Cloudflare Tunnel securely exposes local services to the internet without opening firewall ports. Create outbound-only connections from your origin to Cloudflare's network. Access internal applications, development servers, and self-hosted services from anywhere. No public IPs needed. Features include access policies, authentication, and load balancing. The secure way to put anything on the internet without exposing your infrastructure.

Available on: Web

Louis Corneloup Updated Jul 20, 2026 · how we evaluate Source developers.cloudflare.com ↗

Ratings Across the Web

3 (2,039 reviews)

Cloudflare Tunnel holds an aggregate rating of 3 out of 5 from 2,039 reviews across SourceForge, G2 and Trustpilot, last checked September 17, 2026.

SourceForge 1 reviews

5/5

G2 723 reviews

4.5/5

Trustpilot 1,315 reviews

1.5/5

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Expose local services to internet without port forwarding
Encrypted tunnels with automatic TLS certificates
Zero Trust access control integration
Works behind NAT and firewalls
Built-in DDoS protection
Free tier for personal and hobby projects

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Oct 3, 2026

Cloudflare Tunnel plans and prices, checked October 2026
Plan	Price	Details
Free	$0	Up to 50 users 50 user limit Core access control Identity provider auth +3 more Show less Device posture integration 24-hour log retention Community & Discord support
Pay-as-you-go Popular	$7/user/month	Billed annually Unlimited users All free features Chat & ticket support +2 more Show less 30-day log retention Professional services add-on
Contract	Custom	Enterprise SASE Custom pricing per user 6-month log retention Logpush capability +2 more Show less Dedicated support Full SASE deployment

Calculate your cost View full pricing

Is Cloudflare Tunnel worth the price?

Great value

Cloudflare Tunnel is completely free with no usage limits - one of the best values in secure tunneling.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Zero Trust features cost $7/user

Full Cloudflare Tunnel pricing: every plan, hidden costs and alternatives

Reviews

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3.0/5

Across 2,039 verified user reviews on Trustpilot, G2, SourceForge

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Best Cloudflare Tunnel Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

Perimeter 81 Paid

Zero Trust Network Access platform for secure remote access to cloud and on-premises resources.

4.6

NordLayer Paid

Enterprise-grade network security deployed in minutes.

4.4

Tailscale Freemium

Securely connect your devices like they're on the same network, anywhere

4.8

ngrok Freemium

Expose local servers to the internet for testing and development

3.6

LocalTunnel Free

Expose your local web service to the world with a public URL.

See all cloud & infrastructure tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

Cloudflare Tunnel vs Perimeter 81 Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Cloudflare Tunnel vs NordLayer Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Cloudflare Tunnel vs Tailscale Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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Cloudflare Tunnel FAQ

How does Cloudflare Tunnel enhance security for local services?

Cloudflare Tunnel enhances security by allowing local services to be exposed to the internet without opening firewall ports. It creates outbound-only connections from your origin to Cloudflare's network, meaning no public IP addresses are needed for your infrastructure. This approach helps protect internal applications and development servers.

Which teams benefit most from using Cloudflare Tunnel?

DevOps teams and those managing cloud and infrastructure will find Cloudflare Tunnel particularly beneficial. It provides a secure method to expose development servers and self-hosted services, streamlining access for authorized users. Teams focused on security also benefit from its ability to put anything on the internet without exposing underlying infrastructure.

How is Cloudflare Tunnel priced?

Cloudflare Tunnel is available on a free tier, which is generous for personal use. For users requiring more extensive usage and additional features, paid plans are available to accommodate those needs.

Can Cloudflare Tunnel be used to access internal applications remotely?

Yes, Cloudflare Tunnel allows users to access internal applications, development servers, and self-hosted services from anywhere. It achieves this by securely exposing these local services to the internet through outbound-only connections to Cloudflare's network.

What kind of trade-offs should users consider when implementing Cloudflare Tunnel?

Users should consider that Cloudflare Tunnel may add latency compared to direct connections due to its architecture. Additionally, its functionality is dependent on Cloudflare's infrastructure, and advanced use cases might require complex configuration. The free tier also has limited bandwidth.

How does Cloudflare Tunnel compare to ngrok for exposing local services?

Cloudflare Tunnel, unlike ngrok, integrates directly with Cloudflare Zero Trust and provides automatic HTTPS with valid certificates. It focuses on creating outbound-only connections from your origin to Cloudflare's network, eliminating the need to open firewall ports. Cloudflare Tunnel also requires your domain to be on Cloudflare DNS.

Source: developers.cloudflare.com

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