Share localhost

Share your local dev server with a client or teammate.

Preview a design on a phone, walk a client through a WIP feature, or pair on a branch without deploying. One command gives a public HTTPS URL for anything on localhost.

How it works

  1. 1

    Install rustunnel

    Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows (via package managers or binaries).

    brew install rustunnel
  2. 2

    Expose your dev server

    Run next to npm run dev / vite / rails s — no app config required.

    rustunnel http 3000 --subdomain client-preview
  3. 3

    Send the URL

    Share https://client-preview.eu.edge.rustunnel.com. When the review is done, Ctrl+C closes the tunnel — nothing left running in the cloud.

Why rustunnel

  • No staging deploy for a five-minute review

    Skip CI, env drift, and half-baked preview environments when all you need is eyes on the current branch.

  • Phone and tablet testing

    Open the public URL on real devices — responsive layouts, camera APIs, and touch gestures without USB debugging.

  • Open source and self-hostable

    Keep demos on your own edge when client data can't touch a third-party SaaS.

Pricing that matches how you work

Demos shouldn't cost a full SaaS seat. Pay for traffic only — idle time is free.

Quick start: brew install rustunnel

Create a free account

FAQ

How do I share a local dev server with a client?+

Run rustunnel http <port> and send them the public HTTPS URL. They open it in a browser — no VPN, no account required on their side.

How do I expose localhost to the internet securely?+

rustunnel terminates TLS at the edge and forwards to localhost over an encrypted client connection. Prefer short-lived tunnels and stable subdomains only while the review is active.

Does the client need to install anything?+

No. They only need a browser. You run the tunnel on your machine; they visit the public URL.

Can I password-protect a shared preview?+

Put basic auth or your app's login in front of the local server — rustunnel forwards the full HTTP session. For private networks, self-host and restrict who can reach the edge.