10 Best Residential Proxy Providers in 2026

In 2026, the demand for residential proxies continues to grow across industries — from digital marketing and web scraping to e-commerce analytics and multi-accounting. As websites tighten anti-bot measures, ordinary datacenter proxies often get blocked or flagged, while residential IPs — coming from real household devices — remain the most reliable way to access data anonymously and at scale.

A residential proxy routes your traffic through genuine user devices connected via local ISPs, giving you a “real human” digital fingerprint. This allows businesses to safely collect data, run automation tools, verify ads, and test geo-restricted content without triggering bans or CAPTCHAs. Whether you’re a marketer monitoring search results, a sneaker reseller using bots, or an SEO specialist managing thousands of accounts — choosing the right residential proxy provider can dramatically improve your efficiency, security, and cost control.

This guide lists the 10 best residential proxy providers in 2026 — trusted by developers, marketers, and enterprises worldwide. We’ll analyze each service’s pricing, IP pool size, performance, and customer feedback to help you find the best match for your goals.

Our ranking is based on a comprehensive comparison of more than 25 popular proxy providers worldwide. Each service was evaluated according to transparent, verifiable criteria to ensure both fairness and practical relevance.

Here’s what we analyzed:

1. IP Pool Size & Diversity — how many residential IPs are available (from 1M to 100M+), and how many countries and ISPs are covered.
2. Speed & Stability — measured via latency, uptime, and connection consistency during real-world scraping and automation tests.
3. Rotation Options — availability of static and rotating IPs, session duration, and custom rotation intervals.
4. API & Integration Tools — how easily proxies integrate with third-party apps, bots, and automation frameworks.
5. Pricing Models — pay-as-you-go vs. monthly plans, and overall cost per GB or IP.
6. Transparency & Ethics — sourcing of IPs (opt-in vs. unknown), compliance with data protection laws.
7. Customer Support & Reviews — analysis of feedback from Trustpilot, G2, Reddit, and community forums.
8. Extra Features — dashboard usability, whitelist management, concurrent sessions, geo-targeting, and API tokens.

Each provider received a weighted score based on these factors. The results were cross-checked with public user reviews and independent performance benchmarks to ensure objectivity.

The final top-10 list reflects not only raw technical performance, but also real-world user experience — which makes it relevant for both professionals and beginners seeking the best residential proxy solution in 2026.

Top 10 Best Residential Proxy Providers in 2026

Choosing the right residential proxy provider depends on your goals — whether it’s large-scale data collection, social media management, or e-commerce automation. Below we’ve reviewed the 10 leading services of 2026, highlighting their strengths, pricing approach, and ideal use cases.

Each provider was tested for reliability, connection speed, rotation quality, and customer support efficiency.

1. Gonzo Proxy – Best Value for Money

Overview:

Gonzo Proxy stands out in 2026 for combining premium residential IPs with fair, transparent pricing. The service operates a 20M+ IP pool sourced ethically from real users across 195+ countries. It’s designed for professionals who need scalable and compliant access to global web data.

Key Features:

• ⚡ High-speed, non-expiring traffic (no burn rate — only pay for what you use)
• 🌍 Advanced GEO & ASN targeting — choose by country, city, or ISP
• 🔄 Smart rotation API with flexible session control
• 🔐 KYC-free signup for privacy-focused users
• 💼 ISO/IEC 27001–compliant infrastructure

Best For: Arbitrage marketers, data miners, and developers who value flexibility and transparency.

Pricing: From $5/GB, with 15% off using promo code START15. You can explore full details and compare proxy price options directly on the official website.

2. Oxylabs – Best for Enterprise-Grade Proxies

Overview:

Oxylabs remains one of the most recognized enterprise proxy providers, trusted by Fortune 500 companies. It offers a vast pool of over 100M residential IPs in 195+ locations.

Key Features:

• AI-based traffic management
• Dedicated account managers
• 24/7 enterprise support
• Advanced analytics dashboard

Best For: Large corporations and agencies running intensive scraping or ad verification tasks.

Pricing: From $15/GB, volume discounts available.

3. Bright Data – Largest Network & Feature-Rich Platform

Overview:

Formerly known as Luminati, Bright Data provides unmatched coverage — over 72M IPs and one of the most advanced management panels on the market. The service is fully compliant and widely used for research and e-commerce analytics.

Key Features:

• Dedicated proxy manager app
• Browser automation tools
• Highly granular targeting options
• Verified ethical IP sourcing

Best For: Data-driven organizations, researchers, and SaaS developers.

Pricing: From $10/GB, trial available.

4. SOAX – Flexible Plans with Global Coverage

Overview:

SOAX offers a clean, constantly refreshed proxy pool and precise targeting by city and ASN. The service is popular for its user-friendly interface and pay-as-you-go flexibility.

Key Features:

• 8.5M+ IPs worldwide
• Simple dashboard and setup
• Country, city, and mobile carrier filters
• Instant rotation options

Best For: Freelancers, SEO specialists, and advertisers testing localized content.

Pricing: From $6.99/GB with flexible billing.

5. NetNut – High-Speed Proxies with API Access

Overview:

NetNut uses direct ISP connections instead of peer-to-peer routing, which makes it faster and more stable than many competitors. It’s a great solution for automation and SEO tracking.

Key Features:

• ISP-backed IPs (no peer devices)
• Static and rotating modes
• Easy API integration
• Reliable for long scraping sessions

Best For: Developers and SEO professionals running automated data pipelines.

Pricing: Starts at $8/GB.

6. Rayobyte – Reliable Proxies with Ethical Sourcing

Overview:

Rayobyte (formerly Blazing SEO) focuses on ethical, transparent IP sourcing and offers a strong mix of datacenter, ISP, and residential proxies.

Key Features:

• Ethically sourced residential IPs
• Custom proxy configurations
• 24/7 human support
• Built-in rotation & authentication tools

Best For: Agencies that prioritize legal compliance and long-term use.

Pricing: Around $9/GB, depending on volume.

7. IPRoyal – Pay-As-You-Go and Affordable Options

Overview:

IPRoyal is known for its affordability and variety of proxy types — from residential to sneaker and static ISP proxies. It’s ideal for users who need simple access without complex setup.

Key Features:

• 2M+ active IPs
• Instant activation
• Browser extensions available
• Transparent, no-subscription pricing
  
  

Best For: Entry-level users, small businesses, and sneaker resellers.

Pricing: From $7/GB.

8. Webshare – Best Entry-Level Choice (Free Plan Available)

Overview:

Webshare provides one of the most generous free proxy plans in the industry, allowing testing before commitment. It’s simple and API-friendly.

Key Features:

• Free plan up to 1GB
• Static and rotating residential IPs
• 50+ supported countries
• High-speed dashboard

Best For: Developers experimenting with proxy-based tools.

Pricing: Free plan, paid from $5/GB.

9. Infatica – Emerging Provider with Solid Performance

Overview:

Infatica is a newer provider gaining traction for its stable proxies and responsive customer support. Offers integration-ready APIs and clear documentation.

Key Features:

• 10M+ residential IPs
• Strong uptime (99.7%)
• Detailed usage analytics
• Quick ticket-based support

Best For: SMBs and data collection startups.

Pricing: From $8/GB.

10. PacketStream – Peer-to-Peer Proxies on a Budget

Overview:

PacketStream operates on a P2P model, where users share bandwidth for passive income. It’s one of the cheapest residential proxy providers — though less suited for enterprise workloads.

Key Features:

• 5M+ P2P residential IPs
• Transparent peer system
• Simple dashboard
• Very low entry price

Best For: Budget users, small scraping projects, and educational purposes.

Pricing: From $1/GB.

Provider	IP Pool Size	Geo Coverage	Rotation Type	API Access	Free Trial / Plan	Average Price per GB	Best For
Gonzo Proxy	20M+	195+ countries	Rotating + Static	✅ Full API	Demo + Promo Code START15	From $5/GB	Best value, non-expiring traffic
Oxylabs	100M+	195+	Rotating + Sticky	✅ Full API	❌ No free trial	From $15/GB	Enterprise-grade operations
Bright Data	72M+	195+	Rotating + Static	✅ Advanced API	✅ Trial on request	From $10/GB	Data research & analytics
SOAX	8.5M+	180+	Rotating	✅ Easy API	✅ Trial available	From $6.99/GB	Localized testing, SEO
NetNut	10M+ (ISP)	150+	Static + Rotating	✅ Full API	✅ Demo plan	From $8/GB	High-speed automation
Rayobyte	5M+	100+	Rotating	✅ API	❌ No free trial	From $9/GB	Legal compliance, long-term use
IPRoyal	2M+	130+	Rotating	✅ API + Browser ext.	✅ Free 24h test	From $7/GB	Affordable, small-scale tasks
Webshare	3M+	50+	Rotating + Static	✅ API	✅ Free plan	From $5/GB	Entry-level users, testing
Infatica	10M+	160+	Rotating	✅ REST API	✅ Trial	From $8/GB	SMB data projects
PacketStream	5M+ (P2P)	120+	Rotating	✅ API	✅ Demo	From $1/GB	Budget users, learning projects

What Are Residential Proxies and How Do They Work?

A residential proxy acts as a secure middle layer between your device and the website you’re trying to access. Instead of connecting directly from your IP, your traffic is routed through a real user’s residential IP address provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

This makes your online requests appear completely natural — as if they were coming from an ordinary home computer.

Think of it like sending a friend to pick up a package for you. The package (your web request) still gets delivered, but the sender (your real IP) remains unseen. Websites see only your “friend’s address” — the residential IP — keeping your identity hidden and preventing blocks or CAPTCHAs.

Here’s a simple flow of how it works:

You → Residential Proxy IP (real home connection) → Target Website

This structure masks your identity, distributes traffic across millions of IPs, and helps bypass restrictions, rate limits, and regional content barriers.

Because these IPs come from real households rather than datacenters, they’re extremely hard to detect or blacklist — which is why residential proxies have become the backbone of secure web scraping, marketing automation, and multi-accounting in 2026.

Why Do You Need Residential Proxies?

Residential proxies aren’t just about privacy — they’re about control, scale, and authenticity. Whether you’re an individual managing accounts or a large company conducting automated data collection, residential IPs give you access to the web as if you were a genuine user in any location.

Here are the key advantages and real-world use cases:

1. 🕵️‍♂️ True Anonymity and Privacy
   Your real IP stays hidden behind a verified residential address, making it nearly impossible for websites to trace or block your activity.
2. 🌍 Bypass Geo-Restrictions
   Access region-locked content, marketplaces, and ad networks by choosing IPs from specific countries or cities. Perfect for testing global campaigns.
3. ⚙️ Stable Web Scraping and Data Mining
   Residential proxies help gather large-scale data from e-commerce sites, search engines, or marketplaces without triggering bans — critical for SEO, price monitoring, and analytics tools.
4. 💰 Ad Verification and Brand Protection
   Marketers can check how ads appear in different regions or on competitor sites, ensuring compliance and preventing fraud.
5. 👥 Multi-Account Management
   Run several social media, affiliate, or e-commerce accounts simultaneously — each with a unique, clean IP that looks like a real user.
6. 🧠 SEO and Market Intelligence
   Collect unbiased SERP data and competitor insights from various geolocations, supporting keyword tracking, trend analysis, and content localization.
7. 🚀 Automation and Bot Operations
   Residential IPs allow automation tools and bots (e.g., for sneakers, retail arbitrage, or traffic testing) to operate smoothly without bans or CAPTCHAs.
8. 🛡️ Anti-Detection and Security Layer
   Because residential proxies route traffic through real ISP networks, they add an extra layer of protection against fingerprinting and IP-based blocking.

In short, residential proxies combine human-like authenticity with enterprise-level performance, helping users work smarter, faster, and safer — wherever they are in the world.

Residential Proxies vs. Other Types of Proxies

Not all proxies are created equal — and choosing the wrong type can cost you speed, reliability, or even lead to account bans. Let’s break down how residential proxies differ from datacenter and mobile proxies, and why these differences matter in real-world scenarios.

Key Differences Explained

• 🏠 Residential Proxies vs. Datacenter Proxies
  Residential proxies use IPs assigned by real Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to genuine household devices. In contrast, datacenter proxies are generated by cloud servers — cheaper but much easier to detect and block.
  👉 If you need stealth and credibility, residential IPs are the safer bet.
• 📱 Residential Proxies vs. Mobile Proxies
  Mobile proxies route traffic through cellular networks (3G/4G/5G). They offer the highest trust level but are often more expensive and slower due to limited carrier IP pools. Residential proxies, however, strike a perfect balance between cost, speed, and legitimacy.
• ⚙️ Use Case Flexibility
  Datacenter proxies are ideal for bulk non-sensitive operations like keyword research or server load testing.
  Residential proxies excel in scraping, multi-accounting, and ad verification.
  Mobile proxies are best for social media automation and mobile app testing where device-level authenticity is needed.
• 💰 Pricing & Stability
  Datacenter proxies are the cheapest but most volatile; mobile proxies are the most stable but costly. Residential proxies sit in the sweet spot — affordable, scalable, and undetectable.

Comparison Table: Proxy Types Overview

Feature	Residential Proxies	Datacenter Proxies	Mobile Proxies
IP Source	Real ISPs (home users)	Cloud or server farms	Cellular networks (3G/4G/5G)
Detection Risk	Very low	High	Extremely low
Speed	Medium–High	Very high	Medium
Cost per GB	Moderate	Low	High
Ideal For	Web scraping, multi-accounting, SEO, ads	Bulk tasks, fast testing	Social media, app testing
Geo Targeting	Excellent	Limited	Moderate
Anonymity Level	High	Medium	Very high

Rotating vs. Static Residential Proxies

When using residential proxies, you’ll often need to decide between rotating and static (sticky) IP modes. Both have distinct advantages depending on your goals.

Rotating Residential Proxies

Rotating proxies automatically change your IP after a set period or each request.
They’re ideal for large-scale data scraping, price monitoring, or SEO audits — any activity where you need to send thousands of requests without getting flagged.

Pros:

• Automatically rotates IPs to prevent bans
• Excellent for web scraping and automation
• No manual maintenance required

Cons:

• Can disrupt session-based logins
• Harder to maintain cookies or cart sessions

Static (Sticky) Residential Proxies

Static proxies — also known as persistent or sticky sessions — keep the same IP for a fixed duration (e.g., 10–30 minutes).

They’re better suited for multi-account management, social media posting, or e-commerce operations, where maintaining a stable identity matters more than mass rotation.

Pros:

• Stable sessions for logins and profiles
• Ideal for testing or managing accounts
• Easier tracking and cookie management

Cons:

• More vulnerable to bans if misused
• Slightly higher cost per IP

How to Choose the Best Residential Proxy Service

Not all proxy services are built the same — and picking the wrong one can lead to wasted budget, blocked requests, or unreliable performance.
Here’s a practical checklist to help you choose the best residential proxy provider in 2026.

✅ Residential Proxy Selection Checklist

1. IP Pool Size and GEO Coverage
   Choose a provider with a large and diverse IP pool (ideally 10M+ IPs) covering multiple countries and cities. This ensures better anonymity and flexibility for targeting.
2. Connection Speed and Uptime
   Look for providers guaranteeing 99.9% uptime and low latency. If your proxy lags, your scraping, ads, or automation tools will too.
3. Rotation and Session Control
   The ability to toggle between rotating and static IPs is essential. This flexibility lets you handle both large data tasks and account-based actions.
4. API and Integration Options
   A good proxy should include REST API access and clear documentation for integration with bots, scrapers, or marketing tools.
5. Transparency and Ethical IP Sourcing
   Always check that IPs come from opt-in users and comply with GDPR or similar regulations. Ethical sourcing protects your business from legal risks.
6. Customer Support and Documentation
   Reliable support (ideally 24/7) and onboarding guides save time when troubleshooting or scaling operations.
7. Trial or Refund Policy
   Providers offering free trials or money-back guarantees show confidence in their product and help you test before committing.
8. Pricing and Flexibility
   Compare plans by price per GB and the ability to carry over unused traffic. Gonzo Proxy, for example, provides non-expiring data plans, which is rare in the industry.
9. Security and Compliance
   Ensure the provider uses secure authentication methods (username/password, IP whitelist, or tokens) and operates under transparent privacy policies.
10. Community Reputation
    Check TrustPilot, G2, and Reddit reviews for user feedback on reliability, connection speed, and honesty of support claims.

FAQ — Best Residential Proxies

Are residential proxies detectable by websites?

Not easily. Residential IPs come from real user networks, making them appear authentic to websites. Advanced anti-bot systems can sometimes detect unusual traffic patterns, but detection rates are far lower than datacenter proxies.

Are residential proxies legal to use?

Yes — as long as they’re used for legitimate purposes like SEO research, ad verification, or market analytics. Always avoid scraping personal data or restricted platforms.

Can I find free residential proxy services?

Free proxies exist but often come with serious risks: data theft, malware, or IP leaks. Trusted providers like Webshare offer limited free plans for testing; otherwise, always stick to paid, secure options.

What are the best residential proxies for web scraping?

Services like Gonzo Proxy, Bright Data, and Oxylabs excel in large-scale scraping. For a step-by-step setup, see our guide — Best Proxies for Web Scraping.

What is the best residential SOCKS5 proxy provider?

If you need SOCKS5 support for maximum compatibility and encryption, Gonzo Proxy and SOAX are top choices. Both offer flexible rotation and GEO targeting.

Will a residential proxy slow down my internet connection?

Slightly — since traffic passes through an additional IP layer. However, top-tier providers maintain near-native speeds with optimized routing.

Which residential proxy provider has the largest IP pool?

Bright Data currently leads with over 72 million verified IPs, closely followed by Oxylabs (100M), though Gonzo Proxy’s network continues to expand rapidly.

Can I use the same residential proxy for multiple accounts or devices?

Yes. Most providers support concurrent connections, allowing you to manage multiple accounts securely from one dashboard.

What’s the difference between residential proxies and mobile proxies?

Residential proxies use home broadband connections, while mobile proxies rely on cellular networks (3G/4G/5G). Mobile proxies are slightly slower but offer the highest trust score for social platforms.

What mistakes should I avoid when buying or using residential proxies?

Avoid providers with unclear IP sourcing, low-speed networks, or hidden bandwidth limits. Always rotate IPs periodically and follow platform rules to avoid bans.

Conclusion

Residential proxies remain the most effective and secure solution for anonymous, large-scale, and region-specific access to the web in 2026.

Among the top providers, Gonzo Proxy offers the best value for money, balancing speed, global coverage, and data that never expires — perfect for professionals in marketing, automation, or data analytics.

If you’re ready to upgrade your setup, try Gonzo Proxy today — and use the promo code START15 for an exclusive 15% discount on any plan.