Residential proxies are essential for tasks like web scraping, managing multiple accounts, and accessing geo-blocked content. They provide IP addresses tied to real devices, offering more reliability than datacenter proxies.
We’ve selected five trusted providers based on their large proxy pools, pricing, and customer support to help you find the best residential proxy for your needs.
Best Residential Proxy Providers of All Time
Smartproxy
Proxy Pool
Smartproxy has over 40 million residential IPs worldwide. Launched in 2018, it’s known for affordable, reliable service.
Smartproxy has quickly become a top choice for residential proxies since its launch in 2018. It built its reputation on providing affordable, high-quality proxies and an intuitive user interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced users. With a large pool of over 40 million residential IPs, Smartproxy enables users to access a global network and complete tasks such as web scraping, SEO monitoring, and ad verification efficiently. The company places a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, offering 24/7 live chat support and a user-friendly dashboard that simplifies proxy management.
Smartproxy’s proxies are known for their high success rates and reliability, as the company continuously monitors and updates its network to maintain optimal performance. It is particularly popular among small to medium businesses due to its competitive pricing. Despite its affordability, Smartproxy doesn’t compromise on quality, which has contributed to its popularity in various industries. In addition, Smartproxy supports multiple proxy protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5, providing versatility for different applications and ensuring compatibility with a wide range of software tools.
Pricing
Smartproxy’s pricing is flexible, with options for individuals and businesses.
- Pricing Starts from: $12.50 per GB
- Pay-as-you-go: Not available
- Support Mediums: 24/7 live chat, email
- Proxy Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
Unique Feature
Smartproxy is known for its easy-to-use dashboard, great for beginners.
Bright Data
Proxy Pool
Bright Data (formerly Luminati) has the largest network with over 72 million residential IPs. Founded in 2014, it’s popular with businesses for large-scale data needs. Bright Data, formerly known as Luminati, is one of the largest and most well-established names in the proxy industry. Founded in 2014, it offers an impressive network of over 72 million residential IPs across the globe, making it an ideal choice for large-scale projects and enterprise clients. Bright Data has become a go-to solution for data gathering, offering users precise location targeting and high customization. Its advanced technology and reputation for reliability have positioned Bright Data as a leader in the field of residential proxies, attracting clients from industries like e-commerce, advertising, and cybersecurity.
One of Bright Data’s strengths lies in its robust support system and commitment to transparency. Users have access to 24/7 support, including phone and live chat, making it a good fit for those who need reliable, round-the-clock assistance. The platform’s pay-as-you-go pricing option provides flexibility for businesses of all sizes, although the premium rates are often geared towards high-volume users. Bright Data’s unique selling point is its extensive customization features, allowing users to tailor proxy settings precisely to their requirements, which is invaluable for complex data collection and analysis tasks.
Pricing
Bright Data’s premium plans suit enterprises but also offer pay-as-you-go flexibility.
- Pricing Starts from: $15 per GB
- Pay-as-you-go: Available
- Support Mediums: 24/7 support, phone, email, live chat
- Proxy Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
Unique Feature
Bright Data offers advanced proxy customization for specific needs.
Oxylabs
Proxy Pool
Oxylabs has over 100 million residential IPs globally. Established in 2015, it’s trusted by big data-driven businesses. Oxylabs has established itself as a premium proxy provider since its founding in 2015. With a residential IP network of over 100 million proxies, it serves a wide array of industries that rely on large data sets, including finance, marketing, and cybersecurity. Known for its corporate-oriented approach, Oxylabs is trusted by large-scale businesses and organizations that need robust solutions for data gathering. Its focus on high-quality IPs and compliance with legal and ethical standards has earned Oxylabs a solid reputation in the proxy market.
The company invests heavily in technology, providing clients with AI-driven data scraping tools that increase efficiency and accuracy. This technological advantage makes Oxylabs a popular choice for clients with demanding data needs. Additionally, Oxylabs provides a dedicated account manager for business clients, which adds a layer of personalized support. While it primarily targets enterprise-level users, Oxylabs also offers a flexible pricing structure. Its unique AI-powered tools make it an excellent choice for businesses looking to streamline and scale their data extraction processes.
Pricing
Oxylabs’ pricing is aimed at high-volume users, providing value for large networks.
- Pricing Starts from: $15 per GB
- Pay-as-you-go: Not available
- Support Mediums: Email, live chat, account manager
- Proxy Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
Unique Feature
Oxylabs offers AI-powered data extraction tools, enhancing scraping efficiency.
IPRoyal
Proxy Pool
IPRoyal has over 2 million residential IPs and has quickly built a good reputation since 2020. Its network focuses on stability and reliable rotation. IPRoyal is a newer entrant to the proxy industry, founded in 2020, yet it has rapidly gained a reputation for reliability and affordability. With a growing network of over 2 million residential IPs, IPRoyal caters to businesses and individuals seeking dependable proxy solutions without breaking the bank. The company emphasizes ethically sourced IPs, which reduces the likelihood of bans and enhances security. IPRoyal’s commitment to transparency and affordability makes it a popular choice for small to medium-sized businesses looking for reliable proxy solutions.
IPRoyal offers flexible plans, including a pay-as-you-go option, which provides great value for users with varying needs. The company’s customer support is available via live chat and email, ensuring that users can get assistance when needed. IPRoyal’s unique selling point is its ethical sourcing model, providing peace of mind for users concerned about compliance. This approach has helped IPRoyal build a trustworthy reputation and expand its user base in a short time.
Pricing
IPRoyal’s rates are affordable, ideal for smaller businesses and individuals.
- Pricing Starts from: $7 per GB
- Pay-as-you-go: Available
- Support Mediums: Live chat, email
- Proxy Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
Unique Feature
IPRoyal is known for ethically sourced IPs, reducing the risk of bans.
ProxyEmpire
Proxy Pool
ProxyEmpire offers 3 million residential IPs worldwide, catering to users needing precise location targeting. ProxyEmpire is known for its global reach and precise targeting options, with a residential IP network of around 3 million addresses. It caters to users who need high-quality, geographically diverse proxies and provides targeted solutions for both individual and business clients. ProxyEmpire has built a reputation for offering reliable proxies that are especially useful for tasks requiring specific location targeting, such as localized SEO, ad verification, and localized content testing.
Despite being relatively smaller than some competitors, ProxyEmpire remains a solid choice for those with precise targeting needs. The company offers a pay-as-you-go option, making it accessible to a broader range of users. ProxyEmpire supports HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 protocols and has a responsive support team available through email and live chat. ProxyEmpire’s standout feature is its ability to offer city-level targeting, which is beneficial for users with highly localized data needs, setting it apart in the competitive proxy market.
Pricing
ProxyEmpire has flexible pricing, including both pay-as-you-go and subscription plans.
- Pricing Starts from: $15 per GB
- Pay-as-you-go: Available
- Support Mediums: Email, live chat
- Proxy Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
Unique Feature
ProxyEmpire stands out with its precise city-level targeting options.
Use Cases of Residential Proxies
🔷 Web Scraping
Residential proxies allow users to collect data from websites without being blocked. By masking the user’s real IP address with a residential IP, they can simulate normal user behavior, reducing the risk of detection.
🔷 Market Research
Businesses can use residential proxies to gather competitive intelligence by analyzing competitors’ pricing, product availability, and user experience from different geographic locations without revealing their identity.
🔷 SEO Monitoring
SEO professionals can track their website rankings and search results across various regions using residential proxies. This helps ensure accurate localized data, providing insights into rankings.
🔷 Ad Verification
Advertisers use residential proxies to verify that their ads are displayed correctly and in the right locations. This ensures that ads aren’t being misrepresented or that ad placements are appropriate.
🔷 Social Media Management
Residential proxies enable users to manage multiple social media accounts without risking bans or restrictions. They can create and maintain accounts that appear to originate from different locations.
🔷 Accessing Geo-Restricted Content
Users can access content that may be restricted in their region, such as streaming services, by routing their connection through a residential IP located in a supported area.
🔷 Bypassing Rate Limiting
Websites often implement rate limiting to prevent excessive requests from a single IP address. Residential proxies allow users to distribute their requests across multiple IPs, circumventing these limitations.
🔷 Bulk Account Creation
Businesses can automate the creation of multiple accounts on various platforms without being flagged for suspicious activity. Residential proxies help create accounts that appear to be from legitimate users.
🔷 E-commerce Price Tracking
E-commerce businesses use residential proxies to monitor competitor pricing across different locations. This helps them adjust their pricing strategies based on real-time market data.
🔷 Testing and Development
Developers use residential proxies to test applications and websites under different conditions, including geo-restrictions and user scenarios, ensuring that their products work correctly in various environments.
Conclusion
Choosing a residential proxy provider depends on your needs and budget. Each of these top providers offers large networks, reliable support, and various pricing options. We hope this guide helps you pick the best provider for your project.
FAQs
What are residential proxies?
Residential proxies are IP addresses assigned to real residential addresses by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). They allow users to route their internet traffic through these IPs, making it appear as though the requests are coming from a residential user.
Why should I use residential proxies?
Residential proxies help to bypass geo-restrictions, avoid IP bans, and improve anonymity online. They are commonly used for web scraping, accessing restricted content, managing multiple social media accounts, and conducting market research.
How do residential proxies differ from data center proxies?
Residential proxies are associated with real residential IPs, while data center proxies are sourced from data centers and can be easily identified as proxies. This makes residential proxies more reliable for tasks requiring anonymity and less likely to be blocked by websites.
Are residential proxies legal to use?
Yes, using residential proxies is legal in most jurisdictions. However, the legality can depend on how they are used. Engaging in activities that violate a website’s terms of service could lead to legal issues.
How do residential proxies work?
Residential proxies route your internet traffic through real residential IP addresses. When you send a request through a residential proxy, the request appears to come from the residential IP instead of your own, masking your identity and location.
What protocols do residential proxies support?
Residential proxies typically support various protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5. The choice of protocol can depend on the specific use case, such as web scraping or accessing websites that require secure connections.
Can I use residential proxies for web scraping?
Yes, residential proxies are highly effective for web scraping because they mimic normal user behavior, reducing the chances of being detected or blocked by target websites. They also provide access to geo-restricted content.
What is IP rotation in residential proxies?
IP rotation is a feature that allows users to automatically switch between different residential IP addresses at set intervals or after each request. This helps maintain anonymity and prevents websites from flagging or banning a single IP for suspicious activity.
How do I choose a reliable residential proxy provider?
When selecting a residential proxy provider, consider factors such as IP pool size, geographical coverage, connection speed, customer support, and pricing. Look for reviews and testimonials to gauge reliability and performance.
What are the risks of using residential proxies?
While residential proxies are generally safe, risks include potential exposure to malicious IPs, legal issues if used for unlawful activities, and possible poor performance if the provider has a limited or unreliable IP pool. Always choose reputable providers to mitigate these risks.