Best Playit.gg Alternatives in 2026

Playit.gg is one of the most popular ways to host a game server without port forwarding. But if you're looking for a Playit.gg alternative in 2026, there are now several options depending on whether you need public game hosting, generic TCP/UDP tunnels, private networking, or developer tools.

One important change is that generic TCP is no longer available to Playit Free users. TCP + UDP tunnels, SSH, HTTPS, regional tunnels, and other features also require Playit Premium.

This matters especially for FiveM, BeamMP, custom game servers, and applications that don't fit into one of Playit's supported Free presets.

In this guide, we'll compare Portwarp, Tailscale, Localtonet, Pinggy, ngrok, Cloudflare Tunnel, and ZeroTier.

Updated September 2026: Features and pricing were checked against current provider information. This article is published by Portwarp, so we've also included Portwarp's limitations where relevant.

Quick answer

If you want a Playit.gg alternative specifically for public game servers without port forwarding, Portwarp is one of the closest options.

Portwarp Free includes:

• Generic TCP
• UDP
• TCP + UDP services
• HTTP tunnels
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Free network regions
• Firewall rules
• Traffic history
• No credit card required

Unlike the current Playit Free plan, you don't need to upgrade just because your application requires generic TCP.

Try Portwarp free

What changed with Playit.gg Free?

Playit still has a useful Free plan, especially for supported games such as Minecraft.

However, several features now require Premium:

• Generic TCP
• TCP + UDP
• SSH
• HTTPS
• Regional tunnels
• External domains
• Additional ports
• Additional agents

Playit's own FiveM and BeamMP documentation also indicates that the required TCP + UDP tunnels require Premium.

If your game has a supported Free preset, Playit may still work perfectly well. The difference becomes more noticeable when you need a general-purpose tunnel.

Playit.gg Free vs Portwarp Free

1. Portwarp

Best for public game servers and general TCP/UDP tunnels

Portwarp lets you expose a local service through a public endpoint without configuring your router.

For example:

Your game server
127.0.0.1:25565
        ↓
Portwarp
        ↓
Public address
        ↓
Players

Because Portwarp creates an outbound connection, it can work behind CGNAT and networks where traditional port forwarding isn't available.

Portwarp Free

The Free plan includes:

• 1 active tunnel
• 2 extra ports
• TCP
• UDP
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Free regions
• Firewall rules
• Traffic history

The main advantage for Playit users is simple: generic TCP and UDP are available without PRO.

That makes Portwarp useful for Minecraft, FiveM, BeamMP, Rust, ARK, Valheim, Factorio, custom game servers, APIs, and other TCP/UDP applications.

Portwarp PRO

Portwarp PRO starts at $2.99/month and includes:

• Up to 32 active tunnels
• Up to 10 extra ports per tunnel
• All PRO regions
• Custom domains
• GeoIP controls
• Connection analytics
• 90-day traffic history
• Multi-device management
• Remote Control
• Public API
• Priority support

Remote Control

Remote Control is available with PRO and Teams and lets you control your Portwarp devices and tunnels from anywhere.

You can manage connected devices, start or stop tunnels, and control remote servers without needing direct access to the machine running Portwarp.

It's especially useful for home servers, remote PCs, VPS deployments, and machines you don't always have physical access to.

Public API

PRO and Teams also include access to the Portwarp Public API.

You can use it to automate tunnel management, integrate Portwarp into your own dashboard, build deployment workflows, and manage infrastructure programmatically.

For developers, hosting providers, and teams, this makes Portwarp useful beyond manual tunnel management.

See Portwarp pricing

2. Tailscale

Tailscale is a great option if you want a private network between trusted devices.

Instead of exposing a normal public game server address, devices join the same private network using Tailscale.

It works well for small groups, homelabs, and private servers, but it is less convenient for public communities because players generally need to join your Tailscale network.

3. Localtonet

Localtonet supports HTTP, TCP, and UDP tunnels and can work behind NAT and CGNAT.

Its Free plan has limits on bandwidth and tunnel duration, so it is better suited to testing or occasional use than an always-online game server.

4. Pinggy

Pinggy supports HTTP, TCP, UDP, and TLS tunnels and is especially easy to start through SSH.

Its Free tunnels are temporary, making it useful for development and quick tests. For a persistent game server, the session limit and changing endpoint can become inconvenient.

5. ngrok

ngrok is one of the strongest options for developers exposing APIs, webhooks, and web applications.

It offers TCP support, traffic inspection, automation, APIs, and advanced developer tooling.

For public game servers, however, it is less focused on UDP workloads and game-specific hosting than Playit or Portwarp.

6. Cloudflare Tunnel

Cloudflare Tunnel is excellent for websites, dashboards, APIs, and other web applications.

It creates outbound connections, so you don't need to expose your origin directly or configure inbound ports.

For normal public game servers using arbitrary TCP and UDP traffic, however, Cloudflare Tunnel is not as straightforward as a purpose-built game tunneling service.

7. ZeroTier

ZeroTier creates a private virtual network between devices.

It is useful for private gaming groups and virtual LAN setups, but participants normally need to join the ZeroTier network.

That makes it a strong option for private servers, but less convenient for public game communities.

Playit.gg alternatives compared

Best Playit.gg alternative for FiveM

FiveM is one of the clearest cases where Playit's current Free limitations matter.

FiveM normally requires both TCP and UDP on port 30120, and Playit's current documentation says the required TCP + UDP tunnel requires Premium.

Portwarp Free supports TCP and UDP, so you can expose a FiveM server without upgrading just to access both protocols.

How to Host a FiveM Server Without Port Forwarding in 2026

Best Playit.gg alternative for Minecraft

Minecraft Java remains supported by Playit Free, so Playit can still be a good option for Minecraft.

Portwarp also supports Minecraft on Free, with the additional flexibility of generic TCP tunnels.

Players connect through the public Portwarp address and do not need to install additional software.

How to Host a Minecraft Server Without Port Forwarding in 2026

Best Playit.gg alternative for CGNAT

If you're behind CGNAT, traditional IPv4 port forwarding usually isn't possible because your ISP controls the upstream NAT.

Tunnel services solve this by creating an outbound connection:

Your Server
    ↓
Outbound Connection
    ↓
Tunnel Network
    ↓
Public Endpoint

Portwarp, Playit, and several alternatives in this article use this model.

Not sure if you're behind CGNAT?

Check your connection with the Portwarp CGNAT Detector

Is Playit.gg still worth using in 2026?

Yes.

Playit Free is still useful if your game has a supported preset and you don't need additional protocols or routing controls.

Alternatives become more interesting when you need:

• Generic TCP
• TCP + UDP
• FiveM or BeamMP
• More control over tunnel regions
• Remote device management
• API automation

For those use cases, comparing Portwarp and the other available options makes sense.

Playit Premium vs Portwarp PRO

Both products are priced at almost the same level:

Playit Premium: $3.00/month
Portwarp PRO:   $2.99/month

Portwarp PRO includes TCP and UDP, up to 32 tunnels, PRO regions, custom domains, GeoIP controls, analytics, multi-device management, Remote Control, and Public API access.

Remote Control lets you manage tunnels and devices from anywhere.

The Public API lets you automate Portwarp through your own applications, scripts, dashboards, and infrastructure.

Both features are also available with Portwarp Teams.

Frequently asked questions

Did Playit.gg remove TCP from the Free plan?

Playit's current documentation states that generic TCP is no longer available to Free users. Some supported game presets remain free, but general-purpose TCP requires Premium.

Is Playit.gg still free for Minecraft?

Yes. Minecraft Java and Minecraft Bedrock remain among Playit's supported Free game options.

Is FiveM free on Playit.gg?

The normal FiveM setup requires TCP and UDP. Playit's current FiveM documentation says Free users cannot create the required TCP + UDP tunnel.

Portwarp Free supports both protocols.

Is there a free Playit.gg alternative with TCP?

Yes. Portwarp Free includes generic TCP and UDP tunnels with unlimited bandwidth.

Does Portwarp work behind CGNAT?

Yes. Portwarp creates an outbound connection, so you don't need a public IPv4 address or working port forwarding.

Do players need to install Portwarp?

No. Only the server host runs Portwarp. Players connect normally using the public tunnel address.

Can I control Portwarp remotely?

Yes. Portwarp PRO and Teams include Remote Control, allowing you to manage tunnels and connected devices from anywhere.

Does Portwarp have an API?

Yes. PRO and Teams include Public API access for automation, integrations, and infrastructure management.

Try a Playit.gg alternative for free

Playit is still a solid option for supported game servers, but its Free plan is more restrictive when you need generic protocols.

If your server needs TCP, UDP, or both, Portwarp Free gives you a public endpoint without requiring port forwarding or a public IPv4. Players don't need additional software, and no credit card is required to start.

If you need more control later, PRO and Teams add Remote Control to manage tunnels and devices from anywhere, plus Public API access for automation.

Create a free Portwarp tunnel