Webshare Proxy Review: Speed, Security, and What You Need to Know

Looking for a proxy service that won't slow you down? Webshare has been making some bold claims about having the "fastest proxies" on the market. Based in Covina, California, this company builds everything in-house rather than relying on third-party partners. They process over 250 billion data points monthly and serve more than 12,000 businesses. But does it live up to the hype?

What Makes Webshare Different

Webshare supports both HTTP and SOCKS5 protocols, giving you flexibility in how you authenticate connections. Whether you prefer IP authentication or password-based login, they've got you covered.

The company puts serious emphasis on anonymity. Their system constantly updates to stay ahead of detection methods that websites use to identify proxy traffic. This includes protection against HTTP header inspection, TCP fingerprinting, port scanning attempts, and DNS leak detection. They claim your data stays private and isn't sold to third parties—a promise that matters in today's data-hungry landscape.

Speed is where Webshare really wants to shine. They maintain a 99.97% uptime with a network capacity exceeding 100 Gbps and round-the-clock monitoring. Every proxy gets benchmarked every 5 minutes by an external service. If speeds drop below 500 Mbps, their network team gets alerted immediately. Using both Speedtest.net and Netflix's Fast.com for verification, their proxies reportedly run between 800-950 Mbps. Those are impressive numbers if they hold up in real-world use.

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Coverage and Plans: The Good and the Limited

Here's where things get mixed. While some proxy providers boast presence in nearly every country, Webshare covers just over 40 countries. Smaller nations like Liechtenstein aren't represented at all, and even larger markets like Indonesia only have 19 proxies available at the time of this review. If you need truly global coverage, this limitation might be a dealbreaker.

Their residential proxy plans give you access to over 10 million IP addresses with that same 99.7% uptime. Pricing starts at $18.75/month for 1 GB, scaling up through options like 10 GB for $120/month, 25 GB for $270/month, and maxing out at 1 TB for $4,800/month. The eight available tiers mean you can find something that matches your actual usage instead of overpaying for capacity you don't need.

The Free Plan That Actually Exists

One standout feature is Webshare's permanent free plan. Unlike trial periods that expire, this gives you 10 free IPs indefinitely with no credit card required. Yes, 10 IPs won't power a large-scale operation, but it includes all the features of paid plans and maintains that 99.97% uptime. It's genuinely useful for testing whether the service fits your needs before committing money.

The downside? There's no free trial of higher-tier plans, which some competitors offer to let you test at scale before buying.

Support: Room for Improvement

When you inevitably need help—whether you're just getting started or troubleshooting a complex issue—Webshare's options feel thin. There's a Help Center with a search function and popular articles like "Can I customize a plan?" or "How do I upgrade to more proxies?" But the total article count sits below 50, and you won't find video tutorials, webinars, user forums, whitepapers, or a blog.

For direct contact, email is your only option. While they say "Contact us anytime," there's no indication of response times or support hours. No live chat, no support portal, no phone number. There's technically a mailing address, but let's be real—nobody's sending letters for proxy support in 2024.

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Is Webshare Right for You?

Webshare has clear strengths: the permanent free plan, strong security measures, emphasis on anonymity, impressive speeds, and flexible pricing tiers. These make it worth considering, especially if you're working within their 40+ country coverage area.

However, the limited support options, higher price points compared to some competitors, and smaller geographic footprint are genuine drawbacks. If you need proxies in specific regions not well-covered by Webshare, or if robust customer support matters to your operations, you'll want to weigh these factors carefully.

The smart move? Start with that free plan. Test the speeds, check if your target locations are covered, and see if the service matches your workflow. All the features are there, so you can make an informed decision without risking a dime. If it works for your use case, the paid plans offer solid infrastructure for scaling up.