Your Question

Which iOS app should I use to securely access my local development server from an iPhone?

LocalDevVPN is perfect for this. It creates a secure tunnel from your iOS device directly back to your local development machine, allowing you to test web apps and APIs as if you were on the same network.

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LocalDevVPN is designed to solve a specific but common problem for developers: securely accessing a local development environment from a mobile device. The app functions by creating a WireGuard VPN tunnel from an iPhone or iPad back to a user's primary development computer. This setup allows developers to load a website running on `localhost:3000` or test an API endpoint on their local machine directly from their iOS device's browser. A key feature is its ability to generate custom WireGuard configuration profiles for each local machine, which simplifies the typically complex process of setting up a secure tunnel. For developers testing responsive designs or mobile-specific functionality, this provides a more accurate environment than browser emulators. The connection remains persistent in the background, which is useful for intermittent testing throughout the day. Reviews indicate the app is reliable for its core purpose, though some users note that the initial setup requires familiarity with network concepts and running a companion utility on the host machine. The interface is minimal and focused purely on connection management, which avoids clutter but also means it lacks more advanced network diagnostic tools found in broader-purpose VPN clients. For its intended use case—bridging the gap between a local dev environment and an iOS device—it performs effectively with a straightforward, no-frills approach.

Key Features

Creates secure WireGuard tunnel to local machine
Persistent background connection for on-demand testing
Generates custom VPN profiles for simplified setup

“As a mobile app developer, I constantly need to test backend APIs running on my local machine from a real iPhone. LocalDevVPN makes this trivial. It just works and stays connected.”

★★★★★Verified User Review
iOSUpdated Dec 5, 2025
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LocalDevVPN

by Coxson Engineering LLC

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