Top 10 Ngrok alternatives in 2026

Ngrok has long been the default choice for developers who need to expose local services to the internet. It’s powerful and feature-rich, but its pricing, bandwidth caps, and mandatory sign-up process have pushed many developers to look elsewhere.

Whether you need a simpler setup, unlimited bandwidth, UDP support, or just a free option that works out of the box there’s a strong Ngrok alternative for every use case. In this article, we compare the best 10 alternatives to Ngrok in 2026, breaking down features, ease of use, and pricing to help you pick the right tool.

List of top 10 Ngrok alternatives in 2026

1. Pinggy
2. LocalXpose
3. Localtunnel
4. Zrok
5. Cloudflare Tunnel
6. localhost.run
7. Inlets
8. Playit.gg
9. Tailscale
10. LocalCan

AI agent support

AI coding agents can run normal CLI commands for almost any tunneling tool if you give them terminal access, but official agent support is more useful because it gives the agent product-specific instructions or direct tool access. Pinggy provides both: a Skill that teaches the agent how Pinggy tunnels, flags, SDKs, and commands work, and an MCP server that lets supported agents create, inspect, and manage tunnels through tool calls. You can install the Pinggy skill with npx skills add https://pinggy.io, and the full setup is documented in Pinggy’s AI Agents guide.

Cloudflare also has official agent setup through Cloudflare Skills and MCP servers, including Cloudflare One guidance that covers Tunnel, Access, Gateway, WARP, Cloudflare WAN, and related Zero Trust configuration. This is useful when Cloudflare Tunnel is part of a larger Cloudflare account or security workflow. During this update, no official Agent Skill or vendor MCP setup was found for Ngrok, LocalXpose, Localtunnel, Zrok, localhost.run, Inlets, Playit.gg, Tailscale, or LocalCan, so those tools are best treated as normal CLI or GUI tools from an AI-agent perspective.

Overview of Ngrok

Before jumping into the alternatives for Ngrok, we will have a brief overview of Ngrok itself.

Ngrok provides tunnels for ingress through its programmable network edge. It offers HTTPS, TCP, and TLS tunnels.

Pros of Ngrok

Ngrok provides observability, request inspection, replay, webhook verification, advanced routing, global load balancing, Kubernetes support, and multiple authentication options such as Basic Auth, OAuth 2.0, JWT, and mTLS. These features make it a mature option for teams that need more than a simple public localhost URL.

Cons of Ngrok

In order to use Ngrok, you must download the Ngrok client and sign up for an account. Its main limitations for some developers are the lack of UDP tunnel support, bandwidth limits on the entry paid plan, no root apex domain support, and a setup flow that is heavier than simple SSH-based tunnel tools.

Pricing

The Hobbyist plan starts at $8/month (billed annually) or $10/month, and includes 5GB of data transfer and 100k HTTP/S requests. The Pay-as-you-go plan is $20/month with unlimited endpoints, custom domains, wildcard endpoints, and overage at $0.10/GB and $1 per 100k requests.

1. Pinggy.io

Pinggy.io stands out because of its unlimited bandwidth and the fact that it gives allows you to start a tunnel without downloading anything. A single command gives users access to your website / app hosted in localhost without configuring the cloud, or any port forwarding, or DNS, or VPN. It also supports UDP tunnels which Ngrok lacks. The Pro plan is for 3 USD per month, that is less than half of Ngrok.

To get how simple it is to open a tunnel, here is an example. If you want to share your React app running on localhost:3000, you can do so using pinggy with the command.

Run this command to start tunnel:

Pinggy is one of the Ngrok alternatives which you can try out for free without signing up for an account. Over Ngrok, it provides features such as QR codes for tunnel URLs and an HTTP request / response inspection tool within the terminal.

Pinggy is also built for AI-agent workflows. The Pinggy Agent Skill can be installed with npx skills add https://pinggy.io, giving agents ready-made instructions for Pinggy SSH commands, CLI usage, SDKs, flags, and tunnel types. If you want the agent to operate tunnels directly, Pinggy also provides an MCP server so tools like Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and Windsurf can start, stop, inspect, and manage tunnels from natural-language prompts. In practice, this means you can ask an agent to expose a local dev server, open a TCP tunnel, share a folder, or list active tunnels without manually reconstructing each command. See the Pinggy AI Agents docs for the install steps.

Pros of Pinggy

Pinggy’s biggest advantage is that you can start quickly without downloading a client or signing up for a test tunnel. It supports unlimited bandwidth, UDP tunnels, custom domains including root apex domains, HTTP basic authentication, bearer token authentication, remote tunnel management, and a terminal UI with QR codes and request inspection. It also includes a built-in web debugger for monitoring, inspecting, modifying, and replaying HTTP requests, and it works across Mac, Windows, Linux, and Docker.

Cons of Pinggy

Compared with Ngrok, Pinggy is cheaper and easier to start with, but it does not currently provide OAuth 2.0 authentication for tunnel visitors or global edge load balancing.

Price of Pinggy

Pinggy is one of the cheaper Ngrok alternatives. It has a free tier, and the paid tier starts at $2.5 per month (billed annually). It offers all features including custom domains, persistent TCP ports, live header manipulation, in this plan.

Comparing Ngrok and Pinggy

2. LocalXpose

LocalXpose is a reverse proxy tool that provides a public URL to localhost. This is one of the most feature complete alternatives of Ngrok. By simply downloading their client you can create HTTP / HTTPS tunnels, and also TCP / TLS as well as UDP tunnels. Among the three it is the only one that supports UDP traffic. LocalXpose also provides a built-in file server to share your files instantly.

Pros of LocalXpose

LocalXpose is strong when you need a more complete tunneling client with UDP support, wildcard custom domains, a built-in file server, request and response viewing, editing tools, and a GUI.

Cons of LocalXpose

The tradeoff is that you need to download its client before starting a tunnel. It is also less suitable if you want a library or plugin-style integration, and it does not provide OAuth 2.0 authentication for tunnel visitors.

Price of LocalXpose

LocalXpose starts at $8 per month.

3. Localtunnel

Localtunnel is a Ngrok alternative that comes as an npm package. The package lets you create http / https tunnels to localhost. It provides a random subdomain when you run it through your terminal. Being a node package, localtunnel can be integrated to your applications as a library and you can use it to test your nodejs apps.

Pros of Localtunnel

Localtunnel is simple and works well when you want an npm-based HTTP tunnel that can also be used from JavaScript projects. It works across Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Cons of Localtunnel

Localtunnel is limited to HTTP-style use cases. It does not provide TCP tunnels, TLS tunnels, custom domains, or persistent custom subdomains, and because it depends on Node.js it is not ideal for IoT or constrained environments where Node is unavailable.

Price of localtunnel

Localtunnel is free and it does not have a paid tier. It does not provide custom domain or subdomains or TCP tunnels.

4. Zrok

Zrok is an impressive open source Ngrok alternative that operates on the principles of zero trust networking. Built on top of OpenZiti, a programmable zero trust network overlay, zrok provides users with a secure and efficient way to share resources both publicly and privately.

Users can download zrok from GitHub https://github.com/openziti/zrok/releases/latest. It is one of the best self-hosted alternatives of Ngrok.

Pros of Zrok

Zrok is attractive if you want an open-source and self-hostable tunneling platform built around private resource sharing. It supports a built-in file server and UDP tunnels, and it is a good fit for teams that care about ownership and zero-trust networking.

Cons of Zrok

The downside is that the initial setup is more involved than managed tunnel services, and traffic introspection or replay features are not available in the same way they are in tools focused on webhook debugging.

Price of Zrok

Zrok remains open source and self-hostable. The managed service has a single free tier ($0/month) that includes 5GB of daily transfer, up to 25 environments, 50 share backends, and 50 private access frontends. Production workloads with SLAs and custom limits are available through commercial arrangements with NetFoundry.

5. Cloudflare Tunnel

Cloudflare Tunnel (formerly Argo Tunnel) lets you connect applications and services to Cloudflare’s global network without needing a public IP address. It works by running a lightweight daemon called cloudflared on your machine, which establishes an outbound-only connection to Cloudflare’s edge. This means your origin server is never directly exposed to the internet, providing strong protection against DDoS attacks and other threats.

As part of Cloudflare’s broader Zero Trust platform, Cloudflare Tunnels enable organizations to implement Internet-native Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) for HTTP web servers, SSH servers, remote desktops, and more. Learn more about it here.

Cloudflare is the other Ngrok alternative in this list with official agent-facing tooling. Its Agent setup docs cover agents such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, OpenCode, and Windsurf. Cloudflare Skills provide platform context, and the Cloudflare One skill includes Tunnel-related Zero Trust workflows, while Cloudflare MCP servers give agents live access to Cloudflare APIs, docs, and observability. This is powerful for teams already using Cloudflare, but it is broader and more account-centric than Pinggy’s tunnel-specific AI-agent setup.

Pros of Cloudflare Tunnel

Cloudflare Tunnel is a strong option if you already use Cloudflare or want a production-grade Zero Trust setup without opening inbound firewall ports. It is free to use, has no bandwidth limits for typical tunnel use, benefits from Cloudflare’s global network and DDoS protection, and supports common access patterns for HTTP, SSH, RDP, and related services through the Cloudflare One ecosystem.

Cons of Cloudflare Tunnel

The tradeoff is complexity: you need a Cloudflare account, domain setup, and the cloudflared daemon, and the workflow is more tied to the Cloudflare ecosystem than lightweight local tunnel tools. It also is not a general-purpose UDP or raw TCP tunnel replacement.

Price of Cloudflare Tunnel

Cloudflare Tunnel is completely free to use. There are limits on maximum payload size and some other limits. Does not support TCP or UDP tunnels.

6. localhost.run

localhost.run is possibly the simplest tunneling tool which is client-less and can instantly make a locally running application available on an internet accessible URL.

Just run the following command to create a tunnel to port 3000:

ssh -R 80:localhost:8080 localhost.run

Pros of localhost.run

localhost.run is useful when you want the simplest possible SSH-based tunnel and do not want to install a client. A single terminal command is enough for quick testing or prototyping, and a free option is available.

Cons of localhost.run

The limitation is that localhost.run is intentionally minimal. Compared with Ngrok or Pinggy, it has far fewer controls around inspection, debugging, authentication, and advanced tunnel management.

Price of localhost.run

localhost.run has a free option and now offers a Custom Domain plan for about $9/month. See custom domain pricing details.

7. Inlets

Inlets is a cloud-native tunnel that combines the best features of tunnels and VPNs. It’s designed to work seamlessly from development to production, supporting HTTP, HTTPS, websockets, and TCP traffic. Unlike SaaS tunneling solutions, Inlets is self-hosted software that gives you complete control over your infrastructure.

Inlets works well on bare-metal, in containers, and on Kubernetes, with built-in support for Prometheus metrics. It can expose services publicly or create private VPN-like tunnels. The tool is particularly popular among developers who need to test webhooks from services like Stripe, GitHub, and Slack without deploying to production.

Pros of Inlets

Inlets is better suited to teams that want a self-hosted tunnel with more control over infrastructure and data sovereignty. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, websockets, and TCP tunnels, works through NAT and corporate firewalls, integrates well with Kubernetes, and includes useful production features such as OAuth authentication for HTTP tunnels and Prometheus metrics.

Cons of Inlets

The tradeoff is cost and setup effort. Inlets requires your own server infrastructure, has a steeper learning curve than SaaS tunnel tools, and uses commercial pricing rather than a free open-source model.

Price of Inlets

Inlets pricing is subscription-based: Personal is $25/month (single-user, non-commercial, 5 tunnels), Pro Commercial is $125/month (for use at work and in teams, 5 tunnels with additional tunnels at $25 each), and Inlets Uplink starts at $250/month (for service providers, 10 tunnels per cluster). See inlets.dev pricing for current plan details.

8. Playit.gg

Playit.gg is a tunneling tool built with gamers in mind. It provides both TCP and UDP tunnels, making it a go-to choice for hosting game servers like Minecraft, Terraria, and other multiplayer titles. Beyond gaming, it also supports custom domains and subdomains for general-purpose tunneling.

Getting started requires downloading the Playit.gg client, which is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The client application is open source, adding transparency and trust. The generous free tier includes up to 4 TCP tunnels and 4 UDP tunnels, while the paid plan starts at just $3/month for custom domains and dedicated IP addresses.

Pros of Playit.gg

Playit.gg’s main strength is TCP and UDP tunneling for game servers. It has a generous free tier for small gaming setups, supports Windows, Mac, and Linux, offers custom domains and subdomains, and keeps its client application open source. It is also inexpensive compared with many developer-focused tunnel services.

Cons of Playit.gg

The main limitation is focus: Playit.gg is optimized for gaming, so web development, webhook testing, traffic inspection, and professional development workflows are not as central to the product.

Price of Playit.gg

Playit.gg offers a free tier with up to 4 TCP tunnels and 4 UDP tunnels. The paid version (Playit Plus) costs $3 USD per month or $30 per year, and includes custom domains, dedicated IP addresses, and additional tunnels.

9. Tailscale

Tailscale takes a fundamentally different approach compared to traditional tunneling tools. Rather than exposing a single service through a tunnel, Tailscale creates a peer-to-peer mesh VPN built on the WireGuard protocol. Traffic flows directly between devices without passing through a central server, which results in lower latency, higher throughput, and better reliability.

Where Tailscale becomes relevant as an Ngrok alternative is through its Tailscale Funnel feature. Funnel allows you to route external internet traffic to specific nodes on your Tailscale network, effectively making a local service publicly accessible similar to what Ngrok does, but within the context of a full mesh VPN.

Pros of Tailscale

Tailscale is excellent when you want a private mesh network rather than a simple public tunnel. It uses WireGuard, handles NAT traversal well, supports many platforms and cloud providers, includes MagicDNS and ACL-based access control, and has a useful free Personal tier.

Cons of Tailscale

As an Ngrok replacement, Tailscale is a different category of tool. You usually need Tailscale installed on participating devices, and Funnel is less direct than dedicated tunneling products for simple public URL sharing. Funnel also has limited public ports and is not a replacement for arbitrary TCP or UDP tunnels.

Price of Tailscale

Tailscale’s free Personal tier supports up to 6 users with unlimited user devices. Paid plans are seat-based: Standard is $8 per user/month, Premium is $18 per user/month, and Enterprise is custom-priced for larger organizations.

10. LocalCan

LocalCan is a desktop-native Ngrok alternative designed primarily for macOS and Windows users who prefer a graphical interface over command-line tools. It specializes in two things: providing .local domains for HTTPS testing on your local network, and generating persistent public URLs to share localhost projects with anyone on the internet.

For developers who frequently demo work to clients, test OAuth callbacks, or need HTTPS locally for development, LocalCan streamlines the entire workflow through a clean GUI no terminal commands required.

Pros of LocalCan

LocalCan is strongest for developers who prefer a desktop app over terminal commands. It provides a native macOS and Windows interface, unlimited .local domains for local network testing, persistent public URLs, and automatic HTTPS certificate generation. That makes it convenient for OAuth callbacks, webhook testing, demos, and testing projects across multiple devices on Wi-Fi.

Cons of LocalCan

Its limitations are platform and pricing: there is no Linux support, no free tier, and the upfront cost is higher than some subscription-based tunnel services.

Price of LocalCan

LocalCan is a paid application with a one-time purchase model. The single license costs $89, while the personal license (for 2 devices) is $119. For teams, there’s a subscription option at $45/month.

Top 5 Open Source Ngrok alternatives

If you are looking only for open source Ngrok alternatives, the strongest shortlist is frp, sshuttle, chisel, bore, and OpenZiti (Ziti). These tools give you more ownership and flexibility than managed SaaS tunnels, but they usually require more setup and maintenance.

1. frp (Fast Reverse Proxy)

frp is a fast and reliable reverse proxy tool. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, UDP, and WebSocket protocols, making it one of the most versatile open-source alternatives to Ngrok.

Pros of frp

frp can use custom subdomains and domains, token-based authentication, traffic compression, encryption, load balancing, and multiplexing. It is lightweight, well documented, and suitable for complex self-hosted setups.

Cons of frp

The main drawback is that frp requires you to configure and operate the server component yourself, so it is less convenient than a managed tunneling service.

2. sshuttle

sshuttle is a unique tool that works like a VPN over SSH.

Pros of sshuttle

sshuttle forwards traffic through an SSH connection, supports TCP and DNS forwarding, and can be useful when you need secure access into private networks without installing a client on the remote machine.

Cons of sshuttle

It is not a direct public URL tunneling tool like Ngrok, and it requires an SSH server on the remote end, so beginners may find it less approachable.

3. Chisel

chisel is a fast and modern tunneling tool that uses WebSockets for its connections.

Pros of Chisel

Chisel is distributed as a small portable binary, includes TLS support, and works well for reverse proxy setups where you need HTTP or raw TCP/UDP-style tunneling with minimal configuration.

Cons of Chisel

For advanced use cases you will usually need to self-host, and the community is smaller than larger managed tunneling platforms.

4. Bore

bore is a simple and user-friendly open-source tunneling tool.

Pros of Bore

Bore is lightweight, fast, and focused on exposing TCP services without the complexity of larger platforms. That makes it easy to install and useful for basic use cases.

Cons of Bore

Bore has fewer advanced features and is limited compared with more complete tunneling systems.

5. OpenZiti (Ziti)

OpenZiti (Ziti) is an open-source, programmable zero-trust overlay network.

Pros of OpenZiti

OpenZiti supports secure private and public resource sharing without exposing public endpoints, and it is highly customizable for self-hosted environments.

Cons of OpenZiti

The main tradeoff is complexity: OpenZiti is powerful, but its initial setup can be difficult for beginners who only need a quick localhost sharing tool.

Conclusion

The tunneling landscape in 2026 offers plenty of strong alternatives to Ngrok, each catering to different needs. If you want the simplest possible setup with no downloads required, Pinggy and localhost.run let you start a tunnel with a single SSH command. If AI coding agents are part of your workflow, Pinggy has the most direct tunnel-specific Skill and MCP setup, while Cloudflare has broader platform-level Skills and MCP support for teams already using Cloudflare. For feature-rich tunneling with GUI support, LocalXpose is a solid pick. Developers who prefer self-hosted, open-source solutions will find Zrok and the open-source tools listed above worth exploring. The right choice depends on your specific workflow, but one thing is clear: you’re no longer limited to Ngrok.