Top 9 web scraping proxy services in 2025

Top 9 web scraping proxy services

We’ve compiled a list of nine proxy services ideal for web scraping in 2025. Each service was evaluated based on speed, anonymity, geographical coverage, and user reviews.

Bright Data

Bright Data offers over 72 million residential IPs in 195 countries. It's suitable for large-scale web scraping, including social media platforms and search engines. These proxies support IP rotation, which reduces the risk of bans. A Proxy Manager is available for address management. Prices start at $4/month, with a free trial available. It’s widely regarded as one of the most reliable options for complex web scraping tasks.

Oxylabs

Oxylabs has a pool of 100 million residential IPs. It’s designed for web scraping major platforms like Amazon and Google. The service supports city-level geotargeting for collecting localized data. Prices start at $10 per GB. Oxylabs offers automation API and fast connections, ideal for SEO professionals and analysts.

Smartproxy

Smartproxy provides 40 million residential IPs. These proxies work well with sites containing dynamic content. The service supports HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5. Prices start at $8.50 per GB. Known for its simple interface and 24/7 support, it’s a favorite for web scraping social media platforms.

IPRoyal

IPRoyal offers 2 million residential IPs across 195 countries. It’s well-suited for small-scale web scraping projects. The service supports both rotating and static IPs. Prices start at $1.39 per proxy for 90 days. With an intuitive dashboard, it's a great option for beginners, offering stable connections for open-source web scraping.

NetNut

NetNut has 52 million IPs, including both residential and datacenter proxies. It’s optimized for high-speed web scraping. Prices start at $300 for 20 GB. NetNut supports 5-minute IP rotation to reduce blocks, making it suitable for web scraping platforms that require fast connections.

Proxy6

Proxy6 provides IPv4 and IPv6 proxies supporting HTTPS and SOCKS5 protocols across 64 countries. Ideal for small-scale web scraping, prices start at just $0.20 per IP address. The service offers high anonymity, making it popular for local site web scraping.

Storm Proxies

Storm Proxies offers rotating and datacenter proxies for budget-conscious users. Prices start at $10 for 5 proxies. IPs rotate every 5 minutes to bypass basic anti-bot systems. Best suited for web scraping publicly available sources.

GeoSurf

GeoSurf offers residential proxies in 170 countries, great for geo-targeted web scraping. Prices start at $450 for 25 GB. The service delivers stable connections and high anonymity and is often used for ad campaign analysis.

Webshare

Webshare offers 10 free proxies for testing and supports both datacenter and residential proxies. It supports HTTP and SOCKS5, with prices starting at $2.99 for 100 proxies. It’s easy to set up, making it ideal for beginner web scrapers targeting smaller websites.

Why do you need proxies for web scraping?

Proxies hide your IP address, allowing you to send multiple requests to websites without getting blocked. Many sites limit access from a single IP, but proxies route requests through different addresses. They also help bypass geo-restrictions: for example, a U.S.-based proxy allows access to content available only in the U.S. from anywhere in the world. Proxies enhance both anonymity and scraping stability, reducing the risk of interruptions.

Types of proxies for web scraping

Residential Proxies

These use IPs assigned by ISPs, appearing as real user addresses, thus reducing the chance of bans. Ideal for web scraping highly protected sites like social media platforms. Downside: higher cost.

Datacenter Proxies

Hosted in datacenters, they offer high speed and low cost. However, they’re easier to detect since they're not tied to real users. Best for web scraping open sources with low anonymity needs.

Mobile Proxies

These proxies use IPs from mobile networks, offering high anonymity due to frequent IP changes. Perfect for web scraping platforms with strong anti-bot protections. Downside: expensive and slower.

Public Proxies

Free but unreliable, often slow and easily blocked. Only suitable for basic web scraping with low anonymity needs. Available on sites like Free Proxy List, but risky due to security issues.

Premium Proxies

Dedicated IPs used by a single user only. They offer maximum stability and anonymity, ideal for web scraping complex websites. More expensive but worth it for professional tasks.

How to choose a proxy for web scraping

Choosing the right proxy depends on your needs. Key factors to consider include:

• Speed: Datacenter proxies are faster, but less anonymous. Residential and mobile proxies are slower but more reliable.

• Anonymity: Use residential or mobile proxies to scrape protected websites.

• Geographical Coverage: Make sure the proxy service has IPs in your desired region.

• Cost: Services like Webshare are budget-friendly. For complex projects, choose providers like Oxylabs.

• Support: 24/7 support is crucial for troubleshooting. It is offered, e.g., by Smartproxy and Bright Data.

Always test proxies before committing. Services like Webshare offer free trials.

Tips for using proxies for web scraping

Effective web scraping requires proper proxy configuration and adherence to a number of safe scraping guidelines. This helps avoid blocks, increases anonymity, and ensures stable data collection. The anti-detect browser Octo Browser significantly enhances proxy capabilities, making web scraping safer and more convenient. Here are detailed tips for using proxy servers for web scraping with the help of Octo Browser:

Use IP rotation to reduce the risk of blocks

IP address rotation allows you to change the address for each request or at a specified time interval. This makes your actions resemble real user behavior. Most proxy services, such as Bright Data or Smartproxy, support automatic rotation. In Octo Browser, you can set up proxy rotation with browser profiles. For example, create several profiles with different IP addresses and switch between them automatically. This reduces the likelihood of detection by anti-bot systems.

Limit the request frequency

Too many requests from one IP address raise websites’ suspicions. Set a delay between requests between 3 to 5 seconds. This mimics natural user behavior. In Octo Browser, you can configure automated web scraping scenarios with specified intervals. The anti-detect browser allows you to emulate human actions, such as page scrolling or clicks, which further reduces the risk of blocks. For example, when scraping online stores, set delays so that requests resemble customer activity.

Integrate proxies with the anti-detect browser Octo Browser

Octo Browser creates unique digital fingerprints for each profile, spoofing your device and browser characteristics. This is especially important for web scraping, as websites use complex tracking systems, including cookie checks, WebRTC, and Canvas. Set up proxies in Octo Browser by entering the IP address, port, and protocol (HTTPS or SOCKS5). Octo Browser allows you to run multiple profiles with different proxies simultaneously, which is ideal for parallel data scraping from several websites.

Check for blacklisted IP addresses

Before using a proxy, make sure the IP isn’t on any blacklists. Sites may block addresses previously used for spam or bulk requests. Use services like WhatIsMyIP to check IPs. In Octo Browser, you can quickly test proxies by connecting them to a profile and running a test scraping session. If the IP is blocked, the browser lets you instantly switch to another address, minimizing downtime.

Choose the right proxy protocol

HTTPS and SOCKS5 protocols are suitable for web scraping. HTTPS provides basic data protection, while SOCKS5 is suitable for more complex tasks, including API-based scraping. Both protocols are supported in Octo Browser. For example, when scraping social networks, use SOCKS5 with residential proxies from Oxylabs for maximum anonymity. Setting up proxies in Octo Browser takes just a few moments: simply add the proxy details to the profile settings and check the connection.

Use geo-targeting for local data

If you are scraping data from sites only available in certain regions, choose proxies with an IP from the required country. For example, to collect prices from U.S. online stores, use residential proxies with U.S. IPs. In Octo Browser, you can create a profile with a local IP and configure browser parameters such as language and time zone to match the selected geolocation. This makes web scraping more natural and reduces the risk of detection.

Test proxies before large-scale scraping

Before launching a large project, test the proxies on a small volume of data. This helps identify speed or blocking issues. Octo Browser simplifies proxy testing: create a test profile, connect a proxy, and make a few requests. If the proxies are stable, scale the task by adding new profiles. Many services, such as Webshare, offer free proxies for testing, which is convenient for their evaluation.

Update cookies and clear cache

Websites can track cookies to detect repeated requests. Octo Browser automatically manages cookies for each profile, preventing their over-accumulation. Set up the browser to clear the cache before each scraping session. This is especially important when working with sites using advanced anti-bot systems like Cloudflare. Combine this with proxy rotation for maximum anonymity.

Monitor proxy performance

Monitor the speed and stability of your proxies during web scraping. If an IP address slows things down or gets blocked often, replace it. Octo Browser allows you to monitor the performance of each profile in real time. For example, you can see which proxies cause delays and quickly switch to others. This is especially useful when scraping large amounts of data, such as during competitor analysis.

Use proxies in combination with other tools

For complex web scraping tasks, combine proxies with parsers like Scrapy or BeautifulSoup. Octo Browser integrates with these tools via API, allowing for automated data collection. For example, set up NetNut proxies in Octo Browser and connect them to Scrapy for scraping dynamic websites. This increases scraping efficiency and reduces server loads.

Conclusion

Proxies are essential for efficient web scraping. They provide anonymity, help bypass blocks, and allow access to regional or otherwise restricted data. In 2025, services like Bright Data, Oxylabs, and Smartproxy remain top proxy choices. Your selection should depend on speed, budget, and target regions. Use IP rotation and anti-detect browsers for best scraping results. Based on Octo Browser’s experience, the correct proxy setup greatly accelerates web scraping and reduces associated risks.

FAQ

What is a scraping proxy?

A scraping proxy is an intermediary server that redirects requests to websites during web scraping, hiding your IP address and ensuring anonymity. It allows sending multiple requests without getting blocked.

Is it legal to use proxies for scraping?

Yes, as long as you follow data protection laws like GDPR. Don’t collect personal data without consent. Always check websites’ terms of use. Ethical scraping greatly reduces legal risks.

How do I set up a proxy for scraping?

Choose a proxy provider, e.g., Bright Data, get the IP address and port from them. Set up the proxy in your scraper or anti-detect browser, such as Octo Browser. Specify the protocol (HTTPS or SOCKS5) and login credentials. Test the connection before starting scraping.