The Ultimate Guide to Buying Proxies in 2023

ByPaul Christiano Last Update on

If you‘re looking to buy proxies, it can be daunting trying to navigate the various types available and determine which ones best fit your needs. From residential to datacenter to mobile proxies, there are important differences to understand.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know to make an informed decision when purchasing proxies. We‘ll explore the benefits and use cases of each type, highlight the top proxy providers to consider, and discuss key factors like location targeting, rotation settings, and more. By the end, you‘ll be equipped with the knowledge to choose the right proxies for your specific requirements.

But first, let‘s cover the basics – what exactly is a proxy and why would you need one? In simple terms, a proxy acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet. It routes your requests through an alternate IP address, masking your real IP.

There are many reasons why individuals and businesses use proxies, such as:

  • Web scraping – gathering publicly available data from websites
  • Ad verification – checking how ads appear in different geos
  • Brand protection – identifying counterfeit products and copyright infringement
  • Social media management – automating posts and engagements
  • Sneaker copping – purchasing limited edition products
  • SEO research – analyzing search results in target markets

Now that you have a high-level understanding of proxies and their applications, let‘s dive into the three main types you‘ll encounter when buying proxies – residential, datacenter, and mobile.

Residential Proxies

Residential proxies are IP addresses assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to homeowners. As a result, they are virtually indistinguishable from real users‘ IPs. This makes them the most trusted and reliable type of proxy.

The biggest benefit of residential proxies is their ability to avoid detection and bans. Since they come from real devices on consumer ISP networks, websites have a very hard time identifying residential IP traffic as proxied. Sneaker sites and other highly protected targets are much less likely to block residential proxies compared to datacenters.

Residential proxy providers like Bright Data, Smartproxy, and IPRoyal maintain huge pools containing millions of residential IPs sourced from all over the world. This allows for very precise geotargeting options, down to the city or even carrier level in some cases. With such a large and diverse supply, these providers can offer both rotating and static residential proxies.

Rotating residential proxies change the IP address at preset intervals or with each connection request. The constant cycling through clean IPs helps avoid bans and throttling. Static residential proxies, on the other hand, keep the same IP for longer periods. This is useful when maintaining sessions and managing accounts.

Pricing for residential proxies is usually based on bandwidth or ports. Bandwidth plans charge per amount of data transferred (GB) and are well-suited for projects with variable or hard-to-predict usage. Port-based plans include a set number of simultaneous connections (ports) and often come with unlimited bandwidth. Consider your scale and consistency of usage when deciding between pricing models.

Datacenter Proxies

Contrasted with residential proxies, datacenter proxies originate from powerful servers in commercial datacenters. While easier for websites to detect as proxies, datacenter IPs offer some noteworthy advantages.

Foremost among these benefits is speed. With robust dedicated servers and infrastructure behind them, datacenter proxies boast the fastest connection and response times. For time-sensitive tasks, they can meaningfully lower latency.

Cost is another factor in favor of datacenter proxies. Without having to compensate ISPs or device owners, datacenter proxy providers can sell proxies at cheaper rates than residential networks. If you have a limited budget, datacenters may be the most economical option.

However, the lower price comes with some downsides. Datacenter IPs are more easily flagged and blocked by strict websites. They also tend to have lower success rates and more captchas. Therefore, it‘s important to use datacenter proxies judiciously based on the target sites.

Like with residential proxies, you can buy datacenter proxies in rotating or static forms. Top-rated datacenter proxy providers include Bright Data, Proxy-Cheap, and HydraProxy. Plans are most commonly structured around bandwidth or number of IPs.

Mobile Proxies

The newest entrant into the proxy market, mobile proxies leverage 3G and 4G connections from real mobile devices. They allow you to emulate mobile traffic and access mobile-specific content.

Mobile carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile use a technology called Carrier Grade NAT (CGN) that dynamically assigns many users the same IP address. As a result, mobile proxies appear as real users and are extremely difficult to ban. Some providers even allow targeting by specific mobile network (e.g. only Verizon or only Sprint IPs).

The most popular applications for 4G mobile proxies include:

  • Mobile app testing – ensuring proper display and functioning across devices/locations
  • Mobile ad verification – checking ads appear correctly on phone screens
  • Sneaker copping – mimicking real mobile users to avoid detection on drop days

Leading mobile proxy providers like Bright Data, Proxy-Seller, and SOAX offer extensive carrier targeting in many countries. Pricing is typically bandwidth-based since mobile IPs constantly rotate.

Other Factors to Consider When Buying Proxies

Beyond just choosing between residential, datacenter, and mobile IPs, there are several other key considerations to keep in mind when evaluating proxy providers:

  1. Authentication methods – Different providers support varying ways to authenticate your proxies, such as IP whitelisting, user:pass, or even token-based systems like JSON Web Tokens (JWTs). Pick an authentication approach that integrates well with your software setup.

  2. Rotation settings – As mentioned, proxies can be sticky/static and keep the same IP for a period of time or rotate IPs on a set schedule. Even within rotating proxies, the timing of rotations matters. Depending on your use case, you may want faster rotations every few requests or slower rotations every 10-30 minutes. More customizable rotation settings give you added flexibility.

  3. Geotargeting options – For many proxy uses, location is key. Most providers sell country-level proxies, but more granular city and even ZIP-code targeting is becoming increasingly common. If your project calls for localized IPs, be sure to select a provider with robust geotargeting capabilities across your required locations.

  4. Bandwidth and concurrency – Proxy plans vary greatly in the amount of data throughput and parallel connections they allow. For large scale web scraping, you may need terabytes of bandwidth and hundreds to thousands of simultaneous threads. Carefully estimate your bandwidth and concurrency needs and make sure they align with plan limits.

  5. Customer support – Proxies are complicated and problems inevitably crop up from time to time. Having access to responsive 24/7 customer service is invaluable, especially for mission-critical production use cases. Read reviews and test out providers‘ support channels before subscribing.

  6. Infrastructure – A global network of proxy servers with high availability and low latency will yield the best performance. Industry leaders like Bright Data have invested heavily in their infrastructure and have points of presence around the world. This translates into superior speed, success rates, and reliability.

Conclusion

With so many proxy types and providers out there, buying proxies can seem complicated and overwhelming. But equipped with the knowledge from this guide, you‘re well on your way to making an informed decision.

To recap, your first choice is between residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies. Residential IPs from ISPs are the most trustworthy and are ideal for demanding use cases like web scraping, ad verification, and sneaker copping. Datacenter proxies are faster and more economical but easier to detect. Mobile proxies are the newest option and essential for mobile-specific testing.

After deciding on a proxy type, compare leading providers like Bright Data, Smartproxy, IPRoyal, and others on factors like location targeting, rotation settings, bandwidth, and customer support. Test out a few to see which works best for you.

No matter your needs, there‘s a proxy solution out there that can help you achieve your goals. By doing your research and leveraging this guide, you‘ll find the perfect proxies to take your business to the next level.

I am Paul Christiano, a fervent explorer at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and their broader implications for society. Renowned as a leading figure in AI safety research, my passion lies in ensuring that the exponential powers of AI are harnessed for the greater good. Throughout my career, I've grappled with the challenges of aligning machine learning systems with human ethics and values. My work is driven by a belief that as AI becomes an even more integral part of our world, it's imperative to build systems that are transparent, trustworthy, and beneficial. I'm honored to be a part of the global effort to guide AI towards a future that prioritizes safety and the betterment of humanity.

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