ngrok is the tool most developers reach for first when they need to expose a local server to the internet — testing a webhook, demoing a work-in-progress to a client, or letting a teammate poke at something running on your machine. It's reliable and well-known, but the free plan doesn't let you use a custom domain, the setup can feel confusing if you're not used to working in a terminal, and prices climb quickly once you need more than the basics. If any of that has you looking around, here are six real alternatives, from zero-install SSH tricks to other dedicated tunneling services.
Quick picks
If you want the absolute simplest option with nothing to install, Serveo works over plain SSH with no signup. If you want a free, open-source tool you can also self-host, Localtunnel is the classic choice. If you need a custom subdomain without paying full ngrok pricing, Pagekite offers that from its free trial. And if a longer free tunnel session matters more than setup speed, Pinggy's 60-minute free tunnels beat most competitors' free limits.
Serveo
Price: Free, with a paid plan for more advanced features.
Serveo's whole pitch is zero friction: no installation, no signup, you just connect over SSH and you have a public URL. That makes it genuinely fast for testing a webhook or sharing a work-in-progress project on the fly. Honest limits: it caps you at three active tunnels, and what exactly the paid plan includes isn't very clearly explained.
Localtunnel
Price: Free, open-source, hosted version has limitations.
Localtunnel is free and open-source end to end — you can use the hosted version or run your own server if you want full control. It's easy to set up and works well for quick demos without paying for hosting. Honest limits: the hosted free version can be unstable, and bandwidth is limited, so it's better for short demos than sustained traffic.
LocalXpose
Price: Freemium, paid tiers not clearly specified.
LocalXpose is an open-source reverse proxy for exposing localhost servers, and being open-source is a real point in its favor if you want to inspect or self-host the underlying tool. Honest limits: the free tunnel only lasts 15 minutes, which is short even by this category's standards, and pricing above the free tier isn't clearly published.
Pinggy
Price: Freemium, 60-minute free tunnel, paid tiers not clearly specified.
Pinggy gets you a public HTTPS/TCP/TLS tunnel with a single command and no downloads required, and its free tunnel lasts a full 60 minutes — noticeably longer than LocalXpose's 15-minute limit. Honest limits: once that hour is up you need to restart the tunnel, and like most of this category, pricing details for paid usage aren't very clear upfront.
Pagekite
Price: Freemium, one-month free trial, then paid plans.
Pagekite's standout feature is a custom subdomain, even on its free trial — useful if a random auto-generated URL doesn't look professional enough for what you're sharing. Honest limits: pricing after the trial isn't transparent, and it's a less well-known name than ngrok or Localtunnel, so there's less community troubleshooting content if you hit an issue.
Expose
Price: Freemium, paid tiers not clearly specified.
Expose creates secure tunnels through firewalls with a working free plan that includes an EU-based server — worth knowing if data residency in Europe matters for what you're testing. Honest limits: the free plan is limited to a single user, and paid pricing isn't clearly published on the site.
Comparison table
| Tool | Setup | Free tier | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serveo | SSH, no install/signup | Free, 3 tunnels max | Zero friction |
| Localtunnel | npm install | Free, open-source, self-hostable | Full open-source control |
| LocalXpose | CLI download | Free, 15-min tunnels | Open-source reverse proxy |
| Pinggy | Single command, no download | Free, 60-min tunnels | Longest free tunnel session |
| Pagekite | CLI | 1-month free trial | Custom subdomain |
| Expose | CLI | Free, single user, EU server | EU-based free server |
None of these fully replicate ngrok's polish or its ecosystem of integrations, and if you're running a team or need rock-solid reliability at scale, ngrok's paid tiers still buy real stability. But for solo developers, quick webhook tests, or client demos, these six cover most of what people actually reach for ngrok to do — often for free, and without the custom-domain paywall. Start with Serveo or Localtunnel if you just want the free basics working in the next two minutes; reach for Pagekite if a custom subdomain matters; and use Pinggy if a 15-minute tunnel keeps timing out on you mid-test.