Openport
Easy and secure reverse SSH port forwarding
Founded
2014
Starting Price
$0
Category
Developer Tools
Last updated August 17, 2026
About Openport
Openport is a cloud tunneling service that exposes any TCP port on a device to the internet without opening ports in a firewall or configuring a router. A single command on the client creates an encrypted reverse tunnel to Openport's global server network, giving you a public address for SSH, HTTP, databases, or any other TCP service. Paid plans add a web dashboard and REST API for managing fleets of registered devices, which makes it a common pick for Raspberry Pi and IoT deployments behind NAT or CGNAT.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- One command exposes a port with no router, firewall or VPN configuration — genuinely works from behind NAT and CGNAT
- Works for any TCP port, not just HTTP, so SSH, RDP and database access are first-class rather than workarounds
- Official ARM64 and ARMHF packages cover Raspberry Pi Zero through Pi 5, which most tunnel services do not ship
- Substantially cheaper than mainstream tunnel services: $5/month for a personal plan and $1 per device per month at fleet scale
- Sessions are IP-locked by default and require the recipient to visit a link before connecting, rather than exposing a public URL immediately
Key Features
Any-TCP port forwarding
Exposes any TCP port of a device to the internet without opening firewall ports or configuring NAT, so SSH, RDP, databases and web servers all work the same way.
One-command reverse tunnel
Running `openport 22` immediately returns a public address like openport.io:12345 mapped to the local port, with no account required to get started.
IP-restricted access links
Ports are secured by default: the person you share a session link with must visit it first to whitelist their IP before they can connect. Ports can also be made public deliberately.
Device fleet dashboard
Web admin pages show which registered devices are online and let you manage devices, sessions, keys and users from one place.
REST API (v2)
A token-authenticated API at api.openport.io exposes sessions, keys and server nodes for scripted automation. API access requires a paid subscription.
Global server network
Openport runs relay servers in multiple regions so devices connect through the lowest-latency node available.
Pricing
Free
$0/month
- 1 device
- 1 connection per device
- 10 MB transfer per month
- 1 day connection timeout
- No API access
Best For
Remote SSH into a Raspberry Pi behind CGNAT
Install the ARM package, run `openport 22`, and reach the Pi over SSH from anywhere without a static IP, port forwarding, or a VPN — the common case for home labs and hobby projects.
Managing an IoT device fleet
Register each deployed device to an account, then use the dashboard to see which units are online and the REST API to script bulk access or commands across the fleet.
Sharing a local dev server or testing webhooks
Expose a local HTTP server on a temporary public address so a client can review work in progress or a third-party service can deliver webhook callbacks to your machine.
