A Charles Proxy alternative built for modern debugging
GraphDagger's Web Debugger covers everything you lean on Charles for, HTTPS interception, breakpoints, rewrite and Map Local, in a native desktop app that also carries 13 other diagnostic tools.
Charles has earned its place: for years it was the way to see inside an app's HTTPS traffic. It is also a Java desktop app that shows its age, from the UI to the certificate setup dance on every new machine.
GraphDagger's Web Debugger is a full replacement, not a subset. Live HTTP and HTTPS capture with full request and response inspection, a rule engine with a dedicated DSL, request and response breakpoints, a JavaScript scripting engine, Map Local and Map Remote redirection, and HAR import and export. Recorded traffic renders as a live call graph, and modern protocols, HTTP/2, WebSocket, gRPC and SSE, are first-class rather than afterthoughts.
GraphDagger vs Charles Proxy, feature by feature
| Capability | Charles Proxy | GraphDagger |
|---|---|---|
| HTTPS interception | SSL proxying with a root certificate you install per device | HTTPS interception with a generated CA, same trust model, guided setup |
| Pause and edit traffic | Breakpoints on requests and responses | Breakpoints to pause, edit and drop requests and responses |
| Rewriting | Rewrite tool and Map Local / Map Remote | Match and replace rules with a dedicated DSL, plus Map Local and Map Remote |
| Automation | No built-in scripting | A JavaScript scripting engine that runs against live traffic |
| Modern protocols | HTTP/2 support arrived late in its life | HTTP/2, WebSocket, gRPC and SSE inspection built in |
| Session files | Charles session format, HAR export | HAR import and export plus CSV export, so existing sessions carry over |
| Runtime | Java desktop app | Native signed desktop app for macOS and Windows |
Explore the full tool: Web Debugger in GraphDagger
Charles exports any session as a HAR file. Open it in the free HAR viewer, straight in your browser.
More than a Charles replacement
Debugging rarely stops at the proxy. The request you intercepted came from somewhere: an API you now want to replay, a token you need to decode, a server whose logs need reading. GraphDagger keeps all of that in one window.
- API Client to replay and mutate the requests you captured
- Auth Inspector to decode the JWTs and certificates flowing past
- Packet Capture when the problem sits below HTTP
- Four capture modes: browser, terminal, remote device or explicit listener
- One licence, 14 tools, everything runs locally
When to stay with Charles
If your workflow depends on the Charles session file format shared across a team, or you need a proxy on Linux, Charles still fits. And if you bought a perpetual licence and it does everything you need, there is no urgency: GraphDagger's trial will still be here when the next major version asks you to pay again.
How the licence compares
Charles sells a one-time licence per major version, so staying current means paying again at each major release. GraphDagger is a subscription that includes every update while it runs, and the licence is not just for the proxy: all 14 tools are included.
Frequently asked questions
- Does GraphDagger do SSL proxying like Charles?
- Yes. The Web Debugger intercepts HTTPS using a generated certificate authority, the same trust model Charles uses, with guided setup instead of a manual certificate dance. HTTP/2, WebSocket, gRPC and SSE are inspected as first-class protocols.
- Can I import my Charles sessions?
- Export them as HAR from Charles and open them in GraphDagger: HAR import and export is built in, along with CSV export for spreadsheets. The proprietary Charles session format itself is not read directly.
- Does GraphDagger have Map Local and Map Remote?
- Yes, both. Map Local serves a file from disk in place of a live response, Map Remote redirects requests to a different host, and the match and replace rule engine covers URL, header and body rewrites beyond what mapping alone can do.
- Can GraphDagger script traffic the way Charles cannot?
- Yes. A JavaScript scripting engine runs against live traffic, so conditional rewrites, header injection and response stubbing become code rather than stacked dialog rules.
- Is there a free trial?
- Yes, 14 days with every tool unlocked. You go through checkout, nothing is charged while the trial runs, and cancelling before day 14 costs nothing.
Related comparisons
Retire the certificate dance
Start the 14-day free trial and point your next debugging session at GraphDagger. Nothing is charged during the trial.