If you're searching for how to buy proxies in 2025, you’re in the right place. Let me show you how to buy proxies in this post.
In a world where digital data is the new oil, proxies are the silent infrastructure powering some of the most important operations online — from large-scale web scraping to social media automation, sneaker botting, cybersecurity testing, ad verification, and bypassing regional restrictions.
This in-depth guide walks you through:
- What proxies are
- Why you need them
- The best types of proxies to buy
- Where to buy proxies safely and reliably
- Editor’s top 3 proxy providers
- Other trusted proxy brands worth considering
Whether you're an enterprise scraping billions of web pages, a small business monitoring SEO trends, or a student accessing geo-blocked research, this guide will equip you with everything you need to know before you buy proxies.
Table of Contents
🚀 Editor’s Choice: Top 3 Proxy Services for 2025
Let’s start with the best. These three proxy providers are our Editor’s Picks for the year — each excelling in performance, scalability, and reliability for various use cases.
🥇 1. Oxylabs – Best for High-Volume Web Scraping & Enterprise-Grade Use
Best For: Enterprise scraping, search engine monitoring, eCommerce price aggregation
Pricing: Starts from $8/GB, Pay As You Go
Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile, Datacenter, ISP, Rotating
Trial: Unlimited trial for scraping tools (up to 2K results)
Overview:
Oxylabs is an industry leader for a reason. With over 175 million IPs across 190+ countries, Oxylabs delivers exceptional uptime, low block rates, and robust targeting options.
Their AI-powered scraping infrastructure is tailor-made for heavy-duty operations that require speed, scale, and resilience against anti-bot systems.
Why We Love It:
- Top-tier security protocols
- Offers SOCKS5 and HTTPS proxies
- Built-in tools like Web Unblocker and Scraper APIs
- Enterprise-grade dashboard and detailed analytics
- Country, city, ASN, and ZIP targeting
🥈 2. Webshare – Best for Affordability and High-Speed Datacenter Proxies
Best For: Freelancers, developers, sneaker botters, VPN-like tasks
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans from $2.99/month
Proxy Types: Static Residential, Rotating Residential, Datacenter
Trial: Free tier with limited bandwidth
Overview:
Webshare strikes a perfect balance between performance and affordability, making it the top pick for individuals and small teams.
Their datacenter proxies offer lightning-fast speed and minimal latency, while their rotating residential proxies give the anonymity needed to evade bans and CAPTCHA walls.
Why We Love It:
- Budget-friendly with flexible pricing
- Fully self-serve and fast activation
- Compatible with all major proxy tools and bots
- Detailed dashboard with live metrics and settings
- Up to 99.97% uptime in real-time operations
🥉 3. Decodo (Formerly Smartproxy) – Best for Versatile Use Cases
Best For: Scraping, ad verification, automation
Pricing: $1.5/GB Residential, $0.27/IP ISP, $4.5/GB Mobile, $0.026/IP Datacenter, $1.6/1K req Site Unblocker
Proxy Types: Residential, Datacenter, Mobile, ISP, Site Unblocker
Trial: 3-day free trial with 100MB
Overview:
Rebranded from Smartproxy, Decodo brings the same trusted infrastructure with a fresh look and improved performance.
It offers a massive 125M+ IP pool, advanced geo-targeting, and plug-and-play compatibility with popular scraping, automation tools, and third-party apps.
Why We Love It:
- Simple and intuitive UI
- 99.99% uptime
- Free tools
- 195+ global locations
- Highly trusted for social media automation
- 24/7 tech support and solid documentation
🧠 What Are Proxies?
A proxy is an intermediary server that routes your internet traffic, masking your real IP address and making it appear as though you’re browsing from another device, network, or location.
Use Cases Include:
- Web scraping & data mining
- SEO monitoring
- Social media management
- Market intelligence
- Ad verification
- Brand protection
- Gaming bots & sneaker bots
- Accessing geo-restricted content
Proxies protect your identity, allow you to bypass geo-blocks, and reduce the risk of getting IP-banned when automating tasks or harvesting large volumes of data.
🧩 Types of Proxies You Can Buy
When buying proxies, it’s crucial to choose the type that suits your specific need:
| Proxy Type | Description | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Proxies | Use real IPs assigned by ISPs | Web scraping, social media, ad verification |
| Datacenter Proxies | Hosted in data centers, very fast | SEO, streaming, gaming, general use |
| Mobile Proxies | Use 3G/4G/5G network IPs | Ad testing, mobile app automation |
| ISP Proxies | Real IPs hosted on datacenter infrastructure | Faster than residential with real IP quality |
| Rotating Proxies | Changes IP automatically per request or session | Web scraping, survey filling |
| Static Proxies | Maintain a consistent IP address | Account management, logins |
🛍️ Where to Buy Proxies: Trusted Providers Beyond the Top 3
In addition to our top picks, here are reliable proxy providers that cater to specific needs or offer niche advantages.
4. IPRoyal – Best for Pay-As-You-Go Residential Proxies
Pricing: $0.80/GB and up
Proxy Types: Residential, Static, Mobile
Best For: Freelancers, students, developers
Overview:
IPRoyal is cost-efficient and flexible, allowing users to purchase residential proxies by the gigabyte. Their transparency and focus on ethical sourcing of IPs make them an ideal starting point for small projects.
Why Use IPRoyal:
- Browser extensions for quick setup
- Good documentation and API
- Great for intermittent proxy needs
5. Nodemaven – Best for Developers & Custom API Use
Pricing: From $12/month (customizable plans)
Proxy Types: Residential, Datacenter
Best For: Programmers, cybersecurity researchers, backend automation
Overview:
Nodemaven focuses on developer-centric proxy solutions. They offer clean APIs, scalable plans, and integration support for advanced scraping and data testing workflows.
Why We Like It:
- Real-time traffic analytics
- Great dev support
- Premium IP health monitoring
6. MarsProxies – Best for Social Media, Gaming & Botting
Pricing: From $15/month
Proxy Types: Residential, ISP, Datacenter
Best For: Social automation, sneaker bots, gaming tools
Overview:
MarsProxies has grown steadily thanks to its reputation for low latency, clean IPs, and great customer support. If you're running bots on Instagram, TikTok, or gaming automation platforms, these proxies are optimized for consistent performance.
Standout Features:
- Residential IPs with low detection rates
- High compatibility with bots and automation tools
- Easy-to-use dashboard
7. ProxyEmpire – Best for Geo-Targeted Market Research
Pricing: $10/GB and up
Proxy Types: Residential, Mobile
Best For: Global brand monitoring, local SEO, surveys
Overview:
With access to 150+ countries, ProxyEmpire is perfect for businesses running market research across regions. You get granular geo-targeting down to city-level IPs.
8. Soax – Best for Clean, KYC-Compliant Residential IPs
Pricing: $99/month (residential)
Proxy Types: Mobile, Residential
Best For: Sensitive scraping and ad compliance
Overview:
Soax focuses on clean and legitimate IP sourcing, with a strong emphasis on compliance and security. They’re best suited for industries where data integrity and compliance are paramount.
9. Proxy-Cheap – Best Budget Proxy Provider
Pricing: $0.75/GB
Proxy Types: Residential, ISP
Best For: Light users, learners, researchers
Overview:
For budget-conscious users, Proxy-Cheap offers basic but effective proxy solutions. Though limited in features, it’s a decent pick for basic tasks and experimental projects.
Best Proxy Services
🧪 How to Buy Proxies: Step-by-Step
Here’s a simple roadmap to help you buy proxies with confidence:
✅ Step 1: Identify Your Use Case
Are you scraping? Botting? Managing social media? Choose your provider and proxy type accordingly.
✅ Step 2: Choose a Proxy Type
- Residential for disguise & real-user simulation
- Datacenter for speed
- Mobile/IP for dynamic, high-trust IPs
- ISP for best of both worlds
✅ Step 3: Pick the Right Provider
Compare based on:
- IP pool size
- Targeting capabilities
- Pricing flexibility
- Dashboard usability
- Speed and reliability
✅ Step 4: Register & Configure
Sign up, select a plan, and generate your proxy list. Some providers offer instant delivery, while others may verify your identity (KYC).
✅ Step 5: Test Your Proxies
Use tools like:
- ipinfo.io
- Proxy tester software
- Scraping scripts to confirm performance and location
⚠️ What to Avoid When Buying Proxies
- Free proxies – Often slow, overused, and dangerous. Avoid.
- Shady providers – If they don’t provide support, KYC, or trial, it’s risky.
- Generic plans – Don't pay for features you don’t use.
- Banned IP pools – Always ask how often they refresh their IPs.
🌐 Real-Life Use Cases of Buying Proxies in 2025
| Industry | Application |
|---|---|
| E-Commerce | Price comparison, competitor tracking |
| Digital Marketing | SEO tools, ad verification, local SERP scraping |
| Cybersecurity | Penetration testing, firewall analysis |
| Social Media | Multi-account automation, influencer monitoring |
| Academic Research | Access restricted databases, collect global survey data |
| Sneaker/Drop Bots | Bypass region locks and monitor stock |
- FoxyProxy: Browser-based proxy switcher
- Scrapy / Puppeteer: Automation tools for scraping
- Multilogin: For managing multiple browser fingerprints
- Proxy SwitchyOmega: Chrome extension for managing profiles
- Proxy testing tools: For speed, anonymity, and IP checks
Buy Proxies: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a proxy, and why should I buy one?
A proxy acts as a gateway between your device and the internet, masking your original IP address. Buying proxies gives you more control, privacy, and functionality—especially for tasks like web scraping, managing multiple accounts, accessing geo-restricted content, SEO tracking, or ad verification. Premium proxies also reduce the risk of bans or IP blocks compared to free or shared alternatives.
What type of proxy should I buy for web scraping?
For web scraping, residential proxies or rotating datacenter proxies are typically the best. Residential proxies mimic real users and are harder to detect, while rotating datacenter proxies offer speed and cost-efficiency. Choose based on the site's protection level—use residential for complex sites and datacenter for fast, high-volume scraping.
Are free proxies safe to use?
Free proxies are generally not safe or reliable. They often come with risks such as data leaks, malware, performance throttling, or shared usage that can lead to IP bans. Buying proxies from reputable providers ensures privacy, speed, support, and scalability—making them a better investment for serious tasks.
How do rotating proxies differ from static proxies?
Rotating proxies change the IP address automatically at regular intervals or per request, making them ideal for anonymous web scraping, ad validation, or search engine tasks. Static proxies (also called sticky or dedicated proxies) maintain the same IP for longer sessions, which is useful for logging into accounts, automation, or managing social media.
Can I buy proxies for sneaker bots or ticketing sites?
Yes. Many proxy providers offer specialized proxies for sneaker bots, ticketing, and retail websites like Nike, Adidas, or Ticketmaster. These proxies are often datacenter or ISP-level with low latency and region targeting to bypass queue systems, bans, and rate limits during drops.
What should I look for in a proxy provider?
Look for providers that offer:
- Transparent pricing and clear IP types (residential, mobile, datacenter)
- High uptime and low ban rates
- Geo-targeting options
- Dashboard access, rotation controls, and session management
- Customer support and usage logs
Also, make sure they align with your use case—some are better for scraping, others for streaming or security.
Can I use proxies for streaming or accessing geo-blocked content?
Yes, proxies—especially residential or ISP proxies—can help bypass geo-restrictions on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, or BBC iPlayer. However, for the most reliable access, some users prefer VPNs or smart DNS services, as they may offer better streaming stability and fewer detection issues.
Are proxies legal to use?
Yes, proxies are legal in most countries if used for ethical and compliant activities. However, using proxies to violate platform terms of service or commit fraud is illegal or punishable. Always follow local laws and platform guidelines, especially when scraping data or automating interactions.
🏁 Final Thoughts: Buy Proxies the Smart Way
Buying proxies is no longer a luxury reserved for tech elites. From protecting your identity to powering your business, proxies play a critical role in the modern internet landscape.
Choose wisely. The right provider depends on your goals, budget, and level of technical skill.
- Oxylabs for enterprise data ops
- Webshare for budget-friendly yet powerful solutions
- Decodo for a flexible, all-in-one platform
But don’t sleep on niche providers like MarsProxies, IPRoyal, Nodemaven, and ProxyEmpire — they’re also leading innovation in their categories.
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About the Author:
Meet Angela Daniel, an esteemed cybersecurity expert and the Associate Editor at SecureBlitz. With a profound understanding of the digital security landscape, Angela is dedicated to sharing her wealth of knowledge with readers. Her insightful articles delve into the intricacies of cybersecurity, offering a beacon of understanding in the ever-evolving realm of online safety.
Angela's expertise is grounded in a passion for staying at the forefront of emerging threats and protective measures. Her commitment to empowering individuals and organizations with the tools and insights to safeguard their digital presence is unwavering.
