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Caddy VS Localtunnel

Compare Caddy VS Localtunnel and see what are their differences

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Caddy logo Caddy

The HTTP/2 Web Server with Automatic HTTPS

Localtunnel logo Localtunnel

Expose yourself to the world
  • Caddy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-22
  • Localtunnel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-21

Caddy features and specs

  • Automatic HTTPS
    Caddy automatically handles HTTPS by obtaining and renewing certificates from Let's Encrypt, simplifying the process of securing web applications.
  • Ease of Configuration
    Caddy uses a straightforward configuration file (Caddyfile) that is easier to write and understand compared to other web servers like Nginx or Apache.
  • Cross-Platform
    Caddy is designed to run efficiently on virtually any platform, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Docker, giving it great flexibility for deployment.
  • Built-in Reverse Proxy
    Caddy includes built-in support for reverse proxy functionality, which can easily be configured to distribute load among multiple servers.
  • Extensible
    Caddy supports plugins for additional features, allowing users to extend its functionality without compromising its core simplicity.
  • Integrated Logging and Metrics
    Caddy includes integrated logging and monitoring capabilities, which make it easier to maintain and debug the server without additional tools.
  • Active Community and Support
    Caddy has an active community and is well-supported with extensive documentation, which helps new users get up to speed quickly and troubleshoot issues effectively.

Possible disadvantages of Caddy

  • Memory Usage
    Caddy can have higher memory usage compared to other web servers like Nginx, which might be a concern for resource-constrained environments.
  • TLS Configuration Complexity
    While Caddy handles basic HTTPS automatically, advanced TLS configurations can be more complicated to manage and may require a deeper understanding.
  • Learning Curve for New Features
    As Caddy rapidly evolves and adds new features, there can be a learning curve associated with keeping up to date on the latest changes and functionalities.
  • Performance
    Although Caddy performs adequately for many use cases, it may not match the high performance of optimized setups with other web servers like Nginx in highly demanding environments.
  • Licensing Costs
    While Caddy is open source, certain features are available under a commercial license. Organizations may incur additional costs for enterprise-grade functionality.

Localtunnel features and specs

  • Easy Setup
    Localtunnel requires minimal configuration to set up, making it user-friendly for developers who need to quickly expose a local server to the internet.
  • Free Service
    Localtunnel is a free service, allowing developers to expose their local developments to the internet without incurring any cost.
  • Custom Subdomains
    Localtunnel allows users to request specific subdomains, which can be useful for testing purposes or for easy sharing.
  • Cross-Platform
    Localtunnel is platform-independent and can be used across various operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Possible disadvantages of Localtunnel

  • Unpredictable Performance
    The performance of Localtunnel can be inconsistent, with potential downtime or slow connections affecting its reliability.
  • Limited Security
    Publicly exposing local servers through Localtunnel may pose security risks, as traffic is not encrypted end-to-end.
  • Temporary URLs
    The assigned subdomains and URLs might change over time, making it less suitable for long-term exposure of a local server.
  • Limited Features
    Localtunnel offers basic features compared to other tunneling solutions, lacking some advanced options like traffic monitoring or access control.

Analysis of Caddy

Overall verdict

  • Caddy is generally considered a good choice for developers looking for a hassle-free, secure, and modern web server. Its automatic HTTPS and easy configuration make it particularly appealing for small teams and developers who need to deploy web services quickly without diving deep into server setup complexities.

Why this product is good

  • Caddy, available at caddyserver.com, is praised for its ease of use, automatic HTTPS configuration, and modern design. It features an intuitive configuration system and comes with a built-in SSL/TLS to automatically manage HTTPS certificates using Let's Encrypt. Caddy is highly regarded for its simple deployment, minimal configuration, and the ability to serve static and dynamic content efficiently. It also supports HTTP/2 and QUIC protocols, making it a future-proof choice for web servers.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized web developers who require quick and secure web server deployments.
  • Developers who prefer automatic HTTPS setups.
  • Projects that benefit from modern protocols like HTTP/2 and QUIC.
  • Users looking for a straightforward configuration process with minimal overhead.

Caddy videos

+ Add

Getting started with Caddy the HTTPS Web Server from scratch

Localtunnel videos

+ Add

Using LocalTunnel on Windows-10

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Localtunnel Tunneling Tutorial #TutorAfterNgantor
  • Review - Expose Your LocalHost To The World || Localtunnel

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Caddy and Localtunnel)

Caddy

Localtunnel

Web Servers
100 100%
Web Servers
0% 0
Localhost Tools
0 0%
Localhost Tools
100% 100
Web And Application Servers
100 100%
Web And Application Servers
0% 0
Tunnel
0 0%
Tunnel
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Caddy and Localtunnel

Caddy Reviews

Self Hosting Like Its 2025
If you’re looking to forego fancy web interfaces and prefer editing a straightforward file while having the server manage everything from proxying to HTTPS via Let’s Encrypt, then this is the option for you. However, due to the absence of a web interface, I wouldn’t recommend it for complete beginners. But if you appreciate simple UNIX-based tooling, Caddy is an excellent...
Source: kiranet.org
Top Linux Web Servers: Pros and Cons
Now that we know their advantages and disadvantages, which web server is the best? The answer depends on your use case. Nginx is a very fast and powerful option, Apache is a great general-purpose web server, while LiteSpeed represents a premium alternative. Caddy works great if you need simplicity, while Lighthttpd works best when resources are low.
Source: bigstep.com

Localtunnel Reviews

Localtonet | Best Ngrok Alternatives
While Serveo, Localtunnel, and Pagekite are also viable options, Localtonet stands out with its intuitive user interface, extensive documentation, and helpful support team. Additionally, Localtonet offers a range of tunneling options, including HTTP/s, TCP, UDP, and UDP/TCP, making it a versatile tool for a variety of use cases.
Source: localtonet.com
Best ngrok alternatives for localhost tunnels
Localtunnel is a npm package that lets you create http / https tunnels to localhost. It provides a random subdomain when you run it through your terminal. Being a node package, localtunnel can be integrated to your applications as a library and you can use it to test your nodejs apps.
Source: pinggy.io
7 Ngrok Alternatives & Competitors for App Tunneling, Free & Paid
Localtunnel is a NodeJS package that allows you to easily share a web service on your local development machine without setting up a web server yourself. To start a webserver:
Source: onboardbase.com
Top 4 BEST Ngrok Alternatives In 2021: Review And Comparison
LocaltunnelNo auth token is required. You can simply install the node package and start using it.Supports http/https.Can be simply used through nodejs executable. Example: lt --port 3000Is Free.Free version supports subdomain too. If available it starts subdomain with the given value.
Source: www.softwaretestinghelp.com
Tunnelling services for exposing localhost to the web
What’s interesting about Localtunnel is that there is also a repository you can clone to set up your own localtunnel server, and hence use your own custom domain. This approach requires you have control of a server where you can set up DNS entries, as well as handle incoming TCP connections for any non-root TCP port.
Source: chenhuijing.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Caddy seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 248 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Caddy mentions (248)

  • I no longer have an old-school cert on my HTTPS site
    The Caddy[1] webserver also has built-in ACME. It has all the problems Rachel mentioned, of course, because now it's an ACME client embedded in an even bigger piece of software, but it's handy for sure! I don't know much about Caddy scalability but it's worked great for my personal sites. [1] https://caddyserver.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 days ago
  • How I made my Home Server accessible outside my home
    This single record will suffice as we will be using a reverse proxy to map each of our application. For the reverse proxy solution, we will be using Caddy, particularly xcaddy. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Simple Web Server
    It looks nice and friendly, but for developers I can recommend exploring caddy[1] or nginx[2]. It's a useful technology to have worked with, even if they're ultimately only used for proxying analytics. [1] https://caddyserver.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Adventures in Homelabbing: From Cloud Obsession to Self-Hosted Shenanigans
    I began to self-host a Minecraft server using Crafty Controller, an Excalidraw instance, Docmost to replace Notion, Plane to replace Jira, and Penpot to replace Figma. To be able to access them from the internet, I used Nginx Proxy Manager to set up reverse proxies with SSL. You can use Traefik or Caddy instead, but I enjoyed the ease-of-use of NPM. For a dashboard solution, I started with Homarr, but later... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Self-hosting with Caddy Server And Souin (Caching Module)
    Caddy is the ultimate web server anyone should be using. This is true for production as well as for local development. It is very fast, and by default obtains and renews SSL certificates automatically. This is useful for when you want to test certain website feature that is only allowed when they're accessed with HTTPS. You get free TLS for all your subdomains, and it does that in a scalable way. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
View more

Localtunnel mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Localtunnel yet. Tracking of Localtunnel recommendations started around Apr 2023.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Caddy and Localtunnel, you can also consider the following products

nginx - A high performance free open source web server powering busiest sites on the Internet.

ngrok - ngrok enables secure introspectable tunnels to localhost webhook development tool and debugging tool.

Apache HTTP Server - Apache httpd has been the most popular web server on the Internet since April 1996

Pinggy.io - Public URLs for localhost without downloading any binary

Nginx Proxy Manager - Docker container and built in Web Application for managing Nginx proxy hosts with a simple, powerful interface, providing free SSL support via Let's Encrypt

Pagekite - Bring your localhost servers on-line.

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