A residential proxy is a type of proxy server that routes internet traffic via an intermediary server, which accepts web traffic and passes it to another device or website. It assigns the user an alternative residential IP address provided by an ISP, which channels the server requests. Residential proxies are used to improve online anonymity, and allow access to geo-blocked content such as YouTube videos not available in your country. Residential proxies are far less likely to be blocked than traditional data center proxies, which use a small number of IP addresses, making it relatively simple for websites to block if they wish. Residential proxy services often have tens of thousands of IP addresses in hundreds of locations worldwide, which makes blocking them more challenging.
Some of the benefits of using a residential proxy are:
You can browse the internet without revealing your real IP address or location. Websites only see the IP address of the proxy server, not yours while using the residential proxy. This thing will prevent companies from tracking your online behavior and showing you targeted ads only.
You can protect your device and network from malicious threats by using a residential proxy with encryption features. A proxy hides your IP address from hackers and malware, and prevents them from accessing your data.
You can avoid visiting websites that contain viruses or harmful content by using a residential proxy with malware protection. A proxy scans websites for malware and blocks them if they are unsafe. It also scans downloaded files and images before they reach your computer.
You can bypass censorship and access geo-blocked content by using a residential proxy that connects you to a different country or region. proxy allows you to access websites that are restricted either by your government or ISP, examples of such websites are like some social media platforms, news sites, or streaming services.
You can enjoy fast and reliable internet speed by using a residential proxy that offers unlimited bandwidth. A proxy does not limit your data usage or throttle your connection, unlike some VPNs or shared proxies. You can stream videos, download files, or play games without any interruptions.
You can avoid being blocked by websites that detect and ban proxies by using a residential proxy that uses real IP addresses provided by ISPs. residential proxy makes your requests look like other connections, making it harder for sites to identify and block those requests and connections. Residential proxies have tens of thousands of IP addresses in hundreds of locations around the world, which makes blocking them more challenging as well.
by using a residential proxy, You can use multiple IP addresses simultaneously, which enables you to connect through an unlimited number of IP addresses at the same time. This scenario is useful for managing several social media accounts, conducting competitive research, or performing web scraping without being flagged as any suspicious activity.
You can collect publicly available data from websites efficiently and effectively by using a residential proxy, it will change your IP address each time you make a request to a web page for scraping. This makes your scraping business virtually impossible to be blocked by web-scraping detection softwares as well.
To use a residential proxy, first you need to find a residential proxy service that provides you a pool of IP addresses across multiple locations around the globe. You can choose the proxy service based on your needs, budget, and preferences of your work. Some of the most popular residential proxy providers are SmartProxy, IPRoyal, SOAX, and ISP proxies.
After choosing a proxy service, you need to register an account or sign up and select a plan that suits your requirements. You can then configure your proxy settings on your device or browser, or use an application provided by the proxy service. You can even choose the location, city, or country you want to connect to as well.
After setting up your proxy, you can start browsing the web using the residential IP address assigned by the proxy server. You can change your IP address anytime by rotating it manually or automatically. You can also use multiple IP addresses simultaneously for different purposes.
Some of the common uses of residential proxies are:
Some of the residential proxy providers are:
A budget-friendly residential proxy service that offers over 40 million IP addresses in over 195 locations worldwide. It supports unlimited concurrent sessions, browser extensions, mobile IPs, and geo-targeting. It also has a user-friendly dashboard and API for easy management and integration.
A residential proxy service that offers over 31 million IP addresses in over 100 countries worldwide. It supports unlimited bandwidth, instant scaling, sticky sessions, and geo-targeting. It also has a simple interface and API for easy configuration and integration.
A residential proxy service that offers over 100 million IP addresses in over 180 countries worldwide. It supports advanced features such as auto-retry, session control, city-level targeting, and SOCKS5 protocol. It also has a dedicated account manager and customer support team for each client.
A residential proxy service that offers over 2 million IP addresses in over 140 countries worldwide. It supports features such as rotating IPs, sticky sessions, country-level targeting, and HTTPS encryption. It also has a simple pricing model based on bandwidth usage and a free trial option.
A residential proxy service that offers over 10 million IP addresses in over 120 countries worldwide. It supports features such as rotating IPs, sticky sessions, city-level targeting, and HTTPS encryption. It also has a secure proxy network with a strict no-logs policy and a free trial option.
The cost of a residential proxy depends on the proxy provider, the plan, and the amount of traffic you use. Residential proxies are usually more expensive than data center proxies because they are harder to obtain and maintain. Residential proxies also charge based on bandwidth usage, which can vary depending on your online activities.
Price plans of some of the best and cost efficient residential proxy providers:
Offers plans ranging from $70/month for 5GB traffic to $3500/month for 1TB traffic. The price per GB decreases as the traffic increases. It also offers a trial plan for $1.99 for 3 days with 100MB traffic.
Offers plans ranging from $300/month for 25GB traffic to $800/month for 100GB traffic. The price per GB decreases as the traffic increases. It also offers custom plans for more than 1TB traffic.
Offers plans ranging from $12.50/GB for 40GB traffic to $6/GB for 1TB traffic. The price per GB decreases as the traffic increases. It even offers pay-as-you-go plans starting from $15/GB.
Offers plans ranging from $450/month for 38GB traffic to $900/month for 90GB traffic. The price per additional GB decreases as the plan increases.
Some of the disadvantages of using a residential proxy are:
Residential proxies are usually more expensive than data center proxies because they are harder to obtain and maintain. Residential proxies also charge based on bandwidth usage, which can vary depending on your online activities. You may need to pay more if you use a lot of data or need high-quality proxies.
Residential proxies depend on the availability of real devices that are connected to ISPs, which means that you may not always get the IP address you want or need, especially if you require a specific location or city to connect. You may also experience slower speeds or connection issues if the device you are using is offline or has low battery
Residential proxies use IP addresses that belong to real people who may not be aware that their devices are being used as proxies. This raises some legal and ethical concerns about privacy, consent, and security. Some proxy providers may offer incentives or rewards to people who share their IP addresses, but others may use malicious methods such as malware or botnets.
Residential proxies may not always provide complete anonymity and security for your online activities. Some proxy servers may keep logs of your traffic or cache data that may contain personal information such as passwords and bank details. Unless you use a trustworthy proxy provider with a strict no-logs policy and encryption features, your data may be exposed to hackers or third parties.
Data leakage is the accidental exposure of sensitive or confidential data to unauthorized parties. Data leakage can occur when using a residential proxy if the proxy server keeps logs of your traffic or cache data that may contain personal information such as passwords and bank details. Unless you use a trustworthy proxy provider with a strict no-logs policy and encryption features, your data may be exposed to hackers or third parties.
To avoid data leakage when using a residential proxy, you should follow these steps:
The main difference between a residential proxy and a data center proxy is the source of the IP address. A residential proxy uses an IP address that is provided by an ISP and belongs to a real device, such as a phone or a computer. A data center proxy uses an IP address that is created by a secondary corporation and comes from a data center or a cloud server.
Some of the other differences between residential proxies and data center proxies are:
Residential proxies are usually more expensive than data center proxies because they are harder to obtain and maintain. Data center proxies are cheaper because they are easier to create and manage.
Data center proxies are usually faster than residential proxies because they have less latency and higher bandwidth. Residential proxies may be slower because they depend on the availability and performance of real devices.
Residential proxies are more secure than data center proxies because they offer higher anonymity and lower detection rates. Data center proxies may be less secure because they use shared IPs that can be easily identified and blocked by some websites.
Residential proxies have more availability than data center proxies because they have a larger pool of IP addresses across multiple locations worldwide. Data center proxies have less availability because they have a smaller pool of IP addresses that may be limited to certain regions.
Residential proxies are more suitable for web scraping, ad verification, market research, social media management, SEO, and accessing geo-blocked content. Data center proxies are more suitable for gaming, streaming, browsing, testing, and development.
Choosing the type of proxy that is better for you depends solely upon your needs, preferences, and budget, lots of different types of proxies are available on the internet that have their own advantages and disadvantages as well. However, here are some general guidelines to help you choose:
Ultimately, the type of proxy that is better for you depends completely on what you want to achieve while being online, and how much you are willing to pay for it. You can also use a combination of different types of proxies for different purposes if you need them.
Residential proxies are usually more expensive than data center proxies or VPNs because they are harder to obtain and maintain. However, there are some ways you can save money when using a residential proxy, such as:
These are some of the ways you can save money when using a residential proxy for various purposes.
You can use your own device as a residential proxy if you have a static IP address provided by your ISP. Plus, you’ll need some technical skills and tools to set up a proxy server on your device as well. However, this is not recommended for several reasons:
Therefore, it is better to use a professional residential proxy service that provides you with a pool of IP addresses across multiple locations worldwide. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of residential proxies without the drawbacks of using your own device as one.