localtunnel vs Webtop
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?
localtunnel
Expose your localhost to the world for testing
VS
Webtop
Containerized full Linux desktop accessible from a browser
| Feature | localtunnel | Webtop |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,440 | ★ 4,319 |
| First released | 2015 | 2021 |
| Replaces | ngrok | Kasm Workspaces |
Why pick each one
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
Choose Webtop if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is localtunnel or Webtop better?
Neither is universally better. localtunnel has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are localtunnel and Webtop free and open-source?
Yes. localtunnel is licensed under MIT and Webtop under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run localtunnel and Webtop with Docker?
localtunnel: yes. Webtop: yes.