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ngrok VS OpenVPN

Compare ngrok VS OpenVPN and see what are their differences

PureVPN
PureVPN is a premium VPN service provider. As one of the first movers in the cybersecurity network, we provide you with the tools, services and knowledge to be the best version of yourself online. featured
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Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

ngrok logo ngrok

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

OpenVPN logo OpenVPN

OpenVPN - The Open Source VPN
  • ngrok Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-22
  • OpenVPN Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19

ngrok features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    ngrok simplifies the process of creating secure public URLs to your local web server. It eliminates complex network configurations and is user-friendly even for beginners.
  • Security
    ngrok tunnels are secured with HTTPS, offering a robust way to expose services without compromising security. It supports multiple authentication methods, ensuring a secure connection.
  • Speed of Setup
    Setting up ngrok is quick. You just need to download the executable and run a simple command to get started. This makes it ideal for rapid development and testing.
  • Flexibility
    ngrok supports multiple protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, and TCP, making it versatile for various types of services.
  • Monitoring
    ngrok provides a web interface for monitoring HTTP traffic flowing through the tunnels, which helps in debugging and analytics.
  • Built-in Authentication
    It includes built-in authentication options, enabling you to create protected tunnels easily without needing to configure your web server.

Possible disadvantages of ngrok

  • Pricing
    While ngrok offers a free tier, many advanced features such as custom subdomains, reserved domains, and additional security features require a paid subscription.
  • Latency
    Because your data is routed through an external server, there can be a noticeable increase in latency, which might affect performance especially for real-time applications.
  • Temporary URLs
    The URLs provided in the free tier are temporary and change every time you restart ngrok. This can be inconvenient for long-term use or sharing links.
  • Rate Limits
    The free version has rate limits on the amount of traffic that can be tunneled, which could be restrictive for high-traffic applications.
  • Dependency
    Using ngrok creates a dependency on an external service, which means your tunnels are subject to ngrok’s availability and reliability. Any downtime on ngrok's end can affect your service.
  • Limited Customization
    The free tier offers limited customization options. More advanced customization requires subscription to a paid plan.

OpenVPN features and specs

  • Security
    OpenVPN uses robust encryption standards like AES-256, providing a high level of security for data transmission.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, OpenVPN allows users to verify its code for vulnerabilities, ensuring transparency and reliability.
  • Flexibility
    OpenVPN can run on various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android, offering extensive compatibility.
  • Customizability
    Users can configure OpenVPN according to their specific needs, allowing advanced network setups and policies.
  • Performance
    OpenVPN offers strong performance with efficient handling of large data transmissions and support for high and stable speeds.
  • Community Support
    A large and active community provides ample resources, including tutorials, forums, and user support.
  • Cost
    As a free and open-source solution, OpenVPN significantly reduces the cost compared to many commercial VPN offerings.

Possible disadvantages of OpenVPN

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up OpenVPN can be complex and may require technical expertise, particularly for advanced configurations.
  • Resource Intensive
    OpenVPN can be resource-intensive compared to some other VPN protocols, potentially impacting the performance of older or lower-spec hardware.
  • Client Software
    The official OpenVPN client software has a less user-friendly interface compared to some commercial VPNs, possibly deterring less tech-savvy users.
  • Mobile Experience
    Although OpenVPN supports mobile devices, the user experience on mobile can be less streamlined compared to desktop environments.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    New users may find the initial learning curve steep due to the multitude of configuration options and the need for understanding networking concepts.
  • Support
    While community support is strong, there may not be as much immediate or personalized support as found with some commercial VPN services.

Analysis of OpenVPN

Overall verdict

  • OpenVPN is generally regarded as a good option for both personal and enterprise-level VPN needs. Its strong encryption, adaptability, and community support make it a preferred choice for those who need secure and reliable virtual private network services.

Why this product is good

  • OpenVPN is considered a reliable and secure VPN solution due to its strong encryption standards, open-source nature, and flexibility. It supports a variety of operating systems and devices, and can be configured to meet different security requirements. Its open-source nature allows the community to inspect, modify, and enhance the code, ensuring transparency and continuous improvement. Additionally, it offers robust support for different authentication methods and network configurations.

Recommended for

  • Individuals seeking enhanced online privacy and security.
  • Businesses looking for a scalable and secure VPN solution.
  • IT professionals who require customizable and flexible VPN configurations.
  • Users who prefer open-source software with an active development community.

ngrok videos

+ Add

EQUIP | The making of ngrok - Alan Shreve (ngrok)

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to use LPB Software + Easy Ngrok Setup
  • Tutorial - ngrok tutorial -Access your localhost Wordpress theme from anywhere of the world without hosting
  • Review - spynote x loclx

OpenVPN videos

+ Add

OpenVPN Overview

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to setup OpenVPN on Windows | macOS | Android | iOS - Smart DNS Proxy

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ngrok and OpenVPN)

ngrok

OpenVPN

Testing
100 100%
Testing
0% 0
VPN
0 0%
VPN
100% 100
Localhost Tools
100 100%
Localhost Tools
0% 0
Security & Privacy
0 0%
Security & Privacy
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 ngrok and OpenVPN

ngrok Reviews

Localtonet | Best Ngrok Alternatives
Exposing local web services to the internet is essential for web developers, but it can be a bit challenging. Ngrok has been the most popular tool for this job, but it's not the only option out there. In this article, we'll explore some of the best ngrok alternatives
Source: localtonet.com
Best ngrok alternatives for localhost tunnels
ngrok provides tunnels for ingress through its programmable network edge. Additionally, it offers observability as well as the ability to change traffic parameters such as headers on the go to your apps with no code changes. In order to use ngrok you must download the ngrok client and sign up to get an account.
Source: pinggy.io
7 Ngrok Alternatives & Competitors for App Tunneling, Free & Paid
For example, let’s say you have a web project on your machine written in Python using the Django framework. Your local server will probably run on an URL like http://localhost:8000 ― which is only accessible on your local machine. With a service like Ngrok, you can configure a public URL like https://myapp.ngrok.io in a single command line and have all the traffic from this...
Source: onboardbase.com
Tools for Testing Webhooks
As it supports cross-platforms, download the suitable binary for OS. For Windows, there is only one binary, ngrok.exe. Copy this to the C:\ngrok folder (or wherever preferred) and enter the command below: [code lang=text] ngrok http 7071 -host-header=localhost [/code]
Source: blog.kloud.com.au
Top 4 BEST Ngrok Alternatives In 2021: Review And Comparison
NgrokUser is required to sign up in order to generate auth token.Supports all 3 protocols.Usage is through ngrok executable (or through node js based library).Offers both free and paid version. Free version has limited but rich functionalities.Subdomains are supported in the paid version.
Source: www.softwaretestinghelp.com

OpenVPN Reviews

The top 10 alternatives to OpenVPN
OpenVPN is an open-source software application that provides virtual private network (VPN) services. It allows the creation of secure network connections over the internet, using a custom security protocol that utilizes SSL/TLS for key exchange. OpenVPN is capable of traversing network address translators (NATs) and firewalls, providing users with the ability to securely...
Source: www.twingate.com
Best Top 20 OpenVPN Alternatives (Pros and Cons)
OpenVPN is a virtual private network system used to create trusted end-to-end connection configuration and remote access services. As with any other VPN service, OpenVPN also has its own drawbacks. For instance, its inability to bypass particular proxy servers and complexities in user journeys lead to less user-friendliness. Therefore, we will be discussing a few...
Source: cloudinfrastructureservices.co.uk
6 Types of VPN Protocols, Compared: Which is the Best to Use?
In most cases, OpenVPN or WireGuard will be your best bet. PPTP is a protocol we don’t recommend using because of its relatively low-level encryption. However, you could try this protocol when privacy and security are not your highest priorities, such as for unblocking streams. If OpenVPN is not supported or does not work well for whatever reason, you could consider using...
Source: vpnoverview.com
OpenVPN vs WireGuard: Which protocol is best?
OpenVPN was first released in May 2001. Although the PPTP protocol had been around for five years already at this point, OpenVPN became popular because it offered stronger encryption without too much of a drop in speed. Over the years, vulnerabilities were patched and new clients were developed that brought OpenVPN support to a greater range of devices. This previously...
Source: www.comparitech.com
9 Best NordVPN Alternatives You Must Use In 2022
The next alternative to NordVPN on our list is OpenVPN. OpenVPN allows you to establish a point-to-point secure connection between your device and the Internet. It is a flexible VPN solution that can cater to business needs as well.
Source: wethegeek.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ngrok should be more popular than OpenVPN. It has been mentiond 400 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.

ngrok mentions (400)

  • Use Local LLM with Cursor
    Go to https://ngrok.com/ and download ngrok, then install it on your machine. Then set up ngrok. - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • How to Chat with Gemini 2.5 Pro from VSCode via AI Studio (Free and Unlimited)
    Create a tunnel to my local server using a tool like ngrok. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • I made slack agent without langchain
    If you are testing locally, you can use a service like ngrok to expose your local server to the internet. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • SSR Deep Dive for React Developers
    Now, expose the website to the outside world with ngrok (or a similar tool if you have it):. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Fast and secure ingress to remote AIs with ngrok, Deepseek, and Ollama
    Ngrok: You’ll lean on ngrok’s universal ingress platform for securing and persisting ingress to Ollama and the GPU power behind your LLM. Ngrok abstracts away the networking and configuration complexities around securely connecting to remote services, while also layering in authentication, authorization, and observability you’ll need for a viable long-term solution. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
View more

OpenVPN mentions (40)

  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (October 2023)
    OpenVPN is hiring! https://openvpn.net/ C++ Developer in the United States. Full-time| Fully remote| Flexible work schedules Link to look at vacancy details and apply:. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Are there any work arounds for the Netflix new "household" system?
    How you connect to your modem will depend on the device you are using, but for windows laptops as an example you download the OpenVPN program and input your modem details there, much like you would any other vpn service. I think there would be some guides on youtube. https://openvpn.net/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Can i use PFSense to control incoming user connections (without a vpn?)
    I just started playing with CloudConnexa for remotely managing my second pFSense. Really nice and is free for up to 3 concurrent users. https://openvpn.net. Can also self-host OpenVPN access server with a free 2 concurrent license. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is the 7spotlight Markle family interview airing now? Is anyone watching and can provide comment? 👀📺
    If anyone is being blocked check out free OpenVPN. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is it possible for a sysadmin to block only some packets from a VPN connection ?
    I too haven't used the client-nat directive in some years (I currently implement 1:1 NAT with pfsense to access my network because I'm too lazy to change the networks subnet from the default) so I decided to retest and it does appear that OpenVPN Connect clients do not properly support the client-nat directive but the traditional OpenVPN server/clients still do. I've just tested this on OpenVPN 2.6.3 Server,... Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ngrok and OpenVPN, you can also consider the following products

Pagekite - Bring your localhost servers on-line.

ProtonVPN - ProtonVPN is a security focused FREE VPN service, developed by CERN and MIT scientists. Use the web anonymously, unblock websites & encrypt your connection.

localhost.run - Instantly share your localhost environment!

Hotspot Shield - Hotspot Shield is a software application developed by AnchorFree, Inc.

Portmap.io - Expose your local PC to Internet from behind firewall and without real IP address

Psiphon - Psiphon is circumvention software for Windows and Mobile platforms that provides uncensored access to Internet content. Read more about Psiphon.

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