Why we built Groundhog after hitting Dev Tunnels’ bandwidth limit
We built Groundhog after running out of Microsoft Dev Tunnels bandwidth in the middle of a working week. Before switching tools, though, it helps to check which limit you've actually hit: a 429 does not always mean the monthly bandwidth is gone. First, separate the limits Microsoft documents several limits , including: 5 GB of bandwidth per user, with a monthly reset. 10 tunnels per user. 1,500…
In March 2026, Microsoft Dev Tunnels users hit their bandwidth limit while working. Before hastily looking for alternative solutions, it's crucial to verify which of the documented limits has been reached. Microsoft outlines several limitations, such as 5 GB of bandwidth per user that resets monthly, 10 tunnels per user, and 1,500 HTTP requests per minute per port.
These issues require distinct responses. For instance, slowing down a data surge can manage request throttling but will not replenish the monthly bandwidth allocation. If creating or hosting a tunnel fails, list all existing tunnels utilizing the devtunnel list command. Note that old tunnels can still count toward the ten-tunnel limit even after they cease hosting.
In the specific case reported, a developer had already reached the ten-tunnel limit, resolving the issue by removing unnecessary tunnels. Before jumping to conclusions, it's essential to confirm whether the monthly bandwidth has truly been exhausted. One should examine polling, retry loops, and repeated downloads to minimize unnecessary transfers.
Creating a new tunnel under the same account does not generate a fresh per-user allocation. Microsoft has clarified that more bandwidth cannot be purchased. Groundhog, a free service developed by the author, is presented as a viable alternative to local HTTP apps, offering a reusable HTTPS address for WebSockets without monthly data or request caps.
The dashboard provides usage statistics by day and tunnel. Despite having no monthly data or request limits, Groundhog still has workspaces with a 6,000 requests per minute cap and a shared service limit of 200 in progress at once. It's important to remember that each workspace has its limits, and updating webhook destinations and exact OAuth redirect URIs may be necessary when switching providers.
Lastly, the old Dev Tunnels hostname does not migrate with you to a new service. If your workflow requires raw TCP or Microsoft's identity-based tunnel sharing, carefully evaluate these requirements before making a switch. The article was prepared using the product's published origin story and Microsoft's documentation, cross-referencing with the linked Microsoft documentation and issue replies during preparation.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
