Apollo vs localtunnel
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Apollo
Self-hosted game and desktop streaming host
VS
localtunnel
Expose your localhost to the world for testing
| Feature | Apollo | localtunnel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,488 | ★ 22,440 |
| First released | 2024 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Steam Remote Play, Parsec | ngrok |
Why pick each one
Choose Apollo if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Mature project with 10.5k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Choose localtunnel if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 22.4k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Apollo or localtunnel better?
localtunnel is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Apollo if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Apollo and localtunnel free and open-source?
Yes. Apollo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and localtunnel under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apollo and localtunnel with Docker?
Apollo: check the project docs for container support. localtunnel: yes.