Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CloudShell VS frp

Compare CloudShell VS frp and see what are their differences

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CloudShell logo CloudShell

Cloud Shell is a free admin machine with browser-based command-line access for managing your infrastructure and applications on Google Cloud Platform.

frp logo frp

A fast reverse proxy to help you expose a local server behind a NAT or firewall to the internet.
  • CloudShell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12
  • frp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-24

CloudShell features and specs

  • Integrated Environment
    CloudShell provides a fully integrated development environment directly within your browser, including access to Google Cloud resources, pre-installed Google Cloud SDK, and other useful tools.
  • Convenience
    Because it's browser-based, there is no need to install or configure anything locally, which can save considerable setup time and eliminate environment inconsistencies.
  • Security
    Operating within Google's infrastructure can add layers of security, including secure connection to cloud resources and less risk of exposing local machines to vulnerabilities.
  • Access to Project Resources
    Directly connects to Google Cloud resources associated with your account, making it easy to manage and deploy applications within your cloud environment.
  • Scalability
    Seamlessly scalable environment that can handle different workloads without performance degradation.
  • Persistent Storage
    CloudShell offers persistent storage, allowing users to save their work and configurations, which are available in future sessions.
  • Pre-installed Tools
    Includes a range of pre-installed tools, such as git, gcloud SDK, and language libraries, enabling efficient development and deployment workflows.

Possible disadvantages of CloudShell

  • Resource Limits
    CloudShell has usage limits, including limited disk space and CPU, which may not be sufficient for all types of workloads, particularly resource-intensive tasks.
  • Inactive Use Timeouts
    Sessions that are inactive for a period of time may be automatically terminated, which can disrupt ongoing work.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Being a cloud-based solution, a stable internet connection is required. Any disruption in connectivity can hamper development and deployment processes.
  • Latency Issues
    Depending on your geographical location, there may be latency issues which can affect performance and response times.
  • Limited Customization
    While CloudShell provides many pre-installed tools, users have limited control over the environment compared to a locally managed development setup.
  • Paid Subscription Needed for Extensive Use
    Beyond the free tier, extensive usage of CloudShell resources may incur additional costs, which can add up depending on the scale and nature of the tasks.
  • Learning Curve
    New users who are not familiar with Google Cloud's ecosystem may face an initial learning curve to fully leverage CloudShell's capabilities.

frp features and specs

  • Versatile Tunneling
    FRP supports a variety of tunneling protocols, including HTTP, TCP, and UDP, making it suitable for a wide range of applications and use cases.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    FRP is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, providing flexibility in deployment across different environments.
  • Configuration Simplicity
    The tool's configuration is straightforward, enabling quick setup and deployment, especially for users with basic networking knowledge.
  • High Performance
    FRP is designed to handle high-performance tunneling, with efficient resource usage, ensuring reliable connectivity even under load.
  • Active Community
    FRP has an active open-source community that provides extensions, support, and frequent updates, contributing to its development and reliability.

Possible disadvantages of frp

  • Complexity in Advanced Configurations
    While basic setup is simple, more advanced configurations and customizations can become complex and may require deeper networking knowledge.
  • Security Considerations
    As with any tunneling software, running FRP without proper security measures can expose sensitive data to potential risks, requiring careful configuration and firewall rules.
  • Lack of Official Support
    Being an open-source project, FRP does not have formal customer support, which can be challenging for organizations that require guaranteed assistance.
  • Resource Consumption
    Though efficient, FRP still consumes additional resources, which may be a concern for environments with limited computational capacity.
  • Network Restrictions
    FRP may face restrictions in environments with strict network policies, such as corporate or government networks, impacting its accessibility and usability.

Analysis of CloudShell

Overall verdict

  • Yes, CloudShell is a good tool, especially for those who are actively using Google Cloud Platform. It provides a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive set of tools to manage cloud resources effectively. Its convenience, combined with the power of GCP, makes it a valuable asset for cloud-based development and operations.

Why this product is good

  • CloudShell is a versatile tool offered by Google Cloud Platform (GCP) that provides a command-line environment directly in your web browser. It is particularly beneficial for developers and system administrators because it allows them to manage GCP resources easily without needing to install additional software on their local machines. CloudShell includes the Google Cloud SDK, along with other essential tools, making it a convenient and efficient option for cloud management tasks. Additionally, it offers persistent storage, allowing users to save their scripts and data between sessions. The integration with other GCP services enhances productivity by providing seamless access and control.

Recommended for

  • Developers who frequently work with Google Cloud Platform
  • System administrators managing GCP resources
  • New users of Google Cloud who need an easy introduction to command-line tools
  • Teams collaborating on GCP projects, as it supports session sharing

CloudShell videos

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frp videos

DO NOT BUY - Roland FRP-1 Digital Piano Bundle With Bluetooth

More videos:

  • Review - Piano teacher tests and reviews a Roland FRP-1 digital piano bundle (Costco Exclusive)
  • Review - RIDER REVIEW! FRP Pocket Rocket from Amazon!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CloudShell and frp)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Tunnel
0 0%
100% 100
Development
100 100%
0% 0
Localhost Tools
0 0%
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 CloudShell and frp

CloudShell Reviews

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frp Reviews

7 Ngrok Alternatives & Competitors for App Tunneling, Free & Paid
frp is a self-hosted reverse proxy server and client you can install from a simple binary executable compiled from Go, making it fast to load and run.
Source: onboardbase.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, frp should be more popular than CloudShell. It has been mentiond 21 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.

CloudShell mentions (13)

  • GCP Fundamentals: Cloud Shell API
    The Google Cloud Shell API empowers organizations to automate cloud operations, accelerate software delivery, and improve efficiency. By providing a programmatic interface for managing Cloud Shell environments, the API unlocks new possibilities for developers, SREs, and data teams. Explore the official documentation and try the hands-on lab to experience the benefits of the Cloud Shell API firsthand. ... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Intro to the YouTube APIs: searching for videos
    Command-line (gcloud) -- Those who prefer working in a terminal can enable APIs with a single command in the Cloud Shell or locally on your computer if you installed the Cloud SDK which includes the gcloud command-line tool (CLI) and initialized its use. If this is you, issue this command to enable the API: gcloud services enable youtube.googleapis.com Confirm all the APIs you've enabled with this command:... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Explore the world with Google Maps APIs
    Gcloud/command-line - Finally, for those more inclined to using the command-line, you can enable APIs with a single command in the Cloud Shell or locally on your computer if you installed the Cloud SDK (which includes the gcloud command-line tool [CLI]) and initialized its use. If this is you, issue the following command to enable all three APIs: gcloud services enable geocoding-backend.googleapis.com... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Getting started with the Google Cloud CLI interactive shell for serverless developers
    While you might find that using the Google Cloud online console or Cloud Shell environment meets your occasional needs, for maximum developer efficiency you will want to install the Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) on your own system where you already have your favorite editor or IDE and git set up. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
  • Cloud desktops aren't as good as you'd think
    Here is the product https://cloud.google.com/shell It has a quick start guide and docs. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
View more

frp mentions (21)

  • Ask HN: Share Your Eccentric Hobby
    Some time ago I looked at running this on a very small cloud VM to act as a proxy for pi-based devices: https://github.com/fatedier/frp. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • How to Put a Local Service on the Public Internet with FRP (Without Losing Your Mind Over Config Files)
    FRP (Fast Reverse Proxy) is an open-source tool by fatedier that exposes a local service behind a NAT or firewall to the public internet. It's battle-tested, written in Go, and has been the go-to answer in self-hosting communities for years. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Best Ngrok Alternatives in 2025
    Frp is an advanced, feature-rich reverse proxy that supports a variety of protocols and can be self-hosted. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Show HN: Pangolin – OSS tunneled reverse proxy (self-hosted Cloudflare Tunnels)
    How does it compare to frp, one of the most popular Open Source Cloudflare Tunnel alternative? https://github.com/fatedier/frp. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Expose home server with Rathole tunnel and Traefik
    In the previous article, I wrote about a temporary SSH tunneling technique to bypass CGNAT. This method is not suitable for exposing permanent services, at least not without autossh manager. Proper tools for this are rapiz1/rathole or fatedier/frp. I chose Rathole since it's written in Rust and offers better performance and benchmarks. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CloudShell and frp, you can also consider the following products

GitHub Codespaces - GItHub Codespaces is a hosted remote coding environment by GitHub based on Visual Studio Codespaces integrated directly for GitHub.

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

CodeTasty - CodeTasty is a programming platform for developers in the cloud.

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

Glitch - Glitch is the friendly community where everyone builds the web. Simple, powerful interface for creating web apps.

Localtunnel - Expose yourself to the world