Best Proxy Providers of 2021

Today, proxy servers' topic is very relevant and covers a wide variety of industries, structures, and corporations. People are looking for the best proxy services for affiliate programs, personal privacy, and other purposes. This article will describe in detail what a proxy server is in simple terms, why you need it, and how it works. We have also prepared a selection of the best proxy services and promotional codes for them!

What is a proxy server?

Proxy-server is a service (software) that runs on a network and allows one computer to make requests to another on its own behalf. Thus, the proxy server acts as an intermediary between the client (for example, your computer) and the service (for example, some Internet site) that the client requests access to. The following illustration schematically shows direct data exchange processes and data exchange using a proxy server between two computers on the network.

Why do we need proxy servers?

Today, proxy servers are mainly used to hide or change the IP address when accessing a website. There can be many reasons to do this. Let's consider the most common ones.

• Anonymous access to websites. Anonymous, elite and distorting proxy servers can be used for anonymous web surfing, downloading files, chatting on forums, e-mail, and instant messaging services without disclosing your IP address.
• To access a site that limits the number of connections or requests per unit of time. Many file-sharing services limit the number of downloads from one IP address per unit of time. Considering that many users have dynamic IPs, a situation may arise when someone who occupied the IP address given to you has previously exhausted the service's download limit. Using a proxy server will help to fix the situation. Likewise, proxies can help solve the problem of using services that limit the number of requests
• Checking access to the site from around the world. Using a proxy, you can connect to the site to check its availability from different countries of the world or Internet providers and networks.
• Bypassing online locks. Using a proxy server, you can access a website that cannot be accessed directly due to any network problems or some blockage. For example, if the user's IP, or even all the country's IPs are blocked in this service. It will also help if the user's ISP denies access to the site. For example, in China, access to some popular Internet services is blocked, such as Instagram, Gmail, Twitter, etc. However, Internet users in China can access them using proxy servers located outside of China.

Proxy types

There are several types of proxy servers, each of which has its characteristics.

HTTP Proxy

As the name suggests, this type of proxy only supports the HTTP protocol and is suitable for browsing the web and downloading files from web services running on the standard TCP port 80. HTTP proxies are not suitable for browsing a site that only works over the secure SSL protocol . HTTP proxies cannot be chained. From the point of view of ensuring anonymity, depending on the content of the sent HTTP headers, proxy servers of this type are divided into:

• Highly anonymous (elite) proxies. Highly anonymous proxy servers do not embed client and proxy information in HTTP headers. Thus, the server will not be able to determine the client's real IP address and the fact that the client is using a proxy server in general. Highly anonymous proxies provide the highest level of anonymity;
• Anonymous proxies. Anonymous proxy servers transmit information in the HTTP headers indicating that the client uses a proxy server (for example, the name and version of the proxy server software) but do not transmit the client's IP address. Thus, the server will be able to determine that the client is using a proxy but will not determine the client's real IP address. Anonymous proxy servers provide a good level of anonymity;
• Distorting proxies. Distorting proxy servers transmit the client's IP address in the HTTP headers in a distorted form. For example, they show only a part of it. Thus, the server will find out that the client is using a proxy and part of the client's real IP address, which may be enough to determine some data about the client, such as the client's ISP and its country and city. Distorting proxies provide a minimum level of anonymity;
• Transparent proxies. Transparent proxies add an HTTP header with the client's real IP address, so the server can determine that the client is using the proxy and the client's real IP address. Transparent proxies do not provide anonymity.

HTTPS (CONNECT) Proxy

Proxies of this type support the HTTP CONNECT method , which enables HTTP tunneling. In this process, the high layer protocol (HTTP) is used to transport the lower layer protocol (TCP). These proxies can connect to any port. Therefore, proxies of this type can work with almost any network application (TCP), including web servers over the secure SSL protocol. Consequently, they are called "HTTPS proxies". HTTP tunneling ensures the anonymity of HTTPS proxies and allows them to work in a chain.

SOCKS proxy

Almost any network application can work through the SOCKS proxy . For example, you can use a SOCKS proxy to work with your mail client (POP3, SMTP, IMAP protocols). Another distinctive feature of SOCKS proxies is that you can use several SOCKS proxies in a chain at once, increasing your anonymity level. SOCKS proxies are always anonymous since they operate on a low-level protocol and do not update HTTP headers. There are three versions of the protocol: SOCKS4, SOCKS4a, and SOCKS5. The most functional is SOCKS5. It allows you to perform DNS queries on the proxy server side, use the UDP protocol and the BIND method, opening a port for incoming connections.

Web proxy (anonymizers)

A web proxy, also known as "Anonymizer" or "CGI proxy ", is a web page that a user can use to visit another website, in most cases anonymously. Web proxies are easy to use as there is no need to change browser settings. Most web proxies support working with sites over the secure SSL protocol. Web proxies can be used in a chain.

Proxy types by access restriction

From the point of view of a proxy server user, the fewer people have access to a given proxy, the better. First, the fewer the number of users using a particular proxy, the higher its speed. Secondly, violation of the rules for using any online service by one user will lead to a ban, which will make the proxy unsuitable for further work with this service for all other users. Thus, proxies of all types can be conditionally divided according to the limited access to them.

Private proxies

As the definition suggests, private proxies are proxies that only one person uses. Therefore, truly private proxies can be called only those installed on equipment that only you have access to, and access to these proxies is limited by IP authorization or login/password. Only in this case, you can be completely sure that these proxies are used only by you.

Some services offer proxies "one-handed", and these proxies will be private for you for the lease duration. However, it would help if you remembered that the quality of work with such proxies might largely depend on who used them yesterday, before you. Private proxies are more expensive on the market than all others, but they provide, perhaps, the most excellent stability and speed of work in comparison with other types of proxies.

Shared proxies with limited access

The problem of restricting access to a proxy can be solved in different ways. Access to the proxy can be limited by IP binding or by login and password authorization. This solution is most often used by services that own the provided proxy servers. Such proxies have a conditionally unlimited lifetime.

This technology has its drawbacks for the user. Firstly, the client does not know what specific IP address it will work with, and, secondly, there will be a sudden change of the IP address every 10-15 minutes. Services that offer such proxies, as a rule, offer thousands, and even tens of thousands of online SOCKS proxies from all over the world to their users, which can be used without restrictions.

Public proxies

Public proxy lists are uploaded for free on thousands of sites worldwide. They have thousands of proxies, after checking which, depending on the source and date of relevance, about 5% of the list work.

Some services collect proxies from free access and regularly check and classify them, providing worklists' access for a fee. The percentage of working proxies received from such a service is much higher and can reach 80%.

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