Recommended after extensive, multi-round testing by our in-house expert team.
- Wide IP coverage and large pool size
- Perfectly suited for social media, e-commerce, and localization services
- Best market pricing
- Exceptionally clean IP quality
Best Residential Proxy Recommendations
DataImpulse
- IP Quality: Very High
- Total IPs: 90 million
- Traffic never expires
- Available in 195+ countries
- Premium plans include dedicated IP pools
- Starting from $5.0
NetNut
- IP Quality: Very High
- Total IPs: 92 million
- Choose between dynamic or static IPs
- Traffic never expires
- Available in 195+ countries
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections
- Starting from $1.59
FloppyData
- IP Quality: High
- Total IPs: 1 million
- Traffic never expires
- Available in 195+ countries
- Premium plans include dedicated IP pools
- Starting from $2.95
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is a proxy? How does it work?
– What is a proxy
A proxy is a “relay” server. Your network requests (for example, opening a webpage or accessing an app) are not sent directly to the target site; they go first to the proxy server, which then forwards them. The site sees the proxy server’s request instead of your real IP.
– How a proxy works
User device (PC/phone) → connect to proxy → proxy accesses the target site on your behalf → returns the result to you.
This hides your real IP, helps bypass some restrictions, or makes the request appear to originate from the proxy’s location.
When do you need a residential proxy?
A “residential proxy” uses IP addresses from home broadband networks instead of datacenter servers.
Because residential IPs resemble those of ordinary users, they are more trusted and valuable in certain scenarios:
– E-commerce / Short video / Social media: Platforms tend to trust residential IPs more, reducing the chance of being flagged as a bot or part of automated operations.
– Data collection / Web scraping: Using residential proxies lowers the risk of bans or IP blocks.
– Account registration / Login: Some websites restrict datacenter IPs but allow residential IPs more freely.
– Localization needs: If you need to simulate real user activity from a specific region, you must use a residential proxy from that area.
Why do you need a VPN to use proxies in mainland China?
– Protocol issue
Most residential proxy providers offer SOCKS5 or HTTP proxy protocols, both of which have long been heavily blocked or interfered with in mainland China, making them nearly impossible to use directly.
– Role of the VPN
A VPN provides an alternative encrypted transmission layer that can “wrap” SOCKS5 or HTTP proxy traffic inside a secure tunnel and send it overseas. This way, the proxy connection won’t be recognized or blocked. VPNAcademy recommends ZoogVPN for users in China.
– In simple terms
Using a proxy in China = you must first use a VPN to bypass the Great Firewall (GFW) → then connect to the proxy server → and finally access your target website successfully.