Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Charles Proxy VS mitmproxy

Compare Charles Proxy VS mitmproxy and see what are their differences

Charles Proxy logo Charles Proxy

HTTP proxy / HTTP monitor / Reverse Proxy

mitmproxy logo mitmproxy

mitmproxy is an SSL-capable man-in-the-middle proxy for HTTP.
  • Charles Proxy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-20
  • mitmproxy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-22

Charles Proxy features and specs

  • Comprehensive HTTP/HTTPS Debugging
    Charles Proxy offers robust capabilities to inspect HTTP and HTTPS traffic, making it easier for developers to debug and optimize network requests.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool has an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, which makes it accessible for both novice and experienced users.
  • Support for Various Platforms
    Charles Proxy is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, enhancing its accessibility to a wide range of users.
  • Throttling Feature
    It allows users to simulate different internet speeds, latency, and bandwidth conditions, which is useful for testing applications under various network scenarios.
  • SSL Proxying
    Charles can decrypt SSL traffic, which is crucial for developers to inspect secure web traffic in development and testing phases.
  • Session Recording and Exporting
    It allows users to record network sessions and export them to share or analyze later, facilitating team collaboration and troubleshooting.

Possible disadvantages of Charles Proxy

  • Cost
    Charles Proxy is a paid tool. While it offers a trial version, a license must be purchased for continued use, which could be a limitation for some users or small teams with restricted budgets.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although the interface is user-friendly, some advanced functionalities have a steep learning curve, especially for users who are not familiar with network debugging.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Charles Proxy can be resource-intensive on your system, potentially slowing down performance, especially when monitoring large amounts of traffic.
  • Manual Configuration
    Users need to manually configure their devices or browsers to route through Charles Proxy, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
  • Limited Automation Capabilities
    Charles Proxy has limited support for automation compared to other modern debugging tools, which may affect its suitability for automated testing workflows.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There may be compatibility issues with certain applications or devices, particularly those with strict security measures against proxying, which can impede testing efforts.

mitmproxy features and specs

  • Open Source
    mitmproxy is free and open source, allowing users to modify and contribute to the project. This ensures transparency and encourages community-driven improvements.
  • Interactive Interface
    It offers a powerful interactive console interface that lets users inspect and modify HTTP and HTTPS requests and responses in real-time.
  • Scripting Support
    mitmproxy supports Python scripting, which enables users to automate and customize their workflows easily.
  • Cross-Platform
    The tool is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
  • Extensive Documentation
    mitmproxy provides comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and community resources, which helps users get started and find solutions to issues quickly.
  • TLS Support
    It has built-in support for TLS/SSL, which allows for the interception and inspection of encrypted traffic.

Possible disadvantages of mitmproxy

  • Learning Curve
    The tool has a steep learning curve, especially for users who are not familiar with networking concepts or Python scripting.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running mitmproxy can be resource-intensive, especially when dealing with high traffic volumes, which might affect system performance.
  • Limited GUI Options
    While mitmproxy offers a powerful console interface, the graphical user interface (GUI) options are somewhat limited compared to other tools.
  • Potential Legal and Ethical Issues
    Intercepting traffic with mitmproxy can raise legal and ethical concerns, especially if used without proper authorization or in violation of privacy laws.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There can be compatibility issues with some applications that implement advanced security measures, leading to difficulties in intercepting and modifying traffic.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Charles Proxy and mitmproxy)
Developer Tools
47 47%
53% 53
Security
50 50%
50% 50
Proxy
49 49%
51% 51
Software Development
48 48%
52% 52

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Charles Proxy and mitmproxy

Charles Proxy Reviews

Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
Charles Proxy is another tool that has a good popularity. It is a web proxy i.e., HTTP proxy or HTTP monitor that runs on your computer. Compared to Paw which works on only macOS, Charles proxy if configured or run correctly is agreeable with all OS, web browsers, any smart devices, personal computers, and internet applications.
12 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools
As the name says, Charles proxy is an HTTP and reverse proxy. It works by routing local traffic through it.
Source: geekflare.com
Comparing Charles Proxy, Fiddler, Wireshark, and Requestly
Although thousands of developers around the globe use Wireshark and Charles Proxy, they fail to occupy the top side in the design aspect. Wireshark’s interface is robust and detailed but can be intimidating for beginners. While Charles Proxy has a more approachable interface compared to Wireshark, it might seem cluttered to some users. Fiddler’s UI is information-rich and...
Source: dev.to

mitmproxy Reviews

Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
MITMproxy is a free and open-source interactive HTTP(s) proxy. Distinct from others, this tool works based on three major attributes, a command line, a web interface, and a Python API. As a command line, it can be used to test, intercept specific messages, inspect, modify the message before they reach the precise location, replay web traffic such as HTTP/1, HTTP/2, and most...
12 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools
mitmproxy is a popular open-source HTTPS proxy among security researchers. Use it as a CLI, web, or Python API.
Source: geekflare.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, mitmproxy seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 82 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Charles Proxy mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Charles Proxy yet. Tracking of Charles Proxy recommendations started around Mar 2021.

mitmproxy mentions (82)

  • Reverse engineering GraphQL persistedQuery extension
    For exactly this use case, a perfect tool exists: mitmproxy, an open-source Python library that intercepts requests made by your own devices, websites, or apps and allows you to modify them with simple Python scripts. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Ask HN: Fiddler Alternatives
    I used to use mitmproxy (https://mitmproxy.org/) a few years back, but haven't in quite a while. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Bruno
    Sound like you need https://mitmproxy.org/#mitmweb. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • AirBnb Wifi Safety Precaution needed?
    This statement gives a false sense of security. You can use a transparent proxy, like mitmproxy, to view HTTPS traffic - https://mitmproxy.org/. https://reedmideke.github.io/networking/2021/01/04/mitmproxy-openwrt.html. Source: about 1 year ago
  • WORKING tutorial on how to enable iOS voice chat RIGHT NOW
    You'll need to install mitmproxy and set it up on your computer and iOS. I won't go into too much detail here on how to do this, but there are plenty of guides available. This is a pretty good one: https://nadav.ca/2021/02/26/inspecting-an-iphone-s-https-traffic/. Source: over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Charles Proxy and mitmproxy, you can also consider the following products

Fiddler - Fiddler is a debugging program for websites.

Proxyman.io - Proxyman is a high-performance macOS app, which enables developers to view HTTP/HTTPS requests from apps and domains.

HTTP Toolkit - Beautiful, cross-platform & open-source tools to debug, test & build with HTTP(S). One-click setup for browsers, servers, Android, CLI tools, scripts and more.

Surge for Mac - Advanced Web Debugging Proxy for Mac & iOS

Weer - A HTTP protocol debugger with Chrome DevTools frontend interface

Burp Suite - Burp Suite is an integrated platform for performing security testing of web applications.