Proxy sites are services that let you navigate the web anonymously. They change your IP address, which prevents governments and internet service providers from snooping on you, while also unblocking geo-restricted content.
Given the sheer number of proxy sites available today, it can be confusing to select one. We reviewed and tested dozens of the best proxy sites paid and free, so that our readers can make a well-informed choice.
The three best-paid proxy sites based on our extensive tests are:
- Bright Data: The best proxy service overall
- Oxylabs: Proxy site with the largest pool of IP addresses
- IPRoyal: The best web proxy site for residential proxies
If you’re looking for a free proxy service to unblock content, check out these services:
- HideMyAss: The best free proxy site overall
- hide.me: The most reliable free proxy site
- ProxySite: Most user-friendly proxy site
However, only a good VPN like Surfshark will change your IP without exposing your information or heavily limiting your connection speed.
Surfshark
If you want to see our complete list of the 16 best proxy sites and find out more about their features keep reading our article below.
Going online without masking your IP address is like walking around with your social security number written on your forehead. Everyone from your ISP to hackers and the authorities will know who you are and what you’re doing online. That is why you should consider using one of the best proxy sites available.
Proxy servers are essentially a gateway or intermediary between your device and an online website. The gateway changes your IP address and ensures your online activity is stored on its server and not on your device.
After testing dozens of services, our team has curated this list of the best proxy sites. We tested paid and free services to create a list catering to retail and business users. However, if you want to remain completely anonymous online and safeguard your sensitive information, it is better to opt for a good VPN provider like Surfshark.
What Are Proxy Sites?
Proxy sites are intermediaries between your device and the internet. They forward your requests for webpages to servers on the internet and vice versa. This helps maintain your privacy by hiding your IP address and allowing you to access content that might be geographically restricted.
When you use a proxy site to access a webpage, your device communicates with the proxy server instead of communicating directly with the webpage’s server. The proxy server then sends the request to the webpage server on your behalf.
When the webpage server responds, it sends the information to the proxy server, which forwards it to you. The webpage only sees the IP address of the proxy server.
While web proxy sites help bolster online privacy, they are not without their set of concerns. Indeed, your real IP address remains visible to the proxy service, which can sell it to advertisers or disclose it to the government if required.
Note:
Proxy sites help mask your IP address but do not encrypt your internet activity and ensure online anonymity. For complete anonymity when online, you should use a premium VPN provider with market-leading encryption techniques to secure your browsing activity.
The Best Proxy Sites
This proxy site list covers the best paid and free proxy services available online. We first focus on the paid services on the market before moving on to the free options. Our team of experts thoroughly tested each service on various factors, including speed, server network, and usability. We explain each testing criterion in detail later in the article.
In the table below, we offer you a summary of the most important features of the paid proxy sites we tested.
| Proxy site | Number of IP addresses | Server locations (countries) | Dedicated IP | Customer support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Data | 72 million | 195+ countries | ✔ | 24/7 live support via email, WhatsApp, Telegram |
| Oxylabs | 100 million | 195 | ✔ | 24/7 live support via email or live chat |
| IPRoyal | 2 million | 195 | ✔ | 24/7 live support via chat and email |
| Smartproxy | 40 million | 195 | ✔ | 24/7 live support via email and chat |
| Nimble | N/A | 195+ | N/A | 24/7 live support via email, live chat, Slack, and Skype |
| ASocks | 7 million | 150 | N/A | 24/7 live support via mail, phone, and Telegram |
| GeoSurf | 3.7 million | 195 | ✔ | 24/7 live support via WhatsApp, Skype, and Telegram |
Keep reading if you want to learn more about the specific features each paid proxy site offers.
1. Bright Data: The best proxy site overall
What We Like
- In-built proxy manager
- 72 million IP addresses
- HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 protocols
- Mobile IPs
What We Don't Like
- Pricey pay-as-you-go plan
Bright Data is at the top of our best proxy sites list. During our testing of this service, we discovered that It offers various residential, mobile, and IP proxies at reasonable rates. It also provides web scraping solutions and APIs, which can be useful for online businesses.
The service features an in-built proxy manager that helps coordinate and seamlessly manage all the different IPs you’re using, so it is an excellent choice to overcome strong and persistent geo-blocking.
Moreover, during our testing, we discovered that it has one of the most extensive networks for mobile proxies, which allowed us to target any country, city, or zip code and even autonomous system numbers (ASN).
Additionally, it supports all major protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5, and its application programming interface let us create custom applications for easy proxy management.
However, we found the pay-as-you-go plan for residential proxies is relatively expensive at $15/GB, and the pricing plans and mechanisms are somewhat difficult to understand.
Pricing
Bright Data offers several pricing plans depending on your needs as a user. The pay-as-you-go prices for its different proxy services are listed below:
- Residential proxies (IP addresses assigned by ISPs that belong to real individuals and are harder to detect): $15/GB
- Datacenter proxies (IP addresses assigned to data centers or cloud pools, which are easier to detect): From $0.08/GB
- Mobile proxies (real IP addresses from mobile devices that are connected to the internet via mobile data): $24/GB
You can also try Bright Data’s features before purchasing it using the seven-day free trial.
2. Oxylabs: The proxy site with the largest pool of IP addresses
What We Like
- 100 million+ residential IPs
- HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 (limited) protocols
- 5G mobile proxies
- Unlimited connections
What We Don't Like
- Cannot choose specific proxies from dashboard
- High prices on subscription plans
Oxylabs earns a place on our list of proxy sites due to its extensive pool of IP addresses and advanced features, including the use of AI and ML (machine learning) to avoid mimicking real user patterns and avoid detection.
While running our testing circuit, the massive pool of 100 million+ residential IPs ensured we never ran out of different IPs to unblock services or geo-target different locations. Moreover, Oxylabs is one of the few providers we tested that offers 5G mobile proxies.
The service also has unlimited simultaneous connections and rotating addresses on residential IPs, which helped us bypass IP blocks online.
Nevertheless, while Oxylabs offers a dashboard, we could not manage proxies while using it. We also discovered that the prices for all kinds of proxy servers are higher than the competitors.
Pricing
Oxylabs’ high prices are one of its significant drawbacks and prevent it from getting the number one spot on this web proxy sites lists. The pay-as-you-go pricing plans for Oxylabs are:
- Residential proxies: $15/GB
- Data center proxies (shared): $50/GB
- Mobile proxies: $22/GB
If you are looking for a more affordable choice to hide your IP and safeguard your data, try Surfshark. The VPN provider is currently offering great discounts on its subscription plans.
3. IPRoyal: The best site for affordable residential proxies
What We Like
- Affordable subscription plans
- HTTP and HTTPS protocols
- Sneaker proxies
- Users can earn money through IPPawns app
What We Don't Like
- Mobile proxies only for UK, US, and Lithuania
- Only 2 million IP addresses (not many for a paid service)
The third spot on our list of best proxy sites goes to IPRoyal, a low-cost service with a clean interface – making it an excellent option for individuals and small businesses.
One of the things we liked about IPRoyal is that it offers sneaker proxies which helped us beat the queue for sneaker sales and concert tickets. Moreover, we found its interface easy to use regarding proxy management.
Another interesting feature we discovered during our testing was that the provider offers an IPPawns app that allows users to earn passive income by sharing their internet connection with other IPRoyal users.
However, the mobile proxy locations IPRoyal offers are limited to the US, UK, and Lithuania. Moreover, we noticed that it doesn’t offer customer support over the phone and that the service has a relatively small proxy pool, especially when compared with Oxylabs.
Pricing
IPRoyal’s pricing plans are very affordable, especially compared to the other top web proxy sites on this list. The pay-as-you-go plans for their proxies are:
- Residential proxies: $1.75/GB
- Data center proxies: $1.56/proxy
- Mobile proxies: $81/month
4. Smartproxy: Proxy service with helpful management tools and apps
What We Like
- 40 million IPs
- Unlimited connections
- Browser extensions
What We Don't Like
- Customer support may take a while to respond
Smartproxy is a relatively new proxy website, having started only in 2018. However, it has quickly gained popularity due to its simple interface and widespread proxy network and gets a spot on our best proxies list.
During our testing, we observed that the provider offers a feature-rich service with several add-on tools that helped us get the best performance out of our proxies. Moreover, it has a large pool of 40 million+ rotating proxies with a strong presence in important cities like New York, Berlin, and London.
We could also run unlimited simultaneous connections with minimal risk of getting geo-blocked, a feature offered by the best VPN providers.
However, Smartproxy’s customer support via live chat was not prompt for us during our testing circuit, which means that even basic issues can take a while to resolve. Additionally, the service doesn’t offer a free trial.
Surfshark VPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee where you can try all of its premium features for free, and if you decide not to purchase the software, you can get a full refund.
Pricing
The price plans for Smartproxy are:
- Residential proxies: $12.50/month
- Data center proxies: $10/GB
- Mobile proxies: $50/month
5. Nimble: The best proxy site for web scraping and data gathering
What We Like
- Fast proxy network
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Feature-rich dashboard
What We Don't Like
- Doesn't specify number of IPs
Nimble is a fast-growing proxy website that has garnered a name for itself due to its AI and ML-based data-gathering features.
The service has a robust pool of rotating residential IPs that we found perfect for scalable data scraping and gathering, especially on the open web. It is also one of the fastest and most dependable proxy networks that we’ve tested and uses military-grade AES-256-bit encryption that safeguards your data.
Moreover, it features a comprehensive dashboard for enterprise-level management of proxies.
Nevertheless, we discovered that Nimble does not provide information about the number of IP addresses in its pool. In addition, we found that the credit-based pricing system was not easy to understand.
Pricing
Unlike its competitors, Nimble adopts a credit-based pricing model. Each plan has a defined number of credits, which can be allocated to different functions, including its web scraping APIs. The prices for its most basic plan are:
- Residential proxies: $12/GB
- Data center proxies: $2.2/GB
- Mobile proxies: $27/GB
6. ASocks: Web proxy site with large IP pool in Asia
What We Like
- Affordable subscription plans
- Has its own IP network
- User-friendly proxy site
What We Don't Like
- Server speeds can vary
ASocks is a secure and affordable proxy service with a large pool of proxies from Asian countries, such as India, Vietnam, and Thailand.
The service provider runs and manages its own IP network, so we were far less likely to get banned IP addresses. While we were testing ASocks, we found it one of the easiest and most convenient proxy websites that we’ve used.
However, data center proxies are not available by ASocks, which can be problematic if you’re looking for proxies in bulk. Moreover, the service does not appear to provide dedicated IP addresses. As such, users will be assigned a new IP every time they use the app. Additionally, speeds varied significantly across ASocks servers during our testing circuit.
Pricing
ASocks’s pricing plans are unique as it only offers a pay-as-you-go option. However, this option is very affordable, with 1 GB of data costing just $3 for both residential and mobile proxies.
7. GeoSurf: Proxy service with a VPN included
What We Like
- Offers a VPN
- Easy-to-use dashboard
- Expansive server network
What We Don't Like
- Expensive subscription plans
- Unstable speeds
GeoSurf is one of the most well-established web proxy sites in the world, having been around since 2009. While the quality of its services has dipped relative to others on this best proxy sites list, it remains a reliable option for most use cases.
One thing we liked during our testing of GeoSurf was that the service offered us residential proxies in virtually all countries across the globe. Moreover, It included a desktop VPN for added protection, a feature most other premium proxy services do not offer. We also noticed that the service places a strong emphasis on user privacy by signing a binding agreement not to share user data.
However, the provider does not offer dedicated data center proxies. Another thing that was problematic for us was that the speeds were unstable and slow while testing the service, as the SOCKS5 protocol wasn’t supported. We also noticed that GeoSurf lacks advanced features, such as AI and ML-based data scraping.
Pricing
We found GeoSurf’s pricing options to be on the higher side. It also doesn’t offer pay-as-you-go plans, which means users have to commit to pretty hefty monthly subscriptions.
- Residential proxies – $480/month (48 GB)
- Mobile proxies – $20/GB
For more affordable online protection, consider using Surfshark. The VPN provider offers enhanced online protection, reliable servers, and excellent speeds at great prices!
The Best Free Proxy Sites
The paid proxy services in the previous section primarily cater to commercial use cases. Users who want to change their IP address to access geo-blocked content are better off using free proxy sites, even though they lack some advanced features, such as dedicated IP addresses and large IP address pools.
Given the lack of advanced features, we focus on slightly different parameters when judging free proxy sites. While server location still remains essential, we pay more attention to their ability to encrypt URLs and unblock websites. Add-on features, like cookies and ad blocking, are also considered.
However, remember that free proxy sites simply change your IP address and do not encrypt your internet activity, which means that your privacy remains at risk. Conversely, a VPN encrypts your internet connection while changing your IP address.
| Proxy site | Server locations | URL encryption | Removes scripts and objects | Disables cookies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HideMyAss | 6 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| hide.me | 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| ProxySite | 2 | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| CroxyProxy | 6 (on the premium version) | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| 4everproxy | 22 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Whoer | 1 | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| VPNBook | 3 | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Privoxy | 1 | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
1. HideMyAss (HMA): The best free proxy site overall
What We Like
- Great for private browsing
- Offers city-specific servers
- Can use it to stream Netflix
What We Don't Like
- Keeps logs
HMA is a well-known VPN that also provides a free proxy service. During our testing, we found that the proxy service offers a great blend of speed and unblocking and value-added security features, making it our best proxy site that is free. However, you should opt for HMA’s paid service if you want to browse the internet anonymously. Learn more about it in our full HMA review.
A great thing about HMA is that it provides city-specific servers in the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, and the Czech Republic. We could also safely browse unsecured websites or use public networks with HMA’s URL encryption during our testing. Moreover, we were able to unblock Youtube and Netflix.
However, we discovered that the service maintains logs about user browsing activity, including their IP address, for up to 30 days.
2. hide.me: The most reliable free proxy site
What We Like
- Effectively hides your IP
- Fast browsing speeds
What We Don't Like
- Many pop-ups
hide.me is another reliable VPN provider operating a free proxy service. While it doesn’t have as many servers as HMA, it did a good job of hiding our IP address and unblocking streaming websites. Of course, unblocking content in the US, UK, or other leading countries, will require hide.me’s VPN, which you can learn more about in our in-depth hide.me review.
We found the service a reliable option for hiding our IP address and preventing data leaks when browsing online. Also, during our testing circuit, we were pleased to see a simple webpage-based interface that’s very beginner-friendly. Moreover, hide.me’s proxy servers had minimal impact on our browsing speeds, making it a good option for streaming shows on Prime Video and other websites.
Unfortunately, we did notice lots of pop-up ads while we were using the proxy website. In addition, we discovered that the provider did not have free proxy servers in the US, which limits the kinds of content that we could unblock.
If you want to access content in the US, check out Surfshark. The VPN service has 3,200 servers worldwide and 600 US servers in 25 cities, allowing you to unblock all the content you want from US websites and streaming platforms.
3. ProxySite: The most user-friendly free proxy site
What We Like
- User-friendly interface
- Hides your IP
What We Don't Like
- Cannot encrypt URLs
If you haven’t used a free proxy server before, then ProxySite is an ideal option. It features a barebone but effective interface that allowed us to connect to several servers in the US and EU. This is one of the reasons we included it in our best proxy sites list.
During our testing circuit, we saw that ProxySite provides a simple, no-fuss interface that can be used by beginners and geeks alike. The service also offers a wide selection of presets that allow you to mimic different devices, such as a Blackberry or iPhone. Moreover, we were happy to see that it did not leak our IP address or DNS information.
Unfortunately, the provider does not have any servers outside the US and EU, and there is no option to encrypt URLs, which can affect user safety and privacy.
4. CroxyProxy: Free proxy site with advanced security features
What We Like
- Offers SSL encryption
- Supports HTML5 video
What We Don't Like
- Cannot select servers manually
Another intuitive free web proxy, CroxyProxy is one of the most secure free services we’ve tested. While we found it lacked advanced features, such as removing objects in pages, its simplicity and SSL encryption make it deserving of a spot on this best proxy sites list.
The provider offers enhanced security with permanent SSL encryption, even for web pages that do not have SSL/TSL certificates. In addition, it was a great option for us to unblock some of the best streaming services, as it supports HTML5 video and audio playback. It also provided us with quick links to popular sites like Facebook and Reddit, which we found super useful.
Nevertheless, while testing CroxyProxy, we saw that there was no option for us to select a server location on the free version. We were also disappointed with the many annoying pop-up ads while browsing websites.
5. 4everproxy: The best free proxy site for streaming
What We Like
- Good number of servers for free proxy service
- Offers HTTPs encryption
What We Don't Like
- Uses cookies
For a free proxy site, 4everproxy offers a great server pool. It has servers in 22 locations, which makes it our best free proxy site for unblocking content online. It also offered us a full-fledged paid VPN service with even more locations and unlimited bandwidth.
The wide choice of city-specific servers in 22 locations made it a great option for us to stream sports and other online content. Also, we liked the fact that it forces HTTPs encryption even for non-secure HTTP web pages. Moreover, the service offers customization options, including removing page titles and scripts, further bolstering the security and privacy that 4everproxy provides.
Unfortunately, some third-party advertisers could use cookies or beacons to track us while we were using the free proxy service.
If you want complete online anonymity and to prevent third parties from accessing your data, try Surfshark. The VPN provider offers a CleanWeb feature that effectively prevents trackers from gathering your data.
6. Whoer: Free proxy site with numerous browser extensions
What We Like
- Focus on user privacy
- Can be used with almost all browsers
What We Don't Like
- Offered only as a browser extension
- Has only one server
Whoer is another VPN service that offers a free proxy website. However, unlike the other free proxies we’ve reviewed, Whoer is only available as a proxy browser extension. We thoroughly tested Whoer VPN, and it offered us a more extensive selection of servers and better speeds.
During our testing, we were impressed with the number of additional privacy-friendly features, such as a DNS leak test, IP address detection, and a port scanner. Also, we liked that the service was available on a range of web browsers, including privacy-friendly browsers like Brave and Vivaldi.
However, the provider is only available as a browser extension. Unlike other free proxy websites, you can’t use Whoer’s proxy service directly from its web page. We also had to create an account to access Whoer’s proxy service, which was a bit time-consuming. We were also disappointed to see that the free version offered us only one server located in the Netherlands.
7. VPNBook: Web proxy site with free VPN service
What We Like
- 256-bit encryption
- Easy-to-use interface
What We Don't Like
- Only three servers
- Cannot unblock streaming platforms
VPNBook is a very clean and simple proxy site that offers 256-bit SSL encryption, a unique feature for a free service. It also provided us with a completely free VPN service, though we found it rather slow.
We were happy to see that VPNBook protects users’ browsing activity with 256-bit SSL encryption. With this level of encryption, you can bypass government censorship and geo-blocks imposed by some streaming websites. Moreover, during our testing, we found its interface easy to use and ideal for first-time proxy users.
Despite its benefits though, the service struggled to unblock BBC iPlayer and YouTube during testing. We were also disappointed to see a limited server selection, with only three servers based in the UK, US, and Canada, and no options available to remove scripts and disable cookies.
8. Privoxy: The best free proxy for blocking ads
What We Like
- Offers ad blocking
What We Don't Like
- No data encryption
- Must download software client
While Privoxy is by no means the best free proxy service on the market, it offers additional tools for ad blocking and cookie management, which made online browsing a more pleasant experience while we were testing the service. Hence, we have included it in our list of proxy sites that are free.
A Privoxy feature we especially liked was its add-ons for ad blocking and cookie management tools. These features help improve user privacy and anonymity. Moreover, another interesting fact we discovered about Privoxy was that it is operated by a non-profit organization which is likely to have reduced incentives for collecting and sharing user data.
However, what we did not like about Privoxy was that we had to download a software client on our device, and we had to consult the user manual to operate it. Moreover, another downside to Privoxy is that it does not encrypt user data, which can compromise user safety and privacy.
Factors We Considered While Selecting the Best Proxy Websites
We considered a range of factors when curating this best proxy sites list, including their speed, server network, usability, and ability to unblock popular streaming platforms. Specifically for the paid services, we also looked at the pricing plans and additional features, such as the availability of dedicated IP addresses. These factors are explained in detail below:
- Speed: If you’re using a proxy to access geo-restricted content, such as streams, speed is of the utmost importance. A slow and unreliable connection can hamper the content consumption experience due to repeated buffering breaks.
- Server network: A vast and extensive server network is important for several reasons. It opens up more content libraries for you and ensures that servers don’t get congested.
- Encryption protocols: Your online safety is determined by the encryption protocols the proxy service uses. Free proxy services that use SSL encryption can generally be considered secure. For paid ones, you should check whether the proxy service supports the SOCKS5 protocol.
- Unblocking abilities: A significant advantage of a good proxy service is its ability to bypass online censorship and geo-restrictions. This refers to its capacity to access content that is blocked in your region, such as certain streaming services or websites.
- Pricing plans: The cost of a proxy service can vary greatly, and it’s essential to find a plan that fits your budget while still offering the features you need. Many services offer different tiers, with higher-priced plans providing more features such as faster speeds, more server locations, or better security.
If you don’t want to use any of our picks above, you can use these criteria to do your own research.
A VPN or a Proxy?
There are apparent differences between a free proxy and a VPN. Virtual private networks require a paid subscription, but they also pack a stronger punch. Their encryption is stronger, they have more features, and the best VPNs don’t keep any logs. Above all, you get faster speeds.
There are some VPNs that also offer proxy servers, but they lack the required security features. So our recommendation is always to use a VPN instead of a proxy. Here’s why:
- Enhanced privacy features: VPNs don’t keep logs of your activity. Most of them also have extra security features, like a kill switch that shuts down your connection if the VPN stops working.
- User-friendly interface: Proxies can also be easy to use. But many proxies have clunkier navigation and UX, while VPNs are usually extremely beginner-friendly.
- Fast speeds: The best VPNs are fast, resulting in a minimal loss in speed.
- Extra security features: Most VPNs have extra tools to help you stream online content, protect your connection, or even enhance your privacy. However, don’t expect private emailing with a proxy. For that, you can choose one of the top secure email providers.
Surfshark is our No.1 choice when it comes to affordable VPN providers that can do anything that the best proxy sites can – but better.
Are the Best Proxy Sites a Good Choice for Anonymous Browsing?
Proxy sites help browse the internet anonymously and unblock content online. Paid proxy services are also valuable for scraping and gathering data without detection by ISPs.
After testing several proxy services to create our list of proxy sites, our team identified Bright Data and HMA as the best-paid and free proxies. However, while both are great web proxy sites, neither guarantees privacy and anonymity online. Surfshark, one of our highest-rated VPNs, ensures online privacy without compromising speed and performance.
Learn more about browsing the internet anonymously in these articles:
- How to Browse the Internet Anonymously: Tips to Stay Private
- How to Be Safe Online: 8 Cyber Hygiene Tips to Keep You Safe
- Best Browsers With Built-In VPN: The Ultimate Guide
If you have any more questions about browsing the web anonymously, you’re in the right place. Below, you’ll find our answers to the most frequently asked questions about proxy sites.
A good proxy website can change your IP address without leaking other information. Moreover, a wide pool of IP addresses and server locations are important factors for a good proxy.
Our team selected Bright Data as the best proxy site in 2023. If you prefer using a proxy, then HideMyAss or hide.me are good alternatives.
The best free proxy site is the service provided by HideMyAss (HMA). It has a decent free proxy server variety, it’s free to use, and it guarantees access to regionally restricted content.
Proxy sites are legal in most countries. However, nations with strict internet censorship and surveillance, such as China, can block proxy services to prevent citizens from accessing geo-restricted content.
Be sure to check out the legality of proxies in your region before using one.
Free and paid proxies can be found through a simple Google search. However, not all services are reliable and trustworthy. Hence, we’ve compiled a list of the best proxy sites to help you find a proxy service that meets your specific requirements.
Free proxy servers can be safe, but they don’t offer you full safety and online privacy. A safe free proxy server should:
- Be configured correctly
- Not log your data
- Allow for HTTPS
If your free proxy doesn’t do these things, it is potentially unsafe. To make sure you have the best online protection, it’s better to opt for a VPN.
