Web scraping, public data extraction, and automated research are increasingly necessary for businesses, analysts, and developers. Proxy servers play a critical role in these activities by allowing users to distribute requests across multiple IPs, maintain anonymity, and bypass geolocation restrictions. Choosing a proxy provider, however, can be a complex task. The market is saturated with options ranging from bare-bones, basic tools to sophisticated, enterprise-level solutions. This article is here to provide you an in-depth comparison of the 12 best proxy server providers in 2025. We'll examine their pricing, performance, features, and ethical standards to help you choose the right solution for your specific needs, whether you're building a personal web scraper from scratch or managing a large-scale data collection project. Best Proxy Providers – Quick Look Best Proxy Providers – Quick Look – Overall best proxy servers for enterprise and large-scale projects. Oxylabs ) – Best value for money with a robust network. Decodo (ex Smartproxy – A highly affordable service with free proxy servers. Webshare – A premium proxy service for scalable advanced operations. Bright Data – Strong in mobile and ISP proxies with powerful filtering. SOAX – A budget-friendly provider with flexible pay-as-you-go options. IPRoyal – ISP-sourced static residential proxies and high speeds. NetNut – A flexible proxy service with ethical sourcing. Rayobyte – API-based proxy server providers. ScraperAPI – An ultra-low-cost provider built on a bandwidth-sharing model. PacketStream – Offers advanced filtering and geo-targeting capabilities. ProxyEmpire – A versatile proxy service with a strong emphasis on ethical practices. Infatica How We Selected the Best Proxy Server Providers How We Selected the Best Proxy Server Providers Our list combines all most important criteria and test results with in-depth feature analysis to ensure you get the fullest picture of the current proxy server market. Here's how we assessed each provider: Proxy types: We prioritized providers offering multiple proxy types (residential, datacenter, mobile, ISP) to cover use cases from basic web browsing to complex data extraction projects. Pool size & diversity: Larger IP pools with global coverage offer better proxy rotation and lower detection rates. Pricing: We analyzed pricing structures, hidden fees, minimum commitments, and value propositions. Performance: Metrics like speed, uptime, and success rate are critical for efficiency and data quality. Free trials and accessibility: Free trials and refund policies indicate provider confidence and reduce your commitment risk when testing different services. Customer support: We evaluated response times, technical expertise, and availability across different support channels. Ethical compliance: We considered provider reputation, customer reviews on platforms like G2 and Trustpilot, and their commitment to ethical sourcing of IPs. Best Proxy Service Providers in 2025 Best Proxy Service Providers in 2025 1. Oxylabs Oxylabs Locations: 195+ countries Free Trial: 7-day trial for verified businesses Support: 24/7 support with dedicated account managers Extras: Rotating residential/ISP/mobile/datacenter proxies, Web Scraper API, compliance focus Oxylabs is one of the most established providers with best proxy servers in the market, trusted by enterprises for large-scale data collection. Its portfolio covers datacenter, mobile, ISP, and residential proxy networks, giving users a reliable foundation for a wide variety of use cases. With more than 175 million IPs in rotation, the service is designed to minimize blocks and ensure consistency. It also offers a strong infrastructure and a top-class support system that also includes account managers for business clients. The Web Scraper API and advanced targeting options add flexibility, while the company’s focus on compliance makes it suitable for organizations that need to balance performance with transparent usage. Oxylabs offers starting at just $4 per GB on a pay-as-you-go plan, with monthly packages dropping slightly for higher volumes. begin at $0.10 per GB or $0.80 per IP, while start from $1.60 per IP. are available at $9 per GB, and you can also get a 7-day free trial or claim free proxies with 5 IPs to try Oxylabs yourself. residential proxies Datacenter proxy servers ISP proxies Mobile proxies Pros: Broad proxy lineup (DC, ISP, mobile, residential proxies) Global coverage (175M+ IPs, 195+ locations) Excellent Web Scraping API Cons: Higher learning curve 2. Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) Locations: Residential proxies in 195+ countries; ISP and datacenter in select regions; mobile in growing coverage Free Trial: 3-day residential trial + 14-day refund policy Support: 24/7 live chat, email, extensive documentation Extras: Browser extensions, API, sticky sessions, rotation presets Decodo, previously known as Smartproxy, has become a popular choice for users who want a balance of scale and accessibility. Its network of over 125 million IPs spans residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies, making it suitable for projects of different sizes and various levels of complexity. The service is highly accessible yet powerful enough for ongoing, large-scale scraping tasks. Performance is consistently strong, with reported success rates near 99%. Features like city-level targeting, sticky sessions, and rotation presets are great for finer control, while integrations such as browser extensions and a clean API make it very flexible in various scenarios. Combined with a straightforward dashboard, it’s a platform that works for both individual developers and bigger professional teams. Decodo’s residential proxies start at $1.50 per GB, with monthly plans ranging from $3.00 down to $2.25 per GB depending on volume. ISP proxies begin at $0.27 per IP, datacenter proxy servers at just $0.026 per IP or per GB, and mobile proxies start at $4.50 per GB. They also offer a 3-day trial with 100MB of residential proxies. Pros: Wide mix of residential, mobile, datacenter, or ISP proxies Competitive per-GB rates and very clear tiered pricing Easy-to-use dashboard and rotation presets Cons: Some advanced enterprise features behind higher plans 3. Webshare Webshare Locations: Global coverage Free Trial: Free tier – 10 datacenter IPs Support: Ticket-based help desk + self-service knowledge base Extras: Rotating/static servers, API access Webshare is a practical option for those who want to get started quickly and affordably. Its free tier gives you 10 datacenter proxies with 1GB of traffic per month, so it's makes it easy to experiment before committing to larger plans. This approachable entry point has made it especially popular among individual developers and small teams. The platform offers a sizable IP pool of more than 80 million addresses, with both residential and datacenter proxies available. Features like static or rotating sessions, and an accessible API help users integrate proxies into any scraping or automation tasks with essentially minimal effort. Paid plans are attractively priced, starting with $1.40 per GB for residential proxies, and static residential options are available from $0.225 to $0.30 per IP. Datacenter proxy servers start as low as $0.0179 per IP. Webshare is also one of the few reputable free proxy services to offer a permanent free tier for anyone to try. Pros: Very affordable datacenter proxy servers for self-service Free plan: 10 DC proxies + 1GB/month Clear pricing models Cons: Limited customizability compared to enterprise competitors 4. Bright Data Bright Data Locations: 195+ countries Free Trial: 7-day trial for verified businesses Support: 24/7 support, dedicated success managers Extras: Proxy Manager, datasets marketplace, advanced geo-targeting If your objective is full-stack, enterprise-grade crawling, Bright Data delivers both the scale and the tooling. Their colossal residential mob – plus ISP, mobile, and data center proxy servers – pairs with tools like Proxy Manager and datasets to give you precise control over scraping flows. Advanced features include city/ASN/ISP-level targeting, straight-shot dashboards, and a compliance-first logic that eases risk-conscious use cases. Best of all, the uptime and success reports sit near the top of the industry benchmarks. Bright Data’s residential proxies start at $5.88 per GB and scale down to $3.57 per GB with larger volumes. ISP proxies are priced from $12.75 per GB, mobile from $60 per GB, and datacenter options start around $0.90 per IP or $0.12 per GB. A 7-day free trial is also available for verified business accounts. Pros: Massive proxy pool (150M+ residential, 72M+ mobile) Rich tooling: Proxy Manager, no-code collectors, APIs Geo-targeting and enterprise compliance features Cons: Premium price point 5. SOAX SOAX Locations: Global (many countries) Free Trial: Starter trial available via pricing page Support: Live chat and email Extras: Multi-tiered credits for residential, mobile, ISP, and datacenter proxies; granular geo filters SOAX excels when you need geo-specific or mobile-heavy targeting. Their expansive IP pool spans residential, ISP, mobile, and data center proxies – all accessible with a unified credit system and filters that let you dial into locale-level control with ease. With claims of strong uptime and route stability, SOAX suits users tapping into localized data ecosystems (like retail pricing or ad testing). Their tools – rotation options, sticky sessions, city-level filters – are made for precision rather than powerlifting. SOAX offers residential, mobile, and ISP proxies starting at roughly $3.60 per GB, with higher-volume plans dropping to around $2 per GB. Mobile proxies start from about $7.50 per GB, while datacenter options are priced separately depending on the package. Starter trials are available directly through their pricing page. Pros: Strong mobile and ISP proxy coverage Flexible rotation and sticky sessions Transparent per-GB pricing Cons: Higher per-GB rates at entry tiers Fewer customization features 6. IPRoyal IPRoyal Locations: Global (advertised 30M+ IPs) Free Trial: No formal trial, but pay-as-you-go and promos exist Support: Live chat and email assistance Extras: Pay-as-you-go plans, infinite usage rollover (“never-expiring” traffic) IPRoyal is the modular choice for small teams or freelancers wanting agility without locking into contracts. Its proxy inventory – residential, ISP, mobile, and datacenter – pairs well with flexible billing and features like sticky sessions and traffic that never expires. Success rates and uptime are quite respectable at this price point. While it’s not enterprise-grade, the platform is usable and reliable – especially for less hostile scraping environments. IPRoyal’s residential proxies start at $3.50 per GB, ISP proxies from around $8 per GB, mobile from $117 per month, and datacenter proxies at $1.80 per IP monthly. Their pay-as-you-go model allows traffic to roll over, and occasional promos further reduce costs. It’s a flexible option for smaller teams or individual developers. Pros: Budget-friendly with flexible billing models Wide proxy mix and long sticky sessions Never-expiring traffic option Cons: Enterprise tools lighter than top-tier rivals Best discounts often tied to promotions 7. NetNut NetNut Locations: Global coverage (85M+ IPs) Free Trial: Demo/trial available (via contact) Support: 24/7 support, SLAs for enterprise tiers Extras: ISP-based static residential proxies, custom routing tech NetNut stands out for reliability – they offer ISP-sourced, static residential proxies, avoiding the instability of P2P. Their massive, globally distributed pool ensures long, uninterrupted sessions – perfect for scraping workflows that can’t tolerate IP churn. They back it up with uptime claims and threading-friendly APIs, making NetNut a go-to for users craving session consistency and scraping resilience across global endpoints. NetNut’s static residential proxies start at $1.59 per GB, with enterprise bundles available through direct sales. Datacenter and ISP pricing varies depending on volume, while global coverage ensures consistent connectivity. A trial is available upon request to test service performance. Pros: ISP-sourced static residential proxies Persistent sessions ideal for long scraping tasks 24/7 support and API integration Cons: Entry pricing higher than some rivals Network smaller than Bright Data or Oxylabs 8. Rayobyte Rayobyte Locations: Global coverage (10M+ IPs) Free Trial: 2-day trial available Support: 24/7 customer support Extras: Pay-as-you-go tiers, static ISP proxies, and DC proxies with IP replacement guarantees Rayobyte resembles a Swiss Army knife of proxy use – it began as a datacenter specialist but now wraps in residential, ISP, and mobile layers. The result: one provider for everything from SEO scraping to lead gen and price tracking. One perk: Rayobyte offers IP replacements for problematic datacenter proxy threads. Add unlimited threads, geo filters, and a straightforward billing model, and you’ve got a toolkit ready for bounce-sensitive tasks. Rayobyte offers residential proxies from about $15 per GB, ISP from $1.82 per IP monthly, and mobile plans priced higher depending on volume. Datacenter proxies are included in the flexible pay-as-you-go plans. A 2-day trial is available to get started with minimal commitment. Pros: Large datacenter proxy pool with flexible plans Strong support for residential and mobile expansion Clear documentation and onboarding Cons: Residential pool smaller than top-tier competitors Some reviews mention variable speeds on entry-level plans 9. ScraperAPI ScraperAPI Locations: Worldwide IP coverage via API Free Trial: 1,000 free request trial Support: Email and community forums; documentation and SDKs available Extras: Automatic IP rotation, built-in CAPTCHA handling, optional JavaScript rendering ScraperAPI doesn’t hand you IPs – it gives you a simplified endpoint that does the proxying, rotating, header, and CAPTCHA handling for you. It’s a fast-track option if you want to focus on coding and data, not IP infrastructure. Users enjoy near-immediate integration, especially with SDKs in common languages. The platform handles retries, country-level targeting, and even JS-rendered pages – perfect for quick scripting or dynamic scraping. ScraperAPI uses a request-based pricing model with 1,000 free requests per month. Paid plans start at $49 for 100,000 requests, and higher tiers scale based on usage. This approach lets you pay for results rather than raw bandwidth. Pros: Handles IP rotation, CAPTCHAs, and headers automatically Developer-first with API integration and SDKs Pay-as-you-go and free trial available Cons: No direct proxy control (works only through API) Limited to scraping tasks, not general proxy use 10. PacketStream PacketStream Locations: Worldwide IP coverage via API Free Trial: 1,000 free request trial Support: Email and community forums; documentation and SDKs available Extras: Automatic IP rotation, built-in CAPTCHA handling, optional JavaScript rendering ScraperAPI doesn’t just hand you IPs – it gives you a simplified endpoint that does the proxying, rotating, header, and CAPTCHA handling for you. It’s a fast-track option if you want to focus on coding and data, not managing IP infrastructure. Users enjoy near-immediate integration, especially with SDKs in common languages. The platform handles retries, country-level targeting, and even JS-rendered pages – perfect for quick scripting or dynamic scraping. PacketStream charges $1 per GB through its peer-to-peer bandwidth-sharing model. There are no contracts or commitments, making it a budget-friendly solution for light scraping or testing. The price remains consistent regardless of usage. Pros: Extremely low-cost bandwidth-sharing model Transparent pricing at $1/GB Peer-to-peer residential proxies Cons: Smaller IP pool than enterprise providers Less suitable for compliance-heavy industries 11. ProxyEmpire ProxyEmpire Locations: Global (170–195 countries coverage) Free Trial: Small paid trial (e.g., $2 for sample traffic) Support: Live chat and email help Extras: Fine-grained filtering (geo/ASN), rollover data, API access ProxyEmpire plays to precision: if your workflow demands data from specific cities, ASNs, or ISPs, this provider gives you that control. Residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies are supported, but the hallmark features are the filtering tools and automatic rollover of unused data. With a clean dashboard, API access, and coverage across nearly two-hundred countries, it’s a good fit for market intelligence and targeted scraping needs where location fidelity is key. ProxyEmpire’s plans start at around $15 per GB for residential proxies, with volume discounts available. Mobile proxies are priced higher, starting near $60 per GB, and datacenter options are based on IP allocation. Small paid trials let you test the service before committing to larger packages. Pros: Advanced targeting with city- and ASN-level filters Mix of residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies Transparent rollover data policy Cons: Pricing higher at lower volumes Network size smaller than Bright Data or Oxylabs 12. Infatica Infatica Locations: Global IP coverage (vendor lists millions of IPs across regions) Free Trial: Trial options via request Support: 24/7 support and documentation Extras: Proxy gateways, session stickiness, API & SDK integration Infatica balances global availability with flexible traffic models. Their service spans residential, static ISP, mobile, and datacenter proxies – all accessibly deployed via gateway endpoints that help manage and filter usage. A focal point is session management: variable sticky durations, list/gateway options, and developer APIs make it practical for workflows that need consistency without sacrificing scale. Infatica residential proxies start at $12 per GB, datacenter proxy servers at around $0.50 per IP per month, and mobile proxies from roughly $30 per GB. Volume discounts are available, and custom enterprise pricing can be arranged. Trial packages are offered to help users evaluate service before full deployment. Pros: Global network across 100+ countries Offers residential, mobile, datacenter proxy servers 24/7 live chat and flexible billing Cons: Smaller IP pool than leading competitors Entry pricing not as competitive as budget rivals Best Proxy Provider Comparison Best Proxy Provider Comparison Provider Best for IP pool Proxy types Locations Starting price Free version /trial Oxylabs Enterprise, large-scale scraping 175M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $0.10/GB – $4.00/GB 7-day trial, 5 free IPs Decodo Best value for money 125M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $0.026/IP – $4.50/GB 3-day trial Webshare Affordable entry, customization 80M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 195+ $0.0179/IP – $1.40/GB 10 free DC proxies Bright Data Premium enterprise features 150M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 190+ $0.12/GB – $5.88/GB 7-day trial SOAX Mobile & ISP proxies 155M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 190+ $2.00/GB – $7.50/GB $1.99 trial IPRoyal Pay-as-you-go & low usage 32M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $1.39/IP – $3.50/GB Limited NetNut Persistent sessions 85M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 200+ $0.90/IP – $15/GB 7-day trial Rayobyte Datacenter specialist 10M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 100+ $0.45/GB – $7.50/GB Limited Scraper API Developers, API integration N/A Rotating proxies (via API) N/A $49/100k requests 7-day + 5k credits PacketStream Cheapest bandwidth-based option N/A Residential P2P N/A $1/GB No ProxyEmpire Precise geo-targeting N/A Residential, mobile, datacenter 50+ $0.35/GB – $9/GB No Infatica Balanced all-rounder N/A Residential, mobile, datacenter 100+ $0.30/GB – $8/GB No Provider Best for IP pool Proxy types Locations Starting price Free version /trial Oxylabs Enterprise, large-scale scraping 175M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $0.10/GB – $4.00/GB 7-day trial, 5 free IPs Decodo Best value for money 125M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $0.026/IP – $4.50/GB 3-day trial Webshare Affordable entry, customization 80M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 195+ $0.0179/IP – $1.40/GB 10 free DC proxies Bright Data Premium enterprise features 150M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 190+ $0.12/GB – $5.88/GB 7-day trial SOAX Mobile & ISP proxies 155M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 190+ $2.00/GB – $7.50/GB $1.99 trial IPRoyal Pay-as-you-go & low usage 32M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $1.39/IP – $3.50/GB Limited NetNut Persistent sessions 85M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 200+ $0.90/IP – $15/GB 7-day trial Rayobyte Datacenter specialist 10M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 100+ $0.45/GB – $7.50/GB Limited Scraper API Developers, API integration N/A Rotating proxies (via API) N/A $49/100k requests 7-day + 5k credits PacketStream Cheapest bandwidth-based option N/A Residential P2P N/A $1/GB No ProxyEmpire Precise geo-targeting N/A Residential, mobile, datacenter 50+ $0.35/GB – $9/GB No Infatica Balanced all-rounder N/A Residential, mobile, datacenter 100+ $0.30/GB – $8/GB No Oxylabs Oxylabs Oxylabs Enterprise, large-scale scraping 175M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $0.10/GB – $4.00/GB 7-day trial, 5 free IPs Decodo Decodo Decodo Best value for money 125M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $0.026/IP – $4.50/GB 3-day trial Webshare Webshare Webshare Affordable entry, customization 80M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 195+ $0.0179/IP – $1.40/GB 10 free DC proxies Bright Data Bright Data Bright Data Premium enterprise features 150M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 190+ $0.12/GB – $5.88/GB 7-day trial SOAX SOAX SOAX Mobile & ISP proxies 155M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 190+ $2.00/GB – $7.50/GB $1.99 trial IPRoyal IPRoyal IPRoyal Pay-as-you-go & low usage 32M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter, ISP 195+ $1.39/IP – $3.50/GB Limited NetNut NetNut NetNut Persistent sessions 85M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 200+ $0.90/IP – $15/GB 7-day trial Rayobyte Rayobyte Rayobyte Datacenter specialist 10M+ Residential, mobile, datacenter 100+ $0.45/GB – $7.50/GB Limited Scraper API Scraper API Scraper API Developers, API integration N/A Rotating proxies (via API) N/A $49/100k requests 7-day + 5k credits PacketStream PacketStream PacketStream Cheapest bandwidth-based option N/A Residential P2P N/A $1/GB No ProxyEmpire ProxyEmpire ProxyEmpire Precise geo-targeting N/A Residential, mobile, datacenter 50+ $0.35/GB – $9/GB No Infatica Infatica Infatica Balanced all-rounder N/A Residential, mobile, datacenter 100+ $0.30/GB – $8/GB No Why You Shouldn't Use Free Proxy Services Why You Shouldn't Use Free Proxy Services While the idea of using a free proxy might be tempting, it's a practice that carries significant risks. Free proxies are often sourced unethically and are highly unstable. Research from various studies, including one cited in a 2025 arXiv paper, shows that on average, only about 34.5% of free proxy servers remain active, with many having severe security flaws. The primary dangers include: Instability & Unreliability: Free proxies frequently go offline, are extremely slow, and are often quickly detected and blocked by target websites. Security Vulnerabilities: Many free proxies are malicious. Your data, including login credentials and sensitive information, can be intercepted, or your device could be infected with malware. High Block Rates: Because they are public and used by countless individuals, free proxies are often blacklisted, making them useless for any serious data collection task. A professional, paid proxy service is an investment in reliability, performance, and, most importantly, security. Keep that in mind. Conclusion Conclusion Choosing the right proxy provider depends on project scale, target websites, and budget. The providers reviewed in this guide represent the best the market has to offer in 2025, each with its own value proposition. For enterprise-level projects where budget is a secondary concern, Oxylabs and Bright Data offer unmatched scale and performance. For value-conscious users, Decodo and IPRoyal provide a fantastic balance of features and affordability. For developers seeking quick access, Webshare is the clear winner, offering easy entry to the proxy space due to low price bar and free proxy servers. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and project scale. We highly recommend taking advantage of free trials and permanent free plans to test services before committing to a plan. The proxy industry is continuously evolving, and staying informed about the latest tools and features is key to ensuring your data collection efforts remain effective and efficient. FAQ What's the best proxy provider overall? The best proxy provider depends on the task, so our top recommendations are for bigger or more complicated projects and for those seeking the best value for the price. Oxylabs Decodo Which proxy type should I choose for web scraping? For most tasks, residential proxies are the best choice as they are sourced from real people using real IP address, which are less likely to be blocked. Datacenter proxies are faster and cheaper but are better suited for scraping non-protected sites. web scraping Are expensive proxies worth it? Yes, in many cases. Higher-priced proxies from reputable providers typically offer superior performance, larger and cleaner IP pools, better customer support, and advanced features, all of which are essential for large-scale or difficult projects. What's the difference between residential and datacenter proxies? Residential proxies route traffic through real residential devices, making them appear as legitimate users. Datacenter proxies are IPs hosted in data centers; they are faster and cheaper but are also easier to detect and block. Can I try proxy services before purchasing? Yes, most reputable proxy providers offer a free trial, a permanent free plan, or a money-back guarantee, allowing you to test their service and determine if it's the right fit for your project. For example, you can get free proxy servers from Webshare with 10 IPs for unlimited time.
