Webhook tools compared for local debugging
Mercur is localhost tunneling with request inspect and Remote MCP. Use this page to see how it stacks up against the tools developers reach for when Stripe, GitHub, or Shopify need a public URL.
Mercur vs the tools you already know
Short phrases for the jobs that matter when debugging webhooks locally — not an empty checklist.
| Feature | Mercur | ngrok | Hookdeck | webhook.site | Hooklistener | Cloudflare Tunnel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guest URL without signup | Yes — 24h inspect URL | No — account required | Console / CLI entry paths | Yes — instant URL | Yes — no signup claimed | No — Cloudflare account |
| Forward to localhost | Yes — macOS agent | Yes — CLI | Yes — CLI | Limited / paid workflows | Optional CLI tunnel | Yes — cloudflared |
| Persistent URL (free) | Yes — Free HTTP tunnel | No — free URLs rotate | Yes — stable sources | Paid for permanent | Yes — free persistent claimed | With your domain |
| Built-in webhook inspection | Full history + body preview | Local inspector UI | Full event history | Strong browser inspect | History + live explorer | Weak — not webhook UX |
| Request replay | Manual retry from console | Yes — local replay | Yes — first-class replay | Limited | Yes — replay | No |
| HTTP / WebSocket / TCP | HTTP Free; WS/TCP paid | Yes — broad protocols | HTTP webhooks focus | HTTP | HTTP webhooks | Yes — network tunnel |
| Remote MCP (IDE inspect) | Yes — Solo / Team | No | No | No | No | No |
| Team sharing | Team plan seats | Paid plans | Yes — teams | Limited | Yes | Via Zero Trust |
| Typical setup time | Seconds (guest URL) | 2–5 minutes | A few minutes | Under 10 seconds | Under 10 seconds | 10+ minutes |
| Best for | Webhook debug + MCP | General tunneling | Ingest + production gateway | Catch a payload fast | No-CLI webhook URL | Edge / own domain |
Feature summaries as of August 2026. Mercur guest URLs inspect in the browser; forwarding to localhost requires a free account and the macOS agent. Competitor details change — verify on each vendor’s site before buying.
Pick a comparison
Mercur vs ngrok
The default localhost tunnel. Strong CLI; free URLs rotate; inspect is secondary.
Read comparison →Mercur vs Hookdeck
Webhook event gateway with strong ingest, filtering, and replay — oriented beyond local debug.
Read comparison →Mercur vs webhook.site
Fastest way to catch a raw payload. Limited localhost forward on free/common workflows.
Read comparison →Mercur vs Hooklistener
Webhook URL + inspect product aimed at no-CLI, no-signup debugging.
Read comparison →Mercur vs Cloudflare Tunnel
Mature edge tunnel with your Cloudflare account/domain — weak webhook inspect UX.
Read comparison →See traffic as it lands
Every Endpoint keeps a request log — method, path, status, timing — so you can tell a bad payload from a handler that never ran.
Live payload explorer
Watch deliveries land with method, path, status, headers, and body preview. Share context from the console, then retry a request after you fix the handler.
- Syntax-highlighted JSON body preview
- Headers + timing on every request
- Manual retry when you are ready to re-test
Start with a public webhook URL
Paste it into Stripe, GitHub, or Shopify. Inspect in the browser — register when you are ready to forward to localhost.