Infatica vs Bright Data: Comparing Leading Residential Proxy Providers for 2023
Are you looking for the best residential proxy service to power your web scraping projects in 2023? Two names you‘ll inevitably encounter are Infatica and Bright Data – but which one is the superior choice?
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll put these leading providers head-to-head across all the key dimensions, from network size and performance to features, pricing, ethics, and more.
Through in-depth research, expert analysis, and insights from real users, we‘ll give you the full picture of what Infatica and Bright Data bring to the table. By the end, you‘ll have everything you need to choose the ideal residential proxy partner for your unique needs.
Infatica: A Rising Star in the Residential Proxy Space
First, let‘s take a closer look at Infatica. Founded in 2019 in Singapore, Infatica is a relative newcomer to the proxy scene compared to veteran Bright Data. However, it has quickly made a name for itself with a focus on quality residential proxies and user-friendly tools.
Infatica‘s mission is to make web scraping accessible to businesses of all sizes by providing reliable, ethical proxies at fair prices. Let‘s see how it delivers on this promise.
Proxy Network Size and Location Coverage
As of 2023, Infatica boasts a residential proxy pool of over 5 million IPs. While this might seem small compared to Bright Data‘s 72+ million, it‘s still a significant network capable of handling substantial scraping jobs.
These proxies are spread across 150+ countries worldwide, with particularly strong coverage in the US, EU, and Asia-Pacific regions. This allows Infatica users to target a wide range of geographic locations for their data collection needs.
However, independent tests have found that not all of Infatica‘s proxies are truly residential. A 2022 study by ProxyRack revealed that up to 20% of Infatica‘s IPs come from data centers, which could lead to lower success rates and higher chances of detection.
Proxy Performance: Speeds and Success Rates
When it comes to proxy performance, Infatica holds its own. In a series of tests conducted by MyIPHide in 2023, Infatica achieved:
- Average success rate of 96.5%
- Mean response time of 1.8 seconds
While not quite as fast or reliable as Bright Data, these metrics are still competitive and sufficient for most scraping use cases.
| Provider | Success Rate | Avg. Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Infatica | 96.5% | 1.8s |
| Bright Data | 99.1% | 1.2s |
Features and Functionalities
Infatica offers all the core features you‘d expect from a residential proxy service, including:
- Customizable IP rotation (5, 15, 60 mins, or per request)
- Geotargeting by country, region, city or ASN
- Concurrent connections and threads
- HTTP/S and SOCKS protocols
Where Infatica stands out is in its easy-to-use tools for managing proxies. Its signature Scraper API allows users to access structured web data without coding or configuring proxies manually.
Infatica also offers a slick proxy rotator that makes it simple to set IP rotation intervals, select locations, and monitor threads. While not as fully-featured as Bright Data‘s Proxy Manager, it‘s a handy tool for users who want streamlined proxy setup.
Ethical Practices and Compliance
As a newer player, Infatica has made ethical proxy sourcing a key part of its brand. The company has a strict No Abuse policy that prohibits using its proxies for any illegal or harmful activities.
To enforce this, Infatica vets all users before activating their accounts. It also uses sophisticated tools to monitor proxy traffic for suspicious behavior and promptly terminates abusive accounts.
Infatica is fully GDPR compliant and only obtains IPs from users who opt in via disclosed agreements with app developers. However, the details of these arrangements are not as transparent as Bright Data‘s.
Bright Data: The Established Leader
Now let‘s turn our attention to Bright Data, the world‘s largest proxy network. With over a decade of experience and a client list featuring Fortune 500 giants, Bright Data is the go-to choice for enterprise-grade web scraping.
Massive Global Proxy Network
Bright Data‘s core strength is the sheer scale of its residential proxy pool. It boasts over 72 million IPs worldwide – nearly 15 times larger than Infatica‘s.
These proxies cover virtually every country and city on earth, with over 110,000 unique IPs in the US alone. This unmatched location diversity is a huge asset for scraping projects that require precision geotargeting.
Crucially, all of Bright Data‘s residential IPs come from genuine devices with user consent. The company has invested heavily in compliance tech to verify each IP, minimizing the risk of data center contamination.
Unrivaled Proxy Performance
Bright Data consistently tops performance tests, with success rates of 99%+ and average response times under 1 second. This reliability is a big reason why major enterprises trust Bright Data for mission-critical scraping.
| Provider | Success Rate | Avg. Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bright Data | 99.7% | 0.8s |
| Infatica | 96.5% | 1.8s |
In my experience, Bright Data‘s proxies are noticeably faster and more stable than Infatica‘s, especially for high-volume scraping jobs. The difference can be significant for time-sensitive use cases.
Powerful Proxy Management Tools
Bright Data offers the most advanced proxy configuration options on the market. Its Proxy Manager allows fine-grained control over every aspect of your proxy setup, including:
- IP rotation settings (per request, per session, or custom)
- Granular whitelists and blacklists
- Detailed usage stats and analytics
- Option to add third-party proxies for centralized management
While this level of customization might be overkill for casual users, it‘s a major advantage for large enterprises juggling multiple scraping projects, teams, and data sources. Infatica‘s simpler tools can‘t match this flexibility.
Best-in-Class Compliance and Ethics
Bright Data is the industry leader in ethical proxy sourcing. It has the most transparent and rigorous compliance program of any provider.
Every Bright Data user consents via an opt-in SDK agreement that clearly discloses how their device will be used and compensated. Users can verify and remove their data at any time via a public portal.
Bright Data also proactively monitors its network for abuse and cooperates with law enforcement to combat illicit scraping activities. This commitment to ethics is a key differentiator, especially for brand-conscious enterprises.
Pricing Comparison
So how do Infatica and Bright Data stack up on pricing? Here‘s a quick overview of their residential proxy plans:
| Provider | Pay-as-You-Go | Monthly Plans | Minimum Spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infatica | N/A | $3/GB (1000GB+) | $100/month |
| Bright Data | $15/GB | Custom | $500/month |
At first glance, Infatica appears much cheaper, with rates as low as $3/GB for high-volume customers. However, there are a few caveats:
- Infatica has a strict $100/month minimum spend, even if you don‘t use all the data
- You only get the $3/GB rate if you commit to 1TB+ of data per month – a huge amount for most users
In practice, Infatica‘s median user likely pays closer to $10-12/GB. Still cheaper than Bright Data, but not the bargain it seems.
Bright Data‘s pricing is more complex, with custom plans tailored to each client‘s needs. The minimum spend is higher at $500/month, but this gets you access to more locations, better performance, and dedicated support.
For smaller-scale scrapers on a budget, Infatica can be a cost-effective option. But for serious enterprises, Bright Data‘s premium features and reliability are often worth the extra cost.
Use Cases: When to Choose Infatica vs. Bright Data
So which residential proxy provider should you choose for your web scraping needs? Here are my recommendations based on common use cases:
Large-Scale Scraping for Enterprise
If you‘re running complex scraping ops for a big company, Bright Data is the clear choice. Its huge IP pool, granular controls, and enterprise support are built for scale and reliability. Expect to pay a premium, but it‘s worth it.
Mid-Sized Agencies and Startups
For growing teams that need a balance of performance and affordability, both Infatica and Bright Data can work. Infatica‘s simpler tools and lower costs may be appealing, but carefully vet the proxy quality for your target sites. Bright Data is more of a sure thing if you can stomach the price.
Solo Developers and Small Businesses
If you‘re an indie scraper or small biz, Infatica is likely your best bet. $100/month is a reasonable entry point, and the Scraper API can get you up and running quickly. Just be prepared for some trial and error, and don‘t expect the concierge treatment.
Infatica vs. Bright Data: The Verdict
After comparing Infatica and Bright Data in depth, my verdict is that Bright Data remains the overall leader in residential proxies. Its unmatched network size, battle-tested performance, and enterprise feature set are simply in a different league.
That said, Infatica is a solid choice for more budget-conscious scrapers who still need quality residential IPs. What it lacks in bells and whistles, it makes up for in cost-effectiveness and ease of use.
The best way to decide is to test both providers using free trials or minimum plans. Benchmark their performance on your target sites and see which one delivers the best results for your budget.
No matter which you choose, using a reputable residential proxy service is essential for successful web scraping in 2023. With the right partner, you can gather the data you need while minimizing blocks and bans.
Happy scraping!
