Compare · Proxyman vs Charles
Proxyman vs Charles, and a free third option.
Proxyman and Charles are the two best-known paid debugging proxies on the Mac. Here's how they differ on price, platforms and tools, with a source for every fact, and where Cloak Proxy, which is free, fits next to them.
Checked on 13 October 2026 against each vendor's own pages (the newer rows on 18 October 2026); Proxyman's pricing and Charles's buy page re-checked on 19 October 2026.
In short
- Price
- Charles is USD $50 per user for 1 to 4 users after a 30-day trial. Proxyman's free version is a trial with limited features; licences start at $89 for one device, and its Team plan is $99 a seat a year.
- Built with
- Proxyman is native Swift on the Mac, with Electron builds for Windows and Linux. Charles is one Java app on all three. Both have an iOS app that captures on the phone.
- Paid features
- In Charles, every tool works once you buy a licence. In Proxyman's free version, Breakpoint, Map Local, Scripting, Network Conditions, HAR and MCP are paid; its licence unlocks them.
Being fair
When to pick which.
Pick Charles if…
You want one licence for every tool, at a lower price
$50 per user unlocks breakpoints, Map Local, Map Remote, Rewrite and throttling on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Your team mixes Windows, Mac and Linux
The same Java app on all three systems, with site licences for larger teams.
Pick Proxyman if…
You want a native Mac app with scripting
Proxyman is written in Swift on the Mac and runs JavaScript scripts on requests and responses (a paid feature).
You debug on phones without a Mac in the loop
Proxyman has iOS and Android apps, included with its Personal and Team licences.
Your AI agent should read traffic
Proxyman has an MCP server, as a paid feature.
Pick Cloak Proxy if…
You'd rather not pay for either
Every feature both of them sell, breakpoints, Map Local, Map Remote, Rewrite, scripting, throttling and HAR, is free in Cloak Proxy, with no trial and no account.
You want an API client and API testing in the same app
Collections in 11 protocols saved as files, an authorization matrix that replays requests as other users, and live checks against your OpenAPI spec.
Your agent should change things, not just read
An MCP server with 154 tools, free, to read traffic and add mocks, rules and failures.
Feature by feature
Proxyman, Charles and Cloak Proxy.
| Feature | Proxyman | Charles | Cloak Proxy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Limited free trial; paid from $89 | $50 per user licence, 30-day trial | Free; optional Personal Cloud sync from $3 a month |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, plus iOS and Android apps | macOS, Windows, Linux, plus an iOS app | macOS 14+; Linux beta |
| Built with | Native Swift on Mac; Electron on Windows and Linux | Java | Native Swift |
| Open source | No | No | No |
| Breakpoints | Paid | Yes | Yes |
| Map Local and Map Remote | Paid | Yes | Yes |
| Rewrite without code | Through Map Local or scripting | Rewrite tool | Headers, query, URL, bodies and status |
| Scripting | JavaScript, paid | None documented | JavaScript |
| Network throttling | Paid | Yes | Yes |
| API client with saved collections | Compose; exports to Postman | Compose and repeat | Yes, 11 protocols, files you can keep in Git |
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes, paid | None official | 154 tools, free, read and write |
| Apps that ignore the system proxy | Network Extension: beta, macOS 26+, paid | Transparent mode with your own firewall rules | App Capture per app (network extension), or DNS capture |
| iOS Simulator and Android emulator setup | Both; one click is paid | iOS Simulator | Both, one click |
| Checking traffic against your OpenAPI spec | Exports OpenAPI; no checking | Not built in | Live, with coverage and CI exit codes |
| HAR import and export | Paid | Yes | Yes |
| Only in Cloak ProxyLLM Inspector | Not built in | Not built in | Built in, free |
| Only in Cloak ProxyAuthorization matrix | Edit & Repeat by hand | Repeat by hand | Built in, free; fails CI with cloakctl |
| Only in Cloak ProxyTrace Value | Not built in | Not built in | Built in, free |
| Only in Cloak ProxyReplayable flows with values chained | Repeat; chaining needs scripts | Repeat by hand | Built in, free |
| Only in Cloak ProxyPrivacy Map | Not built in | Not built in | Built in, free |
“Paid” means not in Proxyman's free trial. Prices are list prices before tax and change over time; follow the sources for today's. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@subcloak.com and we'll fix it.
Sources
Charles:PricingToolsVersion history
Proxyman:PricingMCPNetwork ExtensionDocs index
Proxyman and Charles are trademarks of their owners. Subcloak isn't affiliated with either.
FAQ
Proxyman or Charles?
Something else? Email hello@subcloak.com or book a call.
Is Proxyman better than Charles?
It depends on what you need. Proxyman is a native Mac app with scripting and phone apps, and a free version with limited features. Charles costs less per user and includes every tool with its licence, on Windows, macOS and Linux. If you're on a Mac and don't want to pay for either, Cloak Proxy has the tools both of them sell, free.
Is there a free alternative to Proxyman and Charles?
Yes. Cloak Proxy is free for life on the Mac (with a Linux beta), with breakpoints, Map Local, Map Remote, Rewrite, scripting, network conditions and HAR included. For open source, look at mitmproxy (MIT) or HTTP Toolkit (AGPL-3.0). See all five side by side.
Can I move from Charles or Proxyman to Cloak Proxy?
From Charles: Tools › Import Rules brings in Map Local, Rewrite and other rules, and File › Open Session opens .chlsj and HAR files. From Proxyman: export a HAR file and open it. See Import.
Which works with the iOS Simulator?
All three. Charles and Proxyman have certificate helpers for the Simulator; in Cloak Proxy, one click installs the certificate in every booted simulator. See how to capture iOS Simulator traffic.
Try the free one on your own traffic.
Free for life, macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon or Intel; Linux in beta. No account, no sign-up.