chisel work well.
- If your workflow is network-first and private: Tailscale is often the better long-term approach.
- If you already live in the Cloudflare ecosystem: Cloudflare Tunnel can be a clean default.
In 2026, Ngrok is no longer the only practical option. It’s still excellent, but depending on what you’re building, you might find alternatives that feel lighter, more affordable, or more aligned with your workflow.
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