Alternatives to localhost.run

A tunneling service that exposes a local web server to the internet using ordinary SSH. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as localhost.run.

  • ngrok

    A tunnelling agent and gateway that exposes a local app to the internet with request inspection.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSCommand line

    ngrok uses its own agent installed on Windows or macOS instead of plain SSH, and adds request inspection plus SSH and RDP access on a larger commercial platform.

  • Pinggy

    A tunneling service that gives localhost a public URL over SSH, with a web debugger for traffic.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxWebCommand line

    Pinggy also works over plain SSH without a client and adds UDP tunnels and a web debugger for inspecting and replaying requests.

  • Tunnelmole

    An open-source tunneling tool that gives a server running on localhost a public HTTPS URL.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Tunnelmole is open source and optionally self-hostable, installed through a script or npm, whereas localhost.run is a closed hosted service used through SSH.

  • zrok

    An open-source tunneling tool for sharing local services and files publicly or privately, built on OpenZiti.

    FreemiumOpen sourceSelf-hostedCommand line

    zrok is open source and can be self-hosted on OpenZiti, adding private shares and file sharing, but needs an invite and environment setup before use.

  • LocalXpose

    A hosted tunneling service with a client binary that exposes local servers to the internet.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    LocalXpose uses a dedicated client binary and requires an account, but offers automatic TLS for exposing local servers on Windows, macOS and Linux.

  • Expose

    A tunneling service with an open-source client that gives local sites a public URL.

    FreemiumOpen sourceCommand line

    Expose has an open-source client that works through firewalls and VPNs, relying on the Beyond Code hosted service with some features in a paid Pro plan.

  • LocalCan

    A macOS app that gives localhost a stable public URL for testing webhooks and sharing previews.

    PaidProprietarymacOSCommand line

    LocalCan is a paid macOS app giving localhost stable public URLs, a request inspector with replay and snapshots, instead of SSH-based tunnels with changing free domains.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.