The Best Proxy Server Services: Expert Picks for 2026

Looking for a reliable proxy server but drowning in options? You're not alone. While most people think VPNs and proxies are basically the same thing, they're actually quite different tools designed for different jobs.

A VPN is like wrapping your entire internet connection in a secure tunnel—great for privacy. But a proxy server? That's more like a middleman who handles specific requests for you, hiding your IP address while giving you access to geolocked content or helping you scrape data for business purposes.

If you need to collect market data, bypass regional restrictions for legitimate business reasons, or manage multiple online accounts without getting flagged, a proxy server is likely what you're after. The question is: which one?

Why Choose a Proxy Over a VPN?

Here's the thing—proxies shine in scenarios where you need flexibility and specific functionality rather than blanket security. Think of it this way: if you're running an e-commerce business and need to check competitor pricing across different regions, or you're a researcher gathering public data at scale, a proxy gives you the precision tools for the job.

The right proxy service can handle thousands of requests simultaneously, rotate IP addresses automatically, and give you access to residential IPs that look like regular users browsing from their homes. That's something a standard VPN just can't match.

👉 Get reliable residential proxies with excellent performance for data collection and market research

Top Proxy Services Worth Your Attention

Let's cut through the noise and talk about what actually works.

For Getting Started: MarsProxies

If you're new to proxy servers or running a smaller operation, MarsProxies hits the sweet spot. With a Trustpilot rating of 4.8, customers consistently praise their support team—which matters more than you'd think when you're troubleshooting connection issues at 2 AM.

The pricing is straightforward: residential proxies start at $3.49 per gigabyte, and if you need mobile proxies, those run $2.83 per day. They cover over 190 countries with more than 1 million IPs in their pool.

What makes them stand out? They offer sneaker proxies (starting at $0.86), sticky sessions for consistent connections, and SOCKS5 support. Whether you're doing market research, managing social media accounts, or yes, trying to cop limited-edition sneakers, they've got options that make sense.

The downside? No free trial. But you can grab a basic short-term proxy to test the waters before committing to a larger plan.

For Industrial-Scale Web Scraping: Oxylabs

When you need to scrape data like your business depends on it (because it probably does), Oxylabs is the heavy hitter. They're sitting on 175 million IPs across 195 countries—the largest ethically-sourced residential proxy pool in the business.

But it's not just about size. Oxylabs offers a deep API for scraping activities, headless browser functionality, and even an AI assistant that helps convert raw scraped data into actionable insights. That last part is huge if you're drowning in data but struggling to make sense of it.

Pricing runs around $1.20 per IP or $4 per gigabyte for residential proxies. They offer a three-day trial for individuals and a seven-day trial for business customers.

Customer feedback zeroes in on their reliability, especially with mobile proxies. If you're pulling data for market research or competitive analysis, users say the investment pays for itself in the quality of results you get.

👉 Explore advanced proxy solutions with massive IP pools and AI-powered data processing

For Business Intelligence: Bright Data

Bright Data is built for businesses that treat data collection as a core function, not just a side project. They focus heavily on business intelligence and AI applications, with structured data collection workflows and a proxy manager if you're juggling multiple proxies.

With over 150 million IPs spanning 195 countries, they offer residential, data center, ISP, and mobile proxies. Pay-as-you-go plans give you up to 678GB in traffic, or you can opt for monthly subscriptions.

The customer feedback here is mixed in an interesting way—people love the service quality and support, but some find the billing and verification processes annoying. At $2.94 per gigabyte for residential proxies or $0.90 per IP, it's competitively priced for what you get.

Business customers can sign up for a free trial, which is the smart move if you're considering this for enterprise use.

Making the Right Choice

Here's what it comes down to: what problem are you actually trying to solve?

If you're just starting out or need a versatile tool for multiple smaller projects, MarsProxies offers the best balance of price, features, and support. The pay-as-you-go model means you're not locked into massive upfront costs.

For large-scale data scraping operations where you need rock-solid reliability and AI-powered insights, Oxylabs justifies its higher price point. The size of their proxy pool and the sophistication of their tools make them the go-to for serious data operations.

And if you're a business with complex data collection needs and the budget to match, Bright Data's focus on business intelligence and structured workflows might be exactly what you need.

The proxy server market keeps evolving, with providers adding new features and expanding their IP pools. Whatever you choose, make sure it aligns with your actual use case—not just the flashiest feature list. Start with a trial or small plan, test it against your real-world needs, and scale up from there.