Troubleshooting & Fixes• 3 min read
Free Ngrok & Expose Alternative for Laravel Webhook Testing
How to share local macOS sites with free public HTTPS URLs for Stripe webhooks and client reviews using Cloudflare Tunnels.
Tired of Ngrok Bandwidth Limits and Expose Pro Subscriptions?
Testing incoming webhooks (from Stripe, GitHub, Shopify, or Paddle) or sharing work-in-progress features with clients requires exposing your local development server to the public internet.
Historically, developers had to choose between:
- Ngrok: Constantly changing URLs, bandwidth throttling on free tiers, and expensive $8–$20/month subscriptions.
- Expose Pro: A recurring $59–$99/year subscription requirement in the Laravel ecosystem.
The Stratos Solution: Zero-Config Cloudflare Tunnels
Stratos includes a native Cloudflare Tunnel integration built right into the macOS menu bar and site management panels. With a single click, Stratos creates a secure, encrypted tunnel from Cloudflare's global edge network directly to your local Nginx site.
✨ Key Advantages of Stratos Cloudflare Tunnels:
- ✓ No Account Required: Uses Cloudflare's quick tunnel infrastructure (
*.trycloudflare.com). - ✓ Valid Global HTTPS: Trusted SSL certificates signed by Cloudflare CA—zero browser warnings on any mobile device.
- ✓ Perfect for Webhooks: Copy your live HTTPS tunnel URL directly into Stripe Dashboard or GitHub Webhook settings.
- ✓ Live Request Inspector: Watch incoming webhook payloads, HTTP headers, and JSON responses stream in real-time in Stratos.
How to Open a Live Tunnel in Stratos
- Open Stratos and click on your site.
- Click the Share / Tunnel toggle in the site header.
- Stratos initiates the secure tunnel and gives you a one-click copyable HTTPS link (e.g.,
https://alpha-beta-gamma.trycloudflare.com). - Paste the URL into your client's browser or webhook provider.
Free users get a daily preview tunnel session. Stratos Pro unlocks unlimited, persistent 24/7 tunnels for your entire team.