9 Best Residential Proxies in 2025 for Web Scraping and Data Collection
Expert Network Defense Engineer
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Key Takeaways
- Residential proxies are the most reliable for web scraping as they use real user IPs, making them difficult to detect.
- They are essential for bypassing anti-scraping measures, geo-restrictions, and rate limits on target websites.
- Scrapeless Proxy is a top-tier provider offering a massive pool of 90M+ residential IPs with a 99.98% success rate.
- Choosing a provider with a large, ethically sourced IP pool and flexible geo-targeting is crucial for successful large-scale operations.
9 Best Residential Proxies in 2025
If your web scraper is encountering frequent blocks or CAPTCHAs when sending multiple requests, the solution lies in changing your IP address through a proxy service. However, not all IP types are created equal for web scraping.
Residential proxies are widely considered the most reliable because they process your requests through IP addresses associated with real residential devices, such as home computers and mobile phones [1]. This makes them significantly harder to detect compared to datacenter proxies, as websites inherently trust traffic originating from residential networks more.
We have tested several leading residential proxy providers, conducting a detailed benchmarking to compile a list of the 9 best options for 2025.
What Are Residential Proxies?
Residential proxies are IP addresses assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to genuine residential devices. Unlike datacenter proxies, which are hosted on cloud servers, residential proxies utilize real user traffic, which is why they are highly valued for web scraping. The authenticity of these IPs means websites are far less likely to flag or block your requests.
Why Use Residential Proxies?
Residential proxies offer several critical advantages that are vital for successful, large-scale web scraping operations:
- Avoiding Anti-Scraping Measures: Many websites employ sophisticated anti-bot techniques that ban suspicious IP addresses. Residential proxies, with their genuine origins and providers offering auto-rotation, are much harder to block than datacenter IPs.
- Geolocation Targeting: Residential proxy services provide IP addresses from various locations globally. This allows you to access region-specific data and bypass geo-restrictions imposed by your ISP or country.
- Broad IP Pool: Reputable providers maintain a large pool of rotating IP addresses. This enables you to switch between IPs from many locations, devices, and ISPs, which is essential for massive data collection.
- Increasing Crawling Success Rate: Websites often implement rate-limiting to block IPs sending massive traffic. Since residential proxies are tied to real residential addresses, they are significantly harder to detect and ban, allowing you to distribute traffic across numerous IPs that appear as regular internet users [2].
These factors make residential proxy services the most effective and reliable choice for extracting web data. For more on this topic, see our guide on the best proxy providers.
Best Residential Proxies
It is time to review the top residential proxy providers. We will examine the features, performance, and plans of each service to help you select the optimal solution for your needs.
| Provider | Rating (G2/Trustpilot) | Average Success Rate | IP Pool Size | Geo-Targeting | Price (Starting/GB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrapeless Proxy | 4.8/4.7 | 99.98% | 90M+ | Country, City | From $0.40/GB |
| BrightData | 4.5/4.6 | 99.9% | 72M+ | Country, ASN | From $6.43/GB |
| Oxylabs | 4.8/4.7 | 99.95% | 100M+ | Country, City | From $7.75/GB |
| Smartproxy | 4.6/4.5 | 99.8% | 55M+ | Country, City | From $7.50/GB |
| LunaProxy | 4.4/4.3 | 99.5% | 200M+ | Country, City | From $0.70/GB |
| SOAX | 4.3/4.2 | 99.0% | 8M+ | Country, ISP | From $99/month |
| PrivateProxy | 4.0/4.1 | 98.5% | 2M+ | Country | From $5/IP |
| IPRoyal | 4.2/4.3 | 98.0% | 10M+ | Country, City | From $1.75/GB |
| NetNut | 4.5/4.4 | 99.7% | 52M+ | Country, ASN | Custom |
1. Scrapeless Proxy: Best Overall Residential Proxy Provider
Scrapeless Proxy maintains a premium residential proxy network of over 90 million ethical, real-user IPs spread across 195+ countries. It is designed to provide the highest quality residential proxies on the market, boasting a 99.98% success rate and multi-protocol support (HTTP/HTTPS/SOCKS5).
Scrapeless excels by offering automatic IP rotation and flexible geo-targeting, which are essential for bypassing rate-limiting and geo-restricted IP bans at scale. The service is highly cost-effective as it only charges for successful data transfer, ensuring you get maximum value for your investment. Furthermore, Scrapeless offers other scraping solutions like AI-powered agents and a Universal Scraping API, all built to complement their robust proxy infrastructure.
π Pros
- Massive, Trustworthy IP Pool: 90M+ real residential IPs across 195+ countries.
- High Performance: 99.98% success rate and low latency.
- Flexible Geo-Targeting: Precise targeting by country and city.
- Cost-Effective: Pay only for successful requests/GB.
- Developer-Friendly: Supports multiple protocols and easy integration.
- Dedicated Support: 24/7 support from a team of developers.
π Cons
- The free trial is limited to a short period for testing.
- Advanced features like AI Agent may require a higher-tier plan.
π° Pricing
Pricing starts at $0.40/GB, with flexible plans tailored to various usage volumes. A pay-as-you-go option is also available.
To test the reliability and speed of the Scrapeless residential network, you can start a free trial today:
2. BrightData
Bright Data boasts an extensive residential proxy network featuring over 72 million IPs across 195+ countries. It provides a wide range of data collection solutions and is known for its high success rate and fast response time (~1s). Bright Data is often favored by large enterprises due to its comprehensive suite of tools, including a dataset marketplace and a proxy browser extension.
π Pros
- Offers multiple proxy types (residential, mobile, datacenter).
- Flexible geo-targeting by country and ASN.
- Support for HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 protocols.
- Proxy auto-rotation.
π Cons
- Generally more expensive, making it less suitable for small-scale businesses or individuals.
- The platform has a steep learning curve for new users.
π° Pricing
Pricing starts at $499/month, with a pay-as-you-go option at $8.4/GB.
3. Oxylabs
Oxylabs controls one of the biggest residential proxy pools, with over 100 million IP addresses covering nearly all countries and cities. It focuses heavily on proxies but also offers specialized web scraping services like SERP and e-commerce APIs. Oxylabs' residential proxies have a high success rate (99.95%) and a fast response time (0.6s). Users must complete an ID verification process before using the service.
π Pros
- Largest proxy pool in the market.
- Excellent success rate and speed.
- Flexible geo-targeting.
- Free trial available.
π Cons
- Higher price point may not suit smaller operations.
- Requires ID verification.
- Extra functionalities come at different costs.
4. Smartproxy
Smartproxy provides access to a network of over 55 million residential IPs across 190+ countries and all 50 US states. It is known for its user-friendly interface and tailored scraping APIs for various platforms. Smartproxy also offers browser extensions and a proxy checker tool. They are a strong choice for users looking for a balance between performance and ease of use.
π Pros
- User-friendly interface and dashboard.
- Good balance of price and performance.
- Offers Chrome and Firefox extensions.
- Supports sticky sessions.
π Cons
- IP pool size is smaller than the top two competitors.
- Customer support can be slow at times.
5. LunaProxy
LunaProxy stands out with one of the largest IP pools, claiming over 200 million residential IPs. They offer competitive pricing and support for both rotating and static residential proxies. LunaProxy is a solid option for users who prioritize sheer volume of IPs and cost-effectiveness.
π Pros
- Massive IP pool (200M+).
- Very competitive pricing.
- Supports both rotating and static residential IPs.
π Cons
- Success rate may be slightly lower than the market leaders.
- Less advanced anti-bot bypass features compared to all-in-one solutions.
6. SOAX
SOAX provides a reliable residential proxy service with a focus on clean, ethically sourced IPs. They offer flexible filtering options, allowing users to target proxies by country, region, city, and ISP. SOAX is a good choice for users who need precise geo-targeting and a high-quality, albeit smaller, IP pool.
π Pros
- Precise geo-targeting options.
- Clean and reliable IP pool.
- Flexible subscription plans.
π Cons
- Smaller IP pool (8M+).
- Pricing is based on ports, which can be confusing for beginners.
7. PrivateProxy
PrivateProxy offers a range of proxy solutions, including residential IPs. They are known for their dedicated and semi-dedicated proxy options. While their residential pool is smaller, they offer high-speed connections and are a good fit for users with specific, smaller-scale scraping needs.
π Pros
- High-speed connections.
- Dedicated IP options available.
- Good for small-scale, focused projects.
π Cons
- Smallest residential IP pool on this list.
- Less focus on large-scale rotation.
8. IPRoyal
IPRoyal offers a variety of proxy types, including a pay-as-you-go residential service. Their "Royal Residential" proxies are known for their affordability and ease of use. They are a popular choice for individual developers and small teams looking for a budget-friendly option.
π Pros
- Affordable pay-as-you-go option.
- Easy to set up and use.
- Good for budget-conscious users.
π Cons
- IP pool size is moderate.
- May not offer the same level of advanced features as the top providers.
9. NetNut
NetNut is a premium proxy provider that focuses on static residential IPs (ISP proxies) sourced directly from ISPs. This offers the speed of datacenter proxies with the anonymity of residential IPs. They are highly reliable for mission-critical scraping tasks but come with a premium price tag.
π Pros
- High-speed static residential IPs.
- High reliability and uptime.
- Excellent for large-scale, continuous scraping.
π Cons
- Custom and high pricing.
- Less flexible for users who need true rotating residential IPs.
Conclusion
Residential proxies are the gold standard for web scraping and data collection due to their authenticity and ability to bypass the most stringent anti-bot systems. While many providers offer this service, the best choice depends on your specific needs for IP pool size, geo-targeting, and budget.
For a powerful, high-success-rate solution that handles automatic rotation and offers a massive, ethically sourced IP pool, Scrapeless Proxy stands out as the best overall choice. By leveraging a premium service, you can ensure your data collection efforts are efficient, reliable, and scalable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are residential proxies legal?
The legality of residential proxies depends on their source and how they are used. Ethically sourced residential proxies, where the IP owners have consented to their use, are generally legal. However, using any proxy to violate a website's terms of service, scrape personal data, or engage in illegal activities is not legal [3]. Always ensure your provider, like Scrapeless, adheres to strict ethical sourcing standards.
What is the difference between residential and datacenter proxies?
Residential proxies use IP addresses from real home internet connections, making them appear as regular users. Datacenter proxies use IP addresses from commercial cloud servers. Datacenter proxies are faster and cheaper but are easily detected and blocked by sophisticated anti-bot systems, whereas residential proxies offer higher anonymity and success rates.
How much does a residential proxy cost?
Residential proxy pricing typically ranges from $0.40/GB to over $10/GB, depending on the provider, the size of the IP pool, and the features offered. Some providers also offer monthly subscriptions based on the number of ports or IPs. Providers like Scrapeless offer competitive, usage-based pricing.
Which is the fastest residential proxy?
While datacenter proxies are inherently faster, premium residential proxies from top providers offer excellent speed. Providers like Scrapeless and Oxylabs are known for their high success rates and low latency, often achieving response times under one second, which is crucial for large-scale operations.
References
[1] Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Data Security
[2] Cloudflare on Rate Limiting
[3] Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) on Digital Privacy
[4] Wired Article on Web Scraping Legal Rulings
[5] ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Standard
At Scrapeless, we only access publicly available data while strictly complying with applicable laws, regulations, and website privacy policies. The content in this blog is for demonstration purposes only and does not involve any illegal or infringing activities. We make no guarantees and disclaim all liability for the use of information from this blog or third-party links. Before engaging in any scraping activities, consult your legal advisor and review the target website's terms of service or obtain the necessary permissions.
