LocalXpose

LocalXpose is a reverse proxy for exposing localhost services to the public internet through secure tunnels. It is best suited to designers, engineers, testers, and operators who need to share or inspect a local service; its broad protocol support is useful, but the free plan’s tunnel and time limits constrain ongoing use.

Overview

LocalXpose covers both quick previews and more involved tunnel workflows. HTTP and HTTPS tunnels support WebSockets, while TCP, TLS, and UDP extend it to services beyond browser-based previews. Users can work from the command line or a graphical interface, including a desktop app for sharing previews.

Security controls include TLS 1.2+ encryption at the tunnel host, scoped access tokens, configurable IP allow lists, and authentication plugins. The maker also says traffic controls are included on all plans: basic and key authentication, rate limiting, IP whitelisting, header editing, and a built-in file server. These controls make the free entry point more capable than its narrow tunnel allowance suggests, though time limits and an interstitial warning page make it less suitable for uninterrupted sharing.

Key features

Traffic inspection and control

LocalXpose can log HTTP, TCP, and UDP traffic in real time, and inspect, modify, and replay webhook payloads. That gives developers and testers a way to examine requests and reproduce webhook behavior, rather than merely forwarding traffic. Rate limiting, authentication, allow lists, and request and response header editing add useful control over exposed services.

Domains and integrations

Custom and wildcard domains, along with automatic Let's Encrypt certificates for custom domains, support more polished or repeatable endpoints. CLI use in CI pipelines, Docker containers, and scripts makes the product relevant to automated workflows as well as manual previews; the maker also offers a GitHub Actions resource.

Pricing

Starter

Starter is free, billed at $0, and includes two active HTTP or HTTPS tunnels, SSL/TLS encryption, and unique subdomains. Time limits and an interstitial warning page are important trade-offs: it fits personal and light commercial sharing, but not a persistent multi-tunnel setup. It does not include the paid plan’s published TCP, TLS, or UDP tunnel allowance.

PRO

PRO costs $8 a month, billed annually at $96/yr. It raises the allowance to 10 tunnels and includes HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, TLS, and UDP tunneling, custom subdomains and domains, wildcard tunnels, automatic certificates, 24/7 availability, and unlimited bandwidth subject to the acceptable use policy. This is the clearer fit for regular development or testing workflows that need several protocols or stable custom endpoints. The annual billing term matters for anyone comparing it with a month-to-month budget.

Enterprise

Enterprise has custom pricing and adds an admin dashboard, dedicated capacity, fully managed deployments, log retention, premium support, user and token management, and volume discounts. Those capabilities suit organizations needing managed operation or administrative controls; the custom price makes it a different purchase decision from the fixed-price PRO plan. Business and enterprise plans also add priority ticketing, 24/7 incident response, and migration assistance.

Platforms

LocalXpose supports Linux, macOS, Windows, web, and self-hosted deployment. The combination of CLI and graphical interfaces gives teams options for scripted use or sharing previews through a desktop app.

Who it's for

Designers can share previews, while engineers and testers can expose local services and inspect or replay webhook traffic. Operators may value the protocol range and traffic controls. Starter is most appropriate for personal or light commercial use with brief HTTP or HTTPS sessions; PRO is a better match when tunnel capacity, protocol choice, custom domains, or availability matter. Organizations that need managed deployments, dedicated capacity, or user and token administration should consider Enterprise.

Pros and cons

• Pro: HTTP, HTTPS, WebSocket, TCP, TLS, and UDP support serve a wider range of local services than web previews alone.
• Pro: Real-time traffic logging and webhook inspection, modification, and replay are useful for debugging and testing.
• Pro: Authentication, rate limiting, IP controls, and header editing are included across plans, not reserved for paid tiers.
• Con: Starter allows only two active HTTP or HTTPS tunnels and imposes time limits and an interstitial warning page.
• Con: PRO's $8 monthly price is billed annually, and unlimited bandwidth remains subject to an acceptable use policy.

Alternatives

Browse reverse proxy software for more options in the category.

• freenginx is a free option for readers seeking a proxy with sources and documentation distributed under a 2-clause BSD-like license.
• ngrok is another freemium tunneling option, with a free plan that includes up to 3 online endpoints and up to 1GB data transfer.
• Pomerium is worth considering for readers whose needs align with its Personal Free allowance of 10 users, 10 routes, 5 policies, and 2 service accounts.
• Envoy Proxy is a free, open-source proxy that can be installed using Docker, macOS Homebrew, or a static binary.
• NGINX offers a free open-source option spanning web serving, reverse proxying, caching, load balancing, and TCP/UDP and mail proxying.
• Roslynator is another free software option.
• Traefik Proxy is a free open-source reverse proxy and ingress controller with service auto-discovery and load balancing.
• BunkerWeb is another free option.

Verdict

LocalXpose is a strong choice for developers and testers who need to expose local services across several protocols and want traffic inspection and controls in the same tool. Choose Starter for occasional, limited HTTP or HTTPS sharing; choose PRO when 10 tunnels, broader protocol support, or custom domains justify annual billing. Look elsewhere if the free plan’s time limits and warning page are a problem, or if you need a different proxy workflow.