I have been using residential proxies for many years, and in 2026 I changed how I choose them: I now look at measured results and at where the IPs come from, not only at the price per GB.
So this guide does two things. First, we bought residential proxies from 12 providers and ran 302,400 requests through all of them with the same scripts, servers and schedule in October 2026, measuring success rate, latency, sticky sessions, duplicate IPs, IP quality and cost per successful request. Second, we reviewed 9 more providers on sourcing, pricing and features, from their own documentation. Results come first; how we tested, why IP sourcing matters and a review of every provider follow below.
Disclosure: this guide is published on Floppydata’s blog, and Floppydata is one of the 12 tested providers. We ran it through the same tests as everyone else and show where it came out behind. Raw data and scripts are public on GitHub. Pool sizes are vendor-stated. Prices and terms were checked in October 2026. Last updated: October 2026.
TL;DR
• Our #1 pick: Floppydata. The only provider in the top two of our test for both cost per successful request ($0.019 per 1,000) and fewest IPs already listed as proxies in the Scamalytics database (60.7%, against 77–99% at most others), plus residential, mobile and datacenter traffic on one $1/GB balance and the fastest connections from our Singapore server. Trade-off: weaker sticky sessions, so for long logged-in sessions see DataImpulse or Decodo. (We operate Floppydata; see the disclosure above.)
• Most reliable in our test: Decodo, Oxylabs and Evomi, each with a 99.9% success rate across 25,200 requests.
• Lowest cost per successful request: Geonode ($0.015 per 1,000), Floppydata ($0.019), Evomi and DataImpulse ($0.020), against $0.124 at Oxylabs.
• Best all-round value: Evomi combined a 99.9% success rate and the fastest median latency (0.68 s) with $0.020 per 1,000 requests.
• Best for long sessions: DataImpulse kept the same IP in 87.2% of 30-minute sticky sessions.
• Sourcing comes first: ask any provider where its IPs come from. There is a six-question checklist below.
Benchmark results: 12 providers tested
| Provider | Success rate | Latency median / P90 | Sticky sessions | Duplicate IPs | Flagged as proxy | Cost per 1,000 requests | Price paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floppydata | 98.0% | 0.93 / 1.76 s | 47.3% | 11.7% | 60.7% | $0.019 | $1.00/GB |
| Decodo | 99.9% | 0.79 / 1.41 s | 82.7% | 2.2% | 85.0% | $0.077 | $3.75/GB |
| Oxylabs | 99.9% | 0.75 / 1.32 s | 80.8% | 2.2% | 80.3% | $0.124 | $6.00/GB |
| Evomi | 99.9% | 0.68 / 1.44 s | 80.4% | 5.2% | 96.0% | $0.020 | $1.04/GB |
| SOAX | 99.8% | 0.72 / 1.37 s | 70.2% | 9.1% | 85.3% | $0.091 | $4.67/GB |
| DataImpulse | 99.7% | 0.87 / 2.08 s | 87.2% | 5.3% | 87.0% | $0.020 | $1.00/GB |
| Rayobyte | 99.7% | 1.45 / 3.00 s | 70.2% | 22.5% | 59.3% | $0.066 | $3.50/GB |
| ProxyEmpire | 99.6% | 0.83 / 1.83 s | 61.2% | 5.4% | 83.3% | $0.166 | $8.47/GB incl. tax |
| Webshare | 99.6% | 1.00 / 1.81 s | 77.2% | 2.2% | 83.3% | $0.052 | $2.70/GB |
| NodeMaven | 99.6% | 0.91 / 1.71 s | 79.2% | 6.7% | 77.7% | $0.100 | $5.00/GB |
| IPRoyal | 99.5% | 1.23 / 3.14 s | 80.4% | 7.0% | 96.0% | $0.104 | $5.31/GB |
| Geonode | 97.1% | 1.09 / 3.67 s | 80.4% | 6.6% | 99.3% | $0.015 | $0.79/GB |
Bold marks the best result in each column. Green marks Floppydata’s strongest results: a shared first place for the fewest IPs flagged as proxies (tied with Rayobyte within the 95% confidence interval) and the second-lowest cost per successful request. Tested 5–8 October 2026. “Flagged as proxy” is the share of 300 sampled IPs that Scamalytics flagged as proxies; lower is better. Prices are what we paid for each package, which ranged from 2 GB to 50 GB. Cost per request follows the price per GB closely because the test requests were small. Full results with confidence intervals: benchmark page.
How to read “Flagged as proxy”. Scamalytics and other IP-reputation databases list most residential proxy IPs, because these addresses are known to carry proxy traffic; that is why most networks here score 77–99%. A flag is not a block: websites combine reputation data with many other signals, such as request rate, browser fingerprint and behavior, and decide for themselves. A lower share means fewer of a provider’s IPs are already listed, which lowers the risk on sites that lean on reputation data, such as checkouts, ad networks and account logins. Rayobyte (59.3%) and Floppydata (60.7%) had the fewest flagged IPs and share first place, because the difference is within the 95% confidence interval; Geonode (99.3%), Evomi and IPRoyal (96%) the most. Full ranking: residential proxies least flagged as proxies.
Three things stand out. First, cost: the four cheapest networks per request (Geonode, Floppydata, Evomi, DataImpulse) were up to eight times cheaper than the most expensive ones. Second, IP reputation, where the cheap networks split sharply: Scamalytics flagged 60.7% of Floppydata’s IPs as proxies, against 87–99% at DataImpulse, Evomi and Geonode, which makes Floppydata the low-cost option least likely to trip IP-reputation checks. Third, reliability: Decodo, Oxylabs and Evomi reached 99.9% success, while Floppydata (98.0%) and Geonode (97.1%) needed more retries.
Best residential proxies by use case
Short answers first, based on the test where we have it.
| Use case | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall value (our #1 pick) | Floppydata | Top two for both cost per request and fewest flagged IPs; three proxy types on one $1/GB balance; fastest from our Singapore server (tested) |
| Highest reliability | Decodo, Oxylabs | 99.9% success, 2.2% duplicate IPs (tested) |
| Best all-round value | Evomi | 99.9% success, fastest median latency, $0.020 per 1,000 requests (tested) |
| Lowest cost per request | Geonode, Floppydata | $0.015 and $0.019 per 1,000 requests; both had lower success rates (tested) |
| Long logged-in sessions | DataImpulse, Decodo | 87.2% and 82.7% sticky-session stability (tested) |
| Residential, mobile and datacenter on one balance | Floppydata (our product) | One $1/GB balance for all three types (tested) |
| Fine geo targeting | SOAX | Country, region, city and ISP filters; 0.72 s median latency (tested) |
| Compliance-heavy enterprise | Oxylabs (tested), Bright Data (reviewed) | Extensive compliance documentation and KYC |
| Traffic that never expires | DataImpulse, IPRoyal (tested); Proxynet, Proxyon, Proxies.sx (reviewed) | Balances that don’t expire |
| Carrier mobile IPs alongside residential | Proxies.sx (reviewed) | Mobile and residential on one balance, $0.75–$4/GB by country tier, with carrier modems in six countries |
How we tested and ranked
12 providers were tested. Between 5 and 8 October 2026 we bought a residential package from Floppydata, Decodo, Oxylabs, Evomi, SOAX, DataImpulse, Rayobyte, ProxyEmpire, Webshare, NodeMaven, IPRoyal and Geonode at the price listed on each website. Three servers in Germany, the US and Singapore ran the same scripts on a fixed schedule through 12 exit countries:
- Success rate, latency and duplicate IPs: 100 requests per provider, country and server, twice a day, to a Cloudflare trace endpoint (25,200 requests per provider)
- Sticky sessions: 8 sessions per run, checked every 30 seconds for 30 minutes
- IP quality: 300 unique IPs per provider checked with Scamalytics and IPinfo
- Cost per successful request: price per GB multiplied by the traffic each provider’s dashboard counted, divided by successful requests
Full methodology, limitations and raw data are on the residential proxy benchmark page.
9 more providers are reviewed from their documentation. They are not in this benchmark round yet (Bright Data, for example, asks for identity verification before its residential pool opens), so we compare them on stated sourcing, pool size, pricing, trials, targeting and protocols.
How the order works. Floppydata is our #1 pick: it was the only provider in the top two for both cost per successful request and fewest IPs flagged as proxies, and it is the only one here with residential, mobile and datacenter traffic on a single $1/GB balance. Because we operate it, we show all of its results, including the weaker ones. The other tested providers follow in order of measured success rate. Providers reviewed from documentation follow the tested group. A quick warning: proxy prices change with volume and promotions, so treat all figures as a starting point and check with the provider before paying.
Why IP sourcing matters in 2026
One more thing to check before you buy, and most guides leave it out: where a provider’s IPs come from.
On July 2, 2026 the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation division seized hundreds of domains associated with NetNut, a large residential proxy service operated by Alarum Technologies (Krebs on Security). Security firms and Google had linked part of NetNut’s exit nodes to the Popa botnet, which enrolled at least two million devices, mostly unofficial Android TV boxes and streaming devices, as proxy exits without their owners’ knowledge. Other brands tied to the network, including ProxyJet, were among the seized domains. Alarum disputes the allegations and said it had not been formally contacted by the authorities.
In other words, a brand name on a website tells you very little about where the IPs actually come from. When a provider’s IPs come from devices whose owners never agreed to share them, you’re building your business on access nobody consented to. That is a legal and reputational risk, and the savings aren’t worth it.
That’s why sourcing comes first in this guide. Every provider below states that its network is consent-based, but a statement is not proof. Here is the checklist I use to test that statement.
How to verify residential proxy sourcing
Ask the provider these six questions before you scale. A provider that answers with specifics is a safer bet than one that only says “ethically sourced”.
| Question | A good answer | A red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Does the provider own the network or resell another one? | It says which, and names the upstream network if it resells | “Our own network” with no detail, or no answer |
| How are devices enrolled? | Named apps or SDK partners that users install knowingly | Software pre-installed on TV boxes, or apps that never mention proxying |
| What consent does the user see? | A clear screen saying the device’s bandwidth will be shared | Consent buried in the terms of service |
| Are users compensated? | Users are paid or get a clear benefit in return | No compensation or benefit described |
| How do users opt out? | A simple opt-out in the app, honored right away | No documented way to stop |
| Is customer KYC enforced? | Identity or use-case checks are described, with rules on prohibited use | Nothing is said about who can buy |
Pricing and features: all 21 providers
| Provider | In our benchmark | Pool (vendor-stated) | Price (from) | Free trial | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floppydata | Yes | 65M+ (all types) | $1/GB (min. 19 GB); static from $1.79/IP | No | Three proxy types on one budget balance |
| Decodo | Yes | 115M+ | $3.75/GB → $2/GB (1 TB) | 3-day trial or 14-day refund | Reliable mid-market default |
| Oxylabs | Yes | 175M+ | $6/GB → $2.50/GB (1 TB) | Via sales | Premium, enterprise |
| Evomi | Yes | 54M+ | €0.93/GB ex-VAT (Core; $1.04 as paid) | 1-day trial | Best value |
| SOAX | Yes | 155M+ | $3/GB on $200/mo plan; Sandbox $2–5/GB | $1.99 / 3 days | Granular geo, ad verification |
| DataImpulse | Yes | 90M+ | $1/GB, never expires | $5 / 5 GB intro | Sticky sessions, pay-as-you-go |
| Rayobyte | Yes | 40M+ | $3.50/GB → $0.50/GB (5 TB+) | 2-day money-back | Volume, US-heavy work |
| ProxyEmpire | Yes | Not used here | $7/GB ex-tax (1 GB packages) | $1.97 / 150 MB | Non-expiring small packages |
| Webshare | Yes | 80M+ | $3.50/GB → $1.40/GB (3 TB) | 10 free datacenter proxies | Clean IPs, free start |
| NodeMaven | Yes | 30M+ | $5/GB (2 GB) → $2.20/GB | $3.50 / 750 MB | Low-risk IPs for accounts |
| IPRoyal | Yes | 32M+ | $7/GB → $1.75/GB (10 TB) | None standard | Non-expiring traffic |
| Geonode | Yes | Not used here | $0.79/GB (10 GB/mo) → $0.27/GB | $5 / 10 GB for 3 days | Lowest price per GB |
| Bright Data | Not yet (KYC) | 400M+ | $4/GB PAYG (promo; $8 list) | Free credit after verification | Largest network, compliance |
| Proxynet | Not yet | 140M+ (160M+ with mobile) | $3.30/GB → $1.50/GB ($3K balance) | Not stated | Multi-country work, non-expiring wallet |
| Infatica | Not yet | 40M+ | $4/GB → $2.60/GB (1 TB) | Free trial | Written compliance |
| Proxidize | Not yet | Undisclosed | $1/GB ($25 for 25 GB) | No | Managed residential + mobile |
| Proxyon | Not yet | 100M+ | $4/GB → $1.75/GB (500 GB) | 100 MB free, no card | Pay-as-you-go, never expires |
| MarsProxies | Not yet | Not specified | $4.99/GB → $1.65/GB (10 TB) | No | Tiered volume plans |
| PacketStream | Not yet | P2P (consent) | $1/GB flat ($50 min) | No | Cheap country-level IPs |
| Massive | Not yet | Undisclosed | $8/GB → $4.90/GB (100 GB) | Free signup | Compliance, AI training |
| Proxies.sx | Not yet | Not stated | $0.75/GB (Standard) / $1.50 (Plus) / $4 (Premium) by country; 40% volume discount | Not stated | Mobile + residential, carrier modems |
Prices were checked in October 2026. For tested providers, the benchmark table above shows the price we actually paid.
What 100 GB costs
A rough comparison at each provider’s entry rate (for tested providers, the rate we paid), cheapest first. Volume tiers, subscriptions and promos change the final bill, so check the provider before you pay.
| Provider | Rate used | 100 GB | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proxies.sx | $0.75–$4/GB by country | $75–$400 | $0.75 in Standard countries (e.g. Mexico, Argentina), $1.50 in Plus (e.g. Spain, Italy), $4 in Premium (e.g. US, UK, France); 40% volume discount; balance never expires |
| Geonode (tested) | $0.79/GB | $79 | Monthly subscription; the 100 GB plan costs $64.80 |
| Floppydata (tested) | $1/GB | $100 | Minimum 19 GB; non-expiring traffic costs $1.50/GB |
| DataImpulse (tested) | $1/GB | $100 | $5 intro, then $50 minimum top-up; never expires |
| Proxidize | $1/GB | $100 | Sold as $25/month for 25 GB; KYC required |
| PacketStream | $1/GB | $100 | $50 minimum; country-level targeting only |
| Evomi (tested) | $1.04/GB | $104 | Core plan, converted from €0.93 ex-VAT |
| Webshare (tested) | $2.70/GB | $270 | Falls to $1.40/GB at 3 TB |
| SOAX (tested) | $3/GB | $300 | Builder plan, $200/month; we paid an effective $4.67/GB |
| Proxynet | $3.30/GB | $330 | $1.50/GB needs a $3,000+ balance |
| Rayobyte (tested) | $3.50/GB | $350 | $0.50/GB at 5 TB and above |
| Decodo (tested) | $3.75/GB | $375 | Lower on larger plans; $4/GB pay-as-you-go |
| Bright Data | $4/GB | $400 | Promo rate; business verification required |
| Infatica | $4/GB | $400 | $2.60/GB at 1 TB |
| Proxyon | $4/GB | $400 | $2.75/GB from 50 GB ($275 for 100 GB) |
| MarsProxies | $4.99/GB | $499 | $1.65/GB at 10 TB |
| NodeMaven (tested) | $5/GB | $500 | 2 GB package; falls to $2.20/GB at volume |
| IPRoyal (tested) | $5.31/GB | $531 | 2 GB package, may include tax; never expires |
| Oxylabs (tested) | $6/GB | $600 | $2.50/GB at 1 TB |
| ProxyEmpire (tested) | $7/GB ex-tax | $700 | $8.47/GB with tax as paid |
| Massive | $8/GB | $800 | $4.90/GB at 100 GB ($490) |
Price per GB is only half of the story. In our test, Oxylabs cost about six times more per successful request than Floppydata or Evomi, but it was also more reliable than Floppydata. Decide whether a cheaper GB with more failed requests and retries is a real saving for your workload.
Now let’s go through them one by one.
Tested providers
1. Floppydata
Our #1 pick. Best for: high-volume scraping, monitoring and SEO work on a budget, especially if you also want mobile and datacenter traffic on the same balance.
Our test results: $0.019 per 1,000 successful requests, the second-lowest of 12 providers; only 60.7% of IPs listed as proxies in Scamalytics, tied for the lowest share of 12 with Rayobyte (shared first place; a listing is not a block, see how to read this metric above); a low average fraud score of 3.0; 99.8% of exits in the requested country; and the fastest connections of all 12 providers from our Singapore server (0.73 s median latency, 0.77 s time to first byte). Overall: 98.0% success rate (about 98.7% without a one-off failure in India), 0.93 s median latency, 11.7% duplicate IPs and 47.3% sticky-session stability.
Why it stands out: it combines the lowest-cost tier with clean IP reputation, which no other provider in our test did. Residential, mobile and datacenter traffic share one GB balance at a flat $1/GB, so you switch between the three types without a second account or a second budget. Static ISP proxies start at $1.79/IP, including a single static IP for four months, and the Cloud Browser is free to use, so you pay only for proxy traffic. The network lists 65 million IPs across all proxy types in 195+ countries, with country, state and city targeting and HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5. Floppydata states that its network is consent-based, and it publishes its own benchmark data and scripts for anyone to check.
Pricing: $1/GB rotating, minimum purchase 19 GB ($19); traffic that never expires costs $1.50/GB. Static ISP IPs from $1.79 each in the 100-IP bundle, and $19 for a single IP for four months. Payment by card, PayPal, bank transfer or 70+ cryptocurrencies.
Main limitation: session-heavy work. Only 47.3% of 30-minute sticky sessions kept the same IP, the lowest in the test, and the success rate (98.0%) means slightly more retries than at the most reliable providers. There is no free trial; the first purchase is 19 GB ($19).
Pros
- Second-lowest cost per successful request in the test ($0.019 per 1,000)
- Shared first place for the fewest IPs listed in proxy-reputation databases (60.7%; most networks 77–99%)
- Residential, mobile and datacenter traffic on one $1/GB balance
- Fastest from Singapore of all 12 providers
- Static ISP IPs from $1.79 and a free Cloud Browser
- Public benchmark data and scripts
Cons
- Weakest sticky sessions in the test (47.3%)
- Second-lowest success rate (98.0%) and 11.7% duplicate IPs
- No free trial; minimum purchase 19 GB
Verdict: our #1 pick for most scraping, monitoring and SEO workloads: the best mix of low cost per request, clean IPs and flexibility in this guide. For long logged-in sessions, pair it with static ISP IPs or choose DataImpulse or Decodo, which held rotating sticky sessions better in our test.
2. Decodo
Best for: developers and teams who want top reliability without enterprise pricing.
Our test results: 99.9% success rate, 0.79 s median latency, 82.7% sticky-session stability, 2.2% duplicate IPs and the third-highest Amazon result (54.4%). $0.077 per 1,000 successful requests.
Why it stands out: it tied for the most reliable network in our test and had one of the lowest duplicate rates, with more than 115 million IPs in 195+ locations and a dashboard that doesn’t get in your way.
Pricing: $3.75/GB on the 3 GB plan, falling to $2/GB at 1 TB; $4/GB pay-as-you-go. You can take a 3-day trial or the 14-day money-back guarantee, but activating the trial cancels the refund.
Main limitation: about four times Floppydata’s or Evomi’s cost per request.
Pros
- 99.9% success rate and 2.2% duplicate IPs
- Second-best sticky sessions (82.7%)
- Trial or money-back option
Cons
- Not the cheapest per GB
- Trial and refund can’t be combined
Verdict: the safest all-round default if reliability matters more than the lowest price.
3. Oxylabs
Best for: large teams that need scale, compliance and the lowest worst-case latency.
Our test results: 99.9% success rate, the lowest P90 latency (1.32 s), the highest Amazon result (55.3%), 2.2% duplicate IPs and 80.8% sticky stability. $0.124 per 1,000 successful requests.
Why it stands out: more than 175 million IPs in 195+ countries, targeting down to city, ZIP code and ASN, and a mature tool set around the proxies.
Pricing: from $6/GB, dropping to $2.50/GB at 1 TB. The trial goes through sales.
Main limitation: the second-highest cost per request in the test.
Pros
- 99.9% success rate, lowest P90 latency
- Enormous pool (175M+, vendor-stated)
- Targeting down to ZIP code and ASN
Cons
- Expensive for small jobs
- Trial through sales only
Verdict: the enterprise default when budget isn’t the constraint.
4. Evomi
Best for: small teams and developers who want reliable, ethically sourced IPs at a very low price.
Our test results: 99.9% success rate, the fastest median latency in the test (0.68 s), 80.4% sticky stability, 5.2% duplicate IPs and $0.020 per 1,000 successful requests. The weak spot: 96% of sampled IPs were flagged as proxies by Scamalytics.
Why it stands out: top-tier reliability and speed at a budget price, with a pool of 54 million-plus IPs. It’s Swiss and EWDCI-certified.
Pricing: we paid €0.93/GB ex-VAT on the Core plan ($1.04), with a 1-day trial.
Main limitation: a high share of IPs flagged by IP-reputation databases, which matters for account work on strict platforms.
Pros
- 99.9% success rate and fastest median latency
- Among the lowest costs per request
- EWDCI certification
Cons
- 96% of sampled IPs flagged as proxies
- Short 1-day trial
Verdict: the best all-round value in our test for scraping and monitoring. Compare every metric in Evomi vs Floppydata.
5. SOAX
Best for: ad verification and location-sensitive work.
Our test results: 99.8% success rate, 0.72 s median latency, 70.2% sticky stability and 9.1% duplicate IPs. We paid an effective $4.67/GB, or $0.091 per 1,000 successful requests.
Why it stands out: built for targeting, with more than 155 million IPs in 195+ countries and filters by country, region, city and ISP.
Pricing: the Builder plan costs $200/month at $3/GB; the free Sandbox plan bills $2–5/GB by location tier. A 3-day, 400 MB trial costs $1.99.
Main limitation: the best rates need a monthly commitment, and sticky sessions were weaker than at Decodo or DataImpulse.
Pros
- Fast and reliable in our test
- Granular geo-targeting
Cons
- $200/month entry plan
- 9.1% duplicate IPs
Verdict: the first pick when precise targeting matters more than price.
6. DataImpulse
Best for: budget users who want sticky sessions and no subscription.
Our test results: the best sticky-session stability in the test (87.2%), 99.7% success rate, 0.87 s median latency and $0.020 per 1,000 successful requests. P90 latency was slower, at 2.08 s.
Why it stands out: classic pay-as-you-go with traffic that never expires, and more than 90 million IPs in 195 countries.
Pricing: $1/GB. A one-time $5 intro gives you 5 GB, and later top-ups have a $50 minimum.
Main limitation: the $50 minimum top-up after the intro, and location targeting raises the price.
Pros
- Best sticky sessions in our test
- Among the lowest costs per request
- Traffic never expires
Cons
- $50 minimum top-up after the intro
- Slower P90 latency
Verdict: the budget pick for logged-in or session-based work. Compare every metric in DataImpulse vs Floppydata.
7. Rayobyte
Best for: high-volume, US-heavy work with predictable invoices.
Our test results: 99.7% success rate and the lowest share of IPs flagged as proxies (59.3%), but the slowest median latency (1.45 s) and the most repeated IPs (22.5%). $0.066 per 1,000 successful requests.
Why it stands out: a strong emphasis on ethical sourcing, more than 40 million IPs and very clear volume pricing.
Pricing: $3.50/GB for the first 49 GB, dropping in stages to $0.50/GB at 5 TB and above. 2-day money-back.
Main limitation: slow and repetitive IPs in our test, and residential is HTTP(S) only, with no SOCKS5.
Pros
- Fewest IPs flagged as proxies
- Transparent volume pricing down to $0.50/GB
Cons
- Slowest median latency and 22.5% duplicate IPs
- No SOCKS5 on residential
Verdict: predictable for very large volumes, but not fast.
8. ProxyEmpire
Best for: small, non-expiring residential packages.
Our test results: 99.6% success rate and 0.83 s median latency, but 61.2% sticky stability and the highest cost per request in the test ($0.166 per 1,000).
Why it stands out: residential traffic in small packages with rollover, plus a cheap paid trial.
Pricing: we paid $7/GB ex-tax for 1 GB packages ($8.47 with tax). A trial costs $1.97 for 150 MB.
Main limitation: the most expensive provider per request in our test.
Pros
- Reliable and reasonably fast
- Small packages and a cheap trial
Cons
- Highest cost per request in the test
- Weaker sticky sessions
Verdict: fine for small jobs, expensive at scale.
9. Webshare
Best for: beginners who want a free start and clean, rarely repeated IPs.
Our test results: 99.6% success rate, 2.2% duplicate IPs, no high-risk IPs in the sample and 77.2% sticky stability. $0.052 per 1,000 successful requests.
Why it stands out: ten datacenter proxies free forever, without a card, and more than 80 million residential IPs in 195 countries.
Pricing: residential from $3.50/GB (we paid $2.70/GB for 3 GB), down to $1.40/GB at 3 TB. The free proxies are datacenter, not residential.
Main limitation: the free proxies won’t help much on protected sites.
Pros
- Free start without a card
- 2.2% duplicate IPs, no high-risk IPs in the sample
Cons
- Free proxies are datacenter only
- The lowest rate needs 3 TB
Verdict: practice on the free proxies, then move to residential for protected sites.
10. NodeMaven
Best for: account work where IP reputation matters.
Our test results: 99.6% success rate, the lowest average fraud score in the test (2.3), no high-risk IPs and 79.2% sticky stability. $0.100 per 1,000 successful requests.
Why it stands out: IPs are quality-checked before they are assigned, and residential and mobile traffic share one plan with more than 30 million residential IPs.
Pricing: we paid $5/GB for a 2 GB package; rates fall to $2.20/GB at volume. A trial costs $3.50 for 750 MB.
Main limitation: expensive at small volumes.
Pros
- Lowest fraud score in the test
- Residential and mobile on one plan
Cons
- High entry price per GB
- 6.7% duplicate IPs
Verdict: a good fit for multi-accounting where clean IPs matter more than price.
11. IPRoyal
Best for: people who buy traffic in bursts and don’t want a monthly reset.
Our test results: 99.5% success rate and 80.4% sticky stability, but a slow P90 latency (3.14 s) and 96% of sampled IPs flagged as proxies. $0.104 per 1,000 successful requests.
Why it stands out: traffic never expires, and the pool has more than 32 million IPs described as ethically sourced.
Pricing: $7/GB for 1 GB (we paid $5.31/GB for 2 GB, possibly including tax); the best rate, $1.75/GB, needs 10 TB. No standard free trial.
Main limitation: high entry price and slow worst-case latency.
Pros
- Traffic never expires
- Good sticky sessions (80.4%)
Cons
- High entry price
- Slow P90 latency
Verdict: good for occasional bursts, expensive for small tests.
12. Geonode
Best for: the lowest price per GB on a monthly plan.
Our test results: the lowest cost per request in the test ($0.015 per 1,000) and 80.4% sticky stability, but the lowest success rate (97.1%), the highest P90 latency (3.67 s) and 99.3% of sampled IPs flagged as proxies.
Why it stands out: residential plans start at $0.79/GB and fall as low as $0.27/GB at very high volume.
Pricing: $7.92/month for 10 GB ($0.79/GB), $64.80 for 100 GB. A $5 trial includes 10 GB for three days.
Main limitation: the least reliable network in our test, and IPs that reputation databases flag almost every time.
Pros
- Lowest price per GB and per request
- Cheap 3-day trial
Cons
- Lowest success rate in the test
- Monthly subscription
Verdict: the cheapest option for tolerant, high-volume scraping; not for strict targets. Compare every metric in Geonode vs Floppydata.
More providers worth considering
These providers are not in our current benchmark round yet, so the details below come from their own documentation and pricing pages. Several of them stand out for features the tested group doesn’t have, such as non-expiring wallets, managed mobile proxies or detailed compliance paperwork. We plan to add more of them to the next round; until then, a short trial on your own targets is the best way to compare.
13. Bright Data
Best for: businesses with strict compliance rules and heavy scraping.
Why it stands out: one of the largest networks (400M+ IPs, vendor-stated) and one of the most extensive sets of compliance documents, with scraping APIs on top of the proxies. Its residential pool opens after identity verification, so it is not in our current benchmark round.
Pricing: $4/GB pay-as-you-go while the promotion lasts ($8 list), plus a free credit after verification.
Main limitation: business verification before you can start.
Verdict: strong for compliance-heavy teams, a poor fit for a quick project.
14. Proxynet
Best for: multi-country scraping, price monitoring and ad checks with a balance that never resets.
Why it stands out: a prepaid wallet instead of monthly plans, with more than 140 million residential IPs in 194 countries (160 million with mobile), described as ethically sourced. Country, region, city and ASN targeting are free; rotation per request or sticky IPs for 1–60 minutes; HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5 with UDP; unlimited sub-users. The same wallet pays for mobile, ISP and datacenter proxies.
Pricing: no subscription; the price per GB falls from $3.30 to $1.50 as the balance grows, and the balance never expires.
Main limitation: the $1.50/GB rate needs a top-up of $3,000 or more.
Verdict: a good fit for multi-country work with a non-expiring balance.
15. Infatica
Best for: teams that want compliance in writing.
Why it stands out: an ISO-certified network marketed on speed and written compliance, with more than 40 million IPs in 195+ countries.
Pricing: from $4/GB down to $2.60/GB at 1 TB, with a free trial.
Main limitation: a smaller pool than the biggest networks and a $4/GB entry price.
Verdict: a good choice when written compliance matters, not a budget pick.
16. Proxidize
Best for: people who want managed Proxidize residential proxies and mobile proxies in one account.
Why it stands out: managed residential and mobile proxies with no hardware or setup, 195+ countries with country, city and ISP targeting, rotating or sticky IPs, and identity verification documented up front in its Trust Center.
Pricing: from $25 a month for 25 GB ($1/GB). Unused bandwidth rolls over.
Main limitation: KYC is required before access, and there is no free trial.
Verdict: an easy managed option at $1/GB if you’re happy to pass verification.
17. Proxyon
Best for: people who want pay-as-you-go Proxyon residential proxies with traffic that doesn’t expire.
Why it stands out: 100M+ residential IPs in 195 countries with city-level targeting, rotating and sticky sessions, HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5, no subscription and 100 MB free on signup without a card. Proxyon says its IPs come from household devices whose owners opted in.
Pricing: $4.00/GB at 1 GB, $3.25/GB from 10 GB, $2.75/GB from 50 GB, $2.25/GB from 250 GB and $1.75/GB from 500 GB; minimum top-up $5.
Main limitation: sourcing is stated in a sentence but not detailed (no named apps, SDK partners, compensation or opt-out), and there is no customer KYC unless your payment method requires it, which our checklist treats as warning signs.
Verdict: a simple pay-as-you-go option; ask for sourcing details before you scale.
18. MarsProxies
Best for: buyers who want predictable tiers as they scale.
Why it stands out: straightforward tiered pricing and a simple dashboard.
Pricing: from $4.99/GB, dropping to $1.65/GB at 10 TB.
Main limitation: less information on sourcing than the leading providers, and no free trial.
Verdict: fine for predictable tiers, but ask about sourcing before you scale.
19. PacketStream
Best for: simple, low-cost jobs that only need country-level IPs.
Why it stands out: a cheap flat rate with a balance that never expires, on a consent-based peer network.
Pricing: $1/GB flat, with a $50 minimum charge.
Main limitation: country-level targeting only, no cities, ZIP codes or ASNs.
Verdict: cheap and simple, but too basic for precise targeting.
20. Massive
Best for: compliance-driven projects and AI training data.
Why it stands out: a network built around documented, consent-driven IP rights in 195+ countries.
Pricing: $8/GB at entry, dropping to $4.90/GB at 100 GB. Free signup; unused bandwidth carries over.
Main limitation: a high entry price and an undisclosed pool size.
Verdict: for compliance-driven teams, not budget scraping.
21. Proxies.sx
Best for: teams that want mobile and residential proxies on one non-expiring, pay-per-GB balance, including real carrier modems.
Why it stands out: Proxies.sx sells mobile and residential proxies billed per GB with no subscription, and the balance never expires. One login covers 100+ countries: you set the country, rotation and sticky sessions directly in the username, over HTTP or SOCKS5. Carrier modems are available in the US, UK, France, the Netherlands, Poland and Georgia.
Pricing: the price depends on the country tier. Standard countries (26, such as Mexico, Argentina and Colombia) cost $0.75/GB, Plus countries (25, such as Chile, Spain and Italy) $1.50/GB, and Premium countries (27, including the US, UK, France, the Netherlands and Poland) $4/GB. A 40% volume discount brings these to $0.45, $0.90 and $2.40/GB. No subscription, and the balance never expires.
Main limitation: carrier modems cover six countries; Proxies.sx isn’t in our current benchmark round, so a quick test on your own targets is a good first step.
Pros
- Mobile and residential on one non-expiring balance
- Country, rotation and sticky sessions set in the username
- From $0.75/GB in Standard countries; 40% volume discount
Cons
- Carrier modems in six countries only
- US, UK and Western Europe are in the $4/GB Premium tier
- No published pool size
Verdict: a flexible pay-as-you-go option when you need mobile carrier IPs alongside residential traffic.
Which residential proxy should you choose?
Start with the use-case table near the top: it matches a provider to each job in one line. For most scraping, monitoring and SEO work, start with Floppydata: low cost per request, clean IPs and three proxy types on one $1/GB balance. Choose Decodo or Oxylabs if maximum reliability matters more than price, Evomi for fast and reliable budget traffic, DataImpulse for long rotating sessions, and SOAX for precise geo targeting.
If all you need are country-level IPs, a flat-rate option will save money. If you need to appear as a phone user, choose mobile proxies instead; Proxies.sx is worth a look if you want carrier mobile IPs and residential traffic on one non-expiring balance.
Success rates and speeds vary with the site you target, so test on your own targets before relying on any figures, ours included. The benchmark scripts are public if you want to repeat our test.
What are residential proxies, and what are they for?
A residential proxy sends your traffic through an IP address that an internet service provider has given to a real household. The website you’re accessing sees an ordinary home connection rather than a server.
That’s what makes residential proxies special: their IPs are much harder to detect than datacenter IPs.
So what do I actually use them for? Mainly this:
- Web scraping on sites with nasty anti-bot walls
- Ad verification from real places
- Price monitoring across different regions
- SEO and SERP tracking, at scale
- Market research, and juggling multiple accounts
Here’s the catch: residential is more expensive than datacenter and a bit slower. On a protected site, though, datacenter gets you blocked while residential gets you in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best residential proxy in 2026?
Our #1 pick is Floppydata: in our October 2026 test of 12 providers it was the only one in the top two for both cost per successful request and fewest IPs flagged as proxies, and it puts residential, mobile and datacenter traffic on one $1/GB balance. For other priorities, Decodo, Oxylabs and Evomi had the highest success rate (99.9%) and DataImpulse the most stable sticky sessions. This guide is published on Floppydata’s blog, and all benchmark data is public so you can check it.
Which residential proxy is the most reliable?
Decodo, Oxylabs and Evomi each had a 99.9% success rate across 25,200 requests in our test. Seven more providers finished between 99.5% and 99.8%.
What is the cheapest residential proxy?
Per successful request in our test, Geonode ($0.015 per 1,000), Floppydata ($0.019), Evomi and DataImpulse ($0.020) were cheapest (full ranking: cheapest residential proxies). Of these, Floppydata had by far the fewest IPs flagged as proxies (60.7%, against 87–99% for the other three). Per GB, Floppydata, DataImpulse, Proxidize and PacketStream cost $1/GB, Geonode starts at $0.79 on a monthly plan, and Proxies.sx starts at $0.75/GB in its cheapest country tier.
How do I check where a residential proxy’s IPs come from?
Ask the six questions in the checklist above: whether the provider owns the network or resells another one, how devices are enrolled, what consent the user sees, whether users are paid, how they opt out, and whether customer KYC is enforced.
Should I use residential, mobile or datacenter proxies?
Datacenter proxies are the cheapest and fastest, but protected sites block them more often. Residential proxies use home IPs and get through most protected targets. Mobile proxies use carrier IPs and are the right choice when you need to look like a phone user.
Does “flagged as proxy” mean a website will block the IP?
No. IP-reputation databases such as Scamalytics list most residential proxy IPs, and websites use that data as one signal among many, together with request rate, browser fingerprint and behavior. A listed IP can work fine on most sites; a lower share of listed IPs mainly helps on sites that rely heavily on reputation checks, such as checkouts, ad networks and logins.
Does residential proxy traffic expire?
It depends on the provider. DataImpulse, IPRoyal, Proxynet, Proxyon, PacketStream and Proxies.sx balances don’t expire, and Massive and Proxidize carry unused bandwidth over. Floppydata sells both expiring GBs ($1/GB) and non-expiring GBs ($1.50/GB).
Conclusion
In 2026, picking a residential proxy starts with two questions: where the IPs come from, and whether they actually work. Every provider here states consent-based sourcing, and for 12 of them we measured the second question on 302,400 requests.
Our #1 pick is Floppydata: the only provider in our test that combined the lowest-cost tier with clean IP reputation, plus residential, mobile and datacenter traffic on one $1/GB balance. If maximum reliability matters more than price, Decodo and Oxylabs led on success rate; Evomi is a strong budget alternative, and DataImpulse is the best for long rotating sessions. Whichever you choose, ask where its IPs come from and test on your own targets.
Start your own test with Floppydata from $19 on the pricing page, and the full benchmark data is on the benchmark page.
Related tools
1Browser: an antidetect browser with built-in proxies
1Browser is not a residential proxy network, so it is not ranked above. It is an antidetect browser where each profile gets its own fingerprint and cookies, with built-in proxies and a free tier, and it works with any provider in this guide. In GoLogin’s October 2026 antidetect test, Pixelscan flagged 1Browser’s built-in proxy, so we recommend attaching a proxy from a provider above for important accounts. More in our 1Browser review.
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