hostcCloudflare Tunnel alternative: hostc vs Cloudflare Tunnel
hostc runs on Cloudflare too, but does a narrower job. Compared with a Quick Tunnel, it needs no binary, carries Server-Sent Events and works with dev servers as they are. A named Cloudflare Tunnel is a different tool, made for production.
| hostc | Cloudflare Tunnel | |
|---|---|---|
| Install | Nothing beyond Node.js | cloudflared |
| Account | None | None for a Quick Tunnel |
| URL | New on every start, kept across reconnects | New for every Quick Tunnel |
| What visitors see | Your app, with no page in front | Your app; an email check is optional |
| Traffic | HTTP, WebSocket, Server-Sent Events | HTTP; no Server-Sent Events |
| Limits | 256 requests at once, 1024 waiting, no monthly quota | 200 requests in flight, no uptime guarantee |
From each product's documentation on 2026-11-06. Products change, so check theirs before you decide.
When hostc is the better choice
- You want a public link to a dev server in seconds, on any machine with Node.js.
- You share with people or services that shouldn't need an account or a click-through.
- You use hot reload, WebSockets or Server-Sent Events.
When Cloudflare Tunnel is the better choice
- It is production: use a named tunnel with your own hostname.
- You need to limit who can open the link. Quick Tunnels offer an email allowlist, and hostc has no access control.
Try hostc
npx hostc@latest 3000