What is the difference between Zed and ngrok?

Zed is best for Developers wanting a fast, collaborative code editor, while ngrok is best for Developers wanting to expose localhost to the internet. Zed starts at Free and ngrok starts at Free.

Is Zed or ngrok cheaper?

Zed starts at Free and is free. ngrok starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to ngrok?

Both Zed and ngrok offer free tiers.

Zed vs ngrok

Zed is high-performance, multiplayer code editor built in Rust with AI integration and real-time collaboration, while ngrok is secure tunnels to localhost for testing webhooks, sharing demos, and debugging. Zed is open source and can be self-hosted, giving you full control over your data. Zed is built for developers wanting a fast, collaborative code editor, whereas ngrok targets developers wanting to expose localhost to the internet.

At a glance

	Zed	ngrok
Best for	Developers wanting a fast, collaborative code editor	Developers wanting to expose localhost to the internet
Starting price	Free	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
AI Assist	✓	—
HTTPS	—	✓
Multiplayer	✓	—
Native Speed	✓	—
Traffic Inspection	—	✓
Tunnels	—	✓
Vim Mode	✓	—
Webhooks	—	✓

Zed

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Native Speed as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in developer tools

Try Zed → Full review

ngrok

Strengths

Includes Tunnels as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Includes HTTPS as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Free for 1 tunnel — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Established product with 13+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in developer tools
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try ngrok → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Zed and ngrok are free. You can try both without spending a dollar.

Feature gaps: Zed offers AI Assist, Multiplayer and Native Speed that ngrok lacks. ngrok brings HTTPS, Traffic Inspection and Tunnels that Zed does not have.

Team fit: Zed is geared toward small teams teams, while ngrok is aimed at individual users and small setups. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Open source: Zed is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. ngrok is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: Zed's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes native speed as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows. ngrok's biggest strengths are: includes tunnels as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows. includes https as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows.

Watch out for: With Zed, users commonly note that may lack some advanced features. With ngrok, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose Zed if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting a fast, collaborative code editor
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need AI Assist and Multiplayer
You care about includes native speed as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Your team size fits the small teams profile Zed is designed for

Choose ngrok if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting to expose localhost to the internet
You specifically need HTTPS and Traffic Inspection
You care about includes https as a core feature, purpose-built for developer tools workflows
Your team size fits the individuals profile ngrok is designed for
The free tier works for you: free for 1 tunnel