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ngrok alternative: HTTPS and TCP tunnels with no account

ngrok is the best-known way to put a local service on the internet. Consensus does the same core job (a public URL for something running on your machine) with one difference that matters for quick work: there is no account to create and no authtoken to install. Install the CLI, run one command, and share the URL.

Terminal window
npm install -g @canister-software/consensus-cli
consensus tunnel http localhost:3000
https://amber-otter.tunnel.canister.software → localhost:3000

Consensus vs ngrok at a glance

Section titled “Consensus vs ngrok at a glance”
Consensusngrok
Sign-up requiredNoYes (account + authtoken)
Public HTTPS URL for localhostYesYes
TCP tunnelsYes, on a shared port (details)Yes
Tunnel to other devices on your LANYesYes
Custom domainsNoYes, on paid plans
Auth in front of the tunnel (OAuth, IP rules)NoYes
Request inspectionLive dashboard in the terminal (macOS)Web inspector with replay
InfrastructureDecentralized network of independent nodesngrok’s managed global edge
PriceFree during the public betaFree plan with limits; paid plans

When Consensus is the better fit

Section titled “When Consensus is the better fit”
  • You want a URL in ten seconds without signing up. Demos, quick sharing, testing on a phone, or showing a client work in progress.
  • You’re receiving webhooks on your laptop. Point Stripe, GitHub, or any other service at your tunnel URL while you develop.
  • You need to reach a device on your network. A Raspberry Pi, camera, or MQTT broker, with consensus tunnel http 192.168.1.101:8080 or a TCP tunnel.
  • You can’t open ports. The tunnel is an outbound connection, so routers, NAT, and firewalls don’t need changes.
  • You’re building with x402. The same CLI and SDK also give you proxying, static IPs, and metered WebSockets paid per use, without accounts.

When ngrok is the better fit

Section titled “When ngrok is the better fit”

Be honest with yourself about these. If you need any of them today, use ngrok:

  • a custom domain or a reserved, permanent URL;
  • authentication, IP restrictions, or other policies in front of the tunnel;
  • a web inspector with request replay;
  • an enterprise SLA and support contract.

Consensus tunnels are new, in public beta, and focused on the simple case.

Switching from ngrok

Section titled “Switching from ngrok”
ngrokConsensus
ngrok http 3000consensus tunnel http localhost:3000
ngrok http 192.168.1.10:8080consensus tunnel http 192.168.1.10:8080
ngrok tcp 1883consensus tunnel tcp localhost:1883

TCP works a little differently: all Consensus TCP tunnels share tcp.tunnel.canister.software:20000, and a client sends the tunnel’s name as its first line. See Open a TCP tunnel.

FAQ

Section titled “FAQ”

Is there a free ngrok alternative with no sign-up? Yes. Consensus tunnels need no account, no email, and no authtoken, and they’re free during the public beta.

Does it support HTTPS? Yes. Every HTTP tunnel gets a public https:// URL. TLS is handled for you, so your local server can stay plain HTTP.

Do I need to open a port on my router? No. The CLI opens an outbound connection to the network, and traffic comes back down it.

Can I keep the same URL? A tunnel keeps its URL while it’s open. Reserved or custom domains aren’t supported yet.

What does the CLI need? The consensus command runs on Bun. See CLI setup.

Next steps

Section titled “Next steps”