Checked October 2026

Every way to keep an internal app private, side by side

You built a tool and only your coworkers should use it. Here is what each option asks of you and of them. We make one of these, so we have linked every claim to the vendor’s own docs. Tell us if something is out of date.

01Short answer

The short answer

Most “make it private” options make every coworker get an account on the platform you built with, or pay for a password per project.

If you want coworkers to sign in with the work Google or Microsoft account they already have, your choices are to configure Cloudflare Access (or similar) yourself, or to use a host that does it for you. TeamOnly is the second kind, with the database included.

02Side by side

Comparison table

Ways to share an internal app privately, checked October 2026
OptionDo coworkers need a new account?Company Google or Microsoft loginDatabase includedPrice to make it privateWhat you set up
TeamOnlyNoYes, Google and MicrosoftYes, one per app$19/mo planned, app users freeOne command
ReplitYes, Replit account in your workspaceThrough ReplitYes, built inDepends on planA setting
LovableYes, Lovable accountWorkspace-only on Business or EnterpriseThrough an integrationBusiness plan for workspace-onlyA setting
VercelYes, Vercel account, or a shared passwordNoAdd one separately$20/mo per project for a password (Pro)A setting, plus a database
NetlifyYes, Netlify account, or a shared passwordNoAdd one separatelyShared password on ProA setting, plus a database
Cloudflare AccessNoYes, once you configure itNot a hostFree up to 50 usersIdentity provider, login app and policies

Checked October 2026 against each vendor’s documentation, linked below. TeamOnly is not open yet; its price is planned.

Each option in detail

Replit private deployments

Turn on a private deployment and only people in your Replit workspace, or people you invite, can open the app. They sign in through Replit. Good if your coworkers already use Replit.

Replit docs: private deployments

Lovable workspace publishing

Publishing so only your workspace can see an app needs a Business or Enterprise plan. On Free and Pro, sharing is invite-only, capped at 10 people, and each visitor needs a Lovable account.

Lovable docs: project visibility Publishing

Vercel Authentication and password protection

Vercel Authentication only lets in visitors with a Vercel account who have access to the project. Password protection is $20 a month per project on Pro. Vercel is excellent for public sites; a team login is not what it is built around.

Vercel docs: Vercel Authentication Pricing

Cloudflare Access

Free for up to 50 users, and it really does put your company login in front of an app. You configure it: connect Google Workspace or Microsoft Entra as the identity provider, create the login app, and write a policy for each app. It protects an app; it doesn’t host it or give it a database. If you are comfortable with that setup, it is a strong, free option. TeamOnly runs on Cloudflare too.

Cloudflare docs: secure a private web app

Retool and app builders

Retool, and builders like it, take a different approach: you build the tool inside their product, and they handle hosting and login. That works well if you want to build that way. If you already have code from Claude Code or Cursor, you need somewhere to run that code instead. Retool’s own Retool vs Claude Code post is a fair read.

03Honesty

When TeamOnly is the wrong choice

Not for this
  • Your app is public. Customer-facing apps, marketing sites, anything strangers should open. We don’t host those, on purpose. Vercel, Netlify or Cloudflare will serve you well.
  • Your app isn’t JavaScript. We run React front ends with a small JavaScript or TypeScript API. Python, Ruby, PHP or anything needing a container is not supported yet.
  • You need SAML today. SAML SSO and audit logs are planned for our Business plan but not built. If you need them now, look at Cloudflare Access or an enterprise platform.
  • Your coworkers already live in Replit or Lovable. If everyone has an account there anyway, their private sharing may be all you need.

FAQ

Questions people ask

All questions and answers

How do I make my Replit app private?

Use a private deployment. Viewers then have to be members of your Replit workspace or be invited, and they sign in through Replit. See Replit’s private deployments documentation for current plan requirements.

Are Lovable apps private?

Not by default. As of October 2026, publishing so only your workspace can see an app needs a Business or Enterprise plan. On Free and Pro, sharing is invite-only, up to 10 people, and visitors need Lovable accounts.

Is Vercel password protection free?

No. As of October 2026 it costs $20 a month per project on the Pro plan. Vercel Authentication is the other option, and it requires each visitor to have a Vercel account with access to the project.

Can I use Cloudflare Access for free?

Yes, for up to 50 users. You connect your identity provider, create the login app and write the access policies yourself.

Early access

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