27 min read

Localtonet vs ngrok (2026): Protocols, Pricing & Use Cases

Compare Localtonet vs ngrok for HTTP, TCP, UDP, TLS, webhooks, file sharing, custom domains, security, and pricing. Find the right tunnel for your workload.

Developer Networking ยท Protocols, Pricing & Use Cases ยท Localtonet ยท 2026

Choose a tunneling platform by testing the workload, not the brand

Localtonet and ngrok can both publish services running behind NAT or a firewall, but their protocol coverage, endpoint models, billing rules, and adjacent networking features differ. This guide compares the products using current first-party product information, then shows how to run equivalent HTTP and TCP evaluations. It also explains where UDP, TLS, File Server, proxy, or private mesh requirements change the decision. Pricing and plan details can change, so dated plan information should always be rechecked before purchase.

๐ŸŒ HTTP, TCP, UDP and TLS requirements ๐Ÿ’ฐ Dated pricing and workload accounting ๐Ÿ”’ Verification, lifecycle and exposure safety
Overview of Localtonet and ngrok considerations for HTTP, TCP, UDP, TLS, webhooks and localhost tunneling
Compare the protocol, endpoint, security, operational, and billing requirements of the same workload before selecting a platform.

Localtonet vs ngrok at a glance

A public tunnel creates a route from an internet-facing relay or gateway to an application that is otherwise reachable only from a development computer, private server, home lab, device, or internal network. The tunneling client initiates an outbound connection, which means the workflow does not require inbound router port forwarding or a public IP address on the machine hosting the application.

With Localtonet, our client application runs on a device that can reach the target service. The client establishes an outbound connection to a Localtonet relay server. A running tunnel then provides a public URL or public host and port. Creating a tunnel is not the same as starting it: the selected device must be connected and the tunnel must be running before the endpoint can reach the target.

ngrok similarly uses an agent-to-service connectivity model and offers public endpoints for applications behind private networks. Its current documentation emphasizes localhost sharing, API gateways, webhook handling, production APIs, device connectivity, site-to-site connectivity, Kubernetes ingress, Traffic Policy, and integrations with authentication and observability systems.

Quick answer

Start with the required transport. Both platforms support HTTP and TCP endpoints. Localtonet additionally documents UDP, combined UDP/TCP, TLS, File Server, and HTTP or SOCKS5 Proxy Server tunnel families. VPN Manager is our separate private mesh networking product. ngrok's published self-service matrix lists HTTP and TCP on Free and Hobbyist, with HTTP, TCP, and TLS on Pay-as-you-go. After protocol compatibility, compare endpoint identity, security controls, lifecycle behavior, measured usage, and total cost.

Requirement Localtonet ngrok self-service plans Evaluation question
HTTP and HTTPS Documented HTTP/S tunnels HTTP endpoints on Free, Hobbyist, and Pay-as-you-go Does the app need an internet-accessible URL, HTTP-aware gateway behavior, or both?
Raw TCP Documented TCP tunnels TCP endpoints, with credit-card verification required for Free TCP Does the application use a non-HTTP TCP protocol?
UDP Documented UDP tunnels Not listed as a public endpoint protocol in the current self-service pricing matrix Will the real client send UDP datagrams?
Combined UDP/TCP Documented combined UDP/TCP tunnel Not listed as a standard public endpoint type Must both transports be available to the same workload?
TLS endpoint Documented TLS tunnel family Listed for Pay-as-you-go, not Free or Hobbyist Must the target application participate directly in the TLS session?
Folder publishing Default, SFTP, and WebDAV File Server subtypes Not presented as a dedicated File Server product Are users accessing files or a conventional network service?
Proxy exit node Documented HTTP and SOCKS5 Proxy Server types Different product and endpoint model Should the connected device forward client traffic as a proxy?
Private mesh Separate VPN Manager with firewall rules and LAN bridging Separate private connectivity offerings should be evaluated for this requirement Should access remain private rather than use a public endpoint?

Protocol support is the first compatibility test

Protocol-oriented comparison of HTTP, TCP, UDP and TLS tunneling workloads
A platform must support the application's actual transport before its domains, policies, or price can matter.

An HTTP application, a database listener, and a UDP game service are not interchangeable simply because each uses a port. HTTP gateways can interpret requests and headers. Raw TCP forwarding carries a byte stream without requiring the relay to understand the application protocol. UDP carries datagrams and does not inherit TCP's connection and delivery semantics. TLS endpoints are relevant when encrypted traffic must reach a service that handles its own TLS session.

๐ŸŒ HTTP and HTTPS Use an HTTP tunnel for web applications, APIs, browser-accessible previews, OAuth callbacks, and webhook receivers.
๐Ÿ”Œ Raw TCP Use TCP for applications such as SSH, database protocols, custom servers, and other services that are not ordinary HTTP.
๐Ÿ“ก UDP Use UDP only when the application actually communicates over UDP. A TCP endpoint cannot transparently replace that transport.
๐Ÿ” Combined UDP/TCP Localtonet documents a combined option for workloads that require both transports rather than only one of them.
๐Ÿ” TLS Evaluate a TLS tunnel when the target application, rather than an HTTP edge, must handle the encrypted protocol session.
๐Ÿ“ Purpose-built connectivity Folder access, proxy traffic, and private mesh access should use the product model designed for that job.

HTTP and webhook development

Either platform can give an HTTP application a public endpoint for callbacks or previews. A useful webhook evaluation covers more than receiving one successful request. Confirm that the webhook provider accepts the endpoint URL, validates any required certificate behavior, and can retry after a failure. The receiving application should validate the provider's signature and reject altered, stale, or unauthorized requests according to that provider's rules.

Localtonet HTTP tunnels point to an IP address and port on, or reachable from, the connected client device. HTTP and File Server tunnels can use Random Sub Domain, Custom Sub Domain, or Custom Domain process types. Availability can vary by current plan or configuration. Exact custom-domain DNS instructions should be taken from the current dashboard and documentation rather than copied from an old setup.

ngrok documents HTTP endpoints alongside Traffic Policy for routing, authentication, filtering, and request transformation. Do not assume that every policy action or integration is included at the same cost. Identify each required control and map it to the current plan and usage charges.

TCP workloads

A TCP tunnel is appropriate when the client expects to connect to a host and port using a TCP protocol. Both products support TCP, but a fair test should examine the assigned address, reconnect behavior, connection volume, transfer, authentication, and endpoint stability. On ngrok Free, TCP requires credit-card verification under the current matrix.

A TCP tunnel provides reachability, not application authorization

Do not expose SSH, a database, a remote administration service, or an internal control port without strong application-level authentication and authorization. Restrict privileges, use test data where possible, protect credentials, and stop the endpoint when it is no longer required.

UDP and mixed-transport applications

Localtonet documents dedicated UDP and combined UDP/TCP tunnels. These are relevant to applications whose real network behavior depends on UDP, including some games, DNS services, real-time systems, telemetry, and custom device protocols. Compatibility must be tested with the actual application client. A generic port check or successful TCP connection does not prove that UDP traffic works correctly.

ngrok's 2026 self-service pricing matrix lists HTTP, TCP, and, on Pay-as-you-go, TLS. It does not list a UDP public endpoint. If UDP is mandatory, verify ngrok's latest product documentation before procurement in case the published product has changed.

HTTP termination and TLS endpoints

A normal web application usually belongs behind an HTTP or HTTPS endpoint. A TLS endpoint is a different choice, used when the target must handle the relevant TLS session itself or when the application protocol is TLS-protected but not ordinary HTTP. Under ngrok's currently published matrix, TLS endpoint protocol availability is a Pay-as-you-go capability.

Localtonet lists TLS as a documented tunnel category. Before adopting it for certificate pinning, mutual TLS, a particular database, or another sensitive deployment, test the exact client, server certificate chain, server-name behavior, and protocol handshake. Those details are application-specific and should not be inferred solely from the presence of a TLS tunnel option.

File Server, proxy, and private networking are different workloads

Three Localtonet File Server subtypes

Localtonet File Server publishes a local folder path rather than forwarding to a conventional local IP address and port. The correct subtype depends on how users need to work with that folder:

Subtype Access model Suitable workflow
Default Browser-based file manager with no receiving-side client installation required Interactive browser access, uploads, downloads, previews, sharing, and other documented web-manager operations
SFTP Standard SFTP clients and automation tools FileZilla, WinSCP, rsync, CI/CD, and scripted file-transfer workflows
WebDAV Folder mounted through operating-system WebDAV support Network-drive-style access in Windows File Explorer or macOS Finder

The Default web manager has extensive documented capabilities, including file operations, permissions, public shares, file-event webhooks, search, a recycle bin, previews, and optional per-folder encryption. Those capabilities must not automatically be attributed to the SFTP or WebDAV subtypes. Current first-party information does not establish that Default-only features such as browser vault encryption, Immich-compatible backup, or Smart Collections apply to every File Server subtype.

For the documented setup flow, install the Localtonet application, open the File Server Tunnel page, select the Process Type, select the device AuthToken and an available server, enter the local folder path, and press Start. Keep the device token private and obtain server choices from the current product rather than hardcoding a region or server code.

Proxy Server

Localtonet's HTTP and SOCKS5 Proxy Server types make the connected device the proxy exit node. They do not forward to a conventional local application target. Evaluate a proxy workflow according to client compatibility, authorization, permitted use, destination policy, and credential ownership. Do not substitute a proxy tunnel for an HTTP application tunnel simply because both can involve HTTP traffic.

VPN Manager

VPN Manager is our free private mesh VPN feature with granular firewall rules and support for bridging local LANs. It is separate from HTTP, TCP, UDP, TLS, and File Server public tunneling. If only authorized devices should reach an internal service, a private mesh may better match the security boundary than a public URL or public host and port.

2026 pricing, limits, and billing behavior

The ngrok details below reflect its official pricing page supplied for this 2026 review. Pricing is particularly time-sensitive, so confirm the live ngrok pricing matrix before purchasing. Included usage is not the same as a hard technical capacity in every plan. Credits, included quantities, endpoint limits, and overage behavior interact.

ngrok plan Base price and credit Endpoints and protocols Included usage and exhaustion behavior
Free $0 with $5 of one-time included usage. The one-time credit lasts for one year, applies only while on Free, and cannot be spent on data transfer out. Up to 3 online endpoints. HTTP and TCP are listed, with credit-card verification required for TCP. One assigned development domain. Up to 1 GB data transfer, 20,000 HTTP/S requests, and 5,000 TCP/TLS connections under the published usage tables. No additional usage beyond available credit.
Hobbyist $10 monthly, or effectively $8 per month with the advertised annual saving, with $10 of monthly included usage. Up to 3 online endpoints. HTTP and TCP are listed. One development domain and up to 10 ngrok-branded domains. Bring-your-own custom domains are not included. 5 GB transfer included, then $0.10 per GB when credit is available; 100,000 HTTP/S requests, then $1 per 100,000; 5,000 TCP/TLS connections, then $2 per 100,000. When monthly credit is exhausted, endpoints stop working until the next billing-cycle reset.
Pay-as-you-go $20 monthly plus additional usage, with $20 of monthly included usage. Unlimited online endpoints. HTTP, TCP, and TLS are listed. Bring-your-own domains, wildcard endpoints, and unlimited team members with 3 included are listed. Usage continues after the monthly credit is exhausted and additional usage is billed at cycle end. Includes 5 GB transfer, 100,000 HTTP/S requests, and 5,000 TCP/TLS connections before the published metered rates apply.
Enterprise Contract pricing Contract, support, compliance, and deployment options depend on the agreement. ngrok advertises options including SLAs, dedicated support, invoicing, security reviews, HIPAA BAAs, SOC 2 materials, and per-device or per-customer pricing.

Important ngrok billing details

  • Monthly usage credit does not roll over. It resets at the start of each billing cycle.
  • Usage credits can apply to active endpoint hours, data transfer out, HTTP/S requests, endpoint connections, Traffic Policy units, Traffic Identities, and exported traffic logs.
  • Public endpoints started with the account's development domain do not accrue endpoint-hour charges. Development endpoint hours are listed as unlimited within the account's other limits.
  • For applicable non-development endpoints, active endpoint hours are listed at $0.02 per hour. An hour counts when traffic reaches the agent. Traffic blocked by Traffic Policy does not count under the published explanation.
  • Bring-your-own custom domains are available on Pay-as-you-go and above, not Free or Hobbyist. The current matrix lists $0.01 per active hour for a custom domain when it is receiving traffic.
  • Hobbyist has no automatic billed overage after its credit is exhausted. Its endpoints stop until the billing cycle resets.
  • Pay-as-you-go continues serving after included credit is consumed and bills additional usage.
  • The published rate limits are 4,000 HTTP requests per minute and 100 TCP connections per minute on Free, 20,000 and 150 per minute on Hobbyist, and 20,000 and 600 per minute on Pay-as-you-go. Higher rates require contacting ngrok.
Do not treat included quantities as an isolated price quote

A workload can consume multiple billing dimensions at once. For example, an HTTP endpoint can involve transfer, requests, connections, active endpoint time, policy processing, and logging. Map the measured workload to every applicable line item and confirm whether a feature is included, consumes credit, or requires an add-on.

Localtonet pricing verification

Localtonet prices and numerical plan limits are intentionally not reproduced here because the supplied first-party pricing evidence does not contain a current official plan matrix that can be safely quoted. Third-party estimates are not authoritative for our product. Before publication or purchase, verify the live Localtonet pricing page and the signed-in dashboard for the applicable tunnel type, limits, and plan availability.

This means the article can make a verified protocol comparison but cannot responsibly claim a particular Localtonet monthly price, bandwidth allowance, tunnel count, timeout, region count, or paid-plan feature without a current official pricing snapshot. Do not infer those values from an unaffiliated comparison page.

A reproducible workload and cost worksheet

Input How to measure it Why it affects the decision
Protocol and endpoint type Capture the application's actual HTTP, TCP, UDP, or TLS behavior An unsupported protocol cannot be solved by a lower price
Concurrent online endpoints Count development, preview, staging, and production endpoints separately Plan endpoint caps can prevent the intended deployment
Endpoint hours Record when endpoints receive traffic and distinguish development domains ngrok treats development endpoint hours specially
Transfer out Measure a representative week and multiply only after checking seasonality Transfer is a metered dimension in ngrok's published model
HTTP/S requests Count successful, failed, retry, health-check, and automated requests Retries and monitoring can materially increase request volume
TCP/TLS connections Measure new connection creation, not only concurrent sessions Short-lived clients can produce high connection counts
Domains List development, branded, custom, and wildcard requirements Custom-domain eligibility and charges vary by plan
Policy and identity usage List authentication, authorization, rate controls, and logged identities Gateway policy and identity features can add metered dimensions
Team and compliance needs Count operators and document contractual or audit requirements Self-service functionality may not satisfy enterprise procurement

For a practical calculation, create one row per chargeable dimension. Multiply measured monthly units by the current unit rate, subtract only the credit that is eligible for that dimension, then add the base fee and required add-ons. Model both a normal month and a high-traffic month. For Hobbyist, also test the operational consequence of exhausting the credit, because the result is service interruption until reset rather than an automatic overage invoice.

Prerequisites for a fair evaluation

Use the same application, machine, client network, traffic, and observation period for both platforms. Testing different applications or different networks produces a product comparison that cannot be reproduced.

  • A local HTTP application with a known health or test route.
  • A separate TCP test service if raw TCP is part of the requirement.
  • Local client software that can send valid requests to each service.
  • A second device or network for public verification. A mobile connection is often sufficient for distinguishing public access from LAN-only access.
  • Accounts for both platforms and permission to install their client applications or agents.
  • A written list of required domains, authentication controls, protocols, regions, and expected monthly usage.
  • A safe test dataset with no production secrets or customer information.
  • A place to record endpoint identity, timestamps, failures, reconnect behavior, and measured billing dimensions.
Verify locally before publishing

A tunnel cannot repair an application that is not listening, is bound to the wrong interface, rejects the request, or expects another protocol. Confirm the local target from the same device that will run the tunnel client before creating a public route.

Run a comparable HTTP tunnel test

Exact installation commands vary by operating system and client version, so use each vendor's current installation workflow. The procedure below focuses on the comparable test sequence and uses only documented Localtonet concepts.

1

Start and verify the local HTTP application

Start the same application for both tests. From the tunnel-client device, request its local IP address and port. Record the expected status, response body, headers, and any redirect behavior. Resolve local errors before exposure.

2

Install and authenticate the client

Install the current Localtonet client and ngrok agent through their supported installation paths. Keep the Localtonet device AuthToken and any ngrok credential private. Do not place credentials in screenshots, source control, shell history shared with others, or test reports.

3

Create equivalent HTTP endpoints

In Localtonet, select the connected device, choose an available relay server from the current product, and configure the HTTP tunnel for the verified local IP and port. Choose the required Process Type. Configure an equivalent ngrok HTTP endpoint for the same target and avoid adding optional policies to only one side of the test.

4

Start the endpoint

Start the Localtonet tunnel with the Start button. Creation alone does not make it run. Start the ngrok endpoint according to its current agent workflow. Record the assigned URLs and start time.

5

Verify from outside the local network

Request each public URL from a separate network. Compare status codes, content, redirects, request headers relevant to the application, and end-to-end behavior. For a webhook, send both a valid signed event and an invalid event that the application must reject.

6

Exercise realistic traffic and failures

Run the same request count and payload profile through each endpoint. Restart the application, disconnect the client network, reconnect it, and restart the tunneling client. Record outage symptoms, recovery steps, endpoint identity, and any lost requests.

7

Stop the temporary exposure

Stop or delete the test tunnel when evaluation is complete. Revoke credentials that were created only for the test and retain usage measurements without retaining secrets.

Run a comparable raw TCP test

Use a harmless authenticated test service that speaks TCP. Avoid exposing a production database or administrative endpoint simply to test connectivity. The client used for verification must understand the service's real protocol.

1

Verify the TCP service locally

Connect with the real application client from the Localtonet client device. Confirm the local IP, listening port, authentication result, and expected protocol response.

2

Configure the same target on each platform

Create a Localtonet TCP tunnel pointing to that reachable local IP and port, using a current available server and the correct device token. Configure an ngrok TCP endpoint for the same target. Complete credit-card verification first if evaluating ngrok Free TCP.

3

Start and record the public addresses

Start both endpoints and record the public host and port, start time, selected region, and whether the address is expected to remain stable after a restart.

4

Connect with the real remote client

From another network, connect to each public host and port using the same client configuration and credentials. Confirm authentication, protocol negotiation, payload integrity, and expected application behavior.

5

Test connection churn and interruption

Repeat short-lived and longer-lived connections in the expected proportions. Stop the target, restart the tunnel client, and interrupt the network. Record error messages, recovery time, address changes, and whether clients reconnect correctly.

6

Reconcile usage and close the endpoint

Record connection count, transfer, endpoint duration, and any plan-specific usage. Stop or delete the tunnel and verify that the public address no longer reaches the target.

Endpoint lifecycle, monitoring, and credential ownership

A successful first connection does not establish that a tunnel is operable over time. The service depends on the target application, the client process, the device's network, the relay or gateway, endpoint configuration, and valid account credentials. Monitoring should distinguish those failure domains.

โ–ถ๏ธ Lifecycle ownership Document who starts, stops, restarts, and deletes tunnels, and what should happen after a device reboot.
๐Ÿฉบ Health verification Monitor both the local target and public endpoint so an application failure is not confused with a relay failure.
๐Ÿ”‘ Credential custody Assign account and device-token ownership, restrict access, and rotate credentials after suspected disclosure.
๐Ÿ”„ Restart testing Check whether endpoint identity and client behavior remain acceptable after application, client, device, and network restarts.

Localtonet platform-wide webhooks can report Connected or Disconnected changes for tokens or tunnels in a selected Token Group. Their payload identifies the affected tunnel ID or AuthToken, event date, type, and status. These lifecycle webhooks are different from File Server file-event webhooks, which concern upload, delete, rename, or move operations and can use HMAC signing. Do not merge the two event systems in monitoring logic.

Protect tunnel credentials independently from application credentials. A person who may start a tunnel should not automatically receive database-administrator or server-root access. Use separate accounts where practical, apply least privilege, and define an offboarding process for team members and automated systems.

Security evaluation without assuming uniform controls

Publishing a service changes its reachable attack surface. Neither a public URL nor a random hostname is an authorization mechanism. Keep application authentication enabled, reject unauthorized requests, patch the exposed software, minimize privileges, and publish only the service required for the task.

ngrok documents Traffic Policy and integrations for gateway routing, authentication, filtering, and transformation. Its pricing page also advertises Pay-as-you-go capabilities such as mutual TLS and add-ons for SSO, RBAC, and SCIM. Exact controls and billing should be verified for the intended configuration.

Localtonet security behavior should be described per product rather than as a universal control layer. For example, the Default File Server documents global and per-path permissions, public share-link controls, path-traversal protection, per-IP rate limiting, executable-extension controls, hidden dotfiles, and TLS termination at the tunnel edge. Those statements do not prove that the same controls appear on every HTTP, TCP, UDP, TLS, SFTP, WebDAV, or proxy tunnel.

Use defense in depth

Preserve application authentication and authorization even when an edge policy is present. Use strong credentials, validate webhook signatures, restrict source access where the selected product and tunnel type support it, avoid production data in temporary tests, and stop temporary tunnels promptly.

Troubleshooting unreachable targets and protocol mismatches

Symptom Likely area Verification
Public endpoint cannot connect Target, client, or tunnel lifecycle Confirm the target works locally, the client device is connected, and the created tunnel has actually been started.
Connection refused locally Application listener Check that the service is running on the configured IP and port. Correct the application before changing tunnel settings.
Local access works only from another interface Incorrect target address or bind behavior Test from the exact device running the tunnel client and use an address that device can reach.
HTTP endpoint returns an application error Host handling, redirects, authentication, or app logic Compare the local and public request, then inspect application logs without recording secrets.
TCP port opens but the client fails Higher-level protocol or TLS expectation Use the real protocol client and check whether the service expects plain TCP, TLS, or another handshake.
UDP client receives nothing Wrong transport or application behavior Confirm that a UDP tunnel was selected and test with actual UDP traffic. A TCP probe is not valid evidence.
Endpoint fails after restart Client startup, endpoint identity, or token state Check whether the client reconnected, whether the tunnel restarted, and whether the public address changed.
ngrok Hobbyist endpoint stops mid-cycle Usage-credit exhaustion Review current account usage. The published policy says endpoints stop until the monthly credit resets.
Custom domain does not route Eligibility, DNS, or endpoint configuration Confirm plan eligibility and follow the vendor's current DNS instructions rather than an older cached guide.

A neutral workload-based decision framework

There is no universal winner for every tunnel deployment. Eliminate any option that does not satisfy a mandatory protocol or security requirement, then compare the remaining choices under identical traffic and failure tests.

Workload What makes Localtonet relevant What makes ngrok relevant
Webhook or application preview Documented HTTP/S tunnels with generated, selected, or custom-domain process types where available HTTP endpoints, development domains, Traffic Policy, request-oriented integrations, and published gateway tooling
Raw TCP service Documented TCP tunnel targeting a reachable local IP and port TCP across self-service plans, subject to Free credit-card verification and plan limits
UDP or combined UDP/TCP Both are documented tunnel families UDP is not listed in the current self-service endpoint-protocol matrix
Application-controlled TLS Documented TLS tunnel family, with application compatibility requiring direct testing TLS endpoint protocol is listed on Pay-as-you-go
Folder access Dedicated Default, SFTP, and WebDAV File Server subtypes Evaluate another file-serving layer because the pricing page does not present a dedicated File Server product
Private device or LAN connectivity Separate VPN Manager with private mesh, firewall rules, and LAN bridging Evaluate ngrok's relevant private connectivity products and contract requirements separately from public tunnels
Policy-heavy HTTP gateway Verify the exact Localtonet tunnel-specific controls needed rather than assuming uniform availability Traffic Policy, identity integrations, observability integrations, and enterprise options are central published capabilities

The final decision record should state the required protocol, public or private access model, authentication boundary, endpoint count, domain type, measured usage, failure behavior, operating owner, and current monthly cost. This makes the result auditable and prevents a temporary demo configuration from becoming an undocumented production dependency.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main difference between Localtonet and ngrok?

Both can expose private HTTP and TCP services through public endpoints. Localtonet also documents UDP, combined UDP/TCP, TLS, File Server, and HTTP or SOCKS5 Proxy Server families, plus a separate VPN Manager. ngrok emphasizes HTTP and TCP gateway workflows, Traffic Policy, integrations, observability, Kubernetes ingress, and enterprise connectivity.

Does ngrok support TLS endpoints on every self-service plan?

No. The current published matrix lists HTTP and TCP for Free and Hobbyist, while Pay-as-you-go lists HTTP, TCP, and TLS. Free TCP also requires credit-card verification.

What happens when ngrok Hobbyist usage credit runs out?

According to ngrok's published pricing FAQ, Hobbyist endpoints stop working until the end of the billing cycle, when monthly credit resets. Pay-as-you-go endpoints continue working and additional usage is billed.

Do ngrok development endpoints incur endpoint-hour charges?

Public endpoints started with the account's development domain do not accrue endpoint hours under the current pricing explanation. Other plan limits and metered dimensions still apply.

Does Localtonet support UDP?

Yes. Localtonet officially documents dedicated UDP and combined UDP/TCP tunnel families. Test the real application because UDP compatibility cannot be established with a TCP connection test.

Can both products be used for webhook testing?

Yes. Both can provide a public HTTP endpoint for a local webhook receiver. Validate signatures in the application, test retries and invalid events, and account for endpoint identity, request volume, transfer, and authentication requirements.

Is Localtonet File Server one uniform feature set?

No. File Server has Default browser, SFTP, and WebDAV subtypes. Features documented for the Default browser manager should not automatically be attributed to SFTP or WebDAV unless current first-party documentation explicitly confirms that behavior.

Is VPN Manager the same as a public tunnel?

No. HTTP, TCP, UDP, TLS, and File Server tunnels publish specific services or folders. Localtonet VPN Manager is a separate private mesh networking feature with firewall rules and LAN bridging.

Which platform is cheaper?

That depends on the measured workload and required features. Calculate endpoint count, endpoint hours, transfer, requests, TCP or TLS connections, domains, policies, identities, team requirements, and exhaustion behavior. Recheck both official pricing pages before purchasing. This article does not quote Localtonet numerical pricing because a current first-party plan matrix was not present in the supplied evidence.

Test your workload with Localtonet

Start with a locally verified service, choose the matching HTTP, TCP, UDP, combined UDP/TCP, TLS, File Server, proxy, or private-network workflow, and evaluate it with realistic traffic and failure scenarios.

Get Started Free โ†’

Corrections & updates

Substantive changes approved by the Localtonet editorial team are listed transparently below.

Rebuild the body with the current lt-* structure, beginning with the hero and immediately following it with the required clickable guide-navigation card. Remove the outer article element, JSON-LD script, unsupported custom classes, obsolete table-of-contents component, and nonstandard CTA markup. Give every primary section a unique navigable ID and convert alerts, tables, steps, FAQ, and CTA to the approved components. Expand the pricing section into a dated, evidence-backed comparison of current ngrok tiers and billing behavior, and

Localtonet is a secure multi-protocol tunneling and proxy platform designed to expose localhost, devices, private services, and AI agents to the public internet supporting HTTP/HTTPS tunnels, TCP/UDP forwarding, mobile proxy infrastructure, file server publishing, latency-optimized game connectivity, and developer-ready AI agent endpoint exposure from a single unified control plane.

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