Pay Only for What You Use | Localtonet's Pay-as-you-go Pricing
With Localtonet's Pay-as-you-go plan, you load balance to your account and only spend it when your tunnels are actually running. Stop a tunnel stop paying for it. It's that simple.
The Simple Rule
🟢 Tunnel is running → balance decreases slowly
🔴 Tunnel is stopped → balance stays the same
Think of it like a prepaid phone plan. You top up your balance, and it only ticks down while you're actually using the service. The moment you stop a tunnel, the meter stops too. You are never charged for tunnels you're not using.
How It Works — Real Examples
The easiest way to understand Pay-as-you-go is with concrete examples. Here's exactly what happens to your balance in different scenarios.
1 1 tunnel running for a full month
Most commonYou create one tunnel and leave it running continuously for 30 days without stopping it.
2 2 tunnels both running for a full month
You have two tunnels say one for your web app and one for your API and both run continuously for 30 days.
3 1 tunnel running for only half the month
You start a tunnel on the 1st, then stop it on the 15th because you're done with the project. It stays stopped for the rest of the month.
4 5 tunnels, but only 1 is running
You've created 5 tunnels in your dashboard, but only 1 of them is in the "Start" state. The other 4 are stopped.
You can create as many tunnels as you want and leave them in a stopped state. Your balance is only reduced for tunnels that are actively running. Start and stop tunnels freely without worrying about unexpected charges.
Your Balance | Load Once, Use Anytime
There is no monthly subscription with the Pay-as-you-go plan. Instead, you add credit to your Localtonet balance whenever you want. Your balance is deducted gradually as your tunnels run and only while they run.
Free Plan vs Pay-as-you-go | What's the Difference?
| Feature | Free Plan | Pay-as-you-go |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 | $2 / tunnel / month (running) |
| Tunnel Server Port | May change on restart | Reserved |
| Bandwidth | Limited | Unlimited |
| IP Restrictions | ✘ | ✔ |
| Custom domains | ✘ | ✔ |
| Team Collaboration | ✘ | ✔ |
| Monthly subscription | None | None |
Who Is Pay-As-You-Go For?
🧑💻 Developers & Freelancers
You run tunnels only during active development or client demos. Pay-as-you-go means you pay a small amount during busy weeks and nothing during holidays or between projects. No fixed monthly bill regardless of usage.
🏢 Teams & Businesses
You have several tunnels but not all of them run at the same time. Pay-as-you-go lets you keep many tunnels configured and only pay for the ones that are actively serving traffic. Cost scales directly with your actual needs.
🚀 Production Deployments
You run APIs, webhooks, or app backends through Localtonet in production. Pay-as-you-go gives you unlimited bandwidth and stable addresses at a flat $2 per running tunnel per month no per-GB charges, no surprises. Predictable infrastructure cost.
🎮 Game Server Hosts & Hobbyists
You only run your game server or personal project on weekends. Stop the tunnel when you're done the meter stops immediately. You only pay for the hours and days you actually use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How exactly is my balance reduced?
Your balance is reduced gradually based on your tunnels' running time. The total cost for a tunnel running non-stop for a full month is ~$2. If it runs for half the month, it costs ~$1. The deductions happen automatically in the background you don't need to do anything.
What happens if my balance reaches zero?
When your balance runs out, your running tunnels will be paused. Top up your balance at any time to resume them. You won't be charged beyond your available balance there are no overdraft fees.
Is there a minimum top-up amount?
You can check the current minimum top-up amount on the Localtonet dashboard. Since each tunnel costs ~$2 per full running month, even a small top-up covers meaningful usage time.
I have 3 tunnels but only 1 is running. How much do I pay?
You only pay for the 1 tunnel that is running. The other 2 stopped tunnels cost nothing. If that 1 tunnel runs for a full month, ~$2 will be deducted from your balance total.
Can I switch between Free and Pay-as-you-go?
Yes. The Free plan is always available. You move to Pay-as-you-go simply by adding balance to your account and enabling paid features on your tunnels. You can use free tunnels and paid tunnels at the same time.
Does bandwidth usage affect my balance?
No. Pay-as-you-go billing is based entirely on running time, not on how much data passes through the tunnel. You can transfer as much data as your connection allows without any extra charges.
Is there a monthly subscription fee on top of the usage cost?
No. There is no subscription, no base fee, and no minimum monthly charge. You only spend from your balance when tunnels are running, at the rate of ~$2 per tunnel per full month of uptime.
Start with a Free Account
Try Localtonet for free | No credit card required. Add balance whenever you're ready to unlock unlimited bandwidth, custom domains, and reserved addresses.
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