The best proxy server services of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

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Proxy servers are sometimes confused with the features provided by virtual private networks (VPNs). However, they're vastly different tools. Yes, both are internet gateways and allow you to change your IP, but that is where the similarities end.

Many consumers might be best off with a VPN to enhance their online privacy, but a proxy server serves countless business purposes, including circulating IP addresses for web and data scraping tasks.

If you want a simple proxy instead of the security a VPN offers, or you need a data scraping solution for business, you have plenty of choices, including MarsProxies and IPRoyal. If you want a web scraping giant, you want Oxylabs (which, at the time of writing, is offering 50% off with the code OXYLABS50).

For ZDNET's January 2026 update, we conducted a thorough overhaul of our guide to the best proxy server services, including substantial copy and editorial changes. We also added Webshare to our recommendations.

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What is the best proxy server service right now?

Our top pick for the proxy server service with enterprise-level industrial web scraping tools is Oxylabs. The company has the largest pool of ethically sourced residential proxies, a deep API for performing scraping activities, and an AI that can help convert raw data into actionable insights.

Alternatively, the service that's the easiest to get started with is MarsProxies, an affordable option with a range of plans and products, along with great customer support.

The ZDNET team has extensive experience in the proxy server and VPN industries. To compile our recommendations, we closely monitor the overall market, new offerings, and recent customer feedback. Read on to find the best proxy server service for you in 2026.

The best proxy server services of 2026

If you're looking for proxies suitable for market research and data scraping, check out Oxylabs.

Why we like it: This is our top pick for industrial web scraping, with generally positive customer reviews, especially regarding its data collection capabilities. Oxylabs provides a range of proxies -- from residential to dedicated and mobile -- a web scraper API, a web crawler, and headless browser functionality.

There's also an AI assistant for generating web parsing and scraping requests.

Also: This proxy provider I tested is the best for web scraping - and it's not IPRoyal or MarsProxies

Who it's for: Anyone who wants a solid proxy service for web data scraping.

Customer feedback indicates that Oxylabs excels in data scraping and market research, with some users noting the support and reliability of their proxies, especially their mobile options, as solid and great value for money.

A three-day trial is available for some individual users, or a seven-day trial is possible for inquiring business customers. At the time of this writing, you can get 50% off with the code OXYLABS50.

Who should look elsewhere: If you just want a casual IP, the Oxylabs range of services might be going overboard -- there are cheaper (or free) options in our recommendations.

Oxylabs features: Proxy types: Residential, ISP, data center | Mobile? Yes | Pool size: 175 million IPs, 195 countries | Support: Live chat, email | Pricing: $1.20 per IP, residential $4 per gigabyte, various | Trustpilot rating: 4.1

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MarsProxies has earned a top spot in our recommendations list thanks to its wide range of services, affordable pricing, and use cases.

Why we like it: Whether you need a residential proxy for ethical projects, geotargeting for market research, sticky sessions, SOCKS5 support, the ability to bypass geolocation blocks, or a gaming proxy, MarsProxies will likely work for you.

MarsProxy's services include residential, ISP, sneaker, mobile, and data center proxies. Add-ons are also available, such as browser extensions, IP lookup tools, and mobile apps.

Who it's for: MarsProxies is a popular service, especially with those looking for easy-to-use ISP proxies or sneaker-related services. It's also a solid option for mobile.

MarsProxies has a Trustpilot rating of 4.7, and many customers applaud its customer support team. If you're interested in trying out MarsProxies, pricing starts at $0.86 per sneaker proxy, though there's a range of options depending on your needs. For example, a residential proxy plan begins at $3.49 per gigabyte, or you could opt for a mobile proxy for $2.83 per day.

There's no trial, but you can sign up for a basic, short-term proxy to explore the proxy server system.

Who should look elsewhere: This service has a great range of gateway proxy services, but if you're on the hunt for more advanced features, you might want to opt for another of our recommendations.

MarsProxies features: Proxy types: Residential, ISP, data center, sneaker proxies | Mobile? Yes | Pool size: Over 1 million IPs, 190 countries | Support: Email, live chat, Discord, social media | Pricing: $0.86 per proxy, various, pay-as-you-go | Trustpilot rating: 4.7

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IPRoyal is an excellent option if you're on the hunt for a solid, reliable residential proxy.

Why we like it: There's a vast pool of over 32 million residential IP addresses in 195 countries to choose from, providing users with a broad range for personal use or web scraping.

Customers have praised IPRoyal's customer service and noted that it offers an affordable, reliable residential proxy service.

IPRoyal's residential services are currently available with a small discount and no monthly commitment. They're available in four plans: 1GB, 2GB, 10GB, or 50GB of traffic.

These residential proxies can be used to improve your online privacy, localize online monitoring and research, bypass content blocks, automate tasks, or for sneaker use.

API access is granted, sticky sessions are available, and SOCKS5 is supported.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants to tap into a massive residential IP pool with the choice between a subscription or pay-as-you-go model.

Business users can take advantage of a free trial.

Who should look elsewhere: Some users have reported billing issues, and so this may deter new customers or nudge you toward one of our other recommendations.

IPRoyal features: Proxy types: Residential, ISP, data center, enterprise | Mobile? Yes | Pool size: 32 million IPs, 195 countries | Support: Email, live chat, social media | Pricing: $1.39 per proxy, various | Trustpilot rating: 4.0

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Bright Data is our favorite proxy server service for business use.

Why we like it: This company focuses heavily on business intelligence and AI, and markets itself to match. You can explore a range of services focused on structured data collection and workflows, and if you intend to use multiple proxies, a proxy manager is also available.

Services include ISP, data center, residential, and mobile proxies; SEO and AI-based APIs; a historical data web archive; scrapers; a startup program; and access to pre-collected datasets.

Who it's for: Anyone looking for a business-ready proxy server service on a large scale, as well as those who want to explore AI applications.

Business customers can sign up for a free trial to explore Bright Data services. While I consider this solution business-focused, you can also try residential proxies on pay-as-you-go or monthly plans.

Bright Data customers generally report that the customer support and overall service are excellent, although some aspects of billing and verification practices aren't well-received.

Who should look elsewhere: If you're only looking for a residential IP, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

Bright Data features: Proxy types: Residential, data center, ISP | Mobile? Yes | Pool size: Over 150 million IPs, 195 countries | Support: Email, WhatsApp | Pricing: $0.90 per IP, residential $2.94 per gigabyte, various | Trustpilot rating: 4.4

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Webshare is one of the most consistently affordable proxy server services available today.

Why we like it: Webshare is a great option for anyone new to proxy technologies. Not only is the setup a painless process for beginners, but the proxy quality on offer -- for the price point -- is reasonable. They may not match what you would expect from enterprise-level services, but that doesn't mean that Webshare doesn't offer good value.

Private and dedicated proxy servers are available, along with static and rotating residential IP addresses. There are no mobile offerings, however.

Who it's for: I would recommend Webshare for those looking for a beginner-friendly, affordable proxy server service that specializes in residential IP addresses.

You will be given 10 proxies for free to explore the system. When you're ready to sign up, pricing starts at $0.23 per IP or $1.40 per GB. Plans include 100 proxies for $3/month and vary based on the proxy servers you select and whether you need static or rotating residential IPs. The best deals are found with yearly subscriptions.

Who should look elsewhere: If you think you may need ongoing support, Webshare might not be the right choice, as only guides, documentation, and email are available.

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VPN alternatives to consider

If you think a VPN might be a better option, we recommend the following VPNs for beginners and experienced users alike.

Also: The best VPN services of 2026

Best proxy server service	Price	Residential or commercial?	Scraping, sneaker drops?	Mobile?	Free trial?
Oxylabs	$4 per GB, various	Both	Scraping	Yes	3-7 days
MarsProxies	$0.86 per proxy, various	Both	Both	Yes	No
IPRoyal	$1.39 per proxy, various	Both	Both	Yes	Business only
Bright Data	$0.90 per IP, residential $2.94 per GB, various	Both	Scraping	Yes	Business only
Webshare	$0 - $3.50 per GB, various	Both	Both	No	Free proxies

These are the most important factors to consider when selecting a new proxy server service.

Business or residential: Do you need a proxy solution for your business, or are you looking for a service you can use as an individual? Select a provider based on your needs, and keep in mind that typically, only business plans will be scalable.
Use cases: What do you need a proxy for? To access geolocked content, scrape, or rotate your IP to snap up limited-edition sneakers? Pick a solution that meets your needs.
Advanced features: You may want advanced features such as technical support, vast IP pools, rotating IPs, reputation scoring, and mobile proxies. Ensure that the provider you're interested in offers them.
Security: You'll want to choose a trustworthy, secure proxy service. Check out the protocols it uses, whether encryption is available, authentication methods, and whether it collects user data or operates a no-logs policy.
Free or paid: We recommend you opt for paid proxy server providers, because many free options won't be as trustworthy or may elicit payment in other ways -- such as through the sale of your data. Choose an option that's suitable for your budget.
Contract terms: Before you take the plunge, learn about the proxy server service's contract terms and plans. Consider contract length, trial periods, customer support, and how you pay. This could be based on the number of simultaneous connections, ports, or proxy IP addresses, for example.

While compiling our top recommendations for the best proxy server services of 2026, we considered the following factors to be the most important:

Business and residential: We've included scalable proxy server services that cater to businesses and the enterprise, as well as services for individual consumers looking for residential proxy servers.
Use cases: In our recommendations, we've attempted to cover as many use cases as possible, including proxy use for individual security purposes, hiding original IP addresses, unblocking geolocked content, testing, and market research.
Security: Security is a top priority for ZDNET reviewers regarding VPN and proxy server solutions. We like to see robust security and data protection standards in place, including the use of encryption, no-logs policies, SSL, and access control lists.
Reputation: We will not include any proxy server services with known links to cybercrime, nor those that willingly turn a blind eye to illegal activities.
Plan flexibility: We have included a range of options to suit as many users as possible. We aimed to include fixed plans where possible, as well as entry-level and scalable options, to provide business-ready solutions.
Trial periods: Since many proxy server services don't let customers set up their proxies until payment has been made, we've included solutions that offer a trial period of at least 24 hours.

Choose this proxy server service...	If you want...
Oxylabs	A proxy for web scraping. Oxylabs has numerous proxy options, alongside dedicated scraper systems, including an API and AI assistant.
MarsProxies	The best plug-and-play proxy server service overall. MarsProxies has a wide range of proxy solutions, ranging from residential and sneaker to mobile, so you'll likely find a fit. Pay-as-you-go options are a bonus.
IPRoyal	Residential proxies. IPRoyal offers relatively flexible residential proxy plans and no monthly commitment. This service is popular with residential proxy users and has earned strong, positive feedback.
Bright Data	To explore AI. Bright Data offers are best suited for businesses, especially if they want to combine AI technologies with proxy use.
Webshare	An affordable proxy to get started. Webshare provides cheap proxies, whether you want simple servers, static residential servers, rotating residential proxies, or other options. Free proxies are also available.

Latest news

The Kimwolf botnet has grown to over two million compromised devices by leveraging residential proxies for initial infections.
A Trend Micro article highlights how residential proxies can be misused to enable cybercrime.
Recent Microsoft Windows updates are reportedly causing issues with VPN connectivity for some enterprise users.

We don't typically recommend using free proxy server services. Operating proxy networks isn't free, and the organizations providing the infrastructure need to be able to generate revenue. There are some free options out there, but many don't have great security standards.

The cost of a proxy server service varies. You may pay based on the number of proxy IPs you want; whether you want static, dynamic, or mobile IPs; whether you need dedicated resources; GB levels: or a whole host of other factors. There's no straight answer to this question, beyond the fact that you can pay as little as a few dollars a month, or a vast amount more.

Though both VPNs and proxy servers route your traffic and can mask your IP address, they differ in many other ways. A VPN is a great way for individuals to enhance their online privacy and security, encrypting their communications and allowing them to access geolocked content.

Proxy servers can also be used to bypass geolocation blocks and switch IP addresses, but they can also be used for filtering and network protection. A proxy server is enough if you just want to switch your IP address, but it won't usually offer the same levels of protection as a VPN.

One of the easiest ways to see if you're connected to a proxy server is to use whatismyipaddress.com. You can see if the IP address broadcast online matches your original IP address. You can also go into your system settings (under network) to see if you have proxy settings enabled.

Proxy servers are often relatively safe, but they won't provide the same protection as a VPN. At best, they can mask your IP address and act as a middleman for internet traffic, but they won't encrypt your data or shield you as well from eavesdroppers. There's also the possible risk of data theft or malware if you use a free, untrusted proxy server service.

Latest updates

January 2026: In ZDNET's January update, we overhauled our guide to the best proxy server services, including substantial copy and editorial changes. We also added Webshare to our recommendations.

Alternative proxy server services to consider

Decodo, previously known as Smartproxy, is worth considering if your primary wish is scraping and data collection. Residential, ISP, mobile, and data center proxies are also available. There's currently a deal available: 50% off a year of residential proxy access with the code RES150.

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PacketStream is a popular service for residential proxies. Pricing is metered at $1 per gigabyte. If you're looking for a solution that focuses on residential proxies, PacketStream may suit your needs. There's a free trial available, too.

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Storm Proxies is an option if you need dedicated proxies or are interested in sneaker sites; the service also includes residential proxies, ticket sites, and dedicated proxies focused on social media. A discount is available using the code 50YEA.

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We hope our guide on the best proxy server services of 2026 has proven useful. If you would like to explore the topic further, check out our explainer on how proxies work or our comparison guide on free versus paid proxy services.

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