Best Proxy For Video Sites
Best 5 Proxy Servers To Help You Web Surf Anonymously
A web proxy server alters a user’s IP address without the need for online traffic encryption. This enables the user to privately surf the web making it difficult for malicious forces to infiltrate and acquire your browsing data information.
Using a web proxy will also allow a user to access sites that are otherwise inaccessible. So those websites at work you’re often denied access to are now open season. This also holds true for sites blocked in schools and your ISP.
A web proxy works by camouflaging your identity (hiding your IP address), acting as the middle man between your computer and the website you want to access. Your computer will request access to the website through the proxy, after which it will then go through a filtering process.
Once the process is complete, the request will proceed to the web source. Once the site receives the response it will redirect back to your computer enabling you to view its contents.
The Differences Between a Proxy Server & a Virtual Private Network
Though similar in that they both provide user privacy, the way a proxy server differs from a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is in the approach. A VPN tends to be more efficient in anonymous surfing and provides a more robust service that typically comes at a cost.
There are plenty of free VPNs out there but the bulk majority that can be considered “most safe” tend to have a price tag attached. Proxy servers are more often than not, free of charge.
But as they say, “You get what you pay for, ” and when it comes to online privacy, this statement rings true. A proxy server will not encrypt your traffic as is standard with a VPN. They are also browser-specific and exclusive as you can only use a proxy from your web browser.
A VPN is designed for the device it’s used on so you’re able to use it for more than just website surfing. Regardless, a proxy server will do well in a pinch when you need to get past an online geo-block or simply want to surf the web in peace.
Best 5 Proxy Servers To Help You Web Surf Anonymously
Some web proxy servers are of the paid variety. It should come as no surprise that the paid versions are the ones offering the best quality. The better-paid web proxies can compress online traffic, cache files, and even block annoying ads from the websites prior to granting access. However, depending on what you need it for, a free web proxy will do just fine.
If all you require is to mask your identity while online or sneak passed a blocked site, there are several free services available to you. Enter the domain name into the proxy and enjoy your online anonymity.
HideMyAss
The most famous and widely recognized proxy server has to be HideMyAss (HMA). It provides the standard feature of hiding your true IP address in addition to a pop-up ad blocker to help smooth over your web surfing experience. The proxy server is completely free but if you want additional protection, HMA also offers a pay-to-use VPN service.
HMA is a collection of varying globally located VPN proxies. This means that you get a very fast and flexible service when using HMA over other proxy servers. There is an official extension for both the Google Chrome and Firefox browsers allowing you to avoid having to download and install the full software.
The only hangup with using HideMyAss is that it stores both your IP address and that of the VPN server currently being used for an undisclosed period. They claim to not use the information and only share it with their partner company, the Avast Group, in order “to execute on the provisions of this service, for direct marketing, or to help our product development. ”
So if this is something that worries you, we have other proxy servers from which to choose from.
4everproxy
This proxy server is most prominent in the access of YouTube and HD streaming services typically blocked based on geographical location. 4everproxy offers unlimited bandwidth and is perfect for anyone wanting to access video streaming sites outside of their own country.
The streaming quality is of good quality considering you can use it for HD video streaming. It’s very rare you’ll face any buffering when using the service. There is no need to log into YouTube in order to watch videos. The service also provides an extra security measure by automatically removing all logged history from your browser every two hours.
ProxySite
ProxySite increases your online security through the use of SSL encryptions. Similar to HideMyAss, they offer VPN-like quality with your searches. You’ll be able to hide your IP address, get around pesky website blocks, and access popular sites all while having your history logs completely cleared.
There are numerous proxy servers available with ProxySite including those located in the US and Europe which are free to use. There is a premium VPN option for additional security features but the free proxy offers what you’ll need in most cases.
To be clear, the proxy server allows you to control cookies, javascript, objects, and ads on your page, making it perfectly capable of whatever the typical user is likely to use it for.
shares similar fame with HideMyAss in that it’s a well-known and popular web proxy service. won’t log or retain your data. Immediately after exiting your browser, the URL provided to mask your identity will expire. There are no annoying ads on their website and all pop-up ads received while surfing are automatically blocked from your browser, enhancing the browsing experience.
is one of the faster proxy servers and allows you to easily change your location, control browser cookies, and block harmful scripts. Server selection is rather limited, housing locations in only Germany, the USA, and the Netherlands. The UI appears very professional and user-friendly.
For a more all-encompassing security solution, offers its premium VPN service at $5. 41/mo.
Whoer
Whoer is more than just a web proxy. Aside from the basic proxy server security solution, Whoer allows you to change your IP address incredibly fast. This may sound like something that should be common to all proxy sites but the speed in which Whoer allows is second to none.
The Whoer website offers tools that allow you to track information on a specific website, test your internet connection speed, and run a ping test to determine server response times.
You can manually choose between seven to nine proxy servers that are available in most European countries as well as the US. The only annoying issue the Whoer site has is the inability to remove ads. This could prove irritating but remains unavoidable. The ads are what keeps Whoer in business thus you will need to deal with the ads if you want to use the service.
The Whoer proxy server is available for the Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Yandex browsers.
13 Best Proxy Server Services for 2021 – Free and Paid – TechJury
195 locations worldwide
Unlimited proxy connections
Dedicated IPs
Firefox/Chrome extensions
Smartproxy offers one of the best proxy services for both residential and business use. It’s best suited for conducting basic online scrapping tasks such as data harvesting. You get back-connect proxies, anonymous browsing, global connectivity – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
The setup process is straightforward. You have the option of choosing between Firefox and Google Chrome extensions. The dashboard of both is very easy to navigate. All features are well-arranged. Best of all – support is available via chat to help you at all times.
This is a feature-rich proxy service. It has 195 data centers spread across 8 cities worldwide. This enables you to benefit from over 40 million IPs. You can comfortably access geo-blocked services. The service supports simultaneous proxy connections.
Smartproxy provides robust and reliable residential proxies. IPs are assigned to physical devices such as computers and smartphones. That way, internet service providers recognize IP addresses as actual visitors. This lessens the risk of getting blocked. You’ll also find data center proxies that support an unlimited number of concurrent connections. Unlike the former, it’s cheap and comes with a substantial bandwidth allotment.
This proxy service limits IP sessions to a maximum of 30 minutes. A different address is immediately assigned once the allocated time elapses. It prevents users from engaging in abusive behavior.
On the downside, some users complain of slow internet speeds when using this service. But that’s not surprising – there’s no SOCKS5 protocol. Other than that, the pricing starts at $50, which is reasonable. Should it disappoint, you’ll have up to 3 days to claim your money back.
Cloud proxy manager
Website unblocking
Mobile device IPs
Pay-as-you-go plans
Bright Data is one of the best alternatives to free proxy services online. It offers feature-rich tools for gathering information. Over 10, 000+ professionals currently trust this vendor globally.
You’ll be greeted with a neat dashboard. It has a quick walkthrough guide of the available services. Each feature also has a snippet preview.
Moreover, you can manage the online proxy server services from the console. That’s because it offers pay-as-you-go plans (PAYG). Here, bandwidth, IP pool size, and network ports are easy to allocate.
As for the features, it’s a bed of roses.
Data unblocker unlocks websites with toughened anti-crawling technologies. In addition, you get access to over 72 million real-user IPs to enhance its effectiveness. The company also bills you for successful requests only.
The proxy service has a wide range of options. Firstly, it has a search engine crawler. It provides real-time data collection by scrapping Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and others.
Secondly, it comes with mobile proxies that use 3G/4G connections. These are assigned to actual mobile carriers from around the world. Furthermore, it comes with over seven million residential IPs.
But that’s not all.
You can use Bright Data’s application programming interface (API) to create custom apps. It’s compatible with Java,, C Sharp (C#), and Shell. Public proxy server providers, on the other hand, don’t offer such a feature.
Proxy management is incredibly flexible. There’s a Google Chrome extension for a start. Installing a custom web server script is a good alternative. You can also use its cloud manager that costs $150/month extra.
The company provides a dedicated account manager for support. While that sounds good, they’re available during business hours only.
But, on a more positive note, it offers a 7-day risk-free trial. Should it impress, you can upgrade from as little as a dollar on PAYG.
Real-time web crawler
Over 100 million IPs
Automatic proxy rotator
24/7 support
Oxylabs ranks highly among the best proxy servers for businesses. It offers global coverage and a pool of over 100 million IPs. Its services are ideal for performing various proxy-driven jobs, e. g. marketing intelligence tasks.
It has a colorful dashboard that’s easy to navigate. You can use it to access statistics of your usage. There are separate sections for billing and ordering new services as well.
You can’t manage proxies from the dashboard. However, Oxylabs’ products plugin well into the software that supports proxies. Oxylabs even offers a Google Chrome extension, which allows users to test the proxies or browse around the internet. Likewise, proxies work well with third-party proxy managers such as FoxyProxy.
You’ll find different types of server proxies for various needs. SOCKS5 Proxy comes in handy for using proxies with custom programs or protocols.
Residential Proxy pools handle bulk scrapping. They provide unlimited simultaneous connections for by-passing IP blocks online. It’s also possible to geo-target locations up to the city level.
You can optimize your business activities using datacenter proxies. For example, datacenter proxies help companies to find markets with counterfeit products. This type of proxy service can also be used for the identification of malicious attacks. Examples include finding viruses in files, identification of phishing links, and locating data breaches published online.
You’ll find a proxy rotator that automates IP switching. It enables you to forget about proxy management while carrying out scraping operations.
What’s more?
Oxylabs Real-Time Crawler can help gather data from websites that employ advanced anti-bot solutions with a higher success rate. The Real-Time Crawler also supports providing already parsed data from select websites.
The downsides?
The high price tag is the only disadvantage. Plans start from $180/month for the cheapest options.
On the upside, customer support is excellent. You can request help via email or live chat 24/7. Its higher tiers even come with a dedicated account manager.
Automatic IP rotation
Time-based sticky IPs
Dedicated 4G mobile proxies
Caching for bandwidth saving
IPRoyal is among the best proxy platforms that has extensive network coverage. It includes top locations such as:
US
UK
China
Germany
And more.
Best of all, it has affordable prices with no minimum requirements.
The vendor takes pride in offering a wide selection of services. Apart from the usual ones, it provides sneaker proxies for lovers of sports shoes. It bypasses restrictions in fashion sites that limit customers from making bulk purchases.
Another notable mention – the 4G mobile proxy. It’s powered by real user devices and residential IPs from cellular networks. The setup boosts trust and reduces the chances of getting banned. So you can do web scraping, competitor research, and complete SEO tasks with confidence.
The company has a pool of over two million IP addresses. And it adds hundreds of new proxy sites daily thanks to the IPRoyal Pawns program. It uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) approach that allows customers to share their bandwidth. In exchange, the vendor pays them for using their internet connections as proxies.
You can use randomize that frequently rotates your IP on autopilot. But sticky is the best option if you want to use one address. It comes with a time limit of 24 hours before it changes. That’s, however, not a guarantee – the system can swap it any time.
SOCKS5 enhances security by using multiple authentication methods to process data. Likewise, there’s HTTPS for end-to-end encryption between your device and the internet.
IPRoyal also claims it uses caching to save bandwidth and supercharge internet speeds. We were able to use less data when testing its proxy network. However, it took ages to load websites and download files. To add salt to injury, the vendor doesn’t have a refund policy. The good news is you can buy its proxy services for as little as $1. 00. The payment options include credit cards and bitcoin.
Offers free unlimited browsing
Support for any browser
BitTorrent client support
Fast ping times
is one of the best free proxy server software on the market. This solution offers a long list of features that you will love – auto-connect, IP leak protection, and BitTorrent support among others. The best thing about it – you’ll experience zero ads by using this product.
So, is it worth it?
is lightweight and easy to set up. All you need to do is install the Google Chrome/Firefox extension. There’s also an in-browser tool available, great for those that don’t like add-ons.
The features side is where it gets interesting. Unlike Smartproxy, gives you SOCKS5 for free. It allows you to enjoy swift response times during gaming and media streaming. Torrent lovers will enjoy the fast peer-to-peer file-sharing that this free proxy server offers. You also get to enjoy limitless bandwidth usage throughout.
has WebRTC in place to shield your IP from leaking. You can use an auto connection to switch between servers. To maximize protection, this vendor doesn’t record any logs of your activity.
This free proxy service lets you choose server locations. Only three regions are supported – Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Of course, nothing is perfect. We couldn’t find the total number of IPs offered. The support team couldn’t tell us anything about it. also doesn’t support multiple connections. But given it’s a free proxy program, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Over 40 million IPs
Rotating sticky IPs
Avoid bot detection
Scalable
ScraperAPI is one of the best proxy sites for web scraping. It has over 40 million IPs from many countries, with a user-friendly scraping tool. It can handle CAPTCHAs and other forms of bot detection, as well as JavaScript.
Proxies automatically rotate in the background. Just enter the URL of any site and you will get the raw HTML in return. If you’d like a more permanent session, you can easily use a static IP as well.
You also get custom header support, automatic retries, and desktop and mobile user agents. In other words, you can make your traffic appear like it’s coming from a computer or a phone.
Nonetheless, it is not as advanced as others, meaning you’ll have to parse the data yourself. Its simplicity and full API access, however, make it ideal for developers with their own scraping solutions. You can even call the API via web browser, as follows:
“yourAPIkey]&url=[URL]”
A seven-day free trial for up to 5, 000 requests lets you see if it’s the right fit. This requires no credit card, so you won’t accidentally get billed.
After the trial expires, you can decide whether to upgrade to one of three well-priced plans or negotiate an Enterprise solution.
The good news is low-volume users can access a free proxy server that permits 1, 000 requests per month. Here’s what the rest of the plans offer:
Hobby: $29/mo – 250, 000 requests, and 10 concurrent threads.
Startup: $99/mo – One million requests, 25 concurrent threads, and US geotargeting.
Business: $249/mo – Three million requests, 50 concurrent threads, 12-country geotargeting, and access to residential proxies.
If you still decide it’s not for you after purchasing a plan, there’s a seven-day money back guarantee.
Although all plans use rotating proxy pools, it is only the business plan that unlocks access to residential IPs.
Its dedicated proxy pools for different types of scraping really stand out. This includes products, search engine results, social media content, and more.
As for customer support, staff are available 24/7 by email or live chat. Business users get priority in the email queue, while Enterprise customers get a dedicated support channel. Everyone has access to documentation and help pages.
To manage your account ScraperAPI provides a web-based dashboard. Here you can access billing and view usage statistics. You’ll also find your API key and lots of useful code for PHP, Node, Ruby, Bash, and Python/Scrapy. A lot of this can be pasted directly into your custom scripts.
To sum up, ScraperAPI is an excellent solution for web scraping. It takes the hassle out of managing proxies by doing all the hard work in the background. Plans are affordable and it gets extra points for providing one of the best free proxy plans on the market.
Affordable pricing plans
Offers ads-free experience
Unlimited bandwidth allocation
Portable KProxy browser
Kproxy is one of the best proxy server options, no matter what budget you have. This solution is great for both novice and expert users that have undemanding web browsing needs.
Let’s check out the features.
The configuration process is fast. You can choose between Google Chrome and Firefox extensions. If you lack either, Kproxy’s proxy browser is readily available. Also, the product is currently compatible with the Kiwi Internet Access App for Android.
Kproxy has a lot to offer in terms of functionality. For starters, it automatically selects a server for you. You also have the option of switching between 5 countries, among which Canada, France, and the USA.
IP leak protection is enabled by default for hiding your location at all times. WebRTC’s protocol also allows you to browse restricted websites easily. But it gets better – this proxy program has a separate plugin for bypassing network filters. This inclusion helps you to access blocked sites by system administrators at work or school.
At times, users can engage in abusive behavior leading to a ban of IPs. Such an incidence usually affects user experience. To avoid that, you can use server management to delist affected regions. You can isolate slow proxies from your network.
Just as, Kproxy gives you limitless bandwidth. But there’s a catch. It limits downloads/uploads to a maximum of 300 megabytes. This means that you can’t use this service to transfer large files.
Another drawback is the limited choice of private proxies on the free plan. But that shouldn’t worry you. From just $10/month, you can enjoy 120+ servers located in North America and Europe. That’s quite a bargain.
Free proxy service
Unlimited bandwidth support
Online proxy browser
IP leak protection
HideMyAss (HMA) is an easy-to-use free proxy server that has basic features for browsing. First-time users will surely appreciate using this solution to browse online anonymously.
Unlike other developers that provide browser extensions, HMA comes with none. It has a simple web-based proxy for accessing online sites. All you need to do is enter a web address and select a preferred server to connect to.
This solution has many great features. The use of bandwidth is unrestricted. You can browse, mine data, and download an unlimited number of files. There are no ads whatsoever.
On the server side, you have a choice of six countries to use, including two regions in the US and one in the UK. But that’s just it. Crucial features such as Kproxy’s IP blocking are missing. You also won’t be able to select a network based on server location.
Security is another area of interest when using dedicated proxy services. HMA offers URL encryption for hiding your IP address. You can also block scripts such as JavaScript used for tracking visitors on websites. You can also disable cookies.
However, it lags behind the competition on various fronts. SOCKS5 for speeding up internet speeds is lacking. This makes the use of demanding services such as gaming and streaming problematic. IP leak protection only does a basic job of shielding your address, so your service provider may still be able to track your online activity.
Overall, this free proxy service works okay in accessing blocked websites online.
Free web-based service
Auto IP selection
Four locations available
Dedicated IP per session
If you’re looking for the best free proxy server, get VPNBook. The service provides dedicated IP and unlimited browsing sessions. As if not enough, there’s a web browser to make it better.
Getting started with this product is easy. Just as HMA, it offers an online proxy browser. You can pick the fastest server for you. You can also select a preferred region from the dropdown list of data centers. During sessions, a sticky bar is always available for swapping websites fast.
VPNBook tops the best proxy server list when it comes to security. It provides SSL browsing by utilizing AES-256bit data encryption. WebRTC is in place to protect your IP from leaking. It also blocks other scripts, which websites use for tracking user activities. To cover one’s tracks, it doesn’t keep your history.
But wait – there’s more.
Finding a solution that’s compatible with all devices is a challenging task. To address this problem, VPNBook loads websites via iFrames. This feature combines HTML and CSS, fitting for all screen sizes. You’ll have a smooth experience browsing from mobile phones.
Whereas other online proxy sites offer dynamic addresses, VPNBook gives you a static one. This lessens interruptions in platforms sensitive to IP changes. The vendor also blacklists people that abuse their servers. In doing so, it preserves the integrity of the service for other users.
On the downside, this product is strictly for personal use. It’s also ad-supported. Apart from the bad side, you can get a premium version for $7. 95/month. It provides support for gaming, VoIP, torrents, and much more.
Lightweight on system resources
Quick links access
Limitless bandwidth support
Fast gigabit connection
When it comes to functionality, ProxySite tops the list of the best free proxy services. This solution is not only feature-rich but also built for performance. Users that need to access blocked websites will greatly appreciate this product.
The setup process is simple. ProxySite comes with a browser-based proxy. It has shortcuts for accessing popular sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. You also have the option of selecting one of 25+ servers between the US and EU.
But it doesn’t end there.
ProxySite comes with proxy configurations. It provides an endless list of custom presets to utilize. With it, you can easily simulate popular browsers, devices, and operating systems. The most notable ones include Blackberry, iPhone, macOS, and Windows 7/10.
Developers are also not left out. There’s a slot for changing the user agent of your browser. This enables you to test websites that you’ve created. It’s also ideal for running custom bots for data mining tasks.
This is the best paid proxy server software for managing cookies. It gives you a list of all the browsing data stored on your device. This allows you to use or selectively delete them before visiting any website. As simple as it sounds, some sites rely on these files to track you. And removing them helps you cover your steps.
Speed is also worth mentioning. ProxySite has a gigabit network that delivers faster connectivity. When combined with SOCKS5, you’ll be able to stream on the fly.
Of course, ProxySite isn’t perfect. During testing, sites such as Google blocked our requests. The user interface of most websites that we visited also appeared distorted.
The pro version that includes a VPN will set you back $9. 99/month. It offers premium security, more servers, and compatibility with most websites.
Supports multiple browsers
Standalone apps for smartphones
Good speed
Servers in 17 countries
Whoer is the best proxy server software for people that have multiple devices. It has an app for Windows, Mac, Linux, web browsers, and smartphones. It’s ideal for families/groups of friends of up to 5 members.
When using Whoer, you’ll find a dedicated application/extension for your favorite device. Once you install, it takes a single click to get started. The free plan only allows you to use one server location. Premium users get to choose from 17 regions.
The browser extensions have WebRTC for protecting you against IP leaks. There’s also a kill switch. When the internet connectivity fails, it will shield your address from being visible. A great reason to put Whoer on our Best Proxy Server list.
Another great addition is end-to-end encryption via SSL. It utilizes a 256-bit file encoding, which secures the connection between your server and device. Whoer’s servers leave no trace of your online activity.
For pro users, internet speeds are blazing fast. You can watch Netflix, play online games, and share torrent files. In comparison, the free version throttles connections to a maximum of 1mb/s. Even though you won’t be able to run heavy tasks, it’s still okay for browsing.
But.
Whoer offers fewer server locations in the US and UK. Similarly, the limitation of bandwidth on the free plan is a turnoff. It’s also impossible to select an IP proxy.
Then again, the free version covers all the important bases. If you like it, you can go pro for $9. 90/month. Whoer has a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee.
2. 5 million IPs
Mobile VPN
Static and Residential
Extensions for Chrome and Firefox
If you want to buy proxy services, GeoSurf is one of the longest-running providers on the web. The Tel Aviv-based company covers every major city in the world via 2. 5 million IP addresses.
It offers both residential and static IPs. The former is delivered on rotation by an API. Therefore, you can make as many simultaneous requests as needed without being blocked or slowed down.
If you’d prefer a static IP, GeoSurf covers over 130 countries in over 30 designated market areas in the US. They are more prone to identification, though.
Georsurf’s other key feature is a VPN for mobile. VPNs easily allow you to hide behind proxies as you browse or otherwise use the internet. This one complies with Android and iOS and uses numerous protocols, including OpenVPN and PPTP. This feature is limited to 120 locations.
For a proxy site, GeoSurf is certainly pricey. But it comes with a long track record and many extra features.
The starter plan is $450/month for ‘130+ IPs’ and 38GB of traffic. At the top end, you get unlimited IP access for $2, 000/month, and 250GB of traffic. All plans are auto-recurring. Enterprise plans can be negotiated if you contact the team. Due to the price, GeoSurf is more suitable for medium to large businesses than individuals.
The sign-up process is a little labored. First, you must give your name, email, and country, and then a salesperson will arrange a Skype chat. You can’t just buy a plan and get going.
Once you’ve been prodded and chosen a plan, you can manage your account from a web dashboard. Here you can see billing info, traffic usage, and access the gateways.
There are many ways to implement your proxies, including mobile. A toolbar can be added to Chrome and Firefox browsers. You can delete your browser data and switch IPs with just a few clicks.
To set your whole computer behind a proxy, you can use the Desktop VPN – some of the best proxy server software Windows, Mac, and Linux. Users can surf the web with any browser this way, but it also allows you to use other applications.
Meanwhile, developers might connect to the API directly to run scripts and other operations that can benefit from some of the best proxy servers around the globe. All it really lacks is support for SOCKS5 protocol.
Although its service is brilliant, the current incarnation of the website could do with improvement. Many pages have stock text filling up space. Moreover, there are pages for ‘Instagram Proxies’ and ‘Ad Verification Proxies’. This, however, is just marketing for the exact same plans. There are no dedicated proxies for Instagram or ad verification. Nonetheless, you can use GeoSurf for those purposes.
Performance-wise, it provides a lot of unique IPs, but falls short to Bright Data and Smartproxy. It also doesn’t quite match up to the speed of Smartproxy or Oxylabs.
In conclusion, we found their IPs to be clean and plentiful, and the overall infrastructure to be fast and secure. A legally binding agreement that states they don’t pass on your personal info was good to see. In the future, we’d like a clear free trial (you have to ask for a live demo or wait for a special promotion). And, SOCKS support would be nice.
Great scraping tool
Automatic proxy management
Residential proxies available
Lots of plans
Zyte grew as an internal platform for web scraping company ScrapingHub. After using the name Crawlera for over a decade, it’s gone for something a little more inclusive now.
Under the hood, however, it is a continuation of the same rotating proxy network. It’s one of the best proxy sites for bots and scraping. Most importantly, it doesn’t trigger CAPTCHAS or IP bans.
Zyte does not sell users on the number of IPs it has access to or how clean they are. Instead, it applies its own complex rotation system over IPs it rents from other providers. That is to say, you’re buying a robust web scraping tool that utilizes proxies, rather than the proxies/IPs themselves.
The IPs aren’t well suited for other purposes, which is a downside. Furthermore, plans are based around the number of requests.
Two key features make up the Zyte experience. First is a ‘Smart Proxy Manager’ of thousands of data centre IPs from across the world. Everything is rotated automatically in the background. The tool is able to assess your requested site for its load and ban likelihood. Then, it adjusts your request rate to keep you on the green list.
If an IP proxy is blocked, it assesses why and retries with a new IP address.
Second, is the ‘Automatic Extraction’ tool. This saves you using a third-party crawler. Simply enter a URL into the intuitive dashboard and it will pull the data without coding.
Product databases, news articles – there are lots of possibilities. Plus, you can use the Extraction API with your own more advanced methods off the back of Zyte’s infrastructure.
The proxy manager starts from $29/month for up to 50, 000 requests, 50 of which can be concurrent. The $349/month ‘Advanced’ plan supports 2. 5 million monthly requests, 200 of which can be concurrent. Enterprise solutions start at $999.
For automatic data extraction, pricing starts at $60 per 100, 000 requests. The upper limit is 500, 000 requests per month. Alternatively, you can rely on bespoke data services from $450 per month, but you’ll need to speak to a sales rep.
You can try both tools for free for 14 days, with a limit of 10, 000 requests.
Residential proxies are now available, but they’re a paid extra, on top of any other plans you purchase. The smallest plan is $300 per month for 25GB of traffic and access to over 500, 000 IP addresses.
At the other end, you can get 200GB of traffic and priority in the support queue for $1, 000 a month.
Customer support is excellent, albeit tiered. On the cheaper plans you must rely on a ticket, reading the help pages, or asking the community forum. Responses are guaranteed within one business day, but we received a reply within an hour for a test question.
The high-priced plans get priority in the queue, while Enterprise clients have a dedicated account manager.
In short, Zyte is an excellent proxy program for those that need to use many IPs for data mining. You can find better services, however, if you require proxies for other means.
What is a Proxy?
A proxy is an access point that acts as a gateway to the internet. All traffic requests to and from a website are processed by a computer server. This approach protects your real identity from being exposed.
Under typical circumstances, workplaces, schools, and libraries block specific sites from access. Likewise, some websites are geo-restricted. Using a proxy helps you freely access those web pages.
Some of the best private proxy server services offer enhanced security features – SSL encryption, audit logs, firewall, and more. They provide an additional layer of defense between computer systems and outside traffic. This plays a huge role in shielding users/organizations from hackers.
Paid Proxies Versus Free Proxies
Both have upsides and downsides. While the former provides more options, the latter has basic functions to get the job done.
Here are the details.
Pros
Service providers offer free proxy services to you at zero costs. However, vendors enforce restrictions on bandwidth, server resources, and more. Such limitations are usually in place to maintain the quality of service. That way you handle lightweight tasks such as browsing and opening blocked sites. It allows users to test the waters before going pro.
Paid proxies offer more features at a premium price. You can choose between different regions and specific IP addresses. It also guarantees you 99% anonymity and privacy online. You’ll experience fast connections by browsing at full speeds.
Over the years, competition has drastically lowered the cost of these services. A good example is Whoer that charges $9. 90/month with support for up to 5 users. That’s as cheap as a cup of Starbucks coffee.
Cons
The majority of best internet proxy server providers have a zero cost plan in place. But the truth is – there’s nothing as free lunch. Vendors usually use this approach to upsell products and services.
Web browsers store cookies when you visit websites. These are small files that are generated based on user behavior online. When you use free proxies, developers collect and sell this data to third-party advertisers. Vendors such as VPNBook directly serve advertisements to you. In simple terms – you indirectly pay for the service.
The other drawback is related to security. When using free proxy services, your anonymity isn’t guaranteed. IP leaks are bound to happen and this can expose your real identity. However, if you’re an occasional user, that shouldn’t be a matter of concern.
On the flip side, paid proxies aren’t that reliable. Downtimes and server breakdowns can occur at any time. Dealing with them is extremely annoying.
Types of Proxies
There are many proxies available. They mostly differ on essentials such as configuration, software, and functionality.
Here we’ve covered 6 of the most common proxy types:
Shared Proxy
This type of proxy is built on an extensive computer networking infrastructure. It’s normally used to serve several clients at the same time. This allows vendors to split the costs amongst users; hence, make the service affordable. To ensure quality, the majority proxy of service providers utilize load-balancing to handle traffic spikes. It helps to distribute large requests across a web of interlinked data centers. This setup enables users to enjoy a smooth experience all through.
Semi-Dedicated Proxy
This is a type of proxy that combines the benefits of shared and dedicated proxies. It usually allows a maximum of 5 users per server. This grants superior service at budget-friendly prices. However, you risk service interruption due to overloading by a single user. It’s a great option for casual users that need privacy online.
Dedicated Proxy
A dedicated proxy allows a single user to utilize all resources. This solution offers more agility and computing power to the client. It’s also efficient, stable, and secure. The chances of getting your IP banned are minimal. You’ll have greater control over managing your online tasks. All these benefits do come at a high price, though.
Socks5 Proxy
Security is a top priority for people that prefer to be anonymous online. That’s where SOCKS5 proxy comes into the picture. It covers the highest standards of data encryption. It supports protocols such as TCP/UDP layer 4 and SSL layer 7. Using it allows you to transfer coded information over HTTP/HTTPS, SFTP, P2P, and more.
Residential Proxy
If you need the best anonymous proxy server, get a residential proxy. With it, IP addresses get attached to actual devices – smartphones, gaming consoles, or computers. Connections generated by this solution are usually undetectable. The service makes websites give you the greenlight by identifying you as an actual visitor.
Reverse Proxy
A reverse proxy is a computer network that mediates between a web resource and visitors. It usually retrieves information from the source server on behalf of users. This configuration is ideal for organizations that need a high level of security. It’s useful for filtering bad traffic and blocking cyberattacks.
Proxy vs VPN – What is Better?
VPN and proxy do the same task of protecting the identities of users online. While both serve the same purpose, their mode of operation is different.
A proxy program transfers your data across the internet in raw format. This approach increases the likelihood of exposing your real identity.
A VPN provides end-to-end encryption between your device and the remote computer. You
10 Best (100% FREE) Proxy Sites for Private Browsing in 2021 – WizCase
Free proxy sites are temping when you need to get around firewalls, but it’s hard to tell which proxy is actually safe and works. To save you time, I tested 20+ free proxies and ranked the 10 best options.
While free proxies still need to make money, I was concerned to find even some of the best free proxy sites log your activities and sell it to advertisers. For this reason, I don’t recommend using a free proxy for sensitive activities like torrenting, banking, or watching adult content — there’s a high chance that you’re being secretly watched.
If you want online anonymity and security, you may want to consider a VPN. A premium provider like ExpressVPN offers anonymity, fast speeds, and military-grade security that no free proxy can match. ExpressVPN is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee so it’s easy to get a refund if you’re not satisfied with its performance.
Try ExpressVPN risk-free
CyberGhost — Free proxy plugin for Chrome and Firefox with unlimited bandwidth, leak protection, and traffic encryption.
HMA — Connect to free servers in 5 locations (including the US), but requires an email address at signup.
ZenMate — Encrypted proxy servers in 4 countries, but comes with a speed limit.
Hotspot Shield — Advanced security features but only 1 server.
— Free webform proxy and browser extensions available, but only 3 servers available.
Hidester — Zero-logs policy and you don’t need to create an account, but only has basic encryption.
KProxy — Reliable service with a good reputation, but limits your data in a single browsing session.
VPNBook — Impressive 256-bit encryption, but logs your data.
4everproxy — Variety of servers and IP locations, but stores your data for 7 days.
ProxySite — Unblocks popular websites, but doesn’t let you choose specific server locations.
Privacy Tip: If you need to browse the web without worrying about your activity being logged, jump to see the best free VPNs. The best services use military-grade encryption and even have an audited no-logs policy.
1. CyberGhost Free Proxy Plugin
CyberGhost has a free proxy extension that requires no signup. The proxy plugin is currently available for Chrome and Firefox, and allows access to 8 servers in 4 countries (Germany, Romania, Netherlands, and the US).
I only had to click the Power button, and CyberGhost instantly connected me to its server. I was able to select a server location of my choice and change my IP address within seconds. I was especially impressed when I had no trouble watching movies on Netflix and didn’t encounter any buffering during my streams.
I performed several DNS leak tests with the CyberGhost proxy plugin enabled, and it passed every time, meaning my IP address didn’t become exposed during DNS requests. CyberGhost offers a VPN service in addition to its proxy plugin.
2. HMA Free Web Proxy
HMA has a Chrome and Firefox browser extension with 5 server locations (the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, and France). When I tested its “Quick Connect” feature, it automatically connected me to the fastest server based on my location.
HMA’s free proxy server has 2 useful extra features: Auto Hide and Tab Killer. Auto Hide automatically hides your location when you visit specified websites, so I set it up to always connect to the US server when I visited YouTube. Tab Killer hides every open browser tab when you press a keyboard shortcut, so you can browser at school or work without getting caught.
Although HMA recently updated its privacy policy and has a guaranteed no-logging policy, you’ll need to sign up for an account using a valid email address for verification. If you like the plugin’s performance, you can try the HMA VPN for more server options.
3. ZenMate Free Proxy Extension
ZenMate has a free proxy that comes as an extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera. There are 4 servers in Germany, Romania, Singapore, and the US.
You’re protected by AES 128-bit encryption — while it’s not as powerful as the AES 256-bit offered by ZenMate’s VPN service, AES 128 does have faster speeds and strong security. The extension also has a built-in WebRTC Protect and Malware/Tracking Blocker features, which further helps you stay anonymous when browsing online.
Unfortunately, ZenMate restricts the maximum speed to 2 MB/s, so it’s not the best choice for data-intensive activities like downloading or streaming. Unlimited bandwidth is reserved for VPN users — the ZenMate VPN has optimized servers for streaming and torrenting.
4. Hotspot Shield Free Proxy
Hotspot Shield is known as a free VPN service, but it also has a free proxy. You can connect to 4 servers — Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, or the Russian Federation. While this is a little limited compared to some other free proxies, the servers are fast and truly anonymous. After just 1 click, I could open Netflix Germany and start streaming! I didn’t even need to register for an account.
Its free proxy browser extension has a comprehensive set of security settings including a malware blocker, ad blocker, and cookie blocker. I found all of these features easily in the “Configuration” menu at the top right of the extension. Disappointingly, during my tests the ad blocker couldn’t stop annoying YouTube ads from playing.
5. Free Proxy Browser
only has proxy servers in 3 countries (Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada) but it gives you several customization options. You have the option of disabling cookies, scripts, and objects (like images and plug-ins) while you’re browsing. I wanted as much privacy as possible, so I encrypted the URL of the page I was browsing on. It’s super easy — just click “More options” and choose “Encrypt URL” from the menu.
The webform proxy server is fast at connecting you to your chosen web address. You can also download a browser extension for Chrome or Firefox to protect every page you visit. Best of all, ’s free proxy server doesn’t keep logs of IP addresses or online activity at all.
Remember that only your browser traffic is protected. If you want your entire internet connection to be encrypted, you can try ’s free VPN service.
6. Hidester
Hidester is an impressive free web proxy (with servers in the US and Europe) that gives you more security options than most. You can easily choose to encrypt your URL, block cookies, and remove scripts to block annoying ads. There’s no account signup necessary and Hidester keeps zero logs — no IP addresses, user browsing activity, or any identifying information is stored. This really impressed me as most free web proxies keep at least some logs for a period of time.
Alongside its free web proxy, Hidester offers several other tools I found helpful for maintaining good online security. I especially like the secure password generator, which recommends passwords proven to be difficult to crack.
As impressive as Hidester is, its basic encryption doesn’t measure up with the AES 256-bit encryption used by premium VPNs. Plus, a VPN will protect your whole device rather than just a single webpage.
7. KProxy
KProxy has a proxy webform, as well as a Chrome and Firefox extension. I like the Chrome extension as it gave me 2 precise locations to choose from — Canada and France, which both connected to websites quickly. On the webform, you get 10 different servers to choose from, but you can’t see the location of the servers so browsing and unblocking sites is less precise.
Unfortunately, KProxy limits your browsing in a single session to either 3 hours or when you’ve hit the 300MB data cap. At this point, you’ll be prompted to upgrade the service or wait 30 minutes to resume using the proxy. While it’s not a huge problem, I found it annoying to have to wait to start using the service again.
Most importantly, KProxy keeps some user data (notably, IP addresses) and will give it to the authorities if you abuse the system or engage in illegal activities — including torrenting.
8. VPNBook
VPNBook is another VPN service that also provides a free web proxy. It’s straightforward and simple to use if you need quick access to a blocked website. You can choose from 4 different servers (2 in Europe, 2 in North America) or VPNBook will assign you a proxy server randomly. While I prefer to choose a server that’s close to me (for faster connections), I found that the random proxy server was fast (around 25Mbps on average) when browsing and streaming.
VPNBook is the only web proxy with 256-bit SSL-encryption — a level of encryption that you usually only get from premium VPNs. This means you can be sure that no matter which server you use, your connection is secure and protected from prying eyes.
Despite its high-level encryption and security, VPNBook keeps logs. Although these logs are deleted after a week and are only used to report illegal activity, I’m disappointed that my activity isn’t totally anonymous.
9. 4everproxy
4everproxy gives you 11 servers and 24 IP locations to choose from when you use its free web proxy. I chose the closest server (UK – London) for the fastest speed and an IP address in another country. You don’t have to select a server and IP from the same location, so you can maximize your anonymity!
I tested 4everproxy’s claims that every server is super fast (with 1Gbps connections) and was impressed by the speed. I streamed YouTube with just a couple of seconds of buffering, although I did also get an ad for 4everproxy before my video started.
There are no sign ups or logins required — I typed in my web address and connected in less than 5 seconds. There are also no use limits, as long as you aren’t using the proxy for illegal activity like excessive downloads. The service does log some user data (but it’s deleted after 7 days).
10. ProxySite
ProxySite has 17 US servers and 18 EU servers to make your connection. Server locations aren’t specific, but choosing a server in a nearby region will provide a faster experience. I connected to several EU and US servers — it took me several seconds longer to connect to sites through the US servers.
ProxySite does log your data to monitor for abuse of the service (like excessive downloading or collecting data from other sites) but deletes the logs after 14 days. If you’d rather avoid leaving your private information in the hands of third parties, I recommend you download a VPN instead.
The reality is that proxy sites only provide a basic level of protection. Most proxies don’t use advanced encryption protocols, but even those that do only secure the browser connection — not the entire network. This means that proxies won’t protect other apps on your device, like those you use for banking, social media, and messaging.
Most free proxies also cap your data and have a limited number of IP addresses, which usually get blocked by streaming sites once they’re identified as proxies. Some of the worst free proxies can even log your traffic and steal your bandwidth.
I only recommend proxies for specific activities, like browsing the internet. If you need to do anything else, it’s much safer to check out the best VPN services in 2021. Quality VPNs encrypt every connection using the AES 256-bit cipher, which is the same standard used by militaries and governments worldwide. Better yet, you have access to unlimited bandwidth and servers around the world.
Reputation — If a proxy site has been operating for years, it’s likely a safe option for you. See if you can check its user reputation by looking for a comments section or social media page.
Fast servers — A proxy site with a larger number of servers means the risk of you disconnecting is lower. If the proxy has servers close to your geographic location, you’ll also experience faster connection speeds.
Servers locations — Some free proxies don’t give you any server details. You might not even be able to choose a server, which could be dangerous if you don’t know the local internet laws.
Privacy policies — Some free proxy sites save your connection details, like your IP address or browsing activity. Some even encrypt URLs and page content, block scripts to lower the risk of malware, and stop annoying ads.
Webform or browser extension — Most free proxies offer extensions for browsers or apps that support major operating systems.
If you want the best protection for your whole device (not just your browser), a safer alternative is a VPN. Unlike free proxies, a VPN doesn’t log any of your activities — what you do online remains your business. For example, ExpressVPN applies military-grade encryption to every connection, from web searches to streaming and online banking.
Stay anonymous online with a VPN
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN for Privacy, Security and Speed in 2021
Key Features:
Over 3000 servers in 94+ countries
AES 256-bit military-grade encryption and Network Lock kill switch hides your location at all times
5 simultaneous device connections
24/7 customer support with live chat
30-day money-back guarantee
While it’s not free upfront, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee you can use to try every feature before committing to a subscription. You can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the performance — it’s a “no questions asked” refund policy. This is a great way to see how well a premium VPN compares to a free proxy server at keeping your data and online activity secure.
ExpressVPN is one of the best services available for getting around content blocks. During tests, I easily streamed Netflix without a single instance of buffering, lag, or pixelation. I could even access Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, and DAZN.
I had impeccable image quality while watching Netflix with ExpressVPN
Unlike most free proxies with shady privacy practices, ExpressVPN has an audited no-logs policy that was even confirmed in a real-life case. In addition, the company is based in the British Virgin Islands, which has strong privacy and data protection laws.
You can try ExpressVPN’s full range of features risk-free as it’s backed by a money-back guarantee for 30 days. I tested ExpressVPN for 25 days before asking for a refund through live chat. The agent didn’t ask why I was canceling and processed my request in less than 5 minutes. My money returned to my account after only 4 business days.
October 2021 Update! ExpressVPN has dropped prices for a limited time to a crazy $6. 67 per month for the 1-year plan (you can save up to 49%) + 3 months free! This is a limited offer so be sure to grab it now before it’s gone. See more information on this offer here.
2. CyberGhost — Fast Servers for Anonymous Browsing, Streaming and Torrenting
6900+ servers in over 90 countries, including optimized servers for most major streaming sites
Top-tier encryption and NoSpy servers keep you safe and anonymous online
7 simultaneous device connections
45-day money-back guarantee
CyberGhost no longer has a free plan, but you can use it for 45 days and get your money back, no questions asked. That’s plenty of time to take full advantage of CyberGhost’s optimized streaming servers and watch shows and movies on all your favorite platforms. While testing the VPN, it took me 2 seconds to connect to the BBC iPlayer server and watch an entire season of Peaky Blinders beginning to end without lag or pixelation.
CyberGhost’s BBC iPlayer server helped me watch Peaky Blinders in HD
You can even connect to a selection of highly secure NoSpy servers. These servers are all located in Romania, a country that doesn’t engage in online surveillance and isn’t party to the 5/9/14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances. Furthermore, CyberGhost manages its NoSpy servers exclusively, without any third-party interference, so you can rest assured that no one will tamper with your private information.
Best of all, you can try CyberGhost for free for 45 days by taking advantage of the money-back guarantee — ideal if you only need a VPN for a few weeks. I asked for my refund over live chat and had my money back in the account only 4 days later.
Try CyberGhost for free
October 2021 Update: CyberGhost has dropped prices for a limited time to a crazy $2. 25 per month for the 2-year plan (you can save up to 83%)! This is a limited offer so be sure to grab it now before it’s gone. See more information on this offer here.
3. Hotspot Shield — 500MB of Free Daily Data and Access to 1 US Server
1800+ servers available in over 80 countries
Military-grade encryption
24/7 live support via chat
45-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans
Hotspot Shield has free and paid plans. The free plan works similar to the Hotspot Shield proxy but provides the added security of a VPN. You have 500MB of free data per day (total of 1. 5GB each month). You also have access to only 1 server in the US, which usually offers lower speeds than the premium version due to high server traffic.
Its 1 US server even works with YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. I could watch content seamlessly with Hotspot Shield’s proprietary Catapult Hydra — a tunneling protocol optimized for high speed and low latency.
You can try Hotspot Shield for free and see if it meets your needs.
Try Hotspot Shield for free
4. TunnelBear — 500MB of Free Monthly Data for Secure Connections in 20+ Countries
Servers located in 41+ countries, including the UK, USA, and Canada
AES 256-bit encryption secures your entire internet connection
500MB data limit with the free plan
Up to 5 device connections at the same time
Email support
TunnelBear is a fast, secure free VPN with a low data limit. At only 500MB of data allowance per month, it isn’t suited to streaming or torrenting. However, with server locations in over 20 countries, I found that TunnelBear is excellent at getting around content restrictions with just 1 click. TunnelBear connects quickly, too, taking less than 5 seconds to connect to a server when I tested it. These speedy connections make it a great choice if you want to unblock a website or service quickly.
It’s owned by McAfee (the security giant) and uses AES 256-bit encryption to keep your data protected. It also uses a Vigilant Mode that blocks unsecured traffic in case your VPN connection gets disrupted. There’s even a free ad blocker — I was impressed to find that it blocked all ads when I streamed YouTube.
You can try these features out and download TunnelBear for free. You don’t even need to create an account to get started.
Get TunnelBear for free
5. — 10GB of Free Monthly Data With No Bandwidth Throttling
5 servers in 5 countries with the free plan
Industry-standard, AES 256-bit encryption cipher
10GB monthly data cap with the free subscription, but no bandwidth limits
1 device connection per each free account
Customer support is available to free users
offers an impressive free VPN with no ads or speed limits — you get the same speeds as paid users. The service also offers strong security features that ensure safe browsing and streaming, and a zero-logs policy. You can connect to 5 servers in the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, US East, and US West. uses AES 256-bit encryption and offers a kill switch and DNS leak protection. It only keeps non-persistent logs and erases them every few hours.
Unfortunately, you’re limited to only 10GB per month. Once you exceed the maximum data usage limit, you will need to upgrade to the premium plan to continue using the service.
It’s easy to try for free — you don’t even have to provide your email address or create an account.
Try for free
What’s better: a VPN or proxy?
A proxy server offers a basic level of security by masking your IP address, but only the best proxy sites have advanced privacy features. However, you should use a VPN instead of a proxy when you’re:
Browsing the internet through apps instead of a browser.
Connected to public WiFi and want to protect your data.
Performing a personal task online (like banking)
Downloading and seeding torrents
Living in or visiting a country with strict internet restrictions.
If you’re looking for total security and privacy, a free proxy server isn’t the best choice. It will only protect your information for the websites you visit using it — outside of your browser, other apps (like banking, social media, and messaging) won’t be protected. Proxy servers also send all of your data requests as plain text. Anyone watching can see your usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information transported to the site — which is great for hackers and cybercriminals, but not for your data security.
Using a quality VPN means you don’t have to worry about your data or browsing security. It encrypts every connection so no one can access your information or web activity.
Can I use a free VPN instead of a proxy?
Both free proxy servers and free VPNs have pros and cons — but the most significant difference is how much security they provide while you’re connected. I tested the best free VPNs in 2021 and free proxies to see how they compare to each other. On average, here are the results:
Free Proxy Sites
Free VPNs
Hides IP Address
✔
Encrypts Connection
✔ Browser only
No-Logs Policy
Depends
No Email Required
Unblocks Content
Extra Security Features
If you want more security but aren’t sure about the cost, you should try a premium VPN with a money-back guarantee. For example, CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee, so you have up to 45 days to try CyberGhost risk-free. If you’re not happy, you can get a full refund — no questions asked.
I used CyberGhost for free by taking advantage of the money-back guarantee
Do proxy sites work on any device?
You can access the best free proxy sites via a browser. The majority of free proxies are available on Chrome, although many also work on Firefox, Opera, Edge, and Safari.
However, keep in mind that a proxy only encrypts the browser’s web traffic. The rest of your device won’t be protected — so if you regularly use apps or programs outside the browser, you might want to consider a VPN. The best VPNs have dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and even Linux.
What are the best proxy sites for video streaming?
It’s tricky to find a a good proxy site for streaming. Unfortunately, most free proxies limit your data usage, so you won’t be able to watch videos in high-quality definition.
It’s even more difficult if you want to access subscription-based services like Netflix. As soon as you try to access these sites using a free proxy, it doesn’t take the streaming platform long to figure out that you’re spoofing your real IP address. In my experience, only the best VPNs have the technology and resources to unblock streaming sites (like Netflix US).
What are the different types of proxy servers?
There are several different kinds of proxy servers and they can operate using different protocols. Proxy server protocols consist of:
HTTP — This proxy uses a remote server to “grab” a webpage when you make a request and send it to you through an unencrypted connection. It’s almost like interacting directly with the webpage, but the owner of the server can change the data you receive. They could add pop-up ads or even malware to the data.
HTTPS/SSL — This proxy is a secure extension of the HTTP proxy. It works in the same way, only it’s encrypted with TLS encryption. Your ISP or anyone else looking at your activity can see the domains you access but not specific URLs.
SOCKS/SOCKS5 — These proxies are considerably more flexible and secure, able to send and receive data through different sources. They’re often used for torrenting and can be set up to need username and password authentication. You can find random SOCKS5 proxies online, but IPVanish has a free and fast SOCKS5 proxy included with its VPN service.
Transparent — These proxies tell the website you’re visiting that it is a proxy server and it will forward your true IP address to the site. Transparent proxies are mostly used to filter content from networks (like in schools or government buildings) and monitor activity.
Different proxy configurations include:
Private proxy — This kind of proxy can be used by only one person at a time and is designed to hide your personal IP address. A dedicated private proxy has a static IP address (it doesn’t change) and are usually paid services.
Shared/public proxy — Shared proxies consist of multiple IP addresses that can be used by a group of paying members. Public proxies are free to use for anyone who accesses them. These are the riskiest options as you don’t know what other users are doing (like downloading illegal material) and the proxy owner could potentially mishandle your data.
Web proxy — This is a proxy like Hidester, which is great for getting around a content block through a web page or browser extension.
Residential/data center proxy — A residential proxy is one that is supplied by your ISP and behaves just like a regular IP address. Websites won’t know you’re using a proxy. Data center proxies come from a third-party supplier and are easier to get. Many of the IP addresses are very similar so they’re prone to being blocked by sites and services as it can be obvious that they are proxy connections.
What should I do if the proxy site stops responding?
If the web proxy you’re using stops responding or freezes, you can refresh your browser page or close it. Then, open a new tab and head back to the proxy site. This usually fixes the issue and you can resume your anonymous browsing.
For a proxy browser extension, you have a few more options to try:
Restart your device and make sure you’re connected to the internet before turning on the extension.
Make sure your firewall isn’t preventing the server connection — if you can, pause your firewall while you try to connect.
Remove and re-add the extension to your browser.
Unfortunately, most free proxy servers don’t have a support site or live chat to help resolve any problems you may encounter. I recommend you use a quality VPN service like CyberGhost, which offers troubleshooting guides, a comprehensive support site, and a 24/7 live chat option to resolve your issues. It has a free proxy plugin, but you can try CyberGhost VPN for free for 45 days with the money-back guarantee.
Get CyberGhost for free!
A free web proxy provides a basic level of online security and gives you freedom to enjoy content you can’t normally see — but it comes with limitations. For the best possible security, with encrypted connections, zero logs, and absolute privacy, you should use a VPN.
Even a free VPN would do a better job than one of these proxies. However, if you’re not willing to waste your time and risk your privacy, I recommend you use a trusted name like ExpressVPN instead. It uses military-grade encryption and TrustedServer technology to protect your data. It also offers unlimited data, lightning-fast speeds and has a proven zero-log policy. You can try ExpressVPN on any device. If you’re not satisfied, you have up to 30 days to claim a refund.
Top VPNs That Work Better Than Proxy Sites in 2021
Top Choice
1.
$6. 67 / month
Save 48%
2.
$2. 25 / month
Save 83%
3.
$2. 08 / month
4.
$2. 79 / month
Save 36%
5.
$3. 75 / month
Save 66%
Frequently Asked Questions about best proxy for video sites
Which is the best proxy site?
Here’s the list of the best proxy servers that you can find in 2021.KProxy – Best free proxy.HMA – Best proxy browser.VPNBook – Best for security.ProxySite – Best for smartphones.Whoer – Best value for money.GeoSurf – Best for unlimited IP connections.Zyte – Best for scraping websites.More items…
Which free proxy is best?
Quick Guide: The Best Free Proxies (Tested 2021) ZenMate — Encrypted proxy servers in 4 countries, but comes with a speed limit. Hotspot Shield — Advanced security features but only 1 server. Hide.me — Free webform proxy and browser extensions available, but only 3 servers available.Oct 1, 2021
How do I download a proxy video?
How to Download YouTube Videos with a Proxy?Install and run the software.Find Options in the bottom right corner and open them.Go to the Connection tab.Tick Enable Proxy and type your Proxy ID and Port. … Go to the main menu, paste the link of your geo-restricted video and download it.
