Currently, the proxy market is booming and developing rapidly, not only used by businesses but also by households and individual users for various purposes. Proxy services allow access to geographically restricted content, purchase limited products, or collect data for sentiment analysis, and those are just a few examples of proxy applications.
Choosing a reliable proxy service is a complex issue. There are many organizations providing proxies that not only differ in price but also in quality. Some companies even use unethical IP addresses or promote marketing campaigns based on false promises.
In our article, we will help you address this issue.
Tips on choosing a reliable proxy service
1. Determine the right proxy service type for your needs
Each use case requires a different type of proxy server. Therefore, finding a proxy provider that you can use for your work should be the first factor that you need to consider.
Here are some commonly used types of proxies:
Datacenter proxies provide IP addresses through available servers in data centers. This type of proxy is commonly used to ensure privacy and anonymity when accessing the internet. However, the weakness of this service is that the IP address may be blocked by highly secure websites. Therefore, this service is not suitable for accessing high-security websites or serving commercial purposes. Datacenter proxies are usually cheaper than other proxies and are commonly used for information retrieval, content downloading, and similar activities on the internet.
Residential IPs are IP addresses that are linked to actual residential devices, not servers or data centers. Therefore, Residential IPs can make online activities more difficult to detect, especially when using proxy services or geographically limited web access activities. It can also help tracking tools detect fraudulent activities and protect the personal information of online users. However, Residential IPs are usually more expensive than other types of IP addresses and are often used in business operations or data research.
ISP proxies are static consumer proxy that is connected through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and allows users to access the internet through a fixed IP address. Proxy ISP works as an intermediary between other proxy types like Datacenter proxies and Residential proxies. However, they are often more expensive than other types of proxies. They are primarily used for tasks that require high traffic and access to protected websites that require a fixed identity.
Mobile proxies are a type of proxy created from mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. This means that the IPs of mobile proxies are the IP addresses of mobile networks. These IPs have the ability to change constantly as users move from one location to another. This makes mobile proxies quite anonymous and difficult to detect.
For some use cases, you can completely ignore using proxies and instead use proxy-based API. These tools are equipped with proxy server capabilities to collect network data and even equipped with data analysis capabilities, making it easier to collect data from complex websites like Google or Amazon.
Read more: The Differences of Proxy Types Explained
2. Check the size of the IP group in the proxy service
The proxy group's diversity is an important criterion when selecting a proxy service. The size of the proxy group indicates the number of IP addresses that the provider controls. If the proxy group is too small, the diversity of the subnetwork will be reduced, which may lead to you being provided with IP addresses from a smaller block. This can make it easier for websites to block you, so you will have to purchase additional IP addresses to avoid being blocked. Therefore, when selecting a proxy service, you should consider the size of the proxy group to ensure the diversity of the subnetwork is guaranteed and to avoid being blocked on websites.
When it comes to proxies, the size of the IP pool becomes even more important. As a user-based service, it uses their IP addresses. The number of proxies published in such groups is only an estimate - the available addresses change daily as proxy nodes can connect and disconnect their devices from the network at any time.
Therefore, to ensure the quality of the service, you should look for the largest proxy group within your budget, even if it seems excessive. Some providers may exaggerate their numbers - and based on our experience, we have found that the higher-end ones tend to be more accurate in their claims.
3. Discover the features of proxy service you need
You should also clearly identify the necessary features for your project. These features may differ with rotating IPs, location filtering, and authentication methods. These features will determine the suitability of the proxy service for your needs.
For example, you may want to rotate your IP addresses for each connection request when scanning a network. However, some services do not provide this feature. Therefore, you may have to spend time configuring the service the way you want or adjusting your settings based on the service's limitations.
Similarly, you may need a service that can locate countries, cities, or ASNs. If this service provides many locations but does not have a way to filter them, you will not be able to get reliable keywords, prices, or other data for a specific location.
4. Proxy service performance check
In addition to considering the size of the proxy group, another important factor to consider when selecting a proxy service is the proxy checker. Evaluating performance is a method to check the stability of a proxy infrastructure. Many providers offer free trial services or money-back guarantees. If this option is not available, there are still other ways to evaluate the performance of a proxy service.
You can read reviews from market experts, conduct your own proxy testing, or look at customer feedback. However, it's not advisable to rely solely on them as there are many use cases where success depends on factors beyond the proxy network. For example, if you want to collect data from a well-protected website, no matter how good the proxy is, if the configuration is incorrect or the network collection tool is not suitable, your IP address will be blocked. In this case, the proxy service is not the cause.
If you don't have time to do research, you can check our reviews of the top proxy services. You can find proxy services with the best (or worst) success rates, response time, and load handling.
5. Note about Customer Service of the supplier’s proxy service
Proxy services are a complex process that requires continuous monitoring. Although providers may offer documentation, it cannot solve all issues or handle unexpected incidents. When there is an issue, the customer support team will assist you in resolving it.
If you rely on the availability of the proxy service, you will need a 24/7 customer support team. This is because you may encounter problems at any time. Even if that is not the case, you may not receive support due to living in a different time zone.
Good customer service not only responds quickly but also provides direct access through live chat, Skype, and other communication channels.
One proxy service that provides professional customer management is Proxy 911. With Proxy 911, you can contact their customer support team for help and guidance during business hours. However, this unit is now discontinued. This level of customer service can be especially valuable if you're using proxies for business purposes and need assistance to achieve your goals. When selecting a proxy service, it's important to consider the level of customer management offered to ensure you have the support you need.
6. Consider the price of the proxy service
Typically, a good proxy service will be expensive. But this doesn't mean you can't find a reliable service that fits your budget. Evaluating the aspects that you deem important can help narrow down potential candidates.
For example, you may not need advanced features like ASN targeting. Skipping it will cut the price of Bright Data in half and allow other excellent providers like Smartproxy to appear on the table. If performance is the most important thing to you, then paying more doesn't necessarily mean the provider will offer better connection quality or faster speeds. However, the size of the proxy pool is often a priced aspect.
The cost depends heavily on how the company positions itself. Providers targeting smaller customers will have lower prices per GB. The cost of premium providers is higher, but if you need a few TB of data, the price difference may not be clear.
7. Check out the Proxy Management Tool
Proxy services include tools that can simplify proxy work, such as dashboards, APIs, and browser extensions.
The dashboard determines the level of difficulty in setting up the proxy server and whether the provider provides enough usage statistics. Whenever you want to buy more proxies or get an invoice, you don't want to have to contact customer support. Customers like simplicity, but advanced dashboards seem attractive to those looking for customization.
API access allows developers to manage proxies programmatically. While you can get other tools like browser extensions from third parties, APIs are something only the provider can offer you.
8. Avoid shady services
When choosing a proxy service provider, you should also consider whether you need a dedicated proxy or shared proxies. A dedicated proxy means that you have exclusive access to the IP address, while a shared proxy means that multiple users share the same IP address. A dedicated proxy is generally more expensive but provides greater security and reliability. On the other hand, a shared proxy is more affordable but may pose a higher risk of being detected by websites and potentially impacting your online activities. It's important to weigh the pros and cons of each option and select the one that best suits your specific needs and budget.
Accessing and using proxies has always been a controversial topic, especially when it comes to partner networks such as residency proxies. A service that does not filter customers and monitor usage will not only harm the website but also harm the users of the device used as a proxy.
Browse the web and see if the service provider transmits information about their policy on valid proxy acquisition and usage in a transparent manner, especially if you plan to acquire residency IP addresses. Although this may sound cumbersome, providers who do not transmit this content are often proven to be zombie networks used for malicious activities.
To learn more about ethical proxy acquisition and usage, you can search and read articles related to proxies from Oxylabs, Bright Data, and Rayobyte.
What not to do when choosing a proxy service
Don't use free services. Premium services require a lot of resources (money) to continue operating. If they don't receive payment or data from you, then nothing is free.
Don't be afraid to ask. Contact the customer support department - they are always ready to help you solve problems. Or, you can join various Discord groups and ask around about the services you want to buy. But be aware - you will find a lot of marketing techniques.
Don't try to use a service you don't like. If you have purchased a monthly package, but the service seems ineffective, try finding other providers.
Don't consider using a proxy service to carry out illegal activities. Before planning, you may have to go through the KYC process. This usually takes up to three days but helps keep the internet clean.
