If you're using proxies, you'll quickly find that proxy tools are essential for maintaining anonymity online and ensuring safety when performing web scraping tasks. But with so many options available, how do you choose the right one, and why should you opt for a proxy instead of a VPN for your scraping needs?
Proxy servers route your web traffic through different IP addresses, allowing you to access websites while hiding your real location. Unlike VPNs which encrypt all traffic, proxies are faster and more cost-effective for specific tasks like web scraping, where you need multiple IPs simultaneously. Proxies excel at handling high volumes of connections with minimal latency, making them ideal for large-scale scraping operations.
As a general rule, use a proxy extension for simple, browser-based tasks where you need to manage multiple IP addresses easily. For broader security and privacy across all your computers and applications, a VPN is a better choice, as it offers encryption and more comprehensive protection.
So if you decide to use proxies, you have to know that there are various types of proxy software available, some of which require coding knowledge but offer more control, while others are designed for easy, no-code use.
Keep reading to discover which type of proxy tool is best suited to meet the specific needs of your project.
Programmatic Proxy Tools
Programmatic proxy tools like Selenium and Playwright are automation frameworks primarily used for web testing and scraping, with integrated proxy support to enhance functionality. Selenium automates browsers for testing web applications, supporting multiple programming languages and proxy configurations to mimic user behavior or bypass restrictions. Playwright, a newer alternative, excels in handling modern web complexities, offering features like multi-browser support, headless operation, and robust proxy handling for stealthy automation. Both tools are vital for developers needing automated access to web content, enabling tasks like data extraction or functional testing while leveraging different proxies to manage anonymity, geolocation, and request limits.
Programmatic proxy tools let developers integrate proxy servers directly into their code, enabling automated data collection at scale. This approach offers the most control but requires programming knowledge.
Selenium
Selenium is a free browser automation tool widely used for web scraping due to its ability to control browsers programmatically. By injecting proxy configurations through WebDriver, Selenium enables scrapers to route traffic through different proxy servers, helping to maintain anonymity, bypass rate limits, and access region-restricted content. It supports the configuration of multiple proxies by utilizing desired_capabilities in Python or proxy objects in JavaScript, which makes it highly customizable for different scraping scenarios.
Selenium also supports username/password authentication for proxies, enabling scrapers to access secure proxy servers that require credentials. Despite being slower than headless browsers like Playwright, Selenium's broad compatibility with various browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.) and its ability to simulate human-like interactions make it a versatile choice for handling complex scraping tasks, including those with dynamic content and JavaScript-heavy pages.
Playwright
Playwright is an advanced web automation tool particularly well-suited for web scraping due to its modern design and built-in support for browser contexts and proxies. Each browser context operates in complete isolation, allowing scrapers to assign different proxies to individual browser contexts. This ensures that multiple scraping tasks can run simultaneously without interference, providing a highly efficient and scalable solution for extracting data from multiple sources.
Playwright supports both HTTP and SOCKS proxies, along with proxy authentication, making it adaptable to a variety of use cases, for example, secure or region-specific scraping.
Pros of Programmatic Tools:
Complete control over the automation process
Highly customizable for specific use cases
Can handle complex scenarios and logic
Most cost-effective for large-scale operations
Cons of Programmatic Tools
Requires programming knowledge
Time-consuming to develop and maintain
Need to handle errors and edge cases manually
Must manage proxy rotation logic yourself
Ready-Made Scraping Tools
Ready-made scraping tools like Apify and Oxylabs Web Scraper API are platforms designed to simplify web scraping and data extraction without extensive coding. Apify provides a versatile ecosystem for building, running, and scaling web scraping workflows, with pre-built actors (scrapers) for common use cases. Similarly, Oxylabs Web Scraper API provides a comprehensive solution with features like automatic proxy rotation, JavaScript rendering, and geo-location targeting, ensuring accurate and efficient data extraction even from complex or dynamic websites. Both tools eliminate the need to manage infrastructure, proxies, or anti-bot measures, offering user-friendly APIs and interfaces. These platforms are ideal for businesses and developers seeking efficient, scalable solutions for data collection tasks.
Apify
Apify is a cloud-based scraping platform designed to simplify web scraping by handling proxy rotation seamlessly and eliminating the need for manual proxy management. With its built-in smart IP rotation, Apify dynamically selects and rotates proxies based on the behavior of the target website. This ensures optimal performance by avoiding detection and minimizing the risk of IP bans. Additionally, the platform supports global proxy locations, enabling scrapers to connect to geo-restricted content easily. These features make Apify a highly reliable and scalable solution for large-scale or complex scraping projects.
Oxylabs Web Scraper API
Oxylabs Web Scraper API is a comprehensive cloud-based solution designed to facilitate efficient and scalable web data extraction across various industries. The API manages proxy rotation seamlessly, selecting and rotating IP addresses dynamically based on target website behavior to maintain high success rates and prevent IP blocks. Web Scraper API can handle dynamic and JavaScript-heavy websites, ensuring accurate data extraction from complex web pages. Oxylabs provides dedicated parsers for specific websites and the flexibility to create custom parsing rules, enabling precise data extraction tailored to unique project requirements. Additionally, the Web Scraper API comes with an AI-powered assistant OxyCopilot that helps develop web scrapers and parsers by simply providing target URLs and writing needs in plain English, simplifying the setup process. These features make Oxylabs Web Scraper API a robust and adaptable solution for businesses seeking to extract web data efficiently and reliably.
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Pros of Ready-Made Proxy Tools:
No coding required for basic operations
Built-in proxy rotation and management
Professional support available
Quick to set up and deploy
Cons of Ready-Made Proxy Tools:
Higher ongoing costs
Less flexibility for custom scenarios
May have request volume limitations
Less control over the scraping process
Proxy Clients
Proxy clients are software that simplify managing and using proxies within web browsers. They usually offer features like IP selection, rotation, and geo-targeting directly from the browser, which makes them ideal for web scraping or accessing geo-restricted content. These tools save time by abstracting complex proxy configurations and providing user-friendly interfaces, catering to both casual users and professionals seeking secure, anonymous, or location-specific browsing experiences.
Oxylabs Browser Extension
The Oxy Proxy Extension for Chrome is a simple yet powerful tool for managing multiple proxies, making it highly suitable for web scraping tasks. It supports any proxy provider, allowing users to integrate their different proxies seamlessly. It allows to easily switch locations with one click and automatic proxy rotation, the extension makes it easy to bypass geo-restrictions and avoid detection during scraping. The extension is completely free and allows you to connect the proxies of your choice, with the straightforward setup making it an excellent option for scrapers who need efficient proxy management directly within their browser, without requiring complex configurations, connections, or additional tools.
FoxyProxy
FoxyProxy is an open-source proxy management tool available as a browser extension, offering support for multiple proxy server configurations. Its standout feature is pattern-based proxy switching, which allows users to define URL-based rules with wildcards, automatically routing specific requests through different proxies. This makes it particularly useful for web scraping tasks that require precise control over which proxies are used for different websites. FoxyProxy is compatible with any proxy service, giving users flexibility in their choice of providers. However, since the extension is free, it does not include built-in proxies, requiring users to supply their own. While it is a solid option for those who prefer open-source tools, its manual setup process may make it less streamlined compared to other browser extensions.
Pros of Proxy Clients:
No programming knowledge required
Great for manual research tasks
Can switch locations instantly
Works with any proxy provider
Good for testing and verification
Cons of Proxy Clients:
Manual intervention required
Not suitable for large-scale operations
Browser-dependent
Often limited to single-session use
Can be slower than programmatic solutions
Antidetect Browsers
Antidetect browsers like Multilogin and Kameleo are tools designed to help users manage multiple browser profiles while maintaining anonymity and avoiding detection by websites. These browsers create isolated, customizable browser environments with unique fingerprints, such as user agents, screen resolutions, and cookies, ideal for tasks like ad verification, e-commerce, and web scraping. Antidetect web browsers prevent websites from linking activities across profiles, which helps, for example, to bypass tracking methods and anti-bot systems.
Multilogin
Multilogin is an advanced antidetect browser designed for web scraping tasks that require high levels of anonymity and need anti-detection mechanisms. It creates isolated browser profiles with unique fingerprints for each profile, ensuring that all connections appear as distinct devices to websites. This means that multiple scraping operations can run simultaneously without being flagged as suspicious or linked to the same user, reducing the risk of IP blocking and fingerprint-based tracking. Each profile can be created with its own rule based system, providing flexibility in managing different IP addresses and locations. Read more on how to set up proxies with Multilogin.
Kameleo
Kameleo is a powerful antidetect browser that specializes in browser fingerprint manipulation. It focuses on ensuring that scraping activities remain undetected by modifying various browser attributes (such as user agents, fonts, and WebGL data), making it appear as if requests are coming from real human users. Kameleo offers built-in proxy support, allowing users to automatically sync their browser fingerprint settings with specific proxy locations. This eliminates the need for manual configuration and enhances the effectiveness of proxy rotation. Learn how to set up proxies with Kameleo.
Pros of Antidetect Browsers:
Advanced fingerprint manipulation
Integrated proxy support
Good for managing multiple accounts
Saves configurations for reuse
Cons of Antidetect Browsers:
Expensive compared to regular browsers
Resource-intensive on your system
Often requires dedicated machines
Steep learning curve
Limited automation capabilities
May require additional proxy subscriptions
Best Proxy Tools compared
| Feature | Programmatic Tools | Ready-Made Tools | Proxy Clients | Antidetect Browsers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Skill Required | High | Low | Very Low | Moderate |
| Setup Time | Long | Quick | Quick | Moderate |
| Scalability | Highest | High | Low | Moderate |
| Maintenance Needed | High | Low | None | Low |
| Best For | Large-scale data collection, custom solutions | Business data needs, quick deployment | Manual research, testing | Account management, identity protection |
| Learning Curve | Steep | Moderate | Easy | Moderate |
Choosing the proxy for your project
Now that you know what types of proxy tools are available, the next step is finding the proxy service that best suits your project. Proxies act as intermediaries between your device and the internet, rerouting your requests through their proxy servers to improve privacy, bypass geo-restrictions, and enhance security. They’re also vital for tasks like web scraping, where automation needs to bypass detection measures. With various options like free proxies, paid proxies, and various different proxies tailored to specific tasks, understanding not only how to use a proxy for various network applications, but also the range of tools available is crucial.
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When selecting proxy software, it's essential to combine them with reliable proxy servers to ensure optimal performance and smooth connections. Best proxy providers have a wide proxy pool size, rotation capability, and the necessary authentication for all authorized users or securing sensitive data. Additionally, load balancing helps distribute traffic efficiently, reducing the risk of server overload and improving success rates for high-volume requests. For scraping tasks, minimizing latency is crucial to avoid delays in responses. Choosing the right proxy tool ensures that the server is compatible with your setup, whether you're using it on multiple computers or through browser extensions.
Buy Paid Proxy Servers
Choose paid proxy servers to collect public data from almost any website worldwide with pinpoint targeting precision.
If you need high reliability for large-scale operations or scraping data from sites with strict anti-bot measures, paid proxies like residential or datacenter proxies may be the best option. For smaller-scale or less sensitive tasks, free proxies could suffice but may lack speed or reliability. To make an informed decision, consider factors like performance, uptime, geographic coverage, support, and provider reputation. Proper proxy management ensures the chosen proxy servers integrate seamlessly into your workflow, delivering the security, functionality, and efficiency your project demands.
Final thoughts
The best proxy server tool depends on the scraping job you’re looking to perform. Whether you opt for programmatic tools for full customization, scraping tools with built-in proxy support, proxy clients for streamlined management, or antidetect browsers for enhanced anonymity, each option offers unique advantages.
Understanding the strengths of these tools allows you to maximize efficiency in your scraping projects. Remember to pair the right tool with reliable proxy services, whether free proxies or paid proxies, to support consistent performance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best proxy software?
The best proxy software depends on your needs. Whether you choose programmatic tools for complete customization, scraping tools with integrated proxy support, proxy clients for simplified management, or antidetect browsers for greater anonymity, each option brings distinct benefits. Each tool has unique strengths, so your choice should align with requirements like speed, security, ease of use, and the number of proxies needed. You can take a look at our best proxies for web scraping and choose your pick.
Is using proxy servers illegal?
Using proxy servers is generally legal, but it depends on how and why they are used, as well as local laws. Proxies are widely used for legitimate purposes like enhancing privacy, bypassing geo-restrictions, or testing websites. However, using proxy servers for illegal activities – such as hacking, fraud, or accessing restricted content in violation of laws or terms of service –can lead to legal consequences. Always ensure compliance with local laws and service agreements when using proxy servers and read more about legality of web scraping.
What is a proxy management tool?
A proxy management tool helps users efficiently configure, monitor, and control multiple proxy servers from a single interface. These tools simplify tasks like rotating proxies, managing authentication, and monitoring performance metrics such as speed, uptime, and usage. By centralizing proxy administration, these tools enhance productivity, improve security, and streamline workflows for users relying on proxy networks.
About the author
Akvilė Lūžaitė
Junior Copywriter
Akvilė ventured from the very physical metal processing industry to a more abstract immaterial tech industry – and enjoys every second of it.
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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