Do you want to buy proxy? Read on to learn more about this.

In today’s digital world, the demand for privacy, security, and unrestricted access to data has never been higher.

Whether you’re a business extracting data for market research, a cybersecurity expert testing network vulnerabilities, or just a privacy-conscious individual, buying a proxy is a crucial step toward achieving anonymity, bypassing geo-restrictions, and ensuring secure online activity.

But the question remains: how do you choose the right proxy provider? What are the best proxy services in the market? How do you avoid being overcharged or using blacklisted IPs?

This comprehensive tutorial walks you through everything you need to know about buying a proxy in 2026 — what proxies are, why you need them, and which providers dominate the industry right now.

🧠 What is a Proxy?

A proxy server acts as a middleman between your device and the internet. Instead of connecting directly to a website, your request first goes to a proxy, which then forwards it on your behalf — masking your real IP address in the process.

This allows you to:

• Browse anonymously
• Bypass geo-restrictions
• Scrape data without being blocked
• Automate tasks like account creation
• Monitor SEO rankings globally

🧩 Types of Proxies You Can Buy

Before buying, you must understand the major types of proxies and what they’re good for:

Before diving into proxy types and use cases, let’s highlight our top 3 picks for the best proxy providers of 2026, based on performance, versatility, affordability, and customer satisfaction.

🥇 1. Oxylabs – Best for Enterprise-Grade Web Scraping and Reliability

Proxy Types: Residential, Datacenter, Mobile, Web Unblocker
Pricing: Starts from $4/GB
Trial: Unlimited trial for scraping tools (up to 2K results)
Best For: Web scraping, SEO monitoring, price aggregation, data intelligence

Why Oxylabs?

Oxylabs is considered the gold standard for enterprises looking for premium proxy services. With access to over 175 million IPs globally, its proxies are known for speed, stability, and incredibly low block rates.

• Residential proxies offer wide IP rotation and session control.
• Mobile proxies support advanced anti-bot evasion.
• Oxylabs’ Web Unblocker is ideal for scraping tough websites like Amazon or Google.
• Their Datacenter proxies boast unparalleled speed for bandwidth-intensive operations.

Pros:

• 175M+ real IPs globally
• Country, city, ASN, ZIP targeting
• 24/7 support & dedicated account managers
• Built-in AI-powered scraping tools

Cons:

• Setup complexity for non-tech users, but they offer resources for a quick learning process

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 Value for Affordable Private Proxies

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

Why Webshare?

Webshare stands out as one of the most affordable proxy providers, offering private proxies at an extremely low cost. With highly customizable packages, you can tailor your proxy needs — bandwidth, locations, or concurrency — without paying enterprise prices.

Along that, you’ll get a premium IP pool of 80M+ proxies and coverage in 195+ countries for Residential proxies.

Their dashboard is beginner-friendly, and they offer real-time usage tracking, API integration, and excellent uptime.

Pros:

• Pay-as-you-go, no contract
• Easy-to-use dashboard
• Fast delivery (instant activation)
• Customizable performance settings

Cons:

• IP pool not as vast as Oxylabs

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 Versatility and Performance

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

Why Decodo?

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) has rebranded but retained its powerful network of over 125 million IPs across 195+ locations around the globe.

Its key strength is plug-and-play versatility — managing multiple social media or eCommerce accounts, scraping websites, or doing market research. 

Its user interface is sleek, and it integrates easily with tools like Python scripts, browser extensions, APIs, and various third-party software.

Pros:

• One of the largest rotating IP networks
• 195+ worldwide locations
• 99.99% uptime
• #1 response time in the market
• Advanced geo-targeting
• Extensive documentation and 24/7 technical support

Cons:

• Advanced features may be overwhelming for newbies

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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⭐ Other Great Proxy Providers to Consider in 2026

While the top 3 Editor’s Choice are elite, here are other trustworthy proxy services making waves in 2026:

4. MarsProxies – Best for Gaming and Social Media Bots

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

MarsProxies is a favorite among botters and social media automation users. Their rotating residential proxies bypass blocks and CAPTCHAs with ease. Their dashboard is designed for beginners and advanced users alike.

Unique Edge: They offer geo-targeting for residential proxies with high session control.

5. Croxy — Best Free Web Proxy for Browsing & Streaming

Proxy Types: Web-based proxy
Pricing: Free (with premium plans available)
Best For: Quick anonymous browsing, unblocking websites, streaming

Croxy is one of the most popular free proxy services in 2026, loved for its simplicity and reliability. Unlike traditional proxy APIs, Croxy lets you surf any site directly from your browser — no setup, no configuration.

Its SSL encryption ensures your connection remains private, and it supports major sites like YouTube, Google, and Reddit even under restricted networks.

Unique Edge:

• Works instantly via browser
• Supports media streaming
• Zero installation required

Croxy

Croxy is a lightning-fast, secure IP proxy service that unlocks unrestricted internet access while keeping your identity...Show More

Croxy is a lightning-fast, secure IP proxy service that unlocks unrestricted internet access while keeping your identity completely anonymous. Show Less

Get the deal

==>> Get Croxy

6. Nodemaven – Best for Developer Integrations

Proxy Types: Residential, Datacenter
Pricing: Custom pricing; starts around $12/month
Best For: DevOps teams, API scraping, cybersecurity testing

Nodemaven is one of the best proxy services geared toward developers and enterprise testers. Their robust API, tokenized access, and real-time analytics make it a great tool for internal dev teams building custom crawlers or testing applications across regions.

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

Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile, Static
Pricing: From $0.80/GB
Best For: Researchers, freelancers, one-time projects

IPRoyal is known for affordable bandwidth-based pricing. Instead of committing to monthly plans, you can buy proxies per GB — perfect for lightweight users or data scraping gigs.

Strengths:

• Flexible payment
• Easy to integrate
• Offers browser extension

8. ProxyEmpire – Best for Global Coverage

Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile
Pricing: Starts from $10/GB
Best For: Global data intelligence and surveys

With over 150+ countries covered, ProxyEmpire ensures you get access from almost any location. This is ideal for global advertising testing, price comparison, and local search scraping.

9. Soax – Best for Clean IP Pools

Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile
Pricing: $99/month (residential)
Best For: Anti-bot evasion, clean traffic campaigns

Soax invests heavily in clean IP rotation and KYC measures. If you’re working on sensitive scraping tasks or operating in competitive niches, their reliably clean IPs reduce ban risks significantly.

10. Proxy-Cheap – Best for Budget-Conscious Users

Proxy Types: Residential, ISP
Pricing: From $0.75/GB
Best For: Students, researchers, low-cost tasks

Despite its name, Proxy-Cheap delivers decent performance at a fraction of the cost. While not suitable for high-scale automation, it’s a great entry-level provider for casual use.

READ ALSO: The Ultimate Guide to Free Proxies

Best Proxy Services Providers To Buy From

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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 a Proxy (Step-by-Step)

If you’re new to proxies, here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Determine Your Use Case

Do you need it for web scraping, gaming, accessing geo-blocked content, or social media automation?

Step 2: Choose the Proxy Type

Datacenter for speed

Residential/Mobile for authenticity and lower ban risk

ISP for hybrid balance

Step 3: Pick a Provider

Use our Editor’s Choice or vetted list. Check reviews, IP pool size, speed, location coverage, and dashboard tools.

Step 4: Choose Location and Rotation

Most providers offer:

Geo-targeting (country/city level)

Rotating or sticky sessions
Choose based on whether you need stability (static) or anonymity (rotating).

Step 5: Test and Integrate

Use browser extensions or proxy software

Integrate with your bot, browser, script, or application

Monitor your usage via dashboards

⚠️ What to Avoid When Buying Proxies

Blacklisted IPs: Choose reputable providers that rotate clean IPs.

Free proxies: Risky, slow, and often hacked or monitored.

Overpriced bandwidth: Look for flexible plans.

No refund policy: Good providers offer refunds or free trials.

✅ Best Proxy Use Cases in 2026

Web Scraping: Extract product prices, SEO rankings, reviews

Sneaker Bots: Cop limited drops from Nike, Adidas

Streaming: Bypass Netflix, Hulu geo-restrictions

Social Media: Run multiple accounts on Instagram, Facebook

Cybersecurity: Test firewalls, penetration testing

Ad Verification: Detect fraud or improper ad placements

Travel Aggregation: Compare flight and hotel prices worldwide

🧪 Proxy Tools You Might Need

Proxy Tester Tools: Check speed, anonymity (e.g., ProxyChecker)

Browser Extensions: Like Smartproxy or Decodo plugin

Proxy Managers: FoxyProxy, ProxyMesh

Bots: Instaloader, Scrapy, Puppeteer for automation

Buy Proxy: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a proxy, and why should I buy one in 2026?

A proxy acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet, masking your real IP address and routing your connection through another IP. In 2026, buying a proxy is essential for use cases like web scraping, ad verification, social media automation, sneaker botting, SEO tracking, and maintaining online privacy. With stricter IP bans and evolving bot detection systems, paid proxies offer more reliability, speed, and anonymity compared to free alternatives.

What is the difference between residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies?

Residential proxies use IP addresses assigned to real household devices. They are harder to detect and ideal for stealthy scraping or managing multiple accounts.

Datacenter proxies are hosted on servers and provide high-speed, cost-effective IPs. They’re great for bulk data scraping and automation.

Mobile proxies route traffic through real mobile networks (3G/4G/5G), making them perfect for mobile testing, social platforms, and highly secure environments.

How do I choose the best proxy provider for my needs?

To choose the best proxy service, consider the following:

Use case (scraping, SEO, automation, etc.)

Proxy type (residential, datacenter, mobile)

Location targeting (country, city, ASN)

Rotation control (session time, sticky IPs)

Bandwidth limits and pricing models

API access and developer tools if you’re coding

Top-rated providers like Oxylabs, Webshare, and Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) offer excellent balance across these metrics.

Are free proxies safe to use?

Free proxies are generally not safe or reliable. They often:

Lack of encryption and privacy protections

Have limited or shared bandwidth

Can be blacklisted or flagged as spam

Pose risks of data leaks or malicious redirects

If your project involves sensitive data or business use, investing in a trusted paid proxy service is highly recommended.

Can I use proxies for web scraping legally?

Yes, proxies can be used for web scraping legally, provided you respect the terms of service of the target websites and avoid scraping personal or sensitive user data. Many providers, including Oxylabs and Bright Data, offer compliance-focused solutions to ensure ethical scraping practices aligned with GDPR and other data regulations.

How much does it cost to buy a good proxy service?

Pricing depends on the proxy type and use case:

Residential proxies: $10–$25 per GB

Datacenter proxies: $1–$3 per IP/month

Mobile proxies: $50–$150/month

Some providers, like IPRoyal and Proxy-Cheap, offer pay-as-you-go pricing, while others like Webshare and MarsProxies provide subscription-based models with unlimited bandwidth or thread limits.

Can I switch locations or IPs after buying proxies?

Yes. Most premium proxy services offer location switching (country or city) and IP rotation controls. Some even allow real-time IP refreshing or port-based rotation. Platforms like Decodo, ProxyEmpire, and SOAX give you granular control over your IP usage, making them ideal for tasks requiring dynamic geo-targeting.

What is the best proxy service in 2026?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but top providers for 2026 include:

Oxylabs – Best all-around for enterprise scraping and scale

Webshare – Best for developers and performance on a budget

Decodo (Smartproxy) – Best for UI simplicity and versatility
Other strong contenders include IPRoyal, MarsProxies, Nodemaven, NetNut, and ProxyEmpire. Your choice should align with your specific goals, budget, and technical needs.

🏁 Final Thoughts: Buy Proxy Services Wisely

In 2026, buying a proxy is no longer just for hackers or advanced developers — it’s now a mainstream tool for businesses, marketers, and even average users who want more privacy, performance, and control online.

Your choice of proxy provider will greatly impact your success. For enterprise-grade performance, go with Oxylabs. If you’re budget-sensitive but need quality, choose Webshare. For all-round excellence and flexible integrations, Decodo is your go-to.

Whichever path you take, buy smart, use responsibly, and always test first.

Editor’s Note:
Proxy markets evolve fast. Always confirm the provider’s latest features, pricing, and terms before committing long-term. Reliable proxies can transform your digital projects — choose wisely.

INTERESTING POSTS

Want the best proxies for school? Read On!

In today’s digital age, the Internet has become an integral part of education. Students rely on online resources for research, collaboration, and accessing educational materials.

However, schools often implement internet filters and restrictions to ensure a safe and focused learning environment. While these measures are essential, they can sometimes hinder students’ access to legitimate educational content.

This is where proxies come into play. Proxies can be helpful tools for students to access blocked websites that contain valuable educational resources. However, it’s crucial to approach this topic responsibly and ethically. This guide will explore the best proxies for school use, focusing on safety, legality, and educational benefits.

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that students should always follow their school’s internet usage policies and seek permission before using any proxy services. The goal is to enhance learning opportunities, not circumventing rules or accessing inappropriate content.

Understanding Proxies and Their Use in Educational Settings

What are Proxies?

A proxy server acts as an intermediary between a user’s device and the internet. When you use a proxy, your internet traffic is routed through the proxy server before reaching its destination.

This process can mask your IP address and make it appear as if you’re browsing from a different location.

Legitimate Uses of Proxies in Education

1. Accessing educational resources: School filters may inadvertently block some educational websites. Proxies can help access these legitimate resources.
2. Research: Students working on projects about internet censorship or global communications might use proxies for their research.
3. Learning about network security: In controlled educational settings, proxies can be used to teach students about internet privacy and security concepts.
4. Accessing region-locked educational content: Some educational materials may only be available in certain geographic regions. Proxies can help access this content for educational purposes.
5. Testing web applications: Students in computer science or web development courses might use proxies to test how their applications perform under different network conditions.

Importance of Responsible Use

It’s crucial to emphasize that proxies should only be used with permission and for legitimate educational purposes.

Students should never use proxies to access inappropriate content, cheat, or violate school policies. The focus should always be on enhancing learning opportunities within the boundaries set by educational institutions.

Best Proxies Deals

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

Get the deal

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Best Featured Proxy Service Providers For Schools – EDITOR’S CHOICES

1. Oxylabs – Best for Enterprise-Grade Proxy Solutions

Oxylabs is a leading proxy provider known for its vast IP pool and advanced proxy solutions tailored for businesses and enterprises. With a strong focus on data gathering and security, Oxylabs delivers premium residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies backed by AI-driven tools.

Educational Use: Oxylabs could be suitable for educational institutions implementing controlled proxy access for specific research or IT education purposes.

Key Features:

• Over 175 million residential IPs worldwide
• AI-powered Scraper APIs for effortless data collection
• High-speed datacenter and mobile proxies
• Ethically sourced IPs ensuring compliance and reliability

Best For:

• Large-scale web scraping and data mining
• Enterprise-level security and anonymity
• Businesses requiring a stable and compliant proxy solution

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

Get the deal

2. Decodo – Best for Affordable and User-Friendly Proxies

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) strikes the perfect balance between affordability and premium performance, making it an excellent choice for individuals and businesses alike.

With an easy-to-use dashboard, flexible plans, and robust IP rotation, it’s ideal for those who need high-quality proxies without breaking the bank.

Educational Use:
Smartproxy is a great option for students engaged in advanced research, web scraping, or data science projects, offering seamless access to reliable proxy networks.

Key Features:

• 55M+ Residential Proxies with a 50% discount using code RESI50 (Limited Time Offer)
• 115M+ IPs in Total across 195+ locations
• <0.3s average speed and 99.99% uptime for uninterrupted browsing
• Supports HTTPs and SOCKS5 protocols
• Customer Support responds within 40 seconds
• Free trials available for all non-residential products

Best For:

• Marketers, freelancers, and small businesses
• Social media management and ad verification
• Users seeking a budget-friendly yet powerful proxy solution

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)

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

3. Webshare – Best for Free and Cost-Effective Proxy Plans

Webshare is a budget-conscious proxy provider, offering free proxy plans alongside competitively priced premium options. Whether you’re a developer testing proxies or a business needing cost-effective solutions, Webshare delivers flexible proxy services at unbeatable rates.

Educational Use: Webshare is a great option for students and educators who need access to academic resources, geo-restricted content, or network security learning. Its free plan and affordable pricing make it accessible for educational institutions and independent learners alike.

Key Features:

• Residential proxy pool of 30+ million
• 195+ countries coverage
• 99.7% uptime
• Free proxy plan with generous usage limits
• Highly customizable proxy configurations
• Free Chrome proxy extension for seamless use on your browser
• Ultra-fast datacenter and residential proxies
• Pay-as-you-go pricing with no hidden fees

Best For:

• Developers and testers looking for free proxies
• Individuals needing affordable datacenter proxies
• Businesses requiring scalable proxy solutions on a budget

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

Get the deal

Best Proxy Services for School And Educational Use

When considering proxy services for educational purposes, it’s important to prioritize safety, reliability, and ethical considerations. Here are some proxy services that could be suitable for educational settings, along with their features and potential benefits:

1. IPRoyal

IPRoyal offers a range of proxy services, including residential and datacenter proxies. While primarily a premium service, they sometimes offer educational discounts or limited free trials.

Pros:

• High-quality, reliable proxies
• Strict privacy policies
• 24/7 customer support

Cons:

• Primarily a paid service
• May require parental or school permission for student use

Educational Use: IPRoyal’s proxies could be useful for accessing geo-restricted educational content or for students learning about network security in controlled environments.

2. Live Proxies

Overview: Live Proxies is a leading proxy provider offering advanced proxy solutions designed to meet educational and professional needs. With rotating residential, static residential, and mobile proxies, it ensures secure, fast, and reliable internet access for bypassing network restrictions and accessing academic resources.

Features:

• Rotating and Static Proxies: Offers dynamic IPs for anonymity and static IPs for stable, long-term use​​.
• Sticky Sessions: Maintain consistent IP usage for up to 60 minutes, ideal for tasks like accessing school resources​​.
• Private IP Allocation: Dedicated IPs that reduce detection risks and enhance performance​.
• Global IP Coverage: Provides access to millions of IPs from various locations, ensuring uninterrupted access to geo-restricted content​.
• High Speed and Uptime: Ensures 99.9% uptime and optimized connections for seamless usage​​.

Pros:

• Wide variety of proxy types to suit different needs.
• Customizable plans for flexibility.
• High anonymity and reliable performance.
• Responsive and helpful customer support.

Cons:

• Limited location options compared to some competitors.
• Some advanced features may cater more to enterprise needs.

Best For: Students and educators looking for secure proxies to bypass school network restrictions, access educational databases, and maintain privacy in academic activities​​​.

==>> Get Live Proxies

3. NetNut

NetNut specializes in residential proxies and offers static residential IPs, which can benefit consistent access to educational resources.

Pros:

• High success rates
• Static residential IPs available
• 24/7 customer support

Cons:

• Primarily targets business users
• It can be more expensive than some alternatives

Educational Use: NetNut’s static IPs could be useful for schools or libraries setting up consistent, monitored access to specific educational resources.

4. Infatica

Infatica provides residential and mobile proxies with a focus on ethical sourcing. They offer a flexible proxy network that could be adapted for educational purposes.

Pros:

• Ethically sourced proxies
• Flexible plans
• Suitable for accessing geo-restricted content

Cons:

• Primarily a paid service
• It may require technical setup

Educational Use: Infatica could be used in controlled educational settings to teach about global internet access and content differences across regions.

READ ALSO: Best Mobile Proxies: Unlocking Faster and More Secure Mobile Browsing

5. Nodemaven

Nodemaven offers various proxy types, including residential and datacenter options. They provide a reliable service that could be adapted for educational use.

Pros:

• Multiple proxy types are available
• Global network coverage
• Customizable plans

Cons:

• Primarily focused on business users
• It may require an administrative setup

Educational Use: Nodemaven’s proxies could be utilized in computer science courses to teach about network protocols and internet infrastructure.

6. Mars Proxies

Mars Proxies provides residential and ISP proxies focusing on reliability and performance. They offer customizable solutions that can be tailored to educational needs.

Pros:

• Reliable performance
• Customizable solutions
• Good customer support

Cons:

• Primarily a paid service
• It may require technical knowledge to set up

Educational Use: Mars Proxies could be suitable for advanced computer science programs or research projects requiring stable and reliable proxy connections.

7. GeoSurf

GeoSurf offers a premium residential proxy network with a wide range of locations. While not explicitly designed for educational use, it could be adapted for specific purposes.

Pros:

• Large pool of residential IPs
• Extensive geographical coverage
• High-quality connections

Cons:

• Premium pricing
• Oriented toward business users

Educational Use: GeoSurf could be valuable for geography or social studies classes exploring how internet content varies across different countries and regions.

8. Bright Data (formerly Luminati)

Bright Data is a comprehensive proxy provider offering various types of proxies. They have a strong focus on compliance and ethical use.

Pros:

• Large proxy network
• Strong ethical standards
• Advanced features for data collection

Cons:

• Complex pricing structure
• Primarily designed for business and research use

Educational Use: Bright Data could be suitable for advanced research projects or data science courses in higher education settings.

9. ProxyEmpire

ProxyEmpire offers residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies with a user-friendly interface. They provide flexible plans that could be adapted for educational purposes.

Pros:

• User-friendly dashboard
• Flexible proxy types
• Good customer support

Cons:

• Primarily a paid service
• May require administrative oversight for educational use

Educational Use: ProxyEmpire could be used in IT courses to demonstrate different types of proxy connections and their applications.

Free and Educational-Specific Proxy Options

While the above services are primarily premium options, some free or education-specific proxy services might be suitable for school use:

1. Psiphon

Psiphon is a free, open-source internet censorship circumvention tool. While not a traditional proxy service, it can be used to access blocked content.

Pros:

• Free to use
• Open-source software
• Available on multiple platforms

Cons:

• May be blocked by some school networks
• Requires installation of software

Educational Use: Psiphon could be used in controlled settings to teach about internet freedom and censorship issues.

2. Lantern

Lantern is another free tool designed to provide access to the open internet. It uses a combination of proxying and peer-to-peer technologies.

Pros:

• Free to use
• Works in heavily censored regions
• Available on multiple platforms

Cons:

• May require technical knowledge to set up
• Could be blocked by school networks

Educational Use: Lantern could be valuable in global studies or political science courses discussing internet censorship and freedom.

3. TOR Browser

The TOR Browser is a free, open-source browser that routes your traffic through multiple servers to provide anonymity. While it’s more than just a proxy, it can access blocked content.

Pros:

• Free and open-source
• Provides strong anonymity
• Educational resources available about its technology

Cons:

• It can be slow due to routing
• School networks may block it
• Not suitable for streaming or large downloads

Educational Use: TOR could be used in cybersecurity courses to teach about anonymous browsing and network security concepts.

4. Hide.me Free Web Proxy

Hide.me offers a free web proxy service and premium VPN offerings. It’s a simple, web-based proxy that can be used without installation.

Pros:

• Free to use
• No installation required
• Easy to use interface

Cons:

• Limited server locations in free version
• May not work with all websites
• Ad-supported

Educational Use: Hide.me’s free web proxy could be useful for quick, supervised access to blocked educational resources.

Implementing Proxies in Educational Settings: Best Practices

When considering proxies in educational settings, it’s crucial to implement them responsibly and ethically. Here are some best practices:

1. Obtain Proper Authorization: School administration and IT departments should approve any use of proxies. Ensure compliance with all school policies and regulations.
2. Educate Users: Provide clear guidelines and education to students about responsible proxy use. Emphasize the importance of using proxies only for legitimate educational purposes.
3. Implement Monitoring and Filtering: Use proxy services that allow for monitoring and content filtering to ensure appropriate use.
4. Choose Reputable Services: Opt for proxy services with strong privacy policies, reliable performance, and good reputations.
5. Limit Access: Consider limiting proxy access to specific educational resources or websites rather than providing unrestricted access.
6. Supervise Usage: Especially for younger students, ensure that educators or librarians supervise proxy use.
7. Regular Review: Periodically review the proxy usage and adjust policies as needed to ensure they continue to meet educational goals while maintaining a safe environment.
8. Teach Digital Literacy: Use the implementation of proxies as an opportunity to teach students about internet safety, privacy, and responsible digital citizenship.
9. Consider Alternatives: Sometimes, working with the IT department to whitelist specific educational resources might be a better solution than implementing proxies.
10. Stay Updated: Keep abreast of changes in proxy technologies and school network security to ensure your approach remains effective and secure.

Potential Risks and How to Mitigate Them

While proxies can be valuable tools in educational settings, they also come with potential risks. It is important to be aware of these risks and take steps to mitigate them:

1. Accessing Inappropriate Content: Students might use proxies to access inappropriate or non-educational content. Mitigation: Implement strong content filtering and monitoring systems. Educate students about responsible internet use.
2. Security Risks: Some proxy services, especially free ones, may not have strong security measures in place. Mitigation: Use reputable, paid proxy services with strong security protocols. Avoid free proxies for sensitive information.
3. Privacy Concerns: Proxy services could potentially log user data. Mitigation: Choose proxy services with strong privacy policies. Educate students about online privacy.
4. Bandwidth Issues: Extensive proxy use could slow down the school’s internet connection. Mitigation: Monitor bandwidth usage and implement fair usage policies.
5. Legal and Compliance Issues: Improper use of proxies could lead to legal or compliance problems. Mitigation: Ensure all proxy use complies with relevant laws and regulations. Obtain necessary permissions and consents.
6. Dependency: Students might become overly reliant on proxies to access information. Mitigation: Teach critical thinking and research skills. Encourage use of a variety of information sources.
7. Technical Issues: Proxies might not work consistently or could interfere with other school systems. Mitigation: Work closely with IT departments to ensure compatibility and resolve issues promptly.

The Future of Internet Access in Education

As we look to the future, it’s clear that the landscape of internet access in educational settings will continue to evolve. Here are some trends and considerations:

1. Personalized Learning: As education becomes more personalized, there may be a need for more flexible internet access policies that can adapt to individual student needs while maintaining safety.
2. Global Collaboration: Increased emphasis on global education may necessitate better access to international resources, potentially through carefully managed proxy services.
3. Digital Citizenship Education: There will likely be a greater focus on teaching students to navigate the internet responsibly, including understanding the implications of using tools like proxies.
4. Advanced Filtering Technologies: Improvements in AI and machine learning may lead to more sophisticated content filtering systems, potentially reducing the need for proxies in some cases.
5. Balancing Security and Access: Schools will continue to face the challenge of balancing the need for internet security with providing access to valuable online resources.
6. Cloud-Based Education: As more educational resources move to the cloud, ensuring secure and equitable access for all students will become increasingly important.
7. Privacy Concerns: Growing awareness of online privacy issues may influence how schools approach internet access and the use of proxies.

Conclusion

Proxies can be valuable tools in educational settings when used responsibly and ethically. They can provide access to critical educational resources that might otherwise be inaccessible due to overzealous filtering systems. However, their implementation requires careful consideration, planning, and ongoing management.

The proxy services discussed in this article, from premium options like IPRoyal and Oxylabs to free tools like Psiphon and TOR Browser, each have their own strengths and potential applications in educational contexts.

The choice of which to use, if any, should be based on the educational institution’s specific needs, the students’ age and maturity, and the resources available for implementation and management.

It’s crucial to remember that using proxies in schools should always be in service of educational goals. They should be implemented alongside comprehensive digital literacy education, teaching students not just how to access information, but how to do so responsibly and ethically.

As we move forward, the challenge for educators and administrators will be to stay informed about evolving technologies and to continually adapt their approaches to ensure safe, equitable, and enriching internet access for all students.

By doing so, we can harness the internet’s full potential as an educational tool while protecting and empowering our students in the digital age.

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If you’re shopping for a residential proxy provider, this is your 101 on how to choose the best provider.

First: What is a residential proxy? 

A residential proxy address is an IP address assigned to a home device or computer that is connected to the internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Residential proxies can protect your online activities from being tracked by websites, governments, and other third parties by using residential proxies. 

The biggest advantage of residential proxies is that they enable you to view content from a real user’s perspective in a specific location worldwide. Many residential proxies are utilized for web scraping, a large-scale process of extracting data from websites. 

With residential proxies, websites cannot detect and block web scrapers. Generally, residential proxies enable you to perform tasks like: market analysis, price monitoring and comparison, ad verification, website testing, product matching, and more. 

A wide variety of residential proxy providers are available on the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Before diving into our top-ranked residential proxy providers, three standout services excel in specific categories. Whether you need high-speed connections, large-scale data collection, or budget-friendly solutions, these providers offer excellent options.

Editor’s Choice: Best Featured Residential Proxy Service Providers

1. Decodo – Best for User-Friendly & Affordable Residential Proxies

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) is a well-rounded choice for businesses and individuals looking for an easy-to-use proxy solution with premium features at an affordable price.

With a vast IP pool, seamless setup, and high-speed connections, it’s perfect for both beginners and advanced users.

Key Features:

• Residential Proxies: Over 1115 million+ IPs with fast rotation across 195+ locations
• Speed & Reliability: <0.3s average response time, 99.99% uptime
• Compatibility: Supports HTTPS and SOCKS5
• Customer Support: 24/7 availability with an average response time of 40 seconds
• Free Trials: Available for all products except residential proxies
• Special Offer: Get 67% off Residential Proxies with code BF2025 (Limited time)

Best For: Web scraping, ad verification, social media management, and data collection.

Why Choose Decodo? It delivers high-quality proxies that are easy to set up and use flawlessly, offering premium performance without the complexity or premium price tag.

Decodo Residential Proxies

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Residential Proxies offer a fast, reliable, and affordable solution with 55M+ IPs...Show More

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Residential Proxies offer a fast, reliable, and affordable solution with 55M+ IPs worldwide, ensuring seamless web scraping, automation, and data collection without IP bans or restrictions. Show Less

BF2025

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2. Oxylabs – Best for Large-Scale Data Collection & Enterprise Solutions

Oxylabs takes the crown as one of the best residential proxy providers due to its extensive global coverage, impressive uptime, and advanced features tailored for both businesses and individuals.

Known for its high-speed proxies and robust network, Oxylabs provides a reliable solution for all proxy-related tasks.

Key Features:

• Global Coverage: Access to over 175 million residential IPs in 195+ countries, ensuring you can reach almost any region.
• Speed & Performance: High-quality proxies optimized for speed and reliability, making it ideal for data-intensive tasks.
• Advanced Targeting Options: City-level targeting, ASN targeting, and more provide flexibility in meeting specific requirements.
• User-Friendly Dashboard: An intuitive interface that simplifies proxy management, along with detailed analytics to monitor usage.

Whether you’re a business conducting market research or an individual seeking enhanced privacy, Oxylabs delivers unmatched performance and reliability. Let’s explore other notable residential proxy providers following Oxylabs’ lead.

Oxylabs Residential Proxies

Oxylabs Residential Proxies offer a massive 175M+ ethically sourced IP pool with AI-driven management, ensuring...Show More

Oxylabs Residential Proxies offer a massive 175M+ ethically sourced IP pool with AI-driven management, ensuring unbeatable reliability, anonymity, and high success rates for enterprise-scale web scraping and data collection. 🚀 Show Less

OXYLABS50

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3. Webshare – Best for Budget-Friendly Proxy Solutions

Webshare is a top-tier residential proxy provider offering a seamless and cost-effective solution for web scraping, market research, and online anonymity.

With a vast network of residential IPs in multiple global locations, Webshare ensures high-speed, reliable, and undetectable connections. Users can enjoy automatic IP rotation, sticky sessions, and advanced proxy management features for optimal performance.

Its intuitive dashboard makes it easy to customize proxy settings, monitor usage, and integrate with third-party applications via API. Additionally, Webshare offers a free plan, making it an attractive option for users who want to test its services before committing to a paid plan.

With competitive pricing and a focus on speed and reliability, Webshare is an excellent choice for those needing high-quality residential proxies.

Webshare stands out for its cost-effective pricing and flexible proxy plans, making it an ideal choice for startups and individuals. Despite its affordability, it doesn’t compromise on performance, offering secure and fast proxy connections.

Key Features:

• Reliable residential proxy pool of 30+ million
• Available in 195+ countries
• 99.7% uptime
• Affordable pricing with free trial available
• Dedicated residential and datacenter proxies
• High-speed connections with low latency
• Easy API integration

Best For: Small businesses, freelancers, and budget-conscious users.

Why Choose Webshare? It’s a great entry-level proxy provider with competitive pricing and a simple setup.

Webshare Residential Proxies

Webshare Residential Proxies offer high-speed, reliable, and cost-effective proxy solutions with flexible pricing...Show More

Webshare Residential Proxies offer high-speed, reliable, and cost-effective proxy solutions with flexible pricing, ensuring seamless web scraping, automation, and anonymity for businesses and individuals alike. Show Less

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Best Proxies Deals

Decodo Residential Proxies

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Residential Proxies offer a fast, reliable, and affordable solution with 55M+ IPs...Show More

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Residential Proxies offer a fast, reliable, and affordable solution with 55M+ IPs worldwide, ensuring seamless web scraping, automation, and data collection without IP bans or restrictions. Show Less

BF2025

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Oxylabs Residential Proxies

Oxylabs Residential Proxies offer a massive 175M+ ethically sourced IP pool with AI-driven management, ensuring...Show More

Oxylabs Residential Proxies offer a massive 175M+ ethically sourced IP pool with AI-driven management, ensuring unbeatable reliability, anonymity, and high success rates for enterprise-scale web scraping and data collection. 🚀 Show Less

OXYLABS50

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Webshare Residential Proxies

Webshare Residential Proxies offer high-speed, reliable, and cost-effective proxy solutions with flexible pricing...Show More

Webshare Residential Proxies offer high-speed, reliable, and cost-effective proxy solutions with flexible pricing, ensuring seamless web scraping, automation, and anonymity for businesses and individuals alike. 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

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Other Top Residential Proxy Providers

The following is a comparison of the top residential proxy providers:

#1 Bright Data

Bright Data (formerly Luminati) is our favorite choice for residential proxies. Bright Data boasts one of the largest residential proxy networks, comprising over 72 million IP addresses across more than 195 countries and territories.

It offers advanced features like session control, geolocation targeting, and IP rotation, making it suitable for data scraping, ad verification, and other web automation tasks. 

We appreciate Bright Data’s versatility and geographic range – you can find a proxy in any target location, as Bright Data enables targeting by country, city, and ZIP Code. Bright Data’s commitment to ethical sourcing of proxies makes them a reliable and safe bet, as depending on the less-reputable providers with dubiously sourced IPs will cost you down the line.

While some Bright Data plans seem more expensive, the cost, in our view, is worth it, as you get what you pay for. Bright Data is 100% the way to go for big-time data scaling projects and enterprise customers. 

Bright Data’s proxies are designed for high performance and low latency, making them suitable for data scraping, ad verification, and other web automation tasks. Bright Data offers advanced features, including session control, geolocation targeting, and IP rotation, which enable users to customize their proxy usage and avoid detection.

Not to mention, Bright Data has a dedicated customer support team that is available 24/7 to assist users with any issues they may encounter.

#2 Live Proxies

Live Proxies offers a premium range of rotating residential proxies, designed for businesses and individuals seeking high anonymity, reliable performance, and global IP coverage. Their services ensure a seamless user experience, whether for web scraping, social media management, or market research​.

Key Features:

• Dynamic IP Rotation – Automatically rotates IP addresses to reduce bans and improve anonymity.
• Sticky Sessions – Allows users to maintain the same IP address for up to 60 minutes, ideal for session-based tasks such as managing multiple accounts​.
• Global IP Pool – Millions of IPs from real residential networks across the US, UK, Canada, and beyond​.
• High Uptime & Speed – Delivers stable, low-latency connections, ensuring consistent performance even under heavy workloads​.
• Private IP Allocation – Ensures dedicated IP addresses exclusive to your account for improved security and reliability​.

Pros:

• Wide variety of proxy types to suit different needs.
• Customizable plans for flexibility.
• High anonymity and reliable performance.
• Responsive and helpful customer support.

Cons:

• Limited location options compared to some competitors.
• Some advanced features may cater more to enterprise needs.

Why Choose Live Proxies?

Live Proxies provides industry-leading proxy solutions, combining privacy, scalability, and performance. Their rotating residential proxies stand out for high anonymity and global coverage, making them ideal for businesses requiring consistent and secure access to online data​​.

==>> Get Live Proxies

#3 PROXY-MAN – The Best Choice for Fast Proxies

PROXY-MAN stands out as the top option for users who need anonymous and fast residential proxies, combining high speed, wide coverage, and ease of use.

Key Features:

• Global Coverage: Access a large pool of residential IPs in 150+ countries, enabling work across various regions.
• Speed and Stability: Optimized proxies ensure smooth performance for browsing, data collection, or task automation.
• Intuitive Dashboard: A user-friendly interface simplifies proxy management and provides detailed analytics.

Whether for data scraping, privacy protection, or testing, PROXY-MAN offers a versatile and reliable solution for a wide range of tasks.

#4 Geonode

Geonode is a cutting-edge platform designed to revolutionize proxy services for both developers and non-developers.

With a comprehensive range of features and reliable infrastructure, Geonode ensures seamless and secure browsing experiences—offering a vast network of IP addresses worldwide that allows users to access location-specific content, conduct market research, and perform web scraping with utmost efficiency and anonymity.

Its intuitive interface simplifies proxy management, enabling users to monitor usage, track performance, and customize settings effortlessly.

Their dedicated customer support team also ensures prompt assistance. Additionally, they offer some of the most competitive pricing in the market.

#5 NetNut

NetNut offers a residential proxy network comprising over 52 million IP addresses across more than 50 locations worldwide.

It offers features like automatic IP rotation, sticky sessions, and geolocation targeting, making it suitable for data scraping, ad verification, and other web automation tasks. Its pricing is relatively affordable compared to other providers.

With over 52 million residential IP addresses available in more than 50 countries, NetNut is another reputable residential proxy provider that excels in a variety of online activities.

#6 Proxy Review Hub

While not a proxy provider itself, Proxy Review Hub serves as an invaluable resource for users seeking detailed analyses and comparisons of the best residential proxies.

The platform provides in-depth reviews, performance metrics, and user feedback, helping individuals and businesses choose the proxy service that best suits their specific needs.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Reviews: Detailed evaluations of top residential proxy providers, covering speed, reliability, security, and customer support.

• Up-to-date Information: Regular updates ensure that the reviews reflect the latest offerings and performance metrics of various providers.

• User Feedback Integration: Incorporates real user experiences to provide a balanced perspective on each proxy service.

• Educational Resources: Offers guides and articles to help users understand proxy technologies and make informed decisions.

By consulting Proxy Review Hub, users can gain a clearer understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different residential proxy providers, enabling them to choose the most suitable service for their requirements.

#7 IPRoyal

IPRoyal is one of the best and most affordable options for residential proxies on the market. It has over 2 million residential IP addresses sourced ethically and legally from real users in more than 195 countries. This ensures high levels of anonymity and privacy, as well as minimal risk of bans.

The service offers precise geo-targeting options, flexible rotation, and sticky sessions that allow you to maintain the same IP address for 1 second to 7 days. The proxies come with HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 support, unlimited concurrency, and API access, making them a suitable fit for web scraping, SEO research, and automating various online tasks.

The best aspects of IPRoyal’s residential proxy service are its competitive pricing, generous bulk discounts, and non-expiring traffic.

#8 MarsProxies

MarsProxies offers SOCKS5 residential proxies at highly competitive prices. Its ethically sourced proxy pool consists of over 1 million IPs, covering more than 190 locations worldwide.

The proxies have 99.99% uptime and allow you to authenticate via IP address, username, and password, making them highly reliable and secure. They provide sticky sessions and zero concurrency limits.

Most importantly, the traffic you buy never expires. This is great for anyone who doesn’t know how much residential traffic they need or when they will need it.

READ ALSO:

• The Best ISP Proxies
• The Best Antivirus Software
• The Best VPN Services

#9 ProxyJet

When it comes to residential proxy providers, ProxyJet stands out as a reliable and powerful solution for businesses and individuals alike.

Offering a vast pool of residential IPs across the globe, ProxyJet ensures seamless, uninterrupted access to geo-restricted content, accurate web scraping, and enhanced privacy for users.

The quality of its proxies, combined with unlimited bandwidth, makes it an excellent choice for high-demand applications such as e-commerce data gathering, social media management, and sneaker botting.

What makes ProxyJet truly noteworthy is its unparalleled commitment to performance and anonymity.

Advanced IP rotation and built-in proxy management features ensure that users can access data without detection or blockage, making it ideal for users who need reliable, undetectable proxies.

The company’s competitive pricing structure further enhances its appeal, providing a high-value proposition for businesses of all sizes.

#10 GeoSurf

GeoSurf provides a residential proxy network comprising over 2 million IP addresses across more than 130 countries worldwide. This residential proxy provider offers advanced features, including session control, geolocation targeting, and IP rotation, making it suitable for web automation tasks such as data scraping, ad verification, and brand protection.

Its pricing is competitive compared to other providers. Over 2 million residential IPs in more than 130 countries are available on Geosurf, making it another good choice for geo-targeted web scraping. The dashboard offers easy-to-use features and advanced features.

Conclusion

All of these providers offer residential proxy networks with advanced features and competitive pricing. An individual’s choice of provider ultimately depends on their specific needs and budget.

Overall, Bright Data’s large residential proxy network, advanced features, high-quality proxies, comprehensive dashboard, and reliable customer support make it a top choice for users who need high-quality proxies for web scraping, ad verification, and other web automation tasks.

INTERESTING POSTS

Want the best YouTube scraper? Read on!

In the age of video-first content, YouTube is the largest video database and one of the most influential digital ecosystems in the world.

Whether you’re a digital marketer, SEO expert, data analyst, competitor researcher, or AI model trainer — you know that YouTube’s vast information can’t be ignored.

But YouTube doesn’t offer full transparency through its public API, and manual data collection is unsustainable for scale. That’s why people are turning to YouTube scraping — using automated tools to extract video metadata, comments, channel insights, and performance stats for analysis.

This detailed guide will walk you through:

• What a YouTube scraper is
• How scraping works safely in 2026
• The best YouTube scraper tools and providers
• The Editor’s Choice top 3 proxy + scraping brands
• Tips, use cases, legal notes, and integration workflows

Let’s dive into the world of the best YouTube scrapers in 2026. But first, let me answer the question – what is a YouTube scraper?

🧠 What is a YouTube Scraper?

A YouTube scraper is a software tool, script, or service that automates the collection of publicly available data from YouTube pages. It simulates a user’s browser session or interacts with rendered HTML and DOM elements to extract information such as:

• Video title, description, and views
• Upload date, likes, and dislikes
• Video tags and categories
• Channel details (subscribers, video count)
• Video comments, replies, and usernames
• Suggested video recommendations
• Search result rankings

Scraping enables businesses and developers to build data pipelines, train AI models, analyze trends, and enhance decision-making with real-time YouTube data.

🔎 What Can You Do With YouTube Scraped Data?

To scrape YouTube effectively in 2026, your stack should include:

1. Proxy Infrastructure

YouTube throttles IPs and serves CAPTCHAs aggressively. Use rotating residential or mobile proxies to stay undetected.

2. Scraping Engine

Use libraries like:

• Selenium for browser-based scraping
• Puppeteer/Playwright for JavaScript-heavy pages
• BeautifulSoup + Requests for light scraping
• Headless browsers to mimic user behavior

3. Parsing Logic

Use XPath, CSS selectors, or JSON parsing (for AJAX responses) to extract data from HTML.

4. Storage Pipeline

Send data to:

• CSV/Excel
• SQL/NoSQL databases
• Cloud storage (Google Sheets, Firebase)

5. Error & Throttle Handling

Implement retry logic, randomized delays, and error logs to minimize IP bans and rate limits.

🚀 Editor’s Choice: Top 3 Best YouTube Scraper Infrastructure Brands

Before we explore scraping tools and services, let’s highlight the top 3 providers that offer robust infrastructure and proxy networks optimized for scraping YouTube data at scale.

🥇 1. Oxylabs – Best for Enterprise-Grade YouTube Scraping Solutions

Category: Residential, Mobile, Datacenter, and AI-Powered Scraping Tools
Best For: Large-scale YouTube data extraction, comment mining, and competitor tracking
Trial: Unlimited trial for scraping tools (up to 2K results)

Overview

Oxylabs is known for its precision and power in handling complex scraping challenges. For YouTube scraping, it provides a Web Scraper API, residential proxies, and a specialized AI data parsing engine that reduces failed requests and keeps your operations undetected.

If you’re extracting large volumes of:

• Video metadata (title, views, likes)
• Comments (sentiment, language, keyword use)
• Channel uploads and keyword trends
  …then Oxylabs is your best partner.

Why Oxylabs Rocks for YouTube:

• AI-powered dynamic HTML parsing
• Rotating IPs with geo-targeting
• Handles JavaScript-heavy pages
• Built-in CAPTCHA & IP block mitigation
• Scales up to billions of requests per month

⚠️ Please note: Oxylabs’ YouTube scraper does not offer any discounts.

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

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🥈 2. Webshare – Best Budget-Friendly Proxies for Scraping Tools

Category: Datacenter & Rotating Residential Proxies
Best For: Small-scale YouTube scraping, bot integration, SEO projects
Trial: Free tier with limited resources

Overview

Webshare is the best-kept secret for developers and solo operators who want low-cost, reliable proxies to power their scraping bots. Whether you’re using Puppeteer, Scrapy, Playwright, or YouTube scraping Python scripts, Webshare proxies provide solid performance and very low block rates.

Most users can opt for affordable datacenter IPs for smaller-scale YouTube tasks, but more advanced users with specific tasks & bandwidth requirements in mind can now opt for YouTube proxies built specifically for bandwidth-intensive use cases like video scraping and AI dataset generation.

Their proxies are perfect for pulling:

• Channel stats
• Public playlists
• Video keywords and tags
• Upload history scraping

Why Webshare is Ideal:

• Pay-as-you-go and free plans
• High concurrency allowed
• Fast integration with scraping libraries
• Customizable geo-targeting and sessions

Webshare

Webshare YouTube proxies deliver fast, reliable, and secure connections that let you bypass restrictions and stream...Show More

Webshare YouTube proxies deliver fast, reliable, and secure connections that let you bypass restrictions and stream, scrape, or manage multiple YouTube accounts seamlessly without interruptions. Show Less

10% OFF FIRST PURCHASE PRE-APPLIED

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🥉 3. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) – Best All-Around for YouTube API Bypass & Metadata Extraction

Category: All-in-one Web Scraping API
Best For: Mid-tier scraping setups, ad intelligence, AI training datasets
Trial: 7-day free trial with 1K requests

Overview

Decodo is an industry-standard solution that brings reliable IPs, powerful IP rotation infrastructure, built-in usage statistics, and tool integrations for video intelligence scraping. Rebranded from Smartproxy, they now offer an enhanced Web Scraping API with 100+ ready-made scraping templates. 

Perfect for: 

• Tracking YouTube SERPs
• Scraping metadata, transcripts
• Brand monitoring on YouTube

Why Decodo Is Reliable:

• User-friendly dashboard
• One-click scraping setup
• Ability to collect data in real-time or on-demand
• 100+ ready-made scraping templates
• 100% success rate
• 125M+ built-in proxies
• No proxy setup needed
• API access
• 24/7 tech support
• Extensive documentation and code examples

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy)

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) YouTube proxies provide high-quality, secure, and geo-flexible access that ensures smooth...Show More

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) YouTube proxies provide high-quality, secure, and geo-flexible access that ensures smooth streaming, scraping, and account management on YouTube without blocks or interruptions. Show Less

35OFFDEAL

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🛒 Other Great Proxy & Scraping Tool Providers

Let’s now look at other proxy and scraping providers that support YouTube data operations efficiently.

4. MarsProxies – Best for Bot Integration & Comment Extraction

Best For: YouTube bots, gaming content monitoring, social signals
Proxy Types: Datacenter, ISP, Residential

Overview

MarsProxies delivers low-latency proxies ideal for YouTube automation bots — from comment extractors to auto-watch tools. Popular among social marketers and gamers, MarsProxies support mass channel crawling with reliability.

5. IPRoyal – Best for Pay-As-You-Go Scraping Projects

Best For: Casual scraping, research projects, pay-per-GB users
Pricing: Starts from $0.80/GB
Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile, Static

Overview

IPRoyal is great for those who need short bursts of scraping without monthly contracts. Its per-GB billing makes it perfect for freelancers or student projects involving limited YouTube data collection.

6. Nodemaven – Best for Developer-Heavy Projects

Best For: Custom-built YouTube crawlers, APIs, and dev teams
Proxy Types: Residential, Datacenter

Overview

Nodemaven targets programmers and engineering teams with tools that support API access, authentication tokens, and dynamic scaling for backend crawling tasks.

If you’re building a YouTube analytics engine or internal dashboard for content strategy, Nodemaven is a fantastic fit.

7. ProxyEmpire – Best for Geo-Targeted YouTube Research

Best For: Location-specific scraping, region-based keyword monitoring
Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile

Overview

If you need to scrape YouTube content in local languages, trends, or region-specific rankings, ProxyEmpire provides broad country-level IP coverage with stable rotation.

8. Soax – Best for Clean IP Pools for YouTube Compliance

Best For: Corporate research, verified scraping use cases
Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile

Overview

Soax ensures a clean IP pool through ethical IP sourcing and KYC compliance. Ideal for white-hat scraping activities like media research and brand monitoring on YouTube.

2026 BEST PROXY SERVICES FOR YOUTUBE SCRAPERS

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

🔐 Legal & Ethical Considerations for YouTube Scraping

YouTube’s Terms of Service prohibit scraping in certain contexts, especially at scale. However, scraping public data for educational, research, or legal purposes is often allowed under fair use — depending on your jurisdiction.

Key Principles:

• Scrape only publicly available data
• Avoid scraping private or sensitive information
• Respect rate limits and user behavior
• Rotate IPs to prevent platform harm
• Use scraping ethically, not for spam or manipulation

Always consult a legal professional before launching large-scale scraping operations.

🧪 Tips for Successful YouTube Scraping in 2026

• ✅ Use rotating proxies to bypass IP bans
• ✅ Add browser fingerprint emulation with tools like Puppeteer-Stealth
• ✅ Avoid sending too many concurrent requests per IP
• ✅ Implement smart retry and delay logic
• ✅ Use CAPTCHA solvers or anti-bot handling libraries
• ✅ Randomize headers (User-Agent, Referer, Language)
• ✅ Parse YouTube’s HTML, not its API (if rate-limited)
• ✅ Automate cron-based scrapers to collect data daily

Best YouTube Scrapers: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a YouTube scraper, and how does it work?

A YouTube scraper is a tool or script that extracts publicly available data from YouTube, such as video titles, descriptions, channel info, views, comments, and upload dates. It works by sending HTTP requests to YouTube’s web pages or APIs and parsing the returned HTML or JSON to collect structured data. Some advanced YouTube scrapers also support JavaScript rendering, CAPTCHA bypass, and proxy rotation for scale and reliability.

Is it legal to use a YouTube scraper?

Yes, scraping public YouTube data is generally legal as long as it does not violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, overload their servers, or access non-public/private content. For commercial scraping at scale, it’s highly recommended to use a compliant solution (like Oxylabs or Decodo) and avoid unauthorized usage of YouTube’s internal APIs.

Do I need proxies for YouTube scraping?

Yes, if you’re scraping YouTube at scale (thousands of requests per hour), using proxies is essential to avoid IP bans or throttling. Premium providers like Webshare, Oxylabs, and Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) offer rotating residential or datacenter proxies that help distribute requests across multiple IPs for reliable and uninterrupted scraping.

What kind of data can I extract using a YouTube scraper?

You can extract a wide range of structured YouTube data, including:

• Video titles and URLs
• Channel names and metadata
• Upload dates and video durations
• Views, likes, and comment counts
• Video tags and categories
• Full comment threads (with timestamps)
• Transcripts and subtitles (where available)

Advanced scrapers may also detect trending topics, generate sentiment analysis from comments, or monitor influencer activity.

What are the best use cases for YouTube scrapers in 2026?

In 2026, YouTube scrapers are widely used for:

• Market research & competitor tracking
• Influencer discovery and outreach automation
• Sentiment analysis on comment sections
• Video SEO intelligence
• Trend detection for AI training models
• Academic research and media analytics

Agencies, brands, and data scientists leverage scrapers to turn video content into actionable insights.

READ ALSO: What is a Proxy Scraper? 10 Best Proxy Scraping Tools

What’s the difference between a YouTube Scraper and YouTube API?

YouTube’s official API provides limited, rate-limited access to data and often requires developer keys, while YouTube scrapers bypass these limitations to extract more data or perform deep scraping. However, APIs are more stable and officially supported, whereas scrapers offer greater freedom but must be carefully managed with proxy rotation and anti-bot handling.

Are there YouTube scrapers with no-code or low-code options?

Yes! Several platforms now offer no-code YouTube scraping tools, including cloud-based scrapers with intuitive dashboards or prebuilt workflows. These are perfect for marketers, researchers, and non-developers who want quick insights without programming. Some popular low-code options include Decodo’s dashboard, Webshare’s API presets, and Oxylabs’ no-code scraper templates.

Can I scrape YouTube Shorts and Community Posts too?

Yes, many modern scrapers now support YouTube Shorts, Community tab posts, and Stories by navigating to specific URL paths and parsing them like standard videos. However, extracting this type of content often requires JavaScript rendering and smart scrolling, which only advanced scraping tools can handle. Look for scrapers with headless browser support and dynamic page rendering to access these features effectively.

🏁 Final Thoughts: Choose the Best YouTube Scraper for Your Needs

In 2026, scraping YouTube is no longer just about hobby bots or rogue data gathering — it’s a critical tool for media intelligence, business analysis, AI research, and content strategy.

If you’re ready to start, your next step is to choose the right scraper infrastructure.

✅ Go with:

• Oxylabs for enterprise-scale scraping power
• Webshare for budget and ease of access
• Decodo for versatility and tool integration
• MarsProxies/IPRoyal/Nodemaven for niche or lightweight needs

With the right proxies, scraping logic, and ethical intent — the data on YouTube is yours to understand and act upon.

INTERESTING POSTS

Here is the ultimate guide to proxies for legitimate web scraping.

In today’s data-driven business landscape, web scraping has become essential for gathering valuable insights, conducting market research, and staying ahead of the competition. 

However, as websites implement increasingly sophisticated anti-scraping measures, reliable proxy services have become crucial for successful and ethical web scraping operations.

This comprehensive guide will explore the best proxy services for legitimate web scraping in 2025. We’ll dive deep into various providers’ features, strengths, and use cases, helping you decide on your specific needs. 

Whether you’re a small business owner, a data scientist, or part of a large enterprise, this article will provide the knowledge to choose the right proxy solution for your web scraping projects.

Let’s begin our journey through the world of proxies and discover how they can enhance your web scraping efforts.

Best Proxies Deals

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

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

Get the deal

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

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Get the deal

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

Best Featured Proxy Service Providers – EDITOR’S CHOICES

When it comes to reliable and high-performance proxy services, choosing the right provider is crucial for efficient web scraping, data collection, and online anonymity. Below, we highlight three top-tier proxy services, each excelling in different areas to meet diverse user needs.

1. Oxylabs – Best for Enterprise-Grade Web Scraping

Oxylabs is a powerhouse in the proxy industry, offering premium residential and datacenter proxies designed for large-scale data extraction.

With AI-driven web scraping tools and a vast proxy pool, Oxylabs is ideal for businesses requiring high reliability, extensive geo-targeting, and compliance-driven solutions.

Key Features:

• 175M+ ethically sourced residential proxies
• AI-powered web scraper for automated data collection
• Dedicated account managers and 24/7 support
• SOCKS5 and HTTP(S) proxy compatibility
• Next-gen residential proxies with AI-powered rotation
• Extensive pool of over 100 million residential IPs
• Dedicated data center proxies with 99.9% uptime
• Advanced proxy management tools and API
• SOCKS5 protocol support for versatile use cases

Strengths for Web Scraping: Oxylabs provides reliable, high-performance proxies that handle large-scale scraping tasks. Their next-gen residential proxies use artificial intelligence to optimize proxy rotation, significantly improving success rates for challenging scraping targets. This makes Oxylabs an excellent choice for businesses dealing with websites that have anti-bot solid measures.

The extensive IP pool ensures a wide range of geo-locations, allowing for diverse and targeted data collection. Their dedicated data center proxies offer high-speed connections for less sensitive scraping tasks.

Use Cases:

• E-commerce price monitoring and competitor analysis
• Large-scale data extraction from social media platforms
• Real-time financial data collection
• Travel fare aggregation and price comparison

Oxylabs also offers specialized tools like their Real-Time Crawler, which can further simplify complex scraping tasks for businesses that need ready-to-use solutions.

Best For: Enterprises, large-scale web scraping, market intelligence, and brand protection.

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

Get the deal

2. Webshare – Best for Affordable and Scalable Proxy Solutions

Webshare stands out with its cost-effective proxy plans, making it an excellent choice for individuals and startups. It offers flexible pricing, free-tier options, and easy API integration, making it ideal for users who need budget-friendly but high-quality proxies.

Webshare provides access to a proxy pool of over 30 million IPs spread across 195+ countries, ensuring global coverage for various web scraping and data collection needs. This vast network allows users to bypass geo-restrictions, access region-specific content, and distribute requests across diverse IPs, reducing the risk of bans or CAPTCHAs.

Additionally, Webshare guarantees a 99.7% uptime, meaning its proxy infrastructure is highly stable and reliable. This ensures seamless web scraping operations without frequent interruptions or connection failures, making it ideal for businesses, researchers, and developers who require continuous data extraction without downtime concerns.

Key Features:

• Free proxies available with upgrade options
• Scalable plans with high-performance datacenter and residential proxies
• Simple API for quick integration
• IP rotation and location targeting
• Free Chrome proxy extension for seamless web scraping anywhere on the go
• Residential, datacenter, and SOCKS5 proxies
• Free plan with 10 proxies and 1GB monthly bandwidth
• High-speed connections with unlimited bandwidth on premium plans
• Rotating and sticky session options for uninterrupted scraping
• API integration for automation and large-scale data collection
• Global coverage with proxies in multiple countries

Strengths for Web Scraping:

Webshare stands out for its affordability and flexibility, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes. Its rotating residential proxies help bypass IP bans, while the sticky session feature allows for session persistence on targeted websites. The easy-to-use dashboard and API support ensure a smooth integration with any scraping tool or application.

Use Cases:

• Market research and competitor analysis
• E-commerce price monitoring
• SEO rank tracking and keyword research
• Social media data extraction
• Ad verification and brand protection

Webshare’s blend of affordability, reliability, and powerful scraping capabilities makes it a leading choice for businesses and developers needing legitimate web scraping solutions.

Best For: Budget-conscious users, small businesses, and developers needing flexible proxy solutions.

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

Get the deal

3. Decodo – Best for Versatility and User-Friendly Features

Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) delivers a balance of affordability, performance, and ease of use. With a vast proxy pool, seamless integrations, and powerful automation tools, it’s an excellent option for businesses and individuals needing reliable proxy services without technical complexity.

Key Features:

• 55M+ residential proxies with global coverage
• 65M+ total IPs across 195+ locations
• <0.3s average speed and 99.99% uptime for seamless connectivity
• Supports HTTPS and SOCKS5 protocols
• 40s average customer support response time
• No-code tools and browser extensions for easy use
• Rotating residential and datacenter proxies for diverse use cases
• City and country-level targeting for precise geo-location access
• All products include free trials

Exclusive Offers:

• 50% off Residential Proxies with the promo code RESI50 (limited-time offer)
• Free trials available for all other proxy products

Strengths for Web Scraping:
Decodo excels in functionality and usability, making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes. Its intuitive dashboard and browser extension simplify proxy integration, even for teams with minimal technical experience.

The city-level targeting is particularly beneficial for businesses needing precise location-based data collection. Combined with its extensive proxy pool, this allows users to scrape data from various regions with accuracy.

Use Cases:

• Price monitoring and dynamic pricing strategies
• Local SEO data collection
• Ad verification and performance monitoring
• Social media management and data extraction

Decodo’s rotating proxies help prevent IP bans during intensive scraping tasks, while its static residential proxies enable stable sessions for websites requiring consistent IP addresses.

Best For: Marketers, researchers, sneaker copping, and small to medium-sized businesses.

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

Best Proxies for Legitimate Web Scraping

1. IPRoyal: Versatile Proxy Solutions for Various Scraping Needs

IPRoyal offers a diverse range of proxy types, making it a versatile choice for businesses with varied scraping requirements. Their services cater to both small-scale operations and larger enterprises.

Key Features:

• Residential, data center, and mobile proxies
• Over 2 million residential IPs from 190+ countries
• Flexible pricing plans, including pay-as-you-go options
• Dedicated 24/7 customer support

Strengths for Web Scraping: IPRoyal’s strength lies in its ability to provide suitable proxy solutions for different scraping projects. Their residential proxies are useful for accessing geo-restricted content or scraping location-specific data. The datacenter proxies offer high speeds and reliability for less sensitive scraping tasks that require rapid data processing.

The availability of mobile proxies is a significant advantage for businesses that need to scrape mobile-specific content or test mobile applications. This variety allows users to choose the most appropriate proxy type for each scraping task, optimizing performance and cost-effectiveness.

Use Cases:

• Market research and competitor analysis
• SEO monitoring and rank tracking
• Social media data collection
• Mobile app testing and data gathering

IPRoyal’s ethical approach to sourcing residential IPs, ensuring user consent and fair compensation, makes them a good choice for businesses concerned about the moral implications of proxy usage in their scraping operations.

2. Live Proxies

Overview: Live Proxies offers high-performance proxies tailored specifically for web scraping tasks. With a focus on rotating residential, mobile, and static residential proxies, Live Proxies ensures reliable, secure, and anonymous scraping of data across diverse use cases.

Features:

• Rotating Residential Proxies: Automatically switches IPs, making them ideal for bypassing geo-restrictions and preventing detection during large-scale scraping tasks​​.
• Rotating Mobile Proxies: Geo-targeted proxies, perfect for mobile app scraping and ad verification​.
• Static Residential Proxies: Offers consistent IPs for long-term tasks like account management and monitoring​​.
• Private IP Allocation: Exclusive IPs ensure enhanced security and reduce overlap with other users​.
• Sticky Sessions: Enables consistent IP usage for up to 60 minutes, ensuring stable connections for scraping tasks​​.
• High Uptime and Speed: Guarantees 99.9% uptime and optimized performance for uninterrupted data collection​​.

Pros:

• Wide variety of proxy types for diverse scraping needs.
• Customizable plans for businesses and individuals.
• Excellent anonymity and stable performance.
• Responsive 24/7 customer support​​.

Cons:

• Premium pricing compared to competitors.
• Limited unmetered options for high-bandwidth tasks​.

Best For: Businesses and individuals needing reliable proxies to gather data efficiently and securely for legitimate web scraping tasks​​​.

==>> Get Live Proxies

3. NetNut: High-Performance Residential Proxies for Reliable Scraping

NetNut differentiates itself in the proxy market by focusing on high-performance residential and static residential proxies. Their network is built on partnerships with Internet Service Providers (ISPs), providing a level of reliability and performance that sets them apart from many competitors.

Key Features:

• ISP-partnered residential proxies for high-reliability
• Static residential proxies for consistent IP usage
• Unlimited concurrent sessions
• Customizable rotation settings
• Advanced targeting options, including ASN targeting

Strengths for Web Scraping: NetNut’s main advantage for web scraping is the stability and performance of its proxy network. By partnering directly with ISPs, they offer residential proxies that are less likely to be blocked or detected as proxy traffic. This makes them an excellent choice for businesses that require high-volume, reliable proxy connections for their scraping operations.

Static residential proxies are particularly valuable for scraping tasks requiring consistent IP addresses, such as those involving login sessions or accessing platforms requiring stable IPs.

Use Cases:

• High-volume data collection from e-commerce platforms
• Financial data scraping and analysis
• Travel fare aggregation and continuous monitoring
• Scraping of login-protected content (where permitted)

NetNut’s customizable rotation settings allow users to fine-tune their scraping strategies, balancing between maintaining sessions and avoiding detection.

4. Infatica: Ethically Sourced Residential Proxies for Responsible Scraping

Infatica has carved out a niche by focusing on ethically sourced residential proxies. Their network is built on a peer-to-peer model, where users voluntarily share their unused bandwidth in exchange for compensation.

Key Features:

• Ethically sourced residential IPs from real users
• Extensive global coverage with proxies in over 100 countries
• Flexible bandwidth plans to suit different needs
• Advanced targeting options, including city and ASN targeting
• API access for easy integration

Strengths for Web Scraping: Infatica’s main strength is its commitment to ethical proxy sourcing, which can be crucial for businesses prioritizing corporate social responsibility in their data collection practices. This approach aligns with ethical standards and often results in higher-quality proxies that are less likely to be flagged as suspicious.

The platform’s advanced targeting options benefit businesses that need to scrape location-specific data or test services in particular markets. The ability to target by city or ASN (Autonomous System Number) provides precision that can be crucial for certain scraping operations.

Use Cases:

• Ethical market research and price monitoring
• Localized content scraping and analysis
• Ad verification and fraud prevention in specific regions
• E-commerce competitive intelligence

Infatica’s flexible bandwidth plans allow businesses to scale their scraping operations as needed, making it suitable for small-scale projects and more significant data collection efforts.

READ ALSO: Top Proxy Service Providers in 2024: Unlocking Internet Freedom

5. Nodemaven: Developer-Friendly Proxy Solutions for Custom Scraping Projects

Nodemaven takes a unique approach to proxy services by focusing on the needs of developers and businesses requiring advanced proxy management capabilities for their scraping projects.

Their platform is designed to streamline the integration of proxies into various scraping applications and workflows.

Key Features:

• RESTful API for easy integration with scraping tools
• Automatic proxy rotation and load balancing
• Custom proxy pools for specific scraping use cases
• Detailed analytics and performance monitoring
• Support for various protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5

Strengths for Web Scraping: Nodemaven’s primary advantage lies in its developer-friendly approach. The RESTful API allows seamless integration with existing scraping tools and workflows, making it an excellent choice for businesses with in-house development teams or those working on custom scraping applications.

The platform’s automatic proxy rotation and load-balancing features are precious for large-scale scraping operations. These features help ensure optimal performance and reduce the risk of IP blocking or rate limiting, which are common challenges in web scraping.

Use Cases:

• Development of custom scraping tools and applications
• Large-scale, automated web scraping projects
• API testing and integration for data-driven applications
• Continuous data collection for machine learning models

Nodemaven’s detailed analytics and performance monitoring tools allow developers to fine-tune their scraping operations for maximum efficiency and success rates.

6. Mars Proxies: Affordable Datacenter Proxies for High-Speed Scraping

Mars Proxies has established itself by offering affordable and reliable datacenter proxies. While they may not provide the diversity of proxy types that some other providers do, their specialized focus allows them to provide high-quality datacenter proxies at competitive prices.

Key Features:

• A large pool of dedicated datacenter IPs
• Unlimited bandwidth on all plans
• Multiple locations for geo-targeting
• Simple, straightforward pricing structure
• High-speed connections suitable for rapid scraping

Strengths for Web Scraping: Mars Proxies’ main advantage for web scraping is its focus on providing reliable datacenter proxies at affordable prices. This makes them an attractive option for businesses that primarily need high-speed, stable proxy connections for their scraping tasks and don’t require the geo-targeting precision of residential proxies.

The unlimited bandwidth offered on all plans is precious for businesses with high-volume scraping needs but want to keep costs predictable. This can be especially beneficial for continuous monitoring or large-scale data collection projects.

Use Cases:

• High-speed data scraping from less restrictive websites
• SEO monitoring and rank tracking across multiple regions
• Automated content aggregation from news sites and blogs
• Batch processing of publicly available data

While datacenter proxies may not be suitable for all scraping tasks, especially those targeting websites with strong anti-bot measures, they can be highly effective for many common scraping scenarios where speed and cost-effectiveness are priorities.

7. Bright Data (formerly Luminati): Comprehensive Proxy Solutions for Advanced Scraping

Bright Data, previously known as Luminati, offers one of the most comprehensive proxy solutions in the market. Their wide range of proxy types and advanced features cater to businesses with complex and diverse scraping needs.

Key Features:

• Extensive network of residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies
• Over 72 million residential IPs across 195 countries
• Advanced targeting options, including ISP and ASN targeting
• Proxy Manager for easy integration and management
• Web Unlocker tool for accessing challenging websites

Strengths for Web Scraping: Bright Data’s main strength lies in its comprehensive offerings and advanced features. Their extensive proxy network and precise targeting options suit many scraping use cases, from simple data collection to complex, large-scale operations.

The Proxy Manager tool is particularly valuable for businesses managing complex scraping operations, allowing easy integration with existing systems and workflows. Additionally, their Web Unlocker tool can be crucial for accessing websites that employ sophisticated anti-bot technologies.

Use Cases:

• Advanced market research and competitive intelligence
• Large-scale web scraping across multiple countries and regions
• Social media data collection and analysis
• Price intelligence and dynamic pricing strategies

Bright Data also offers specialized data collection services, which can benefit businesses that need ready-to-use scraping solutions alongside their proxy services.

8. GeoSurf: Premium Residential Proxies for Geo-Targeted Scraping

GeoSurf specializes in premium residential proxies with advanced geo-targeting capabilities. Their focus on providing high-quality, location-specific proxies makes them an excellent choice for businesses that require precise geographic targeting in their scraping operations.

Key Features:

• Residential IPs from over 190 countries
• City and state-level targeting options
• Static residential IPs for consistent connections
• VPN add-on for additional anonymity
• Dedicated API and browser extension

Strengths for Web Scraping: GeoSurf’s main advantage for web scraping is its advanced geo-targeting capabilities. The ability to target proxies at the city and state levels provides precision that can be crucial for businesses conducting location-specific research or data collection.

The static residential IPs offer an additional layer of reliability for scraping tasks that require consistent connections from specific locations. This can be particularly useful for maintaining website sessions with strict IP-based access controls.

Use Cases:

• Localized market research and price monitoring
• Geo-restricted content access and testing
• Ad verification in specific markets
• Local SEO data collection and analysis

GeoSurf’s combination of precise targeting and high-quality residential IPs makes it well-suited for businesses that need to gather accurate, location-specific data through their scraping operations.

9. ProxyRack: Scalable Proxy Solutions for Growing Scraping Needs

ProxyRack offers a range of proxy solutions designed to scale with growing businesses. Their offerings include residential and datacenter proxies, with flexible plans to accommodate changing scraping needs.

Key Features:

• Large pool of over 5 million residential and datacenter proxies
• Unlimited bandwidth on all plans
• Rotating and static IP options
• User-friendly control panel
• Socks5 proxy support

Strengths for Web Scraping: ProxyRack’s scalability and flexibility are its strengths. Combining residential and datacenter proxies and unlimited bandwidth plans suits businesses with evolving scraping needs. This can be particularly beneficial for companies scaling up their data collection efforts or experimenting with different scraping strategies.

The user-friendly control panel is valuable for businesses that want to manage their proxy usage for scraping without requiring extensive technical expertise. This ease of use can streamline scraping operations and reduce the learning curve for team members new to proxy management.

Use Cases:

• Scalable web scraping and data aggregation projects
• Competitor price monitoring across multiple platforms
• Social media data collection and trend analysis
• SEO monitoring and rank tracking for growing keyword sets

ProxyRack’s flexible approach allows businesses to adapt their proxy usage as their scraping needs evolve, making it a good choice for companies anticipating growth in their data collection operations.

Conclusion

As we’ve explored in this comprehensive guide, numerous high-quality proxy providers are available for legitimate web scraping operations.

Each offers unique strengths and features that cater to different scraping needs, from small-scale projects to extensive, enterprise-level data collection efforts.

When choosing a proxy service for your web scraping projects, consider the following factors:

1. The scale of your scraping operations and bandwidth requirements
2. Need for geo-targeting and location-specific data
3. Types of websites you’ll be scraping (e.g., e-commerce, social media, etc.)
4. Budget and pricing structure preferences
5. Technical expertise of your team and ease of integration
6. Ethical considerations and proxy sourcing methods
7. Additional features like automatic rotation, API access, and analytics

Remember that while proxy services are powerful tools for web scraping, using them responsibly and ethically is crucial. Always respect website terms of service, robots.txt files, and applicable laws and regulations.

Implement proper scraping practices such as respecting rate limits, identifying your bot, and only collecting publicly available data.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so will the challenges and opportunities in web scraping. By choosing the right proxy solution and using it effectively, businesses can gain valuable insights, enhance their operations, and maintain a competitive edge in the data-driven marketplace.

By leveraging these robust proxy services, you can unlock the full potential of web scraping, turning the vast online data into actionable insights that drive your business forward.

Happy scraping!

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