ngrok

Freemium

ngrok.com

Unified ingress and tunneling platform delivering secure public endpoints to local developer environments and private networks.

About ngrok

ngrok is an essential developer platform that provides instant, secure public URLs to web services running on local development machines or private network environments. By eliminating the friction of port forwarding, dynamic DNS configuration, and firewall modifications, ngrok allows developers to test webhooks, demo work, and debug microservices in seconds.

Beyond basic tunneling, modern ngrok functions as a global ingress platform equipped with built-in authentication, load balancing, automated TLS certificate provisioning, and traffic inspection. The platform features an interactive web console that logs every inbound HTTP request, allowing developers to inspect headers, review payloads, and replay failed webhook deliveries with a single click.

ngrok runs via a lightweight CLI client on macOS, Windows, Linux, and Docker, backed by an anycast edge network deployed across global datacenters. It offers a free tier with static domains and unlimited tunnels, alongside paid tiers with custom domains, IP whitelisting, and enterprise single sign-on.

Key Features

Core capabilities and technical highlights of ngrok

Instant secure tunneling establishing global public HTTPS and TCP endpoints for local localhost ports.

Built-in web inspection console showing real-time request and response headers with instant replay capability.

Zero-code edge authentication supporting OAuth providers, SAML SSO, and basic HTTP authentication.

Global edge ingress network providing automated TLS termination, DDoS mitigation, and low-latency anycast routing.

Popular Use Cases

How teams, developers, and creators get value from ngrok

1Expose a local development server running on localhost to the public internet to receive and debug Stripe webhooks.

2Share a working frontend preview running on a local workstation directly with remote team members and clients.

3Add instant OAuth authentication via Google or GitHub to a local staging service without modifying application code.

4Inspect and replay incoming HTTP requests using the embedded local web debugging console during API testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and answers regarding ngrok

Is ngrok free to use?

Yes, ngrok offers a free tier that includes one free static domain, unlimited bandwidth, and full access to basic HTTP/TCP tunneling.

How does ngrok work?

ngrok creates a secure encrypted tunnel between a local machine and ngrok's cloud edge servers, routing public internet traffic directly to the local port.

Can ngrok be used to debug webhooks?

Yes, ngrok is the standard tool for testing webhooks from providers like Stripe, GitHub, and Shopify, allowing developers to inspect payloads locally.

Does ngrok support custom domains?

Yes, paid plans allow developers to use their own custom branded domain names with automated SSL certificates.

Can ngrok protect tunnels with authentication?

Yes, ngrok allows developers to restrict tunnel access with Google/GitHub OAuth, basic auth, or enterprise SAML without writing code.