Localhost sharing tools: MyShare and tunnel alternatives
Choose a sharing tool around what your visitors need: a webpage, an HTTP API, access to a private team network, or a TCP connection. Then choose how you want to start it: a browser interface or the command line.
Checked 2026-09-16 against the linked official documentation. This compares common quickstart workflows, without price, speed or reliability rankings.
Setup and access
| Tool | Owner setup | Visitor access |
|---|---|---|
| MyShare | Paste a URL or select HTML files in your browser. Free sharing needs verification but no account. Extension optional. | Public link with a temporary passcode for webpages or HTTP APIs. No visitor account or extension. Guide |
| ngrok | The standard quickstart requires its Agent CLI, an account and an auth token. | Public forwarding to local services, with configurable authentication, traffic policies and request inspection. Quickstart · Features |
| Cloudflare Quick Tunnels | Run cloudflared. Quick mode requires no Cloudflare account or domain. | Random public trycloudflare.com URL while the process runs. Intended for development; currently no SSE support. Quick Tunnels · Account and lifetime |
| localtunnel | Use its Node.js command-line client. The official quickstart has no registration step. | Public HTTPS URL while the local client session runs. README · Usage |
| bore | Install its client; connect to bore.pub or your server. The public example has no registration step. | A remote TCP port. It does not automatically turn HTTP into HTTPS. Self-hosting supported. README |
| Tailscale | Install and sign in to its client. Funnel requires MagicDNS, HTTPS and policy permissions. | Serve: authorized tailnet devices. Funnel: public access; visitors need no Tailscale. Serve · Funnel · Account setup |
Choose for your task
- Prefer a browser workflow? MyShare shares selected HTML files or folders without starting a file server, alongside websites and HTTP APIs.
- Comfortable with commands? Explore the public tunnels above. Check ngrok for request inspection and authentication policies, or bore for TCP forwarding and self-hosting.
- Need private team access? Consider Tailscale Serve.
tailscale serve 3000is private;tailscale funnel 3000publishes publicly.
Check MyShare’s limits
Network targets are explicitly selected HTTP/HTTPS services on localhost, 127.0.0.1, [::1], or private IPv4 ranges 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12 and 192.168.0.0/16. Each share permits one main target and two additional approved targets. Internal hostnames, other IPv6, general TCP/UDP, SSH and database tunnels are unsupported.
Browser mode needs local-access permission, precise server CORS configuration and an open sharing tab. The extension requires address approval and can continue after that tab closes. Keep your computer, browser and source service online. HTML sharing needs no source server, but still needs your computer and browser. The share passcode does not replace application login; see compatibility for Cookie authentication and OAuth limits.
A fixed address or background process does not deploy local content to the cloud. These forwarding workflows still need the source online. MyShare duration and usage follow your plan; stopping a share closes access.
Start sharing ↗