Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PortBuddy.dev VS localhost.run

Compare PortBuddy.dev VS localhost.run and see what are their differences

PortBuddy.dev logo PortBuddy.dev

Give any local port a public HTTPS URL in one command. Test webhooks, demo work in progress, share a local database. Free ngrok alternative โ€” HTTP, TCP, UDP.

localhost.run logo localhost.run

Instantly share your localhost environment!
  • PortBuddy.dev Landing page
    Landing page //
    2026-08-17

Port Buddy is a tool that allows you to share a port opened on your local host or private network to the public network. Itโ€™s perfect for testing webhooks, sharing your work with clients, or exposing any local service securely.

Port Buddy works as a reverse proxy. When you run the CLI, it establishes a secure connection to our edge servers. Any traffic sent to your unique Port Buddy URL is then proxied through this connection to your local machine.

  • localhost.run Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-24

PortBuddy.dev

$ Details
freemium $5 / Monthly (TCP tunnels)
Platforms
MacOS Windows Linux Docker
Release Date
2026 January

localhost.run

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-

PortBuddy.dev features and specs

  • HTTP Tunnel
    Stripe, GitHub, Twilio and Telegram need a public HTTPS endpoint. Point them at your tunnel URL and debug the real payload on your machine โ€” no redeploy between attempts.
  • TCP Tunnel
    Raw TCP tunnels forward Postgres, Redis, SSH โ€” no VPN, no router config, no firewall tickets.
  • UDP Tunnel
    UDP tunnel is useful for game servers, VoIP, and other UDP-based protocols.

localhost.run features and specs

  • Simplicity
    Localhost.run provides a simple way to expose your local server to the internet without requiring complex configurations or additional software installations.
  • No Installation Required
    You can use localhost.run directly from your terminal without the need to install any software or dependencies.
  • Free and Instantaneous
    Localhost.run offers a free service, and you can quickly start tunneling without any wait times or sign-ups.
  • Wide Compatibility
    It works with any web server running on your local machine, making it highly versatile.

Possible disadvantages of localhost.run

  • Stability and Uptime
    As a free service, localhost.run may not be as reliable as paid alternatives, potentially leading to unexpected downtimes.
  • Limited Customization
    Localhost.run doesn't offer many advanced features or customizations, which may be a drawback for more complex use cases.
  • Security
    By exposing your local server to the internet, there could be potential security risks if your server is not properly configured or secured.
  • Performance
    The performance of the tunnel can be slower compared to running the server locally due to additional network hops and bandwidth limitations.

Analysis of localhost.run

Overall verdict

  • Localhost.run is a good tool for developers who need a fast, efficient, and secure way to share their local development environments. Its ease of use and minimal setup make it an excellent choice for quick sharing and testing scenarios.

Why this product is good

  • Localhost.run is a service that provides a quick and easy way to expose a local server to the internet. It is often praised for its simplicity, ease of use, and minimal setup requirements. It allows developers to share their work quickly for collaboration, testing, or demonstration purposes without needing to deploy to a public server. It uses a secure SSH tunnel, which adds a layer of security to the service.

Recommended for

  • Developers who need to demo their work to clients or teams
  • Collaborative programming and real-time feedback
  • Testing webhooks or APIs from an external source
  • Temporary exposure of local servers for testing purposes

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PortBuddy.dev and localhost.run)
Proxy Server
100 100%
0% 0
Localhost Tools
5 5%
95% 95
Testing
7 7%
93% 93
Webhooks
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing PortBuddy.dev and localhost.run.

What makes your product unique?

PortBuddy.dev's answer

Port Buddy is a tunneling service for developers. You run one command against a local port and get a public URL that forwards traffic to your machine, so external services, teammates and devices can reach an app that only runs on localhost.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

PortBuddy.dev's answer

Port Buddy focuses on a simpler workflow: static subdomains, custom domains and private tunnels are available on the free tier, which includes one tunnel and needs no credit card. It is also open source under Apache 2.0, so you can read the code or run your own instance.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

PortBuddy.dev's answer

Developers are the primary audience of Port Buddy

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare PortBuddy.dev and localhost.run

PortBuddy.dev Reviews

We have no reviews of PortBuddy.dev yet.
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localhost.run Reviews

Tunnelling services for exposing localhost to the web
localhost.run is very similar to Serveo but with less features. In fact, as far as I can tell, it only does 1 thing: expose your local web server to the web with a public URL. And it does that well enough for me.
Source: chenhuijing.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, localhost.run seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 42 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.

PortBuddy.dev mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PortBuddy.dev yet. Tracking of PortBuddy.dev recommendations started around Aug 2026.

localhost.run mentions (42)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing PortBuddy.dev and localhost.run, you can also consider the following products

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

Localtunnel - Expose yourself to the world

LocalXpose - Your network without the IT work. Radically simple, always-on tunneling service for mission-critical applications.

frp - A fast reverse proxy to help you expose a local server behind a NAT or firewall to the internet.

sish - An open source serveo/ngrok alternative. HTTP(S)/WS(S)/TCP Tunnels to localhost using only SSH.

Pagekite - Bring your localhost servers on-line.