Ngrok Alternatives

What is Ngrok?

Ngrok is a platform which you can use to secure and host your applications over the internet. If you have to share your localhost server to demonstrate your application to a client or manager sitting at another location, you can take the help of the ngrok platform. Ngrok creates a private connection by running a small client process on your machine. This helps in mapping your localhost server over a ngrok.io subdomain. This subdomain can be easily accessed by a user sitting at another location.

Cost of Ngrok

There are four tiers and the cost is based on the one that you choose. The cost of each tier can be found in the table below −

Tier	Price
Free	$0
Personal	$8 per month
Pro	$20 per month
Enterprise	$65 per month

Why there is a need for Ngrok alternatives?

Ngrok is a great app for users who go for Enterprise, Pro, and Personal plans. The app does not provide features for free plan which is used by noncommercial users. If you are starting a new business and do not have enough funds to pay for the Ngrok services, you need to search for an alternative.

How to Choose a Ngrok Alternative?

There are many features in Ngrok and you need to look for them in the alternative that you want to choose. Some of the features of the Ngrok app are as follows −

• An excellent tool for local hosting

• The tool can be set up easily

• Free version can be used easily

• No need of AWS to host a local PC

• Tunnels can be easily created on the local system

Top 10 Ngrok Alternatives

There are many alternatives to Ngrok and we will discuss some of them in detail in this article.

Alternative 1 – Onboardbase

Onboard is a collaborative platform which can be used by development teams to share their app secrets, credentials, local servers in a secure manner. The tool can be used easily and is a good option for startups. The platform comes with inbuilt security. It is free for two users and $6 per month has to be paid for more users.

Features

• Create a local tunnel using a custom subdomain

• App secret management can be done through the web dashboard

• Team dashboard

Pros

• User dashboard is simple to use

• The app comes with collaborative and multi-environment features

• Emphasis is given to security

Cons

• Ngrok is a closed-source app

• Tunneling features are limited

• Custom domain is not available

Alternative 2 – Localtunnel

Localtunnel is a Nodejs package which you can use to share a web service on your local development machine. There is no need to set up a web server to share your apps and web services. The app is a lightweight solution and is an excellent option for a development environment.

Features

• HTTP tunnels with simple CLI

• Custom subdomain can be created easily

• Support HTTP Rest API, and JavaScript SDK

Pros

• The tool is available for free of cost

• This is an open-source tool

• You can host your tunnel server

Cons

• NodeJS is required to run the app

• Limited features

• Cannot be used for production

Alternative 3 – FRP

FRP is a reverse proxy server and client which can be installed easily by using a binary executive file which is compiled from Go. The app loads and works at a good speed. The app comes with an admin dashboard and consists of a lot of features.

Features

• HTTP tunnels can be created with custom subdomains

• TLS encryption and compression features are available

• Configuration file is available to customize the setup

Pros

• Use the app without paying any fee

• Admin dashboard is ready to use

• The app is written in Go and has a fast speed

Cons

• Set up is complicated

• The app is still available in beta

• The tool is good for only the development environment

Alternative 4 – Loophole

Loophole is a reverse proxy client app which can be installed by using a binary file. HTTPS tunnels can be created easily in a single line. The app is simple to use and is best for those users who are looking for 100 percent free managed option.

Features

• HTTPS is automatic

• Custom subdomain is available

• Basic authentication

Pros

• The app can be used without paying any fee

• The app can be installed on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems

• The app is simple and easy to use

Cons

• The servers for the app are available only in Europe

• Custom domain feature is not available

• No application monitoring

Alternative 5 – Cloudflare Tunnel

Cloudflare Tunnel is a platform which you can use to secure and encrypt the traffic of your application. This can be done on any type of infrastructure. The platform helps you to hide the IP addresses of your webservers, block direct attacks, and focus on development.

Features

• DDoS protection with load balancing

• Rotating IP addresses

• Control lists can be accessed

Pros

• Free for 50 users and payment of $7 per month for more users

• Tunnels are encrypted with TLS

• Emphasis is given to security

Cons

• Closed source

• E2E encryption is not available

Alternative 6 – Tailscale

You can use the Tailscale platform to create a secure virtual private network between computers, servers, and cloud instances. WireGuard protocol from a binary executable is sued to create the VPN. The tool is best for making point-to-point connections through E2E encryption.

Features

• No traffic redirection from servers of Tailscale

• Point-to-point connections

• Access control

Pros

• Open source

• E2E encryption

• Data ownership

Cons

• App is complicated to use

• HTTPS sharing is basic

• Partially closed source

Alternative 7 – Packetriot

Packetriot is a solution which can be used to create tunnels with the help of a binary package The tool is a cheaper option for large teams as pricing is based on per tunnel rather than per user.

Features

• HTTPS tunnels

• Hosting is on-premise

• Server API is available

Pros

• Self-hosting can be done

• The dashboard is based on web

• Affordable option for large enterprises and businesses

Cons

• A fee has to be paid for self-hosting

• Closed source

Alternative 8 – Serveo

Serveo is a user-friendly tool which can be used to create tunnels without using any third-party software. No separate installation is needed to use the tool. It can be used easily with the help of command line.

Features

• SSH tunnels are available

• Subdomain support

• Forward responses

Pros

• Installation is not required

• The tool can be run using a few commands on the command line

Cons

• No cons available

Alternative 9 –Teleconsole

Teleconsole is a free service to help users who want to share their system sessions with other users. The tool generates a unique session ID to share the terminal session over the internet. Sharing must be done carefully as you will give full access to your terminal. The tool can be used on modern devices easily through the latest web browsers.

Features

• The tool can be used for free of cost

• Forwarding TCP Ports are available

• Private proxy feature is also available

Pros

• Sessions are secured so only desired access are allowed

Cons

• No security as the users get full access of your system when shared

Alternative 10 – Pagekite

Pagekite support different types of tunnels which include HTTP/HTTPS/TCP/SSH. You will get the benefit of stable domain names through the Pagekite platform. One disadvantage of this tool is that many tunnels cannot be launched at a time. The tool exposes the localhost serves to the internet so that it can be accessed publicly.

Features

• Can be used free of cost

• Custom domains are available

• Facility of stable domain names

Pros

• Fast and reliable

• Cross-platform support

• Unlimited subdomains

Cons

• All tunnels cannot be launched simultaneously

Conclusion

Ngrok is an excellent application to share your system over the internet. Limited features are available for non-commercial users and that is the reason that people are looking for alternatives to Ngrok. Many alternatives are available for free and come with a lot of features.