hostclocaltunnel alternative: hostc vs localtunnel
localtunnel and hostc start the same way: one npx command and no sign-up. hostc is built around dev servers, with hot reload, Host and Origin rewriting, and URLs that survive a network drop.
| hostc | localtunnel | |
|---|---|---|
| Install | Nothing beyond Node.js | Nothing beyond Node.js |
| Account | None | None mentioned |
| URL | New on every start, kept across reconnects | Random; you can ask for a subdomain |
| What visitors see | Your app, with no page in front | Not stated in its README |
| Traffic | HTTP, WebSocket, Server-Sent Events | WebSockets not stated in its README |
| Limits | 256 requests at once, 1024 waiting, no monthly quota | Not stated in its README |
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 localtunnel is the better choice
- You want to request a specific subdomain.
- You already run its open source server.
Try hostc
npx hostc@latest 3000