btunnel is a low-cost reverse-proxy tool for exposing localhost to the internet over HTTPS. See its features, pricing, and how it compares to alternatives.
At its core, btunnel solves the same problem ngrok and similar tools were built for: making something that only exists on your local machine reachable from the public internet, instantly and without infrastructure setup. You run the btunnel command-line binary, point it at a local port, and it hands back a public, HTTPS-secured URL that proxies traffic to your machine. This is a staple workflow for developers who need to test how a third-party service, such as a payment provider's webhook or a chat platform's callback, interacts with code that is still running locally rather than deployed anywhere.
Beyond the basic tunnel, btunnel adds a few conveniences aimed at making it more of a complete quick-sharing tool rather than pure infrastructure plumbing: a built-in file server for exposing a local directory without standing up a separate static file server, support for custom request and response headers for more advanced testing scenarios, and a real-time web UI for inspecting the requests flowing through the tunnel, which is useful for debugging exactly what a webhook payload or client request actually contains.
btunnel markets itself directly against the higher price points of more established tunneling services, positioning its 4.2-dollar paid plan as a significantly cheaper alternative for developers who need the paid-tier features (no session timeout, no interstitial page, TCP tunnel support, and multiple custom subdomains) without paying for a larger, more full-featured platform they may not need. For solo developers, freelancers, and small teams whose needs are limited to occasional webhook testing or quick local demos, that lower price point can be a reasonable trade-off.
It is worth noting plainly that btunnel is a small and comparatively obscure product relative to established players in the tunneling space. Public information about the company behind it is thin: it appears to have launched around 2023, is associated in some third-party directories with Bangalore, India, but detailed, well-corroborated information about its founders, team size, or funding is not readily available. Prospective users, especially teams considering it for anything beyond casual or personal use, should verify current uptime, support responsiveness, and terms of service directly on btunnel's own site before relying on it for anything business-critical.
btunnel is used to expose a local server, app, or file directory running on your own computer to the public internet through a secure HTTPS URL, commonly for testing webhooks, demoing in-progress work, or quick file sharing.
Yes, btunnel offers a free plan that includes HTTPS tunnels, the file server, basic auth, and the web monitoring UI, but with a 2-hour session timeout and an interstitial page shown to visitors.
btunnel's paid plan is priced at approximately 4.2 dollars per month and removes the session timeout and interstitial page, while adding TCP tunnel support and up to 10 custom subdomains.
btunnel serves the same core purpose as ngrok, tunneling local servers to the public internet, but positions itself as a lower-cost alternative with a built-in file server as a distinguishing convenience feature.
btunnel supports both HTTP tunnels and TCP tunnels at any local port, though TCP tunneling is limited to the paid plan.
Yes, btunnel includes basic authentication support, allowing you to require a username and password before visitors can access your tunneled content.
Public information about the company behind btunnel is limited. It appears to be a small, independently run product that launched around 2023, with some third-party listings associating it with Bangalore, India, though this is not extensively corroborated.
btunnel is best suited for development, testing, and temporary sharing use cases such as webhook testing or client demos, rather than as a long-term production hosting solution, given its small team and limited public track record.