How to put your localhost site online (for real)
You built something and it runs on localhost, but only you can see it. Here is the difference between the two ways to fix that, tunneling and real hosting, and the simplest way to get a permanent, always-on site on your own domain.
Short answer
localhost only runs on your own computer. To put it online you either tunnel to it (temporary, your machine must stay on) or host it (a permanent copy on always-on servers). For a real website on your own domain you want hosting. With VibeDeploy you describe the site in plain text or upload your local build, and it goes live on a real URL in minutes, no coding needed.
What does localhost mean?
localhost is the name your computer uses for itself (the address 127.0.0.1). When a project runs on localhost, it is served only to the machine it is running on. That is perfect while you build, but it means the site does not exist for anyone else on the internet. To share it, the files have to live somewhere people can reach.
Two ways from localhost to online: tunnel vs host
This is the distinction most guides skip, and it is the one that matters.
Tunnel (temporary)
Tools like ngrok and Cloudflare Tunnel create a public link to the server that is still running on your computer. Great for a quick demo. But the site is only up while your machine and the tunnel are running.
Host (permanent)
A host (Vercel, Netlify, VibeDeploy) runs its own copy of your site on always-on infrastructure. It stays online on a stable URL with a custom domain, whether your laptop is on or not. This is what most people actually mean by putting a site online.
ngrok vs Cloudflare Tunnel vs Vercel vs Netlify vs VibeDeploy
How the common options compare for the job of getting a local site online and keeping it there.
| Feature | ngrok | Cloudflare Tunnel | Vercel | Netlify | VibeDeploy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Tunnel (temporary) | Tunnel (temporary) | Host (permanent) | Host (permanent) | Host (permanent) |
| Stays online when your computer is off | cancel | cancel | check_circle | check_circle | check_circle |
| Stable URL that does not change | Paid only | check_circle | check_circle | check_circle | check_circle |
| Custom domain | Paid plan | Yes (via Cloudflare) | Yes | Yes | Yes, on every plan |
| Production-grade / always-on | cancel | cancel | check_circle | check_circle | check_circle |
| No coding needed (describe it in plain text) | cancel | cancel | cancel | cancel | check_circle |
| Hosting region | US | Global edge | US-led | US | EU (Belgium) |
| Best for | A quick temporary demo | Exposing a server that keeps running locally | Next.js apps (developers) | Static sites (developers) | Getting a site truly live with no skills |
Want the longer breakdown of when to use each? Read the full comparison.
Put your local site online with VibeDeploy
- 1
Start a free VibeDeploy account
Create an account at vibedeploy.be. The 14-day trial needs no credit card and includes a free subdomain and a custom domain.
- 2
Describe your site, or upload your local build
Tell the AI in plain text what you want and it builds the site for you, or drag your local build output (the dist or build folder your project produces) into the dashboard.
- 3
Get a live URL in minutes
VibeDeploy hosts the files on always-on infrastructure and gives you a real URL at name.vibedeploy.be with automatic HTTPS. Your computer can be off and the site stays online.
- 4
Add your own domain (optional)
Point a CNAME at VibeDeploy and add your domain in site settings. SSL provisions automatically, usually within 60 seconds.
The facts, sourced
ngrok's free tier assigns a random, ephemeral URL that changes every time the agent restarts, so it is meant for temporary access, not a permanent website.
Source: ngrok documentationA Cloudflare Tunnel connects a server that is still running on your own machine to Cloudflare's network. If that local origin stops, the site stops with it.
Source: Cloudflare documentationReal hosting copies your site onto always-on infrastructure, so it stays reachable on a stable URL independently of your laptop.
Source: MDN Web Docs, What is a web server
Frequently asked questions
How do I put my localhost site online?expand_more
localhost only runs on your own computer, so no one else can reach it. To put it online you either tunnel to it (a temporary link to the server still running on your machine) or host it (a permanent copy on always-on infrastructure). For a real website on your own domain you want hosting. With VibeDeploy you describe the site in plain text or upload your local build, and it goes live on a real URL in minutes.
Why can't other people see my localhost?expand_more
localhost (the address 127.0.0.1) always points to the device you are on. When you open localhost on your laptop, you reach your laptop. Anyone else opening localhost reaches their own machine, not yours, so your site is invisible to them until it is hosted somewhere public.
Is ngrok the same as hosting?expand_more
No. ngrok and Cloudflare Tunnel are tunnels: they expose a server that is still running on your computer. The moment your machine or the tunnel stops, the site is gone. Hosting copies your site onto always-on servers, so it stays live independently of your laptop.
Do I need to keep my computer on?expand_more
With a tunnel like ngrok, yes, because the site actually runs on your machine. With real hosting, no. The host runs its own copy, so you can close your laptop and the site stays online.
Can I get my site online without coding?expand_more
Yes. Most tools assume you can run a CLI and a build. With VibeDeploy you can instead describe the website you want in plain text and the AI builds and hosts it, so you do not need technical skills to get a live site on your own domain.
What is the easiest way to get my local site online?expand_more
If you already have a build, upload it to a host and add a domain. If you do not want to deal with builds or a CLI at all, describe the site to VibeDeploy in plain text and it handles the build and hosting for you. Either way you get a permanent, always-on URL.
Get your site truly online, today
Describe it in plain text or upload your build. Live on a real URL in minutes, hosted in the EU. No credit card, no coding.