Best Charles Alternatives in 2026
The top Charles alternatives are mitmproxy, Fluxzy and HTTP Toolkit: 15 web debugging proxies our editors would look at instead of Charles, in our ranking order.
Charles: A broad desktop proxy toolkit for inspecting, editing, replaying, and routing web traffic. Where it falls short: no separate perpetual free plan.
Switching from Charles? For most web debugging proxies buyers the best Charles alternative is mitmproxy, built for teams wanting a free, programmable proxy. On a budget, Fiddler Everywhere starts at $7/user/mo.
Why People Look for a Charles Alternative
- 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
- No free plan — 10 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallmitmproxy9.4
Teams wanting a free, programmable proxy
Visit mitmproxy - Lowest priceFiddler Everywhere8.9
Paid plans from $7/user/mo
Visit Fiddler Everywhere - Best free optionmitmproxy9.4
Has a free plan (Charles has none)
Visit mitmproxy
All 15 Charles Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.
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Best forTeams wanting a free, programmable proxy
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.3
A broad, programmable proxy for debugging HTTP, HTTPS, WebSockets, and related traffic.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
9.4/10★★★★★Visit mitmproxy -
Best forDevelopers needing broad protocol and export support
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.3 vs 8.3
A broad debugging proxy with a capable free personal tier and €49 perpetual Pro access.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Fluxzy -
Best forCross-platform teams debugging many client types
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.3
A broad HTTP debugging proxy for teams working across browsers, apps, containers, and APIs.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
9.2/10★★★★★Visit HTTP Toolkit -
Best forTeams needing polished desktop and mobile capture
- Better than Charles:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.3
A broad desktop and mobile debugging proxy with replay, mocking, rules, and collaboration.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forBudget-conscious teams wanting rich traffic analysis
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.3
A low-cost desktop proxy for inspecting, replaying, comparing, and modifying application traffic.
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
- Response mocking
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit NetworkSpy -
Best forDevelopers wanting free capture plus simulation tools
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.7 vs 8.3
A free capture proxy with deep traffic simulation and replay tools.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- Response mocking
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit HTTPeep -
Best forOpen-source teams needing flexible proxy modes
- Better than Charles:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 8.3
A flexible open-source proxy for inspecting, replaying, and mocking network traffic.
- Proxy chaining
- WebSocket inspection
- Response mocking
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Whistle -
Best forOpen-source macOS and Linux debugging teams
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.5 vs 8.3
A free, scriptable proxy for detailed HTTP debugging on macOS and Linux.
- Breakpoint rules
- Response mocking
- Traffic replay
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit httpmon -
Best forTeams needing broad desktop and mobile coverage
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.4 vs 8.3
A broad desktop-and-mobile proxy for inspecting, editing, replaying, and testing traffic.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Reqable -
Best forMobile-focused teams wanting collaboration features
A broad, collaboration-ready proxy for mobile and desktop debugging, with no free plan.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Proxyman -
Best forWindows and macOS scripted workflows
A scriptable desktop proxy for inspecting, editing, mocking, and replaying network traffic.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Probe -
Best formacOS developers using AI-assisted debugging
A macOS-focused proxy with deep traffic controls and AI-assistant integration.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Cheolsu Proxy -
Best forMulti-device developers needing free core debugging
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
A capable free proxy for multi-device HTTP debugging, with narrow rule limits and paid upgrades.
- Breakpoint rules
- Response mocking
- Traffic replay
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Moni Proxy -
Best forSmall teams wanting an inexpensive basic proxy
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
An inexpensive desktop proxy debugger with a capable free tier and focused platform support.
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
- Response mocking
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit WePROXA -
Best formacOS developers using AI coding tools
- Better than Charles:
- Free plan
A capable macOS debugging proxy with unusually broad AI-tool integrations.
- Proxy chaining
- Breakpoint rules
- WebSocket inspection
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Rockxy
Charles Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Charles?
mitmproxy: #1 in our Web Debugging Proxies ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad, programmable proxy for debugging HTTP, HTTPS, WebSockets, and related traffic.
Is there a free alternative to Charles?
Yes. mitmproxy, Fluxzy, HTTP Toolkit, NetworkSpy and HTTPeep have a free plan or a free tier (13 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Charles?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Fiddler Everywhere starts lowest, at $7/user/mo.
Why do people look for Charles alternatives?
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.
How do I switch from Charles?
Export your data from Charles (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Charles.
How to Switch from Charles
- Export your data from Charles (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Charles.
Charles vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Platforms | Request/response editing | Breakpoint rules | Traffic replay | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Charles | No | $50/user one-time | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.3 |
| 1 | mitmproxy | Yes | None | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | Fluxzy | Yes | €49/user one-time | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.3 |
| 3 | HTTP Toolkit | Yes | — | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 4 | Fiddler Everywhere | No | $7/user/mo | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 |
| 5 | NetworkSpy | Yes | $18/user/yr | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 |
| 6 | HTTPeep | Yes | $49 one-time | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.7 |
| 7 | Whistle | — | None | — | Yes | — | Yes | 8.6 |
| 8 | httpmon | Yes | None | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.5 |
| 9 | Reqable | Yes | $49.90/yr | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 |
| 11 | Proxyman | No | $99/seat/yr | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.2 |
| 12 | Probe | No | — | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 |
| 13 | Cheolsu Proxy | — | None | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 14 | Moni Proxy | Yes | $71 one-time | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 15 | WePROXA | Yes | $25 one-time | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.8 |
| 16 | Rockxy | Yes | $9/seat/mo | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.7 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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