localtunnel vs zrok
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
zrok
Open-source sharing platform built on OpenZiti
| Feature | localtunnel | zrok |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 52 · Fair | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,486 | ★ 4,720 |
| First released | 2015 | 2022 |
| Replaces | ngrok | ngrok |
What are localtunnel and zrok?
localtunnel
localtunnel exposes a local web server through a public URL without configuring DNS or firewalls. The server component is open source and can be self-hosted.
- Public URL for localhost
- Self-hostable server
- No DNS configuration
- Useful for webhooks
zrok
zrok is an open-source peer-to-peer sharing platform built on the OpenZiti zero-trust network. It lets you share local web servers, files, and TCP services with public or private access.
- Public and private sharing
- Built on OpenZiti
- Self-hostable instances
- Frontend for web and TCP
localtunnel vs zrok: key differences
Localtunnel is written in JavaScript, while zrok is built with Go. Licensing differs — MIT for localtunnel versus Apache-2.0 for zrok. Localtunnel is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for zrok. Localtunnel is the more established project (first released 2015), while zrok arrived in 2022. Localtunnel has the considerably larger community, at 22,486 GitHub stars versus 4,720.
Why pick each one
Choose localtunnel if…
- Zero configuration
- Free public URLs
- Self-hostable server
Watch out for
- Public server unreliable
- Limited security controls
Choose zrok if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is localtunnel or zrok better?
localtunnel is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider zrok if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are localtunnel and zrok free and open-source?
Yes. localtunnel is licensed under MIT and zrok under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run localtunnel and zrok with Docker?
localtunnel: yes. zrok: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, localtunnel or zrok?
localtunnel has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for zrok. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.