Tunnelmole
Free and open-source localhost tunneling tool
About Tunnelmole
Tunnelmole is an open-source localhost tunneling tool that instantly gives any local web server a public HTTPS URL, enabling developers to share and test their work without deployment. It functions as a reverse proxy from the internet to your local machine, working transparently through corporate networks, VPNs, and LANs. Both the client (MIT) and server (AGPLv3) are fully open source and can be self-hosted.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Completely free for basic use with no session time limits unlike ngrok free tier
- Fully open source with both client and server code auditable
- Self-hosting option means zero vendor lock-in and zero ongoing cost
- Dead-simple CLI — npx tunnelmole 3000 just works
- Works behind corporate firewalls and VPNs without configuration
- Lightweight and easy to integrate into CI pipelines
Cons
- Solo founder means limited support and slower feature development
- Custom subdomains require a paid plan on the hosted service
- Less mature ecosystem and fewer integrations compared to ngrok
- No built-in traffic inspection UI unlike ngrok's web inspector
- Hosted service uptime is not formally SLA-backed
Key Features
Instant Public HTTPS URL
One command to expose any localhost port to the internet with a public HTTPS URL
Zero-Config Setup
Works immediately with no configuration required — just specify the port number
Works Through Firewalls
Transparently works through corporate networks, VPNs, and LANs with no special configuration
Custom Subdomains
Reserve your own subdomain like myapp.tunnelmole.net for consistent URLs
Fully Open Source
Client is MIT licensed and server is AGPLv3 — both fully auditable
Self-Hostable Server
Run your own tunnel server for complete control and free custom domains
Multiple Install Methods
Available via NPM (npx tunnelmole), binary download, or one-line install script
Cross-Platform
Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows
Pricing
- Random subdomain
- Public HTTPS URL
- Unlimited usage
- No time limits
- Reserved custom subdomain
- Consistent URLs
- All free features
- Run your own server
- Custom domains included
- Full control
- No ongoing costs
Best For
Webhook Testing
Expose local endpoints to receive webhooks from Stripe, GitHub, and other services during development
Mobile Device Testing
Access a locally running dev server from a phone or tablet on any network
Demo Sharing
Share a work-in-progress app with clients or teammates without deploying to a server
CI/CD Integration
Spin up a public URL during automated tests that require HTTPS callbacks
Self-Hosted Tunnel Infrastructure
Teams that need private, controlled tunnels can run their own server at zero cost
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