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Ngrok

Securely expose local servers behind NATs and firewalls to the public internet

Rating

4/5

My Cost

$0/mo

Time Saved

~2h/week

Website

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Securely expose local servers behind NATs and firewalls to the public internet.

What It Does

Ngrok creates secure tunnels to your local development servers, allowing them to be accessed over the public internet. It's a deployment tool that makes testing and sharing prototypes simple, without needing a public server.

Why Solo Builders Use It

  • Enables testing and sharing prototypes with clients easily
  • Free tier offers generous usage, suitable for small projects and testing
  • Quick setup and integration with existing workflows
  • Pricing

    Free / Basic $25/mo / Pro $99/mo / Enterprise (Contact for pricing)

    Verdict

    Ngrok is an invaluable tool for solo builders needing to expose local servers to the web. The free tier is generous, making it perfect for small projects or testing.

    Pros

  • Enables testing and sharing prototypes with clients easily
  • Free tier offers generous usage, suitable for small projects and testing
  • Quick setup and integration with existing workflows
  • Cons

  • The free tier has limitations on concurrent tunnels and may require a paid plan for more advanced features
  • Paid plans can be expensive for very small or bootstrapped solo founders
  • Alternatives

  • Localtunnel — another option for exposing local servers
  • Inlets — open-source alternative for similar use cases
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