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Cloak Proxy and the alternatives.

How Cloak Proxy compares with Charles, Proxyman, HTTP Toolkit and mitmproxy, feature by feature. They're all good tools. Here's where each one is ahead, checked against each vendor's own site on 13 October 2026.

Download Cloak Proxy freeSee the table
Cloak Proxy's main window on a Mac, in light mode: HTTPS requests from MyApp to api.example.com in the traffic list, with the selected request's headers and JSON response in the inspector below.
Feature comparison of five HTTPS debugging proxies
FeatureCloak ProxyCharlesProxymanHTTP Toolkitmitmproxy
Only in Cloak ProxyLLM InspectorTokens, estimated cost, time to first token and where the context window went for every model call, and where the prompt cache stops matching.Built in, freeNot built inNot built inNot built inNot built in
Only in Cloak ProxyAuthorization matrixReplay captured requests as other users, an admin and no credentials, and flag responses that leak another user's data (IDOR).Built in, free; fails CI with cloakctlRepeat by handEdit & Repeat by handResend by handSwap headers by hand
Only in Cloak ProxyTrace ValueFollow an ID or token from the response that issued it to every request that used it, as a flow map.Built in, freeNot built inNot built inNot built inNot built in
Only in Cloak ProxyReplayable flows with values chainedTurn captured requests into a flow that reads fresh IDs and tokens from each response, so replays don't fail on stale values.Built in, freeRepeat by handRepeat; chaining needs scriptsResend by handPython scripts
Only in Cloak ProxyPrivacy MapSee which outside companies receive an app's user data, what they get and where, with App Store privacy label hints.Built in, freeNot built inNot built inNot built inNot built in
PriceFree, no paid tier$50 per user licence, 30-day trialLimited free trial; paid from $89Free tier; Pro $15 a month or $132 a year (US)Free
PlatformsmacOS 14+; Linux betamacOS, Windows, Linux, plus an iOS appmacOS, Windows, Linux, plus iOS and Android appsmacOS, Windows, Linux, plus an Android appmacOS, Windows, Linux
Built withNative SwiftJavaNative Swift on Mac; Electron on Windows and LinuxElectronPython; terminal, web UI and CLI
Open sourceNoNoNoYes, AGPL-3.0Yes, MIT
BreakpointsYesYesPaidYesYes, in the terminal UI
Map Local and Map RemoteYesYesPaidProYes
Rewrite without codeHeaders, query, URL, bodies and statusRewrite toolThrough Map Local or scriptingPro transform rulesHeaders and bodies
ScriptingJavaScriptNone documentedJavaScript, paidNot in the appPython add-ons
Network throttlingYesYesPaidDelay rules, ProNot built in
API client with saved collectionsYes, 11 protocols, files you can keep in GitCompose and repeatCompose; exports to PostmanSend; saved requests with ProReplay only
MCP server for AI agents133 tools, free, read and writeNone officialYes, paidFree read-only with limits; full with ProNone official
Apps that ignore the system proxyApp Capture per app (network extension), or DNS captureTransparent mode with your own firewall rulesNetwork Extension: beta, macOS 26+, paidPer-app: terminals, JVM, Docker, ElectronLocal capture mode
iOS Simulator and Android emulator setupBoth, one clickiOS SimulatorBoth; one click is paidAndroid emulatorManual
Checking traffic against your OpenAPI specLive, with coverage and CI exit codesNot built inExports OpenAPI; no checkingPro: validation, custom specs tooNot built in
HAR import and exportYesYesPaidProYes

The rows marked "Only in Cloak Proxy" are features none of the others have built in, checked against each tool's documentation on 14 October 2026 (LLM Inspector and the authorization matrix on 18 October 2026); scripting can approximate some of them. "Paid" means not in the free trial or tier. Prices are list prices before tax and change over time; follow the sources below for today's. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@subcloak.com and we'll fix it.

Cloak Proxy's LLM Inspector on a Claude API call: model, input and output tokens, cost, time to first token, the context window by part, and the prompt's system text, tools and messages.
Only in Cloak Proxy: the LLM Inspector, with the tokens, cost and prompt-cache hits of every model call.
Cloak Proxy's Authorization Matrix: eight captured ShopApp endpoints replayed as User B, as an admin and with no credentials. Two return the original user's data to User B, shown side by side.
Only in Cloak Proxy: the Authorization Matrix replays captured requests as other users and flags the leaks.

Being fair

When to pick something else.

You need Windows, or a stable Linux release

Cloak Proxy runs on the Mac, and on Linux as a beta (a .deb, an RPM, an AppImage or a tarball) that has nearly every Mac window but hasn't had a stable release yet. Windows is on the way. Charles, Proxyman, HTTP Toolkit and mitmproxy all run on Windows and Linux today.

Try: Charles, Proxyman, HTTP Toolkit, mitmproxy

You want open source

mitmproxy is MIT-licensed and scriptable in Python. HTTP Toolkit is AGPL-licensed with a desktop app.

Try: mitmproxy, HTTP Toolkit

You debug on the phone itself

Charles and Proxyman have iOS apps that capture on the device, with no Mac in the loop.

Try: Charles, Proxyman

You need a vendor contract

Cloak Proxy is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, but there's no paid support plan. Charles and Proxyman sell licences with vendor support.

Try: Charles, Proxyman

Why Cloak Proxy

Everything in one free Mac app.

  • Nothing is behind a paywall. Breakpoints, Map Local, Rewrite, scripting, HAR and the full MCP server are all free, for life, with no account.
  • A proxy and an API client together. Save a captured request into a collection, add tests and run it in CI with cloakctl.
  • Agents get full control. 133 MCP tools let Claude read traffic, trace values, add mocks and rewrite rules, and replay requests.
  • Testing from the traffic you have. Authorization, your API contract, release diffs and generated tests, each with a cloakctl check that fails CI.
  • Built for AI traffic. See the tokens and cost of every model call, and why the prompt cache missed.
  • Apps that skip the proxy still show up, on macOS 14 and later: App Capture sends the apps you pick through a network extension, and DNS capture needs no extension at all.
Download for Mac Read the docs

Sources, checked 13 October 2026

Charles, Proxyman, HTTP Toolkit and mitmproxy are trademarks of their owners. Subcloak isn't affiliated with them.

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Free for life · macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple silicon and Intel
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