localtunnel
Expose your localhost to the world.
Pricing
Free tier
Flat rate
Adoption
↘CoolingLicense
Open Source
Data freshness
Aging · Jun 8, 2026Overview
What is localtunnel?
Localtunnel is a tool that allows developers to expose their local web servers to the internet. This makes it easy for developers to share and test applications in development without needing to configure complex network settings or deploy them to a server.
Key differentiator
“Localtunnel stands out by offering an extremely simple and quick way to expose localhost servers without the need for advanced networking knowledge or setup, making it ideal for rapid prototyping and testing.”
Capability profile
Capability Radar
Honest assessment
Strengths & Weaknesses
↑ Strengths
↓ Weaknesses
Subdomains are auto-generated, which can make sharing and remembering URLs cumbersome.
Tunneling through localtunnel may introduce latency and bandwidth limitations when handling large volumes of traffic.
Publicly exposed URLs can be guessed, leading to potential unauthorized access to development environments.
Localtunnel relies on its own servers which may experience downtime or rate limiting, affecting the reliability of your local server exposure.
Fit analysis
Who is it for?
✓ Best for
Developers who need to quickly share their localhost over the internet without complex setup.
Teams working on web applications that require testing across different devices and networks.
✕ Not a fit for
Projects requiring high security or sensitive data exposure, as localtunnel is not designed for secure communication.
Scenarios where a permanent public URL is required; localtunnel URLs are ephemeral.
Cost structure
Pricing
Free Tier
Available
Open source — free to use
Starts at
$0
Model
Flat rate
Enterprise
None
Performance benchmarks
How Fast Is It?
Ecosystem
Relationships
Integrations
Next step
Get Started with localtunnel
Step-by-step setup guide with code examples and common gotchas.