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Shared proxies are a popular solution because they offer all the benefits of routing traffic through a proxy server but at a reasonable price. Here is why thousands of users rely on them to protect their identity, access geo-restricted content, and much more. The problem is that there are so many proxy providers online that finding the best one can be daunting. Fortunately, you are in the right place!
A shared proxy is a type of proxy server that routes Internet traffic through an IP address shared among multiple users simultaneously. When you connect to a site through a shared proxy, the request is forwarded through the proxy server, which acts as a middleware between you and the destination server. This way, the site websites see the IP address of the proxy server rather than yours.
Shared proxy servers accept connections by several users at the same time, routing them all via the same IP. Some key aspects of shared proxy servers are:
There are four possible shared proxy IP types:
Note: In most cases, the term “shared proxies” directly refers to datacenter proxies.
To effectively evaluate the best shared proxy providers, you must take into account a few essential elements. These are:
Discover the list of the 9 best shared proxy providers analyzed and compared based on the criteria presented earlier.
If you are eager to discover the best shared proxies, take a look at the summary table that follows:
Bright Data stands out as a major player in the proxy industry. Since 2014, the company has controlled one of the largest, most reliable, and most ethical pools of proxies globally. This includes all types of shared proxy IPs. The provider uses this network to offer many other useful services and solutions for scraping, ad verification, SEO monitoring, and more.
Bright Data has several tailored plans for both individuals and businesses. Plus, it also offers a flexible pay-as-you-go option. With its strict KYC protocols and state-of-the-art security measures, the company emphasizes transparency and promotes ethical standards.
Features:
Proxy Types:
Proxy Network:
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5
Pricing:
Average Response Time: ~2.8s
Concurrency: Unlimited
Uptime: 99.99%
Customers and Partners:
Customer Support:
KYC Procedures: Required ID card verification to all users for full access
Ethics:
Reliability:
Want to learn more about Bright Data? Read our full Bright Data review.
Smartproxy controls a large pool of shared IPs, especially when it comes to residential proxies. Their datacenter’s shared IPs are only 100k, but they are reasonably priced. The provider provides all types of shared proxies.
Smartproxy has award-winning customer support and focuses on the customer experience, making available many useful tools, guides, and videos. No KYC procedures are required, which raises questions about shared usage.
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, plus SOCKS5 only on residential proxies
Average Response Time: ~2.5s
KYC Procedures: At Smartproxy’s discretion for suspected fraudulent clients
Want to learn more about Smartproxy? Read our Smartproxy review.
Geonode has competitive pricing with a fairly extensive offering, including some interesting free tools. On the other hand, there is no real free trial and the refund policy is questionable. According to the provider’s official website, ISP proxies will soon be added to the pool.
KYC procedures are required of all users, but regular support and limited concurrency may limit its ambitions to become soon the best shared proxy provider.
Average Response Time: ~3s
Concurrency: Limited
Uptime: 99%
KYC Procedures: Required for all users
Want to learn more about Geonode? Read our Geonode review.
Webshare has been a market leader in the shared datacenter proxy industry for years. It offers virtually no features and is unclear how many IPs its network can boast, but the pricing is quite compelling.
The generous free trial and the not-so-transparent KYC system attract individuals and small businesses. However, it does not appear to be the most privacy-aware provider.
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5
Concurrency: 500, but extensible up to 3,000+ by paying an extra fee
Uptime: 99.94%
KYC Procedures: At Webshare’s discretion
Learn more about Webshare in our full Webshare review.
Oxylabs has one of the largest proxy networks in the world. At the same time, it is unclear whether residential proxies are shared among users or not. What is certain is that they control several thousand shared datacenter proxy servers.
Considering that the entry-level is $50 per month and that only verified companies can have a free trial, it is evident that the provider aims at businesses. At least, all customers must go through a KYC process to limit illegal activity.
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS
Average Response Time: ~1.9s
Uptime: 99.9%
KYC Procedures: Applied to all customers
Learn more about Oxylabs in our full Oxylabs review.
SOAX recently added shared datacenter proxies to its offering. The number of IPs available is not disclosed, nor is it clear whether the resident IPs are shared among users or not.
The cost per GB is very good, but the starting price of $49 could easily discourage some individual users. Strict KYC procedures help keep the user base ethical. This is the only provider that mentions support for the QUIC protocol.
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS5, UDP, QUIC
KYC Procedures: Card ID verification applied to all customers
Want to learn more about SOAX? Read our full SOAX review.
IPRoyal provides all types of shared proxies, but its network is only truly worldwide when it comes to residential IPs. The pricing model is quite different from other providers in that you are charged per day or per proxy.
Customer support on Discord is surely good, and the recent introduction of KYC procedures means that IPRoyal cares about its users. Nevertheless, the absence of a free trial and refund policy impacts negatively the service provided.
Average Response Time: ~4s
KYC Procedures: Identity verification required for static residential, datacenter, and sneaker proxies
Read more about IPRoyal in our full IPRoyal review.
Infatica is a proxy provider that gives access to millions of shared IPs, but it is unclear whether the mobile proxies are shared or not. As stated on the official site, only the datacenter and residential proxies appear to be shared.
The support team must respond to your requests in less than 4 hours, which is great in situations where you need urgent help. In addition, KYC procedures for all clients exclude malicious users from the pool.
Protocols: HTTP, SOCKS5
Average Response Time: ~2.2s
KYC Procedures: Applied to all users during registration
Learn more about Infatica in our full Infatica review.
Rayobyte offers all types of shared proxies, but it is unclear how many IPs its network counts. While it is an ethical provider with a focus on customer support, its services are not among the cheapest. Also, the light KYC system raises some questions.
Their average response time is good and better than most proxy providers. The plan configurator on their site is extremely flexible and enables you to understand what you are getting for what you pay. On the other hand, it may appear a bit confusing.
Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 available only on datacenter and ISP proxies
KYC Procedures: Light KYC procedures through a form
As is evident from the previous section, proxy providers offer numerous plans. These change depending on the type of IP proxy chosen and may involve a price per GB, per proxy, or a fixed monthly fee. Because of the variable nature of these offerings, direct price comparisons between providers are almost impossible.
However, keep in mind that shared proxies range in price from a few cents per GB to hundreds of dollars per month.
An essential aspect to keep in mind when it comes to analyzing pricing models is that prices generally decrease as you need more GBs. In other words, larger projects are less expensive than smaller ones on a GB basis. Plus, enterprises and large businesses may have access to exclusive deals and customized plans.
For more information, we recommend that you contact the sales team.
There are several proxy providers online, and finding the one that best suits your needs is not easy. Here, you learned what aspects to check when comparing the best shared proxy providers. Since testing them one by one would require a lot of time, we did the comparison for you. You are now a master of shared proxies!