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Cloudflare Tunnel vs LocaltoNet for local dev site + simple login
I already have LocaltoNet working for a local web app, so this is mostly about whether it's worth switching before I automate around it. The main thing I need is a lightweight gate for a handful of testers because the app itself has no auth, plus ideally not turning custom domain setup into a side quest.
If you've used both, which one is less annoying day to day for temporary sharing? I'm mostly comparing setup friction, custom domain handling, and whether Cloudflare's access layer is actually cleaner than bolting password protection onto the tunnel itself.
Comments (4)
I ended up preferring Cloudflare Tunnel once I needed even a basic sign-in screen, mostly because Access felt less hacky than trying to stick protection in front of the app myself. The only part that made me hesitate was DNS and domain stuff, so if you already have a domain on Cloudflare it's probably a much easier choice, if not I'd honestly factor that in a lot.
Cloudflare Tunnel was less hassle for me once I had to add and remove testers, because Access policies are way cleaner to manage than a single shared password. If your list of people changes even a little, that alone made it feel more worth it than the tunnel part itself.
If it's truly temporary, I'd stick with LocaltoNet unless you already run your domain through Cloudflare, because the extra moving parts around Tunnel/Access only pay off once this stops being a one-off. For a few testers over a short stretch, less platform setup usually wins imo, the cleaner auth screen is nice but I wouldnt switch just for that.
If you want a custom domain without fiddling, stay where you are unless your DNS is already in Cloudflare, that was the bit that turned a quick share into an evening project for me. For short-lived tester access I found the tunnel itself fine either way, but the domain side is what decides whether it feels lightweight or not.
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