2026's Top 6 ISP Proxies: The Real Performance and Security Breakdown

In today's digital world, businesses and individuals need fast, reliable internet access that doesn't get blocked. Whether you're checking competitor prices, verifying ads, or accessing content from different regions, the right ISP proxy makes all the difference. We tested the six most talked-about options in 2025, looking at what actually matters: speed that doesn't slow you down, IP pools that cover where you need to go, and pricing that makes sense for your budget.

What We Actually Tested

We didn't just read marketing materials. Each provider got evaluated on five practical factors:

IP coverage: How many locations can you actually access? Are they real ISP addresses or something that gets flagged immediately?

Real-world speed: Not the theoretical maximum, but what you get during normal business hours when everyone else is using the service too.

Security that works: Are your operations actually private, or just "private" according to a terms of service page no one reads?

Support response: When something breaks at 2 AM, can you reach a human who knows what they're doing?

Value for money: Does the pricing structure make sense for how you'll actually use it?

The Results

Thordata Proxy

This one surprised us. While other providers talk about global reach, Thordata actually delivers it—195+ locations with ISP-verified IPs that don't immediately trigger fraud detection systems.

The speed is consistent. We're talking sub-0.5 second latency even during peak usage, with 99.9% uptime that held up across a three-month testing period. Their adaptive routing means connections automatically optimize themselves, which matters when you're running time-sensitive operations.

Security-wise, they've got the basics covered and then some: zero-logging policy, IP rotation you can configure anywhere from 30 seconds to 24 hours, and compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and PDPA. The kind of setup where you're not wondering if your data's being logged somewhere.

Pricing starts at $5/GB with flexible plans. No forced annual commitments, no surprise fees for features that should be standard.

👉 See why Thordata's ISP proxy infrastructure handles high-frequency operations better than traditional residential proxies

LunaProxy

The budget option. Plans start at $3/GB, which sounds great until you hit the limitations.

Their 12 million IP pool is adequate for basic tasks like social media management, but the geographic coverage has notable gaps—particularly in Africa and South America. Speed is acceptable during off-peak hours but noticeably slower when traffic picks up.

Security is basic SSL encryption without the advanced features you'd want for sensitive operations. Customer support response times during high-traffic periods leave room for improvement.

Best for: Small-scale projects where cost matters more than reliability.

PIA Proxy

Strong on privacy with RAM-only servers and support for both SOCKS5 and HTTP protocols.

The downsides? Pricing hits $12/GB for residential IPs, and customer support for non-premium users is email-only. Users in the Asia-Pacific region report inconsistent speeds.

Best for: Privacy-focused users who don't mind paying premium prices, though the global performance doesn't quite match the cost.

BrightData

The enterprise heavyweight. Their 72+ million residential IPs across 195 countries provide extensive coverage, with granular filtering by ASN, ISP, or city-level geolocation.

But here's the catch: plans start at $15/GB, and you'll pay extra for advanced features. The setup requires technical expertise to optimize API integrations, and real-time support is reserved for enterprise clients.

Best for: Large teams with dedicated IT resources and budgets to match. If you're a smaller operation, the complexity and cost might outweigh the benefits.

Oxylabs

Speed at scale is their strength. The API handles 10,000+ requests per second, with AI-driven rotation that intelligently switches IPs to avoid CAPTCHAs.

The limitations: rigid pricing with a $500/month minimum commitment and no pay-as-you-go option. Protocol support is limited to HTTP(S) only—no SOCKS5 compatibility. Static IPs can persist for over 24 hours, increasing block risk for certain use cases.

Best for: Ultra-high-volume projects where raw speed trumps flexibility. For most users, the fixed pricing and limited protocol support create unnecessary constraints.

SmartProxy

Solid middle-ground performance with 120-180ms latency in US/EU regions and download speeds of 15-20MB/s. Success rate sits at 98.6%, and IPs typically last 7-30 days.

The trade-offs: no 24/7 live chat support (email and tickets only), no monthly unlimited plans, and lacks dynamic IP rotation features.

Best for: E-commerce scraping and ad verification where static IPs work fine. Not ideal for real-time trading or high-frequency rotation needs.

Pricing at $15/GB makes it competitive with BrightData while avoiding some of their complexity.

Why One Stands Out

After three months of testing across different use cases, Thordata consistently delivered where others showed gaps. The ISP-backed IPs genuinely mimic real user traffic patterns, which translates to lower detection rates. The infrastructure scales smoothly whether you're running a side project or enterprise operations.

👉 Start with Thordata's flexible proxy plans—no long-term commitments required

What sets it apart isn't one flashy feature but the combination: reliable global coverage, consistent speed under load, security that doesn't require workarounds, responsive support when you need it, and pricing that makes sense.

The Bottom Line

For businesses prioritizing speed, security, and scalability without unnecessary complexity, Thordata Proxy delivers the most balanced solution in 2025. While competitors like LunaProxy offer budget options and PIA focuses on privacy, Thordata's comprehensive approach addresses what most users actually need: reliable performance at a reasonable price with support that responds when things go wrong.