Proxy Providers
Networks of residential, datacenter, ISP and mobile IPs used to route web requests for scraping, testing and data collection.
Proxy providers sell access to pools of IP addresses that let applications route requests through different locations and network types. They are a foundational building block for web scraping, ad verification, and geo-testing.
Proxy type matters: residential and mobile IPs tend to face fewer blocks on consumer sites, while datacenter proxies are faster and cheaper but more easily detected.
When to use it
- You're building your own scraper or automation and need IP rotation
- You need geo-targeted browsing or testing from specific countries
- You want more control than a fully managed scraping API provides
Common use cases
Buying criteria
- Proxy type mix (residential, datacenter, ISP, mobile)
- Geographic coverage and IP pool size
- Session control (sticky sessions, rotation rules)
- Pricing model (by bandwidth, by IP or by request)
Risks and limitations
- Some proxy sourcing practices raise ethical questions; check how a provider sources its IP pool
- Improper use can violate target site terms of service
Recommended providers
Bright Data
4.6/5A large web data platform combining proxy networks, scraping infrastructure and ready-made datasets for enterprise data collection.
Oxylabs
4.5/5An enterprise-focused web data platform providing proxy networks, scraper APIs and curated datasets with strong compliance positioning.
Decodo
4.0/5A proxy and web scraping infrastructure provider (formerly Smartproxy) offering residential, datacenter and mobile proxy networks.
Webshare
3.9/5A self-serve proxy provider known for accessible pricing and a straightforward dashboard for datacenter and residential proxies.
ScraperAPI
4.1/5A simple, developer-oriented API that handles proxies, browsers and CAPTCHAs behind a single scraping endpoint.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between residential and datacenter proxies?
Residential proxies route through real consumer IP addresses and tend to be less likely to be blocked, while datacenter proxies come from cloud/server IP ranges and are typically faster and cheaper but more detectable.