If you’re searching for how to buy proxies in 2025, you’re in the right place. Let me show you how to buy proxies in this post.

In a world where digital data is the new oil, proxies are the silent infrastructure powering some of the most important operations online — from large-scale web scraping to social media automation, sneaker botting, cybersecurity testing, ad verification, and bypassing regional restrictions.

This in-depth guide walks you through:

• What proxies are
• Why you need them
• The best types of proxies to buy
• Where to buy proxies safely and reliably
• Editor’s top 3 proxy providers
• Other trusted proxy brands worth considering

Whether you’re an enterprise scraping billions of web pages, a small business monitoring SEO trends, or a student accessing geo-blocked research, this guide will equip you with everything you need to know before you buy proxies.

🚀 Editor’s Choice: Top 3 Proxy Services for 2025

Let’s start with the best. These three proxy providers are our Editor’s Picks for the year — each excelling in performance, scalability, and reliability for various use cases.

🥇 1. Oxylabs – Best for High-Volume Web Scraping & Enterprise-Grade Use

Best For: Enterprise scraping, search engine monitoring, eCommerce price aggregation
Pricing: Starts from $8/GB, Pay As You Go
Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile, Datacenter, ISP, Rotating
Trial: Unlimited trial for scraping tools (up to 2K results)

Overview:

Oxylabs is an industry leader for a reason. With over 175 million IPs across 190+ countries, Oxylabs delivers exceptional uptime, low block rates, and robust targeting options.

Their AI-powered scraping infrastructure is tailor-made for heavy-duty operations that require speed, scale, and resilience against anti-bot systems.

Why We Love It:

• Top-tier security protocols
• Offers SOCKS5 and HTTPS proxies
• Built-in tools like Web Unblocker and Scraper APIs
• Enterprise-grade dashboard and detailed analytics
• Country, city, ASN, and ZIP targeting

Oxylabs

Oxylabs is a leading proxy and web scraping solutions provider that empowers businesses with reliable, high-speed, and...Show More

Oxylabs is a leading proxy and web scraping solutions provider that empowers businesses with reliable, high-speed, and scalable data-gathering tools to stay ahead of the competition. Show Less

PRXY30

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🥈 2. Webshare – Best for Affordability and High-Speed Datacenter Proxies

Best For: Freelancers, developers, sneaker botters, VPN-like tasks
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans from $2.99/month
Proxy Types: Static Residential, Rotating Residential, Datacenter
Trial: Free tier with limited bandwidth

Overview:

Webshare strikes a perfect balance between performance and affordability, making it the top pick for individuals and small teams.

Their datacenter proxies offer lightning-fast speed and minimal latency, while their rotating residential proxies give the anonymity needed to evade bans and CAPTCHA walls.

Why We Love It:

• Budget-friendly with flexible pricing
• Fully self-serve and fast activation
• Compatible with all major proxy tools and bots
• Detailed dashboard with live metrics and settings
• Up to 99.97% uptime in real-time operations

Webshare

Webshare delivers fast, affordable, and customizable proxy solutions designed to give businesses and developers seamless...Show More

Webshare delivers fast, affordable, and customizable proxy solutions designed to give businesses and developers seamless access to reliable data at scale. Show Less

10% OFF FIRST PURCHASE PRE-APPLIED

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🥉 3. Decodo (Formerly Smartproxy) – Best for Versatile Use Cases

Best For: Scraping, ad verification, automation
Pricing: $1.5/GB Residential, $0.27/IP ISP, $4.5/GB Mobile, $0.026/IP Datacenter, $1.6/1K req Site Unblocker
Proxy Types: Residential, Datacenter, Mobile, ISP, Site Unblocker
Trial: 3-day free trial with 100MB

Overview:

Rebranded from Smartproxy, Decodo brings the same trusted infrastructure with a fresh look and improved performance. 

It offers a massive 125M+ IP pool, advanced geo-targeting, and plug-and-play compatibility with popular scraping, automation tools, and third-party apps.

Why We Love It:

•  Simple and intuitive UI
• 99.99% uptime
• Free tools
• 195+ global locations
• Highly trusted for social media automation
• 24/7 tech support and solid documentation

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) provides powerful, user-friendly proxy and web scraping solutions that make large-scale...Show More

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) provides powerful, user-friendly proxy and web scraping solutions that make large-scale data access effortless, efficient, and cost-effective. Show Less

35OFFDEAL

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🧠 What Are Proxies?

A proxy is an intermediary server that routes your internet traffic, masking your real IP address and making it appear as though you’re browsing from another device, network, or location.

Use Cases Include:

• Web scraping & data mining
• SEO monitoring
• Social media management
• Market intelligence
• Ad verification
• Brand protection
• Gaming bots & sneaker bots
• Accessing geo-restricted content

Proxies protect your identity, allow you to bypass geo-blocks, and reduce the risk of getting IP-banned when automating tasks or harvesting large volumes of data.

🧩 Types of Proxies You Can Buy

When buying proxies, it’s crucial to choose the type that suits your specific need:

🛍️ Where to Buy Proxies: Trusted Providers Beyond the Top 3

In addition to our top picks, here are reliable proxy providers that cater to specific needs or offer niche advantages.

4. IPRoyal – Best for Pay-As-You-Go Residential Proxies

Pricing: $0.80/GB and up
Proxy Types: Residential, Static, Mobile
Best For: Freelancers, students, developers

Overview:
IPRoyal is cost-efficient and flexible, allowing users to purchase residential proxies by the gigabyte. Their transparency and focus on ethical sourcing of IPs make them an ideal starting point for small projects.

Why Use IPRoyal:

• Browser extensions for quick setup
• Good documentation and API
• Great for intermittent proxy needs

5. Nodemaven – Best for Developers & Custom API Use

Pricing: From $12/month (customizable plans)
Proxy Types: Residential, Datacenter
Best For: Programmers, cybersecurity researchers, backend automation

Overview:

Nodemaven focuses on developer-centric proxy solutions. They offer clean APIs, scalable plans, and integration support for advanced scraping and data testing workflows.

Why We Like It:

• Real-time traffic analytics
• Great dev support
• Premium IP health monitoring

6. MarsProxies – Best for Social Media, Gaming & Botting

Pricing: From $15/month
Proxy Types: Residential, ISP, Datacenter
Best For: Social automation, sneaker bots, gaming tools

Overview:

MarsProxies has grown steadily thanks to its reputation for low latency, clean IPs, and great customer support. If you’re running bots on Instagram, TikTok, or gaming automation platforms, these proxies are optimized for consistent performance.

Standout Features:

• Residential IPs with low detection rates
• High compatibility with bots and automation tools
• Easy-to-use dashboard

7. ProxyEmpire – Best for Geo-Targeted Market Research

Pricing: $10/GB and up
Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile
Best For: Global brand monitoring, local SEO, surveys

Overview:

With access to 150+ countries, ProxyEmpire is perfect for businesses running market research across regions. You get granular geo-targeting down to city-level IPs.

8. Soax – Best for Clean, KYC-Compliant Residential IPs

Pricing: $99/month (residential)
Proxy Types: Mobile, Residential
Best For: Sensitive scraping and ad compliance

Overview:

Soax focuses on clean and legitimate IP sourcing, with a strong emphasis on compliance and security. They’re best suited for industries where data integrity and compliance are paramount.

9. Proxy-Cheap – Best Budget Proxy Provider

Pricing: $0.75/GB
Proxy Types: Residential, ISP
Best For: Light users, learners, researchers

Overview:

For budget-conscious users, Proxy-Cheap offers basic but effective proxy solutions. Though limited in features, it’s a decent pick for basic tasks and experimental projects.

Best Proxy Services

Oxylabs Proxies

Oxylabs Proxies offer enterprise-grade, AI-powered proxy solutions with a massive 175M+ IP pool, ensuring unmatched...Show More

Oxylabs Proxies offer enterprise-grade, AI-powered proxy solutions with a massive 175M+ IP pool, ensuring unmatched reliability, speed, and anonymity for large-scale web scraping and data collection. Show Less

OXYLABS50

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Decodo

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) offers high-quality, affordable, and easy-to-use proxies with a vast global network...Show More

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) offers high-quality, affordable, and easy-to-use proxies with a vast global network, ensuring seamless web scraping, automation, and data collection without IP bans or restrictions. Show Less

Get the deal

Webshare Proxies

Webshare Proxies offers high-speed, customizable, and budget-friendly proxy solutions with flexible pricing, ensuring...Show More

Webshare Proxies offers high-speed, customizable, and budget-friendly proxy solutions with flexible pricing, ensuring seamless web scraping, automation, and online anonymity for businesses and individuals. Show Less

10% OFF FIRST PURCHASE PRE-APPLIED

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Live Proxies

Live Proxies is a proxy service that provides high-speed, reliable, and secure residential and datacenter proxy services...Show More

Live Proxies is a proxy service that provides high-speed, reliable, and secure residential and datacenter proxy services for web scraping, automation, and anonymity. Show Less

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IPRoyal

IPRoyal is a leading proxy provider offering reliable, high-speed proxies for various needs, including data scraping...Show More

IPRoyal is a leading proxy provider offering reliable, high-speed proxies for various needs, including data scraping, social media automation, and sneaker botting. Show Less

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Mars Proxies

Mars Proxies is the go-to provider for sneaker coppers, offering unbanned IPs, blazing-fast speeds, and a massive pool...Show More

Mars Proxies is the go-to provider for sneaker coppers, offering unbanned IPs, blazing-fast speeds, and a massive pool of residential proxies. Show Less

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NetNut

NetNut is the world's fastest residential proxy network, providing high-speed, reliable connections and a vast pool of...Show More

NetNut is the world's fastest residential proxy network, providing high-speed, reliable connections and a vast pool of IPs for seamless data scraping and automation. Show Less

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DigiProxy

DigiProxy offers proxy services, including residential, datacenter, and sneaker proxies, aimed at providing secure and...Show More

DigiProxy offers proxy services, including residential, datacenter, and sneaker proxies, aimed at providing secure and reliable internet access. Show Less

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Nodemaven

NodeMaven is a premium proxy provider that delivers high-quality IPs, super sticky sessions, and unmatched customer...Show More

NodeMaven is a premium proxy provider that delivers high-quality IPs, super sticky sessions, and unmatched customer support. Show Less

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Infatica

Infatica provides a robust proxy network with ethical sourcing, reliable performance, and a comprehensive suite of data...Show More

Infatica provides a robust proxy network with ethical sourcing, reliable performance, and a comprehensive suite of data collection tools. Show Less

Get the deal

🧪 How to Buy Proxies: Step-by-Step

Here’s a simple roadmap to help you buy proxies with confidence:

✅ Step 1: Identify Your Use Case

Are you scraping? Botting? Managing social media? Choose your provider and proxy type accordingly.

✅ Step 2: Choose a Proxy Type

• Residential for disguise & real-user simulation
• Datacenter for speed
• Mobile/IP for dynamic, high-trust IPs
• ISP for best of both worlds

✅ Step 3: Pick the Right Provider

Compare based on:

• IP pool size
• Targeting capabilities
• Pricing flexibility
• Dashboard usability
• Speed and reliability

✅ Step 4: Register & Configure

Sign up, select a plan, and generate your proxy list. Some providers offer instant delivery, while others may verify your identity (KYC).

✅ Step 5: Test Your Proxies

Use tools like:

• ipinfo.io
• Proxy tester software
• Scraping scripts to confirm performance and location

⚠️ What to Avoid When Buying Proxies

1. Free proxies – Often slow, overused, and dangerous. Avoid.
2. Shady providers – If they don’t provide support, KYC, or trial, it’s risky.
3. Generic plans – Don’t pay for features you don’t use.
4. Banned IP pools – Always ask how often they refresh their IPs.

🌐 Real-Life Use Cases of Buying Proxies in 2025

• FoxyProxy: Browser-based proxy switcher
• Scrapy / Puppeteer: Automation tools for scraping
• Multilogin: For managing multiple browser fingerprints
• Proxy SwitchyOmega: Chrome extension for managing profiles
• Proxy testing tools: For speed, anonymity, and IP checks

Buy Proxies: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a proxy, and why should I buy one?

A proxy acts as a gateway between your device and the internet, masking your original IP address. Buying proxies gives you more control, privacy, and functionality—especially for tasks like web scraping, managing multiple accounts, accessing geo-restricted content, SEO tracking, or ad verification. Premium proxies also reduce the risk of bans or IP blocks compared to free or shared alternatives.

What type of proxy should I buy for web scraping?

For web scraping, residential proxies or rotating datacenter proxies are typically the best. Residential proxies mimic real users and are harder to detect, while rotating datacenter proxies offer speed and cost-efficiency. Choose based on the site’s protection level—use residential for complex sites and datacenter for fast, high-volume scraping.

Are free proxies safe to use?

Free proxies are generally not safe or reliable. They often come with risks such as data leaks, malware, performance throttling, or shared usage that can lead to IP bans. Buying proxies from reputable providers ensures privacy, speed, support, and scalability—making them a better investment for serious tasks.

How do rotating proxies differ from static proxies?

Rotating proxies change the IP address automatically at regular intervals or per request, making them ideal for anonymous web scraping, ad validation, or search engine tasks. Static proxies (also called sticky or dedicated proxies) maintain the same IP for longer sessions, which is useful for logging into accounts, automation, or managing social media.

Can I buy proxies for sneaker bots or ticketing sites?

Yes. Many proxy providers offer specialized proxies for sneaker bots, ticketing, and retail websites like Nike, Adidas, or Ticketmaster. These proxies are often datacenter or ISP-level with low latency and region targeting to bypass queue systems, bans, and rate limits during drops.

What should I look for in a proxy provider?

Look for providers that offer:

• Transparent pricing and clear IP types (residential, mobile, datacenter)
• High uptime and low ban rates
• Geo-targeting options
• Dashboard access, rotation controls, and session management
• Customer support and usage logs

Also, make sure they align with your use case—some are better for scraping, others for streaming or security.

Can I use proxies for streaming or accessing geo-blocked content?

Yes, proxies—especially residential or ISP proxies—can help bypass geo-restrictions on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, or BBC iPlayer. However, for the most reliable access, some users prefer VPNs or smart DNS services, as they may offer better streaming stability and fewer detection issues.

Are proxies legal to use?

Yes, proxies are legal in most countries if used for ethical and compliant activities. However, using proxies to violate platform terms of service or commit fraud is illegal or punishable. Always follow local laws and platform guidelines, especially when scraping data or automating interactions.

🏁 Final Thoughts: Buy Proxies the Smart Way

Buying proxies is no longer a luxury reserved for tech elites. From protecting your identity to powering your business, proxies play a critical role in the modern internet landscape.

Choose wisely. The right provider depends on your goals, budget, and level of technical skill.

• Oxylabs for enterprise data ops
• Webshare for budget-friendly yet powerful solutions
• Decodo for a flexible, all-in-one platform

But don’t sleep on niche providers like MarsProxies, IPRoyal, Nodemaven, and ProxyEmpire — they’re also leading innovation in their categories.

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In this post, I will showcase the top CyberArk PAM alternatives and competitors for 2026.

Surprisingly, 74% of data breaches involve the abuse of privileged credentials belonging to the superadmin. With the global Privileged Access Management (PAM) market poised to reach $14.5 billion by 2027 (CAGR 12.3%), organizations must act fast and seek low-cost options to lock down privilege.

This guide will help you find the best CyberArk PAM alternative with actionable data such as deployment timeframes, ROI benchmarks, and actual customer metrics. You’ll discover why PAM provides both immediate wins and long-term value that surpasses IAM security.

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager (PAM) Overview

CyberArk has stated that it protects privileged accounts for more than 50% of Fortune 500 companies. The vault, session monitoring, and compliance modules drive an average 68% decrease in breach costs.

On the other hand, many reviews indicate that using CyberArk can be time-consuming, requiring 6–12 months for implementation, and expensive, with annual costs exceeding $ 250,000 for many enterprises.

CyberArk PAM Solution Pros

• Manages over 7 million privileged accounts worldwide
• More than 400 integrations across cloud, DevOps, and virtualization
• Real-time forensics for monitoring live sessions and reporting
• Compliance templates for GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS
  

CyberArk PAM Solution Cons

• CyberArk’s solutions are generally considered expensive.
• Average deployment time is 6 – 12 months.
• 45% of customers reported a steep learning curve.
• Support SLA for mid-market accounts tend to be longer.
  

• • Rating: G2: 4.5/5
    

User Dissatisfaction

Our experience with the CyberArk PAM solution has been nothing short of a nightmare. The vision is very good; however, there are too many product issues that have led to numerous outages and frustration. Also, it is the most expensive product in the industry and should be more affordable for small and medium-sized companies. Customer support should also be more effective. -Sr. Info. Security Engineer (Industry: Banking)

Due to the long deployments and high TCO prices, many teams seek lighter, easier PAM alternatives.

Top 5 CyberArk PAM Competitors

We reviewed over 20 vendors, 2,000+ reviews from G2 and Capterra, and sourced data from credible industry reports. We evaluated deployment timelines, ROI timelines, and feature completeness to develop a comprehensive PAM solution tailored to your business needs, identifying the best CyberArk PAM alternatives. 

1. miniOrange PAM Solution

The miniOrange Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution is one of the leading PAM tools in the market. It is unique and widely recognized for its unified and scalable platform. Users report that it can be deployed in 10 days or less, delivers ROI within 90 days, and automates 60% of credentialing work in 28% less time and at a lower cost compared to CyberArk.

Key Features

• Central vault for credentials, keys, and certificates
• Just-in-time access, with adaptive MFA (risk-based) MFA
• Live session recording and alerting with threat detection
• RESTful APIs for DevOps and CI/CD automation
• Cloud native, on premise, or hybrid deployment
  

Why is miniOrange Superior?

1. Fastest Time To Value

Deploy in 10-14 days vs. 180-day average industry time including CyberArk to deploy – your organization is secure and productive in less than two weeks.

2. Transparent & Modular Pricing

A reasonable pricing based on only the modules used – no hidden or additional fees. Customers report 28% lower three-year pricing over a CyberArk solution.

3. Customer Satisfaction

95% of support tickets are resolved at first contact, and with a 5.0/5 rating on G2, customers are consistently delighted.

4. Demonstrated Automation

Automated credential rotation allows security teams more time to focus on security initiatives by reducing the manual effort required by a secure credentialing workflow by 60%.

miniOrange Cons:

• miniOrange PAM Solution may require expert support during initial setup to get perfect optimization in large, complex environments
• Advanced customizations are in the planning phase
• Certain enterprise-grade features are for specific businesses

miniOrange Ratings & Reviews:

G2: 5.0

2. Delinea

Delinea (formerly Thycotic and Centrify) is a popular Identity and Access Management provider. Its mature PAM platform is suitable for both on-premises and cloud environments. The focus on speed of deployment and ease of use has led to significant adoption by mid-sized companies and departments.

Delinea PAM Pros

• Fast, agentless PAM deployment
• Easy to use with role-based policy management
• Good vaulting and session monitoring
• Active community and frequent features releases
  

Delinea PAM Cons

• Pricing tiers can be a significant jump for premium modules
• Limited flexibility in built-in report templates
  

Delinea Ratings & Reviews:

G2: 4.8

3. One Identity Safeguard (PAM)

One Identity Safeguard consists of a single appliance-based solution that supports credential vaulting, session recording and behavior analytics.

It is well-positioned within the broader Identity and Access Management suites, which support an all-in-one bundle for enterprises.

One Identity PAM Pros

• Preconfigured security policies in a hardened appliance
• Advanced analytics and/or anomaly detection
• Deep integration with Active Directory and Identity Governance

One Identity PAM Cons

• On-premise hardware appliance limits cloud options
• User interface doesn’t feel as modern like other newer cloud native options
  

One Identity Safeguard Ratings & Reviews
G2: 3.5

4. ARCON PAM Suite

ARCON employs AI driven risk scores which help avoid ~70% of unauthorized access attempts. Large enterprises reported ARCON cut compliance audit times in half.

ARCON PAM Suite Pros

• Dynamic risk access policies
• AI engine detects ~90% of suspicious sessions in real time
• Customizable dashboards with ISO 27001, NIST and SOX reports
  

ARCON PAM Suite Cons

• Implementation of software requires ~200 professional-services hours
• There is a learning curve for establishing custom reports.
  

ARCON Ratings & Reviews
G2: 4.4

5. BeyondTrust PAM

BeyondTrust boasts a 100% on-prem footprint reduction with its SaaS-first model, and includes vulnerability scanning, which reduces remediation time by 50% on average.

BeyondTrust PAM Pros

• Completely cloud hosted in 72 hours or less
• The built-in vulnerability scanning includes automatic remediation recommendations
• Granular access control process privilege elevation results in 45% less admin overhead
  

BeyondTrust PAM Cons

• Customizations are limited to 5 total API extension points
• Premium analytics module, increases subscription fee by 35%
  

BeyondTrust PAM Ratings & Reviews
G2: 3.3

Choosing the Right CyberArk PAM Alternative

When evaluating CyberArk alternatives for PAM as part of your business case, as a buyer, you need to consider several key points. As per the above data miniOrange offers goes above and beyond when it comes to –

• 30% faster deployment than legacy platforms.
• 28% average savings in total cost against CyberArk over three years.
• 94-100% first contact support resolution rate.

miniOrange stands out against CyberArk with its stable and mature PAM features, including Privileged Password Management, Privileged Session Management, real-time monitoring and recording, Just-in-Time Access Management, Role-Based Access Controls, compliance readiness, Endpoint Privilege Management, and agentless deployment.

However, it is always recommended to schedule a demo of any product by calling and discussing your requirements. With miniOrange, you can also compare solutions from other CyberArk competitors such as Delinea, BeyondTrust, ARCON, and One Identity side by side to get a clearer understanding.

FAQs

Why look for CyberArk alternatives?

Organizations will look for alternatives to CyberArk when implementation and licensing costs from CyberArk are too high for a small to medium-sized team and when the architecture by CyberArk is complex and requires dedicated administrators. Delays due to limited out-of-the-box integrations with niche systems or legacy applications also contribute to the lack of efficiency, and ultimately the total cost of ownership.

Who are CyberArk’s main competitors in the PAM space?

The main competitors are miniOrange, BeyondTrust, Delinea, One Identity, HashiCorp Vault, ManageEngine PAM360 and Okta. In general, many of these PAM platforms offer simpler deployment, alternative licensing flexibility, and/or utilize cloud-native architectures that cater to the diverse needs of organizations. Moreover, a good PAM solution integrates with SIEM tools to detect malicious intent before any incident can occur.

Why is CyberArk so expensive?

CyberArk is expensive due to the enterprise-grade security functionality it provides (e.g., advanced threat analytics, session management/monitoring and privileged behaviour monitoring) for large, regulated environments. Factors such as 24/7 support, maximum customization options, and an entrenched brand position further amplify licensing and maintenance costs.

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