The best proxy servers are an excellent way to mask your IP and collect data from the internet. Working in a similar way to a VPN, a proxy server sits between you and the website you are trying to connect to, acting as a gateway to route your traffic and preventing the targeted site from collecting your IP address.
The best proxy servers should offer a wide range of countries, IPs and geotargeting options to choose from - allowing you to get the most bang for your buck when trying to access content that may be blocked in your region, provide DDoS protection, secure your online activity against malicious actors, or prevent your organizations from accessing unsuitable content.
It is important to remember, however, that proxies differ from the best VPNs as your internet traffic is now encrypted is not encrypted. This can potentially allow for third-parties to snoop on your online activities.
We have tested over a dozen of the best proxy servers around, looking at number of locations, quality of connection, IP geotargeting, CAPTCHA passing, site unblocking, ease of use, and most importantly - value for money.
For those with specific use cases or budgets in mind, we have dedicated guides to the best residential proxies, the best datacenter proxies, the cheapest proxies, and the best free proxies.
So here are our recommendations for the best proxy servers with some handy FAQs for those looking to learn a bit more about proxy servers and how they work.
We've also tested the best free VPN.
Recent updates
Welcome to 2025! We have updated this guide to reflect the current pricing, speeds, performance, and technical specifications of each of the proxies listed on this guide, as well as including some helpful links to extra info in the FAQs.
The best proxy of 2025 in full:
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Best proxy server overall
Smartproxy offers a pool of over 65 million IP addresses to choose from on a global scale across residential, mobile, and datacenter solutions. Smartproxy differs from its rivals by offering a pool of rotating IP addresses, which the service quickly rotates to prevent them from being flagged, as well as offering its pricing based on the number and type of IPs as well as the amount of data you use - but there are pay-as-you-go options available.
Smartproxy can provide you with access to over 55 million ethically sourced residential proxies across the globe, as well as over 10 million mobile proxies from over 700+ carriers across 160 countries. When it comes to datacenter proxies however, it gets a little complicated. You can access a range of shared servers, but single-user dedicated datacenter proxies are only available in the US.
The service also offers a geographical and IP-based restriction bypass, even to sites that have anti-bot protection or require a CAPTCHA to access. Smartproxy provides access to web scraping APIs to help gather publicly available data in a full-stack solution to, again, bypass CAPTCHA restrictions. As a bonus, you will also have access to the X browser which is built with a strong focus on privacy and security.
Where Smartproxy suffers however, is in its pricing. While Smartproxy says its pricing for rotating residential IPs is just $2.2 per GB per month, this price is only available on the 5,000 GB per month plan with the price-per-GB increasing the less data you'll use. The same is true on a per-IP basis for static residential IPs. Access to Smartproxy's site unblocker also comes at a price of $14 per GB.
Overall, Smartproxy is a great service for those looking for a bulk-buy option or those who know they will be processing a large amount of data, but may not be as suitable for smaller users.
| Residential | Static Residential | Mobile | Datacenter | Site Unblocker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.2 per GB | $0.42 per IP | $8 per GB | $0.60 per IP | $14 per GB |
Read our full Smartproxy review.
Best proxy for business
Oxylabs is business-centric proxy service that offers over 102 million IPs around the globe across residential, data center, ISP, and mobile proxies along with business-specific features such as AI and ML web scraping APIs and dedicated company, eCommerce, and product datasets.
As a business focused proxy provider, Oxylabs offers a large number of IPs across the US, UK, Germany, and China, with Technology Errors & Omissions and Cyber insurance across all of its proxy plans.
Now, the pricing certainly reflects Oxylabs' business demographic. The provider offers a pay-as-you-go plan for residential proxies at $8 per GB, but also has set plans, ranging from Premium at $800 for 133 GB per month, up to Corporate at $4,000 for 1,000 GB per month. ISP proxies start at $21 monthly, mobile proxies start at $9 monthly per GB, and data center proxies start at $12 monthly for 10 IPs. There is of course a 7 day free trial for businesses, and a 3 day free trial for individuals.
To justify the pricing to businesses, Oxylabs provides ISP proxies leased directly from companies such as AT&T, Comcast, and Frontier with plans offering unlimited duration sessions and dynamic IP rotation to ensure consistent uninterrupted operation perfect for mass data scraping, app testing, and ad verification. Oxylabs also uses AI to make residential proxies appear more like a real human, with realistic browsing behavior to help circumvent CAPTCHA checks.
Datacenter proxies are sourced through secondary cloud service providers in both a dedicated and shared IP format with connections through HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 protocols. For web scraping, Oxylabs offers automated APIs to make the process easier, with specified APIs for scraping search engines, e-commerce, or other public websites which provide the data in either HTML or JSON format.
Read our full Oxylabs review.
| Residential | Shared Datacenter | Rotating ISP | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8 per GB | $12 per month | $21 per month | $9 per GB |
Best affordable proxy server
IPRoyal offers a range of proxy services at a reasonable price point. Since our last review, IPRoyal has upped its provision of residential proxies from 1 million to 32 million, with all of these being "100% ethically sourced," according to the proxy provider. IPRoyal also boasts over 2.5 million mobile IPs, with datacenter proxies available in just over 40 countries.
The service has one of the most intuitive user interfaces and is very beginner friendly, especially when considering the 24/7 access to customer support services. This is compounded by the IPRoyal browser extension (Chrome & Firefox) which allows you to manage your proxy connections while browsing the web to help minimize interruptions.
On the downside however, it isn't the cheapest service around and has a complex pricing and subcription structure that could confuse some users who are new to the proxy industry. What's more, there is no customer support by phone, no web scraping APIs, and no dedicated free tier for those looking to test the service before committing.
IPRoyal is definitely a worthy proxy service for those looking to explore the benefits of proxy servers, especially considering how it's ease of use and how responsive the customer support team is.
| Rotating Residential | Datacenter | Mobile | Static Residential |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7 per GB | $1.80 per IP | $130 per month | $2.70 per proxy |
Read our full IPRoyal review.
Best proxy server for deep pockets
Bright Data, which may be known to some under its previous name, Luminati, offers over 72+ million IPs across the globe, with a particularly notable customer support service and flexible costs for its range of proxy services.
The pricing for Bright Data's proxies are a little complex. Residential proxies start from $8.4 per GB on the pay-as-you-go plan, with additional plans ranging from $499 monthly for 69GB up to $1999 monthly for 339GB, which both work out cheaper than the pay-as-you-go plan if you need a significant amount of bandwidth.
Datacenter proxies start at $0.6 per GB with dedicated plans ranging from $499 monthy for 1TB, up to $1999 monthly for 5TB. The ISP proxy plan ranges from $18.75 per GB on the pay-as-you-go plan, up to $1999 monthly for 152GB. Mobile proxies start at $8.4 per GB pay-as-you-go, with additional options from $499 montly for 69GB up to $1999 monthly for 339GB.
What sets Bright Data apart from other proxy providers is its suite of web scraping APIs that range from $499 up to $1999 monthly depending on your needs. These APIs offer worldwide geotargeting, CAPTCHA solving, and automated proxy management with unlimited concurrent requests.
Bright Data also offers a Web Unlocker to access geo-restricted public websites, a dedicated scalable scraping browser, scraping functions, and SERP API plans.
As an additional feature, Bright Data offers a dataset marketplace with customizable pre-built datasets across business, eCommerce, real estate, social media, finance, and many more industries.
These functions make it a strong contender for businesses looking for a comprehensive web scraping or proxy solution, with enterprise users able to contact Bright Data for a tailored solution.
| Residential | Datacenter | ISP | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7.14 per GB | $0.06 per GB | $18.75 per GB | $8.4 per GB |
Read our full Bright Data review.
Best proxy server for proxy performance
From the outlook, you may have noticed that Live Proxies offers a far smaller and less geographically ranging pool of proxies, but don't rule them out. What they lack in quality, they make up for in quality.
Live Proxies offers a selection of rotating residential, static residential, and rotating mobile proxies to its users. Live Proxies' network of rotating residential proxies is made up of real devices that effectively 'lease' their IP address to Live Proxies in return for benefits. Unfortunately, Live Proxies' pricing structure is a little bit complex.
The rotating proxy pricing is based on location, with 200 US IPs with a 4 GB bandwidth allocation for 30 days costing $70. Extending the allocation to 60 days costs $85, with the bandwidth increase to 8GB costing $100. However, the random location plan is just $45 for 200 IPs and a 4GB bandwidth for 40 days. The caveat here is that no proxies from the US, UK, or Canada are included in the IP pool.
For static residential proxies, 50 US IPs with a 4 GB allocation for 30 days costs $65, with an 8GB bandwidth allocation for 45 days coming in at $110. The rotating mobile proxy plan is structured in a similar way, with 50 US IPs and a 4GB bandwidth for 30 days costing $70, and an upgrade to 100 IPs with 8GB for 45 days costing £120.
For larger projects or enterprise users, Live Proxies offers a B2B plan starting from $5,000 per month that includes the entire pool of 10 million+ IP addresses.
The confusing and comparatively expensive pricing structure, along with a smaller pool and less geographic reach are limiting factors of Live Proxies, but if speed and performance are your deciding factors, they may just be the solution for you.
| Rotating Residential | Static Residential | Rotating Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| $0.71 per IP | $0.76 per IP | $0.71 per IP |
Read our full Live Proxies review.
Best proxy server for privacy
Webshare is a relative newcomer to the proxy scene, and as a result slightly lacks in its offering of IP addresses, coverage, and the availability of a web scraping API.
For its rotating residential IPs, users will pay from $7 monthly for 1GB all the way up to $13,500 monthly for 3000GB. This works out best for enterpise users looking to make the most of their bandwidth, with this price coming in at just $4.5 monthly on a per GB basis. Static residential IPs range from $6 per month for 20 proxies, up to $2,250 per month for 10,000.
As for datacenter proxies, Webshare has plans ranging from $2.99 monthly for access to 100 proxies, all the way up to a 100,000 proxy offering billed at $1794 per month.
For individual users looking for a cost-effective solution for smaller projects, Webshare offers 10 free proxies with no time limit making this a stand-out option for those on a budget or looking to test an option.
| Proxy Server | Residential | Static Residential |
|---|---|---|
| $0 a month (10 proxies) | $7 per GB | $6 a month (20 proxies) |
Read our full Webshare Proxy Servers review.
Best proxy at wholesale cost
Rampage Proxies prides itself on its transparency by openly selling residential, data center, and ISP proxies from upstream providers on a no-commitment basis.
For residential proxies, Rampage Proxies offers plans from upstream providers such as Oxylabs, Smartproxy, and BrightData, as well as proxies available direct from Rampage at highly competitive prices. For example, the Rampage Core package comes in at just $1 per month per GB.
Whats more, Rampage Proxies offers a Rampage Pro monthly subscription at $25 which provides access to proxies from every upstream provider at a discount.
Where Rampage Proxies struggles slightly is in its provision of data center and ISP proxies. Data center proxies are only available in the UK, but with the benefit of being inhouse and unmetered, priced at just $1.35 per month per IP. As for ISP proxies, these are available in the UK, US, and Germany at $1.7 per month per IP.
The benefit of using Rampage proxies is the access to a near-limitless pool of IPs, which means if one proxy is banned, you have over 400 million more to choose from. The downside is you are restricted to the coverage and IP pool of each provider, but the Rampage Pro subscription provides access to all 10 providers.
| Rampage Residential | Rampage Mobile | Rampage Core | Oxylabs | Smartproxy | Netnut | BrightData | Koch Secret | Packetstream |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $6.50 per GB | $10.50 per GB | $1.00 per GB | $6.50 per GB | $6.50 per GB | $7.50 per GB | $5.50 per GB | $13.10 per GB | $1.00 per GB |
Best proxy server for small-time users
Storm Proxies fills a niche in the market by offering an affordable option for simpler and smaller projects. While they may only have a limited pool of IPs to choose from and a fairly restricted geographic reach, Storm Proxies don't sell themselves as anything more than they are - simple proxies at an affordable price.
Storm Proxies offer three proxy types - private datacenter, rotating backconnect, and rotating residential. For datacenter proxies, the pricing rangers from $10 for 5 IPs to $640 for 400 IPs, with many plans inbetween. The bonus about this is that you have access to unlimited bandwith at a speed 1 Gbps across every single plan. So you pay only for how many proxies you need.
The pricing for backconnect proxies is based on simultaneous connections, ranging from $39 per month for 40 connections up to $97 per month for 150 connections, all at an unlimited bandwidth.
For rotating residential proxies, the prices range from $50 per month for 5 IPs, up to $300 for 50 IPs. Just be aware that the comparatively low price is reflected in the limited IP pool and coverage.
Overall, Storm Proxies is a simple, cost-effective, and easy-to-use solution perfect for users with smaller or less demanding projects.
| Datacenter | Rotating backconnect | Rotating residential |
|---|---|---|
| $0.5 per IP | $1.02 per connection | $10 per IP |
Read our full Storm Proxies review.
Best user-based proxy server
PacketStream's network differs significantly for others on this list. The network of residential IPs offered by PacketStream is built from real devices who's owners sell their extra internet bandwidth to be used by PacketStream as part of their network.
PacketStream's residential proxies are charged on a bandwidth basis at a flat fee of $1 per GB. This provides access to the entire residential proxy network on a rotating basis, allowing you to switch as and when you need. However, the pricing only starts after 50GB, so the minimum you can spend is $50 for 50GB, with the $1 per GB kicking in past this point. When compared to other providers on the per GB price, this is actually one of the most affordable options.
One standout feature for PacketStream is the ability for users to sell their excess internet bandwidth to PacketStream at $0.10 per GB with a minimum cashout amount of $5. So if your device is always on regardless and you have spare bandwidth, you have the option to generate a modest amount while contributing to a global network of proxies.
| Earn (Become a packeter) | Buy Bandwidth |
|---|---|
| $0.10 per GB | $1.00 per GB |
Read our full PacketStream review.
We've also featured the best URL filtering software.
Best proxy server FAQs
Julius Cerniauskas, CEO of Oxylabs
What is a proxy?
A proxy is an intermediary between the user and the web that adds an additional layer that connects to any website. Proxies have their own IP addresses, so the website the user is visiting will only see this proxy IP address.
In terms of origin, there are two types of proxies, data centre and residential:
A data center proxy is a private proxy that is not affiliated with an ISP because it comes from a secondary corporation and provides a private IP authentication, high-level anonymity and rapid data request response times. Usually, data center proxies are used for infrastructure, such as servers and web hosting.
A residential proxy is an intermediary using an IP address attached to a physical location provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to a homeowner. It is a genuine IP address that can be used to imitate organic users behaviour.
You can read more about proxy servers here.
What are proxies used for?
As mentioned before, individuals and businesses widely use proxies. Let's explore the reasons behind it.
Personal use A proxy used for a personal case will be attached to a particular location. This can enable certain access to geo-blocked content. For example, consumers can browse and purchase flights from locations that offer the most advantageous prices.
Secondly, proxies can optimize user's web activity and improve security levels by encrypting requests.
Business use In most cases, businesses use proxies to gain advantage over competitors by gathering insightful information. The proxy gives them the ability to extract and process large amounts of publicly available data on competitor prices, products, services, reviews or even market trends that can accelerate businesses in their decision-making process regarding adapting marketing, sales and pricing strategies.
Such information would be impossible to extract without proxies in place due to recurring blocks. When data gathering is in progress, a large number of requests are made to a web server.
The difficulty arises when these requests come from the same IP address because websites identify this activity as suspicious and block the IP address for security reasons. Proxies prevent this as IP addresses can be constantly changed if rotating proxies or a proxy rotator is used. This way data gathering can continue to take place anonymously and efficiently.
In addition to data gathering, many businesses use proxies for email security as there are huge amounts of emails that contain malware attachments, ransomware or suspicious URLs. Proxies help to scan each inbound email and filter out malicious content.
Another common use case is brand protection, as proxies are employed to scan the web searching for stolen content or counterfeit goods.
What is the difference between paid proxies and free proxies?
With a free proxy you can access almost every proxy benefit, which is great until something goes wrong. Utilizing such services means that no one is responsible for technical faults, which happen to be a common occurrence in this case.
It is not easy to find a free, long-life proxy as they quickly become outdated and the providers usually turn into paid ones or disappear over time. Furthermore, using free proxies can pose a serious threat because you never know if your data is secure and you may run the risk of falling victim identity theft.
Paid proxies are responsible for their services, with contracts and agreements in place to protect the user. For businesses, there is no other option but to pay for a dedicated proxy service and avoid any potential security issues. If you choose a reliable proxy provider, you should not need to worry about servers crashing or disappearing for no reason as many will offer dedicated account support.
A reliable proxy provider will also have ethically sourced proxies. Deciding what proxy provider to choose is not an easy task as there are many criteria to consider, but we have singled out a few key points:
Reliability: 24/7 customer support and account managers, service trials and a money-back guarantee are must-haves for a reliable proxy provider. Pay attention to client reviews as well
IP pool size and location: IP pool size and location variety are critical for those who will be scraping large amounts of data from various countries
Success rates and speed: a reliable proxy network success rate should be at least 90%, with the best providers guaranteeing 95% or higher
Integration and support: proxy providers must ensure their documentation is clear and understandable, including integration tutorials and clear instructions
Is using proxies legal?
Utilizing a proxy server is not inherently illegal, but its legality can vary based on the usage and the jurisdiction. In certain regions, employing a proxy to circumvent internet censorship or to visit sites with access restrictions might be against the law.
What’s the difference between a VPN and a proxy?
A VPN and a proxy both mask your IP address by routing your internet through a remote server. However, a proxy is limited to specific apps or services, while a VPN covers all internet traffic and encrypts it for enhanced security and privacy. Unlike proxies, VPNs also secure your online activities with an encrypted tunnel. For basic browsing, a proxy may suffice, but for full security, a VPN is preferable.
You can read more about the differences between a VPN and a proxy here.
Does proxy hide your IP address?
While proxies don't provide complete anonymity, they do typically hide your IP address. When you connect to the internet through a proxy, it displays the proxy server's IP address instead of your own. This prevents websites from seeing your real location, enhancing your privacy.
The future of proxies
Businesses mostly use proxies for large-scale data gathering and extraction, but this is not an easy process. It consists of many complex tasks, especially when anti-data gathering measures are becoming more sophisticated and making it harder to collect publicly available information without being blocked. To address this, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) innovations are gradually being applied.
Ultimately, proxies are extremely valuable solutions for both individuals and businesses that need to make accurate data-driven decisions. For individuals, proxies can help to access geo-blocked content, improve security levels, and optimize a web activity. For businesses, not only will they provide an extra layer of security, but they are quickly becoming an indispensable tool to gather publicly available information.
Things to consider when choosing a proxy provider
Geo-Targeting: Geo-targeting enables users to access content or bypass restrictions based on geographic location. Choosing a proxy provider with a wide range of IP addresses is crucial for accessing location-specific data.
Speed: Speed and latency are critical in proxies. High-speed proxies ensure quick data transfers, essential for extensive web scraping, while low latency is crucial for tasks requiring timely data, such as live streaming. Opt for a provider that offers both.
Number of IPs: The number of IP addresses a proxy provider offers is vital when frequently changing IPs for anonymity and to avoid anti-scraping measures. Ensure the provider's IP pool is large and diverse, including residential and datacenter options.
Cost: Cost is a significant consideration when selecting a proxy service. Assess the type of proxies, pricing plans, and any extra features to determine the best value for your needs. Consider pay-as-you-go plans for flexibility or fixed plans for consistent high-volume use.
How to choose the best proxy?
When selecting the best proxy for yourself, choose tools that have features useful to you, like geo-restriction bypassing, browser extensions, unlimited bandwidth, and a large proxy pool.
If speed is a priority, check for the server speeds and locations, and if security is a priority, look at the service's encryption level. Lastly, assess whether the proxy's pricing models are suitable for your needs.
How we tested the best proxy server
In our testing, we always dabble with various settings and options. We check the speed, security, encryption, server options, the number of proxy IPs, and if there's support for the SOCKS5 protocol.
We also check if a proxy can successfully pass through the blocks and captchas, and if it has a web scraping tool to fetch data for its users. Pricing is another part we take a close look at as not everyone can afford the more pricey solutions. Plus, if it’s expensive, it doesn’t necessarily automatically mean it’s a great service.
Lastly, we look for any extra settings or features. This can be anything from their own browsers to a simple ad-blocking solution.
Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
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