Head-to-head · Web Debugging Proxies
HTTPeep vs Charles
HTTPeep leads on 1 check, Charles on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreHTTPeep · 8.7/10
- Free planonly HTTPeep
- Free trialboth
- Most featuresCharles · 6 of 6
HTTPeep scores higher on our rubric for web debugging proxies: 8.7 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #10.
HTTPeep offers free plan; Charles doesn't.
HTTPeep is the better fit for developers wanting free capture plus simulation tools. Charles is the better fit for developers needing a general-purpose desktop proxy.
- HTTPeep fits best
Developers wanting free capture plus simulation tools
- Charles fits best
Developers needing a general-purpose desktop proxy
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Side by side
| Feature | HTTPeep 8.7/10 Visit ↗ | Charles 8.3/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.7 | 8.3 |
| Ranking | #6 in Web Debugging Proxies | #10 in Web Debugging Proxies |
| Best for | Developers wanting free capture plus simulation tools | Developers needing a general-purpose desktop proxy |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | $49 one-time | $50/user one-time |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | 7 days | 30 days |
| Free trial length | 7 days · no card needed | 30 days |
| Deployment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Docs | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features HTTPeep 5/6 · Charles 6/6 | ||
| Request/response editing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Breakpoint rules | ✓ | ✓ |
| Traffic replay | ✓ | ✓ |
| Response mocking | ✓ | ✓ |
| WebSocket inspection | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Proxy chaining | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Platforms | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | HTTPeep is a cross-platform HTTP/HTTPS debugging proxy for developers and QA engineers. It captures and decrypts application traffic locally, so teams can inspect requests and responses, edit traffic, mock APIs, route requests to local or… Read the review → |
Charles is a desktop web debugging proxy for developers working with web and networked applications. It records HTTP, HTTPS, and related traffic so users can inspect requests, responses, headers, cookies, and bodies. The product runs on… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
HTTPeep — where it wins
- Free Community plan includes capture, breakpoints, mocking, replay, and routing
- Traffic simulation covers latency, bandwidth, failures, and disconnects
- Works across desktop, browser, terminal, mobile, and developer ecosystems
Where it doesn't
- Community is limited to basic proxy, request viewing, and simple rule matching
- Solo includes a one-device license and one year of updates
- The Team version is still in development
Charles — where it wins
- Covers inspection, editing, breakpoints, replay, rewriting, and mapping
- Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with CLI and headless operation
- Supports SSL decryption, throttling, WebSockets, and proxy chaining
Where it doesn't
- No separate perpetual free plan
- Licensing is tied to one computer for individual licenses
- Paid licensing may not suit users seeking a free debugging proxy
- HTTPeep8.7/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial
A free capture proxy with deep traffic simulation and replay tools.
Visit HTTPeepFull verdict → - Charles8.3/10 · 30-day trial
A broad desktop proxy toolkit for inspecting, editing, replaying, and routing web traffic.
Visit CharlesFull verdict →
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All web debugging proxies comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update







