We're thrilled to announce Web Tunnels — the newest addition to 25cent.cloud's ephemeral infrastructure platform. Create a secure, temporary public URL that routes traffic directly to your local development server. No agents to install, no port forwarding to configure, no DNS records to manage.

The Problem

Every developer has been there. You're building a web app on `localhost:3000` and need to:

  • Show it to a client during a video call
  • Test a Stripe webhook that needs a public URL
  • Let a teammate on another network test your API
  • Demo a prototype to stakeholders before deploying
Traditional solutions require installing agents (ngrok), configuring daemons (cloudflared), setting up SSH tunnels, or deploying to a staging server. All of these take time, create persistent infrastructure, and often cost $10+/month.

The 25cent.cloud Solution

With Web Tunnels, you:

  • Start your local server (any port, any framework)
  • Click "Create Tunnel" in your dashboard
  • Get an instant public URL like abc123.tunnel.25cent.cloud
  • Share it — anyone can access your local server
  • Tunnel auto-expires when the timer runs out

One-Click on Every Platform

  • Mac & Linux: Literally one click in the browser — nothing to download
  • Windows: A tiny (~500KB) executable runs a single command — no installer, no PATH changes, no admin rights needed

Why Ephemeral Tunnels Matter

Persistent tunnels are a security risk. They create permanent entry points into your local network that can be exploited if forgotten. 25cent.cloud tunnels are ephemeral by design:

  • They auto-expire after the time you've paid for
  • No DNS records persist after expiry
  • No agents remain running on your machine
  • Each tunnel gets a unique, random subdomain

Powered by Cloudflare

All tunnel traffic flows through Cloudflare's global network, giving you:

  • DDoS protection — enterprise-grade protection at no extra cost
  • SSL encryption — automatic HTTPS on every tunnel
  • Global CDN — low latency from anywhere in the world
  • Zero trust — no direct connection to your machine

Pricing

1 quarter per hour (25¢/hour). No monthly fees. No per-seat licensing. No bandwidth limits. Use it for 10 minutes or 10 hours — you only pay for what you use.

Compare that to ngrok at $10/month or $8/month for a static domain. If you only need tunnels occasionally, 25cent.cloud saves you hundreds per year.

Use Cases

For Developers

  • Webhook testing (Stripe, GitHub, Slack, Twilio)
  • API development with distributed teams
  • Mobile app testing against a local backend
  • CI/CD pipeline debugging

For Freelancers & Agencies

  • Client demos without deploying
  • Progress reviews during development
  • Quick prototyping sessions

For IoT & Home Lab

  • Temporary access to home automation dashboards
  • Remote monitoring of local devices
  • Sharing Raspberry Pi projects

Getting Started

Web Tunnels are available now for all 25cent.cloud accounts. Sign up free and create your first tunnel from the dashboard. Need API access? Check out our Web Tunnels documentation.