Inlets vs ngrok: What are the differences?

Introduction: In this comparison, we will outline the key differences between Inlets and ngrok, two popular tools for exposing local services to the internet.

1. Ease of Use: Inlets requires more setup and configurations compared to ngrok, which offers a simpler and more user-friendly interface for tunneling services.

2. Self-hosting: Inlets allows users to self-host their own tunnel server, providing more control and flexibility over the tunneling process, while ngrok relies on their cloud service for tunneling.

3. Pricing: Inlets is open-source and free to use, making it a cost-effective option for those looking to tunnel services without any additional costs. On the other hand, ngrok offers different pricing tiers based on usage, which may be a consideration for users with high traffic volumes.

4. Protocol Support: Inlets supports TCP and UDP protocols for tunneling services, offering more versatility in the types of services that can be exposed. Ngrok, on the other hand, primarily focuses on HTTP and HTTPS protocols.

5. Custom Domain Support: Inlets provides the ability to use custom domains for accessing tunnel endpoints, offering a more personalized and branded experience for users. Ngrok, however, requires users to upgrade to a paid plan for custom subdomains.

6. Security: Inlets offers end-to-end encryption for tunneling traffic, enhancing security and privacy for users. Ngrok also provides a secure tunneling experience but lacks the ability for self-hosted servers, which may raise security concerns for some users.

In Summary, Inlets and ngrok differ in ease of use, self-hosting capabilities, pricing, protocol support, custom domain options, and security features.