Need a reliable proxy provider but can’t choose which one fits your needs best? With so many companies appearing on the market offering the "best proxy servers", reading through hundreds of reviews and product descriptions to find your favorite gets extremely time-consuming. Thus, to save you some time and money, we’ve compiled a list of the five best proxy providers in 2024. Read on to find a short overview of each.
Disclaimer: The analysis presented in this article relies on information current as of 2024/05/21. Before depending on any comparative data, all users are advised to confirm the most recent status of products and services.
Awarded the Best Overall Proxy Provider in 2022 and Best Proxy Performance in 2023 by Proxyway, Oxylabs is considered to be one of the best and most reliable proxy providers in the market. The company focuses on mid-range and enterprise clients and gives access to a huge proxy network of 102M+ IPs from almost every country in the world. Most importantly, all Oxylabs’ proxies are ethically-sourced, meaning you don’t have to worry about the legality of your scraping activities and buy reliable proxy servers, including proxies for enterprises.
100M+ Residential Proxies available
Access the largest proxy pool to enhance your scraping activities.
Proxy types: residential, mobile, shared datacenter, dedicated datacenter, ISP, advanced proxy solution – Web Unblocker;
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5;
Additional benefits: convenient dashboard, extensive documentation, integration with third-party software, free advanced geo-targeting, customizable proxy solutions;
Support: 24/7 professional support team available through live chat, dedicated account manager;
Free trial: 7-day free trial available after contacting support.
Residential: $8/GB with Pay as you go;
Datacenter: from $8.25/month;
Mobile: $9/GB with Pay as you go;
ISP: from $21/month;
Web Unblocker: from $75/month.
Recognized for outstanding performance and reliability.
Extensive global IP coverage.
Legally compliant, ethical proxy sourcing.
Premium pricing aligns with its high-quality services, potentially higher than basic options.
Smartproxy is another well-known and trusted proxy provider currently rated at 4.4 out of 5 on G2. With 55M+ IPs and 195+ countries available for geo-targeting, the company ensures that you can access any public data you need without restrictions. One of the biggest benefits of Smartproxy – it has cost-effective pricing. The provider stands somewhere between premium and cheap, meaning you can start using their proxies without the need for significant upfront investment.
Proxy types: residential, ISP, datacenter, dedicated datacenter, mobile proxies, Site Unblocker;
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5;
Additional benefits: user-friendly documentation, convenient proxy management tools (e.g., browser extension), free advanced targeting;
Support: 24/7 tech support and dedicated account managers;
Free trial: no free trial available, 14-day money-back guarantee.
Residential: $8.5/GB with Pay as you go;
Static (ISP) residential: from $28/month;
Mobile: from $21/GB;
Datacenter: $10/month with Pay per IP;
Dedicated datacenter: from $7.5/month;
Site Unblocker: from$28/month.
Highly rated for customer satisfaction.
Large proxy server network with wide geographic reach.
Cost-effective entry points without sacrificing quality.
No free trial, opting instead for a money-back guarantee to encourage commitment.
Though a relatively new company in the industry, Webshare has already gained popularity and proved to be a reliable yet cost-effective proxy provider. By providing access to 30M+ IPs and focusing on speed and security, Webshare helps clients to imitate organic user behavior and perform scraping activities block-free. However, this provider is more suitable for small business as users have to do everything in self-service, and the products will most likely be non-customizable or scalable.
Proxy types: residential, static (ISP) residential, datacenter;
Protocols: HTTP, SOCKS5;
Additional benefits: free proxy list with 10 IPs, API documentation and help center, fully customizable in self-service;
Support: customer support team available via email;
Free trial: a free plan with 10 IPs.
Residential: from $7/month;
Static (ISP) residential: from $6/month;
Datacenter: from $2.99/month.
Affordable, offering great value for reliable service.
Prioritizes speed and security for efficient scraping.
Includes a free plan for easy testing of services.
Primarily self-service, ideal for users who prefer direct control but may not fit all scaling needs.
Another leading proxy service provider offering a bunch of proxy types, advanced features, and locations while, at the same time, ensuring exceptional performance and high success rates. Bright Data is also one of the largest providers with over 350M unique IPs, currently trusted by more than 20,000 customers worldwide. Needless to mention, Bright Data is more suitable for large-scale proxy users as their services are quite expensive with additional parameters, such as geo-location targeting, influencing the final price of their proxies.
Proxy types: residential, datacenter, mobile, ISP proxies;
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5;
Additional benefits: third-party integrations, browser extension, user-friendly dashboard;
Support: 24/7 live human support;
Free trial: 7-day free trial available.
Residential: $10.50/GB with Pay as you go;
Datacenter: $0.110/GB with Pay as you go;
ISP: $15/GB with Pay as you go;
Mobile: $24/GB with Pay as you go.
One of the largest IP pools with exceptional performance.
Offers a wide range of advanced proxy services and features.
Pricing may be higher, especially with additional features, making it best suited for large-scale users.
Last but not least, NetNut – a popular proxy provider known for its stable connectivity, high speed, and ability to access geo-restricted content across 200 countries. Getting started and managing your proxies with NetNut is easy; they have a comprehensive dashboard providing insightful user statistics and easy-to-use configurations. Additionally, their support team is available through multiple channels, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, email, and live chat, so your issues and questions won’t ever be left unattended.
Proxy types: rotating residential, static residential, mobile, datacenter;
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5;
Additional benefits: convenient dashboard, documentation;
Support: 24/7 support through multiple channels;
Free trial: 7-day free trial available.
Rotating residential: from $300/month;
Static residential: from $350/month;
Mobile: from $400/month;
Datacenter: from $100/month.
Known for stable connectivity and fast speeds.
Easy proxy management with a comprehensive dashboard.
Diverse support channels ensure prompt assistance.
Starting prices are on the higher end, reflecting its premium service quality and support.
Criteria | Oxylabs | Smartproxy | Webshare | Bright Data | NetNut |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting Price | Residential: $8/GB with Pay as you go; Datacenter: from $8.25/month; Mobile: $9/GB with Pay as you go; ISP: from $21/month; Web Unblocker: from $75/month. | Residential: $8.5/GB with Pay as you go; Static (ISP) residential: from $28/month; Mobile: from $21/GB; Datacenter: $10/month with Pay per IP; Dedicated datacenter: from $7.5/month; Site Unblocker: from $28/month. | Residential: from $7/month; Static (ISP) residential: from $6/month; Datacenter: from $2.99/month. | Residential: $10.50/GB with Pay as you go; Datacenter: $0.110/GB with Pay as you go; ISP: $15/GB with Pay as you go; Mobile: $24/GB with Pay as you go. | Rotating residential: from $300/month; Static residential: from $350/month; Mobile: from $400/month; Datacenter: from $100/month. |
Proxy Types Offered | Residential, mobile, shared datacenter, dedicated datacenter, ISP, advanced proxy solution – Web Unblocker | Residential, ISP, datacenter, dedicated datacenter, mobile proxies, Site Unblocker | Residential, static (ISP) residential, datacenter | Residential, datacenter, mobile, ISP proxies | Rotating residential, static residential, datacenter, mobile proxies |
Protocols | HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5 | HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5 | HTTP, SOCKS5 | HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5 | HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5 |
Additional Benefits | Convenient dashboard, extensive documentation, integration with third-party software, free advanced geo-targeting, customizable proxy solutions | User-friendly documentation, convenient proxy management tools (e.g., browser extension), free advanced targeting | Free proxy list with 10 IPs, API documentation and help center, fully customizable in self-service | Third-party integrations, browser extension, user-friendly dashboard | Convenient dashboard, documentation |
Support | 24/7 professional support team available through live chat, dedicated account manager | 24/7 tech support and dedicated account managers | Customer support team available via email | 24/7 live human support | 24/7 support through multiple channels |
Free Trial | 7-day free trial available after contacting support | No free trial available, 14-day money-back guarantee | Free plan with 10 IPs | 7-day free trial available | 7-day free trial available |
Now that we’ve looked at some examples of trustworthy proxy providers, let’s highlight vital aspects you need to consider when making your final choice.
Proxy pool size and locations: A large IP pool and an extensive list of countries for location targeting mean fewer issues and access to more precise, location-specific data. Moreover, a big network ensures a higher level of anonymity and, thus, more secure web scraping.
Additional benefits: In addition to offering high-quality proxies, good providers also enrich their service with a range of advanced features and helpful tools. These include: various protocols, such as SOCKS and HTTP, third-party integrations, automatic proxy rotation, documentation and quick start guides, etc.
Customer support: Since it’s not uncommon to sometimes encounter issues during public data gathering, having a professional support team available 24/7 is essential. A huge advantage is when a provider also offers dedicated account managers. By staying in constant contact, they can provide immediate help tailored to your specific needs.
Pricing: All proxy providers have differences when it comes to pricing. They have various plans, structures, purchase processes, free trial/refund policies. Therefore, when deciding on the provider of your choice, consider your budget and project requirements. Evaluate whether the selected proxy provider has any ‘hidden fees’ for scaling your operations or adding new functionality.
Ethics and reputation: A good reputation and compliance with various rules and regulations related to web scraping are indications of a trustworthy proxy provider. Before signing up for a free trial or subscribing to a plan, always check customer reviews on such platforms as G2 and Trustpilot as well as research whether the company’s proxies are ethically-sourced.
When choosing the right proxy type for your needs, it's essential to understand the distinct advantages and use cases of each option.
Residential Proxy servers are ideal for tasks that require high anonymity and legitimacy, as they route your requests through real residential IPs making them less likely to be detected or blocked by targeted websites.
Shared Datacenter Proxies offer a cost-effective solution for those needing fast and reliable internet access for general browsing, bulk tasks, or geo-blocking circumvention. However, since these proxies share IP addresses among multiple users, they may not be suitable for highly sensitive operations.
In contrast, Dedicated Datacenter Proxy servers provide exclusive IP usage, ensuring a private and secure connection. These are particularly beneficial for businesses that require stable and fast connections for SEO monitoring, website testing, or competitive analysis without the risk of being blacklisted.
Mobile Proxies route traffic through mobile devices, providing high anonymity and enabling access to mobile-specific content. They are valuable for app testing and mobile marketing research.
Static Residential Proxies (ISP) combine the reliability of datacenter proxies with the authenticity of residential IPs. They provide a fixed proxy IP address, ideal for online advertising and e-commerce, where consistent IP use is beneficial. Learn the difference between Residential and ISP proxies.
This article provided a short overview of five best proxy providers in 2024 and described some important criteria to take into account when deciding between different services. We hope the information provided was helpful. However, if you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at hello@oxylabs.io or via the live chat.
The choice of the best proxy provider depends on your specific business needs, budget, and personal preferences. In general, reliable proxy providers have large IP pools, a wide range of advanced features and tools, 24/7 customer support, fair pricing, and positive reputation in the market.
It’s hard to name just one most used proxy service as every trustworthy proxy provider has a huge list of loyal customers who find their services to be exceptional. Some of the most popular proxy providers in 2024 include Oxylabs, Smartproxy, Webshare, Bright Data, and NetNut.
Proxies that come from legitimate sources are considered to be safe. When choosing your proxies, look for reputable providers with a focus on security and privacy and stay away from free proxy servers as their sources are usually unknown.
To find good proxy servers, research reliable proxy providers with good reputation, ethics, and commitment to providing value to their clients. Consider such factors as proxy types, targeting options, proxy network size, additional features and tools, customer service, and pricing. This way, you can find the best proxy server that is aligned with your goals and needs.
No, proxy servers themselves are not illegal. They are legitimate tools used for privacy enhancement, security measures, and content access across different regions. However, the legality depends on how proxy servers are used. Employing proxies for illegal activities or accessing content in violation of copyright laws can lead to legal consequences. It's crucial to use proxies ethically and in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.
The best type of proxy depends on your specific needs. For example, Residential Proxies are better for high anonymity and legitimate data scraping or market research. On the other hand, Shared Datacenter Proxies would be a more cost-effective solution for general browsing needs. In other words, you need to evaluate your requirements regarding anonymity, speed, security, and budget to choose the most suitable proxy type.
A proxy server acts as an intermediary for your internet requests, hiding your IP address for specific applications or browsers. It's useful for bypassing geo-restrictions but doesn't encrypt your connection, similar to proxy browsers. A VPN server, on the other hand, encrypts all your internet traffic, offering a secure tunnel for your entire online activity and providing more comprehensive privacy and security. The main difference lies in the level of security and scope, with VPNs (virtual private networks) offering broader protection.
About the author
Yelyzaveta Nechytailo
Senior Content Manager
Yelyzaveta Nechytailo is a Senior Content Manager at Oxylabs. After working as a writer in fashion, e-commerce, and media, she decided to switch her career path and immerse in the fascinating world of tech. And believe it or not, she absolutely loves it! On weekends, you’ll probably find Yelyzaveta enjoying a cup of matcha at a cozy coffee shop, scrolling through social media, or binge-watching investigative TV series.
All information on Oxylabs Blog is provided on an "as is" basis and for informational purposes only. We make no representation and disclaim all liability with respect to your use of any information contained on Oxylabs Blog or any third-party websites that may be linked therein. Before engaging in scraping activities of any kind you should consult your legal advisors and carefully read the particular website's terms of service or receive a scraping license.
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