A proxy is a server that acts as a middleman between the internet and its users. If you’re taking your business online, you will need to get the right proxy service provider to cater to your needs.
A wrong proxy service provider could lead to your chosen proxies getting blocked or other issues. To ensure you select a suitable proxy provider, you will need to consider several crucial aspects before selecting the right one.
With that said, check out the following tips and guidelines when choosing a proxy service provider.
Things to note when buying a proxy
1. Find a legitimate source.
This may seem like an obvious thing, but you’d be surprised at how many have fallen prey to illegitimate proxy providers. There are different kinds of people on the internet with their varying missions, so you need to double-check before finalizing any deals.
Ensure that the proxy provider company is legitimate. This means they can be held accountable for any issues that you may encounter. There are websites where you can check or confirm the ingenuity of a service provider.
2. Avoid free proxies.
Free proxies are tempting, but if you are looking to get a suitable proxy for your business, you will need to be prepared to spend a little. Don’t worry; proxies are not usually outrageously expensive. Moreover, paid proxies are more reliable and provide anonymity.
Free proxies usually share their information with others. So, with the increasing rate of internet scammers, you do not want to risk it.
However, if you would ultimately prefer using free proxies, crosscheck them to know the working IP addresses. This is not necessary with paid proxies as you can be sure of obtaining a working proxy after payment. Also, replacements are available.
3. Check out the proxy service provider’s IP pool.
Another important consideration is the IP pool of the provider. If you need to use proxies from particular locations, you should go for a more extensive pool provider.
This is advisable because companies with an extensive IP pool can offer city-level and country targeting better. Also, a bigger IP pool means a smaller IP block number. You can check the Oxylabs website because they have one of the largest IP pools in the market.
For IP with geo-location coverage, there are residential providers with a broader location variety. Suppose you are looking for proxies in less known countries. In that case, you should search out the supported cities and countries before any purchase is made.
Note that you may not be able to select a particular location even with this list of cities and countries on the companies’ websites. Some smaller providers prevent customers from choosing a proxy location; these proxy service providers prefer to distribute it randomly.
4. Consider the price.
Another important thing worth considering before making any purchase is the price. Dedicated or semi-dedicated proxies are usually more expensive than shared proxies.
It would be best if you double-checked every suspiciously affordable semi-dedicated proxies to ensure that they are not shared with this knowledge.
The price is usually charged per GB; that is, the amount of traffic received will determine the amount you pay. A proxy provider service that stipulates unlimited traffic may be unstable and slow.
These kinds usually have server errors and timeouts. However, if you are okay with dealing with this or if your business is not necessarily affected by speed, you can go ahead with the unlimited traffic offer. These are usually less expensive as well.
5. Examine its dashboard.
A proxy server that does not have a dashboard is most likely a waste of money and time. It would be best if you had the option of changing your credentials, buying more proxies, or seeing your usage statistics without having to contact any customer support team.
There may also be other features on the dashboard that offer extra value but may inflate the price.
Also, some providers use whitelisted IP addresses as their primary method of authorization, which makes their proxies more expensive for customers who desire to use more whitelisted IP.
6. Determine your project scope.
When trying to choose the correct proxy server for you, consider your project scope. This will help you choose the most suited proxy server for your needs.
A good example is if your project deals with purchasing limited designer bags. For this, you will need to get a proxy server with good speed. On the other hand, for something like geo content, the IP pool of the provider is a crucial criterion.
Summary
Proxy providers come with different benefits and features. It is like trying to buy a cloth; you need to select what fits best. Several detailed reviews can guide you in your decision-making. These reviews compare several proxy server offers and their pros and cons.
Also, make sure that you consider the type of project you have when making your choice. Some people have had to purchase new proxies because their old proxies could not serve them adequately. It is better to avoid this from the very beginning.
Finally, it is not a rule of thumb that expensive proxies servers are better than the more affordable ones, so make sure to weigh your decisions rightly. Online reviews can be of great help in this aspect.
Also, check for a proxy with good customer service, which could come in handy along the way.
Also read about: What an IP Address Can Reveal About You and How You can be Safe
