SixterSixter vs Cloudflare Tunnel
Both let you expose a local or private service to the internet without opening firewall ports. Cloudflare Tunnel (cloudflared) routes traffic through Cloudflare's network; Sixter is a standalone tunnel + deployment platform you can self‑host.
This comparison aims to be factual and fair. Cloudflare Tunnel is a robust, free product tightly integrated with Cloudflare's network and Zero Trust suite.
At a glance
| Capability | Sixter | Cloudflare Tunnel |
|---|---|---|
| Expose local/private services | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic HTTPS | Yes | Yes |
| Requires a specific DNS provider | No (any DNS) | Domain on Cloudflare |
| Project deployment (build & run) | Yes | No |
| Global edge network / DDoS scale | Single gateway you run | Cloudflare's global network |
| Built‑in WAF at your gateway | Yes | Yes (Cloudflare WAF) |
| Self‑hosted control plane | Yes | No (Cloudflare‑managed) |
| Team review‑then‑deploy workflow | Yes | No |
When Cloudflare Tunnel is the better fit
If your domain is already on Cloudflare, you want its global anycast network and DDoS scale, and you're using Cloudflare Zero Trust for access control, Cloudflare Tunnel integrates seamlessly and is free.
When Sixter is the better fit
Choose Sixter if you want tunneling and deployment in one tool, you don't want to move DNS to a specific provider, you want to self‑host the gateway, or you need a developer push → lead‑deploy team workflow.
Try Sixter
sixter login
sixter tunnel -port 8080