# Rathole

> Rathole is a free, open-source app you can self-host in the proxy & VPN category. Secure, high-performance reverse proxy for NAT traversal written in Rust. It has 14,296 GitHub stars, is released under the Apache-2.0 license and ships a Docker image. It is a self-hosted alternative to ngrok.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole |
| GitHub stars | 14,296 |
| Forks | 842 |
| Open issues | 77 |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| License type | Open source |
| Language | Rust |
| Docker image | Yes |
| Platforms | Rust, Docker |
| Categories | Proxy & VPN |
| Commits, last 12 months | 1 |
| Last commit | Aug 23, 2026 |
| Latest release | v0.5.0 (Oct 1, 2023) |
| Created | Dec 14, 2021 |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained |
| Archived | No |

Topics: nat, tunnel, rust, network, firewall, frp, http, proxy, noise, noise-protocol

## Install

Rathole ships a Docker image; follow the README at https://github.com/rathole-org/rathole for the image name and environment variables.

Need it installed for you? [appsgit installation help](https://appsgit.com/services/install): a fixed quote by email, single app installs from $79.

## Rathole replaces

- [ngrok alternatives](https://appsgit.com/alternatives/ngrok): A tunneling service that exposes local servers to the internet.

## Similar apps in Proxy & VPN

- [frp](https://appsgit.com/apps/frp): Fast reverse proxy that exposes local servers behind NAT to the internet. (109,755 stars, Apache-2.0, Go, Docker)
- [Headscale](https://appsgit.com/apps/headscale): Open-source, self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control server. (44,378 stars, BSD-3-Clause, Go, Docker)
- [NetBird](https://appsgit.com/apps/netbird): Zero-config WireGuard-based mesh VPN and secure network access platform. (29,768 stars, BSD-3-Clause / AGPL-3.0, Go, Docker)
- [wg-easy](https://appsgit.com/apps/wg-easy): The easiest way to run WireGuard VPN with a web UI. (27,070 stars, AGPL-3.0, TypeScript, Docker)
- [imgproxy](https://appsgit.com/apps/imgproxy): Fast and secure standalone server for resizing and converting remote images. (11,108 stars, Apache-2.0, Go, Docker)
- [Outline Server](https://appsgit.com/apps/outline-server): A proxy server that runs a Shadowsocks instance for each access key and a REST API to manage the access keys. (6,257 stars, Apache-2.0, TypeScript, Docker)
- [Tinyproxy](https://appsgit.com/apps/tinyproxy): Light-weight HTTP/HTTPS proxy daemon. (6,017 stars, GPL-2.0, C)
- [sish](https://appsgit.com/apps/sish): HTTP(S)/WS(S)/TCP tunnels to localhost using only SSH (serveo/ngrok alternative). (4,786 stars, MIT, Go, Docker)

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