Top Burrow.io Alternatives for Secure Tunnels and Localhost Exposure
Burrow.io provides a robust solution for forwarding traffic through secure tunnels, allowing you to expose local services without complex NAT or port forwarding configurations. Its features like HTTP and TCP tunnels, custom domains, SSL, and security groups make it a powerful tool for developers and businesses alike. However, for various reasons—be it pricing, specific features, or platform compatibility—you might be looking for a reliable Burrow.io alternative. This article dives into some of the best alternatives available, helping you find the perfect fit for your tunneling and localhost exposure needs.
Top Burrow.io Alternatives
Whether you're seeking a free, open-source, self-hosted, or a feature-rich commercial solution, there's a Burrow.io alternative that can meet your requirements. Let's explore some of the top contenders.
ngrok
ngrok is a highly popular Freemium service that exposes local servers behind NATs and firewalls to the public internet over secure tunnels. It's a fantastic Burrow.io alternative due to its simplicity and broad platform support (Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD, FreeBSD). Its Lightweight and Networking features make it a go-to for many developers needing quick local server exposure.
ZEIT Now
ZEIT Now (now Vercel) is a powerful serverless platform that allows you to deploy applications with just one command. While primarily a deployment platform, its capabilities to expose applications make it a viable Burrow.io alternative for those seeking serverless deployment with public accessibility. It's Freemium and supports Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web platforms.
Pagekite
Pagekite is an Open Source, Freemium software that brings your localhost servers online, making them globally visible. It's a strong Burrow.io alternative for its comprehensive platform support (Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, BSD) and its focus on Networking and Web Server features, allowing any computer to expose local services.
Portmap.io
Portmap.io offers a port forwarding service for exposing your local PC to the internet from behind a firewall or without a real IP address. It's a Freemium Burrow.io alternative that utilizes OpenVPN or SSH encrypted tunnels, making it secure. Key features include No installation, OpenVPN, Port Forwarding, and a REST API, available on Mac, Windows, and Linux.
sish
sish is an Open Source, Free, and Self-Hosted alternative to services like ngrok and Burrow.io. It provides HTTP(S)/WS(S)/TCP Tunnels to localhost using only SSH, offering Raw TCP and SSH tunneling capabilities. If you prefer a self-hosted and highly customizable solution, sish is an excellent choice.
Packetriot
Packetriot simplifies exposing local and private network services to the Internet. As a Freemium and Self-Hosted Burrow.io alternative, it offers features like Support for Let's Encrypt, End-to-End Encryption, Port Forwarding, Bypass Firewall, and HTTPS Support. It runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux, making it versatile for various web hosting and monitoring needs.
Yaler
Yaler provides secure remote Web and SSH access to embedded systems behind firewalls, NATs, or mobile network routers. It's a Commercial and Open Source Burrow.io alternative with Embeddable, Networking, SSH, and Ssh tunnel features. It supports Mac, Windows, and Linux, making it suitable for IoT and embedded development.
Webhook Relay
Webhook Relay is a Freemium service designed to forward webhooks to localhost and expose servers behind firewalls and NATs without public IP/domain. This makes it a strong Burrow.io alternative, especially for developers working with webhooks. It features Custom domain, Dockerized, Port Forwarding, Security focused, and Serverless capabilities, available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Raspberry Pi.
inlets
inlets is a Free, Open Source, and Self-Hosted Cloud Native Tunnel that connects HTTP and TCP services between networks securely. It's a great Burrow.io alternative for users who need a robust, self-hosted solution that can penetrate firewalls and NATs via an encrypted websocket. Its focus on Kubernetes and Tunneling makes it ideal for modern cloud-native environments.
StaqLab Tunnel
StaqLab Tunnel is a Free Software as a Service (SaaS) that exposes ports on your localhost to the public internet, providing a public URL for your local server. It's a solid Burrow.io alternative that supports Mac, Windows, and Linux, offering features like WebHook Integration, Debugger, Intercepting HTTP calls, Port Forwarding, and Unlimited custom domains.
Choosing the right Burrow.io alternative depends on your specific needs, whether you prioritize cost, open-source availability, specific features like custom domains or security groups, or platform compatibility. We encourage you to explore these options further to find the best fit for your projects.