Are you looking for a reliable proxy provider?
Firstly, a proxy server acts as a middleman through where web requests are processed. By connecting via one of these servers, your device sends your request to the proxy server first, which then handles the request and returns what you were initially asking to fulfill. If you feel like you need to get familiarized with proxies more, check out this proxy provider’s in-depth blog post before reading this article.
If you’ve ever used proxies, chances are they were either residential or datacenter type. A residential proxy is connected to the Internet Service Provider (ISP), meaning they provide legitimate residential IP. It acts as the foundation of a residential proxy and identifies your account to your ISP as you visit websites. Whereas, datacenter proxies aren’t affiliated with any ISP.
Now in the world of web scraping and proxies, it is a constant struggle to ensure that you don’t face any blocks by target servers when collecting data. To achieve a block-free status when web scraping, it is crucial to choose a reliable proxy provider. Picking the right proxy service provider takes a while as there are several things to take into account.

In this post, we’re going to discuss the most critical factors to consider before choosing a proxy provider. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
#1: Choose Paid Proxies Over Free Ones
When it comes to proxies, we always recommend our clients to go with the paid ones, and there’s a good reason behind it.
Using free proxies might sound tempting, but they’re nowhere near as anonymous and reliable as paid proxies. In fact, most of the free proxy servers are shared, and there are tons of scammers online who are willing to use your IP for their dirty work.
However, if you end up using free proxies for whatever reason, make sure you’re using online checkers that allow you to determine which IPs are working. Luckily, you don’t have to go through all this trouble with paid proxies as they come from legit providers, ensuring premium performance.
#2: Purchase Your Proxies Only From Legitimate Providers
Well, that’s pretty obvious.
Still, we feel like we have to stress it once more: do not, for heaven’s sake, buy proxies from random folks on the internet. It is essential to obtain your proxies from the legitimate proxy service provider. Why? Because, as a legal entity, they’re responsible for any legal issues you may encounter while using those proxies.
Not sure whether a specific proxy provider is legitimate or not? Don’t worry. Look for their online reviews. Also, see what other users are talking about them. The easiest way to figure out if a service provider is good enough for your business needs is by reading customer reviews since they’re mostly unbiased.
#3: Check the Size of Their IP Pool
Your project may require the use of proxies from specific locations. Therefore, it’s always in your best interest to go with a reliable proxy provider that boasts a bigger IP pool and offers an extensive list of locations.
Usually, if a proxy service provider has a vast IP pool at their disposal, it can also provide country and city-level targeting. What’s more, with a larger IP pool, you will face fewer IP blocks.
When it comes to geo-location coverage, residential proxy providers tend to offer a variety of locations. Do you need proxies in less favored regions? If so, you should get a list of supported regions and cities before making your decision.
Remember, a list of supported regions on a proxy provider’s website doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to choose a required location. Many small providers don’t allow users to pick a proxy location and assign it randomly.
#4: Take A Look At the Dashboard
A dashboard isn’t always necessary if you have a direct API approach to manage your proxy solution. However, being able to see usage statistics, change your credentials, or purchase more proxies without contacting the support service is a nice touch for any reliable proxy provider, and saves your valuable time.
#5: Consider the Pricing
Another crucial thing is price. Typically, shared proxies are cheaper compared to dedicated or semi-dedicated ones. However, not always shared proxies are good enough for web scraping projects.
As for the pricing, residential proxy providers typically charge per GB. So, the more traffic goes via proxies, the more money you pay. If you find a provider that offers unlimited traffic, double-check their speed and how stable they are in trial periods.
If they come out to be performing well enough, by all means, use unlimited traffic proxies since they’re usually less expensive.
Wrapping Up
Different providers offer different sets of features and benefits. Dig a little deeper and compare several offers to see which provider offers the best value for money and is the best option to address your business needs.
As already explained, some factors may vary as per your project. For instance, you might want to filter IPs by region, provider, city, postcode, or mobile carrier. If this is the case, a reliable proxy provider offering multiple proxy filters should be on top of your list.
As for support, according to many proxy users, customer support is more important than price, and we don’t disagree with them. So, ensure that your proxy provider excels in supporting their customers.