ngrok puts a local service on a public URL, with traffic tools such as a request inspector and policies. Paperboat does previews and permanent tunnels too, and it also gives you terminals, SSH, files and secrets on the same machines.
Checked against ngrok's own documentation and pricing, November 2026. Sources are listed under the table.
ngrok is built for one thing: getting traffic to a service. It doesn't give you a shell, files or secrets on the machine behind it.
Paperboat gives you the link and the machine: open a terminal on it, copy files to it, run a command, from your laptop or a browser.
$ ngrok http 3000$ pb preview 3000On ngrok, bringing your own domain starts at the Pay-as-you-go plan; Free has one development domain and Hobbyist ngrok-branded ones.
Paperboat tunnels take your own domains on every plan, including Free, with the DNS records shown for you and the certificate issued automatically.
$ ngrok http 3000 --url api.example.com$ pb tunnel route add api --name web --to http://127.0.0.1:3000 --wait
$ pb tunnel domain add api api.example.com --route webngrok's traffic inspector shows each request and lets you replay it; that is one of its strongest features.
Paperboat records requests on your own machine once you turn capture on, and lists and replays them from pb or the console, on every plan. ngrok's inspector is always on and keeps traffic for 24 to 72 hours depending on the plan, which is handier when you did not know you would need it.
ngrok plans add charges per user, per active domain hour and for data and requests beyond what is included.
Paperboat plans differ only in bandwidth through its relays and edges; previews, tunnels and domains have no separate charges, and direct traffic between your machines is free.
Every answer in the ngrok column carries a number that links to the page of theirs that says it. Put a second tool beside it
A shell on your machine that you can leave and come back to.
Run one command on another machine and get its output and exit code.
Use ssh and the tools built on it, without managing keys or opening ports.
Send a file to a machine without setting anything up.
The secrets your programs need, delivered to the machine that runs them.
The same settings on every machine, from a repository you control.
A public link to a port on your machine, for as long as you need it.
A public address for a service that stays the same.
Your machines reach each other's ports without exposing them.
Who could read your traffic on the way.
Working with other people, and deciding who may do what.
Which parts you can run on your own servers.
Where it runs.
How you pay, and what is free.
What each product does, from its own documentation, as of November 2026. “No” means its documentation describes no such feature. Found something out of date? The other product's page wins; tell us and we fix ours.
ngrok.com/pricing, November 2026
Yes: HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, HTTP/3 and WebSocket go through previews and tunnels.
Yes. A preview can be public, only for you, or for your team.
Public links are for web traffic (HTTP and WebSocket). For other protocols, your own machines reach each other's ports privately.
Install Paperboat here, then on a second machine. Free for personal use, no card needed.
$ curl -fsSL https://get.pprbt.dev/install | bash > irm https://get.pprbt.dev/install.ps1 | iex