Types of Proxies Explained: Which One to Pick

Not all proxies are the same. Picking the right type is the difference between smooth data collection and constant blocks. Here's a clear rundown of every major proxy type and when to use it.

Residential proxies

Residential proxies use real home IPs and are the hardest to block — ideal for scraping protected sites and geo-targeting. Cheaper high-volume traffic can use budget residential.

Datacenter proxies

Datacenter proxies are server-hosted: the fastest and cheapest option, with unlimited bandwidth, but easier to detect. Best for unprotected targets and speed-critical jobs.

Mobile proxies

Mobile 4G/5G proxies carry the highest trust because carriers share each IP among thousands of users. Rotating mobile adds automatic rotation for heavy automation.

Static residential (ISP) proxies

Static residential proxies give you a dedicated residential IP with datacenter speed and unlimited bandwidth — perfect for accounts that need a fixed identity.

Sneaker proxies

Sneaker proxies are residential-backed IPs tuned for fast, unbanned checkouts on drops.

Quick comparison

Type	Trust	Speed	Best for
Datacenter	Low	Highest	Unprotected targets
Residential	High	High	Protected scraping
Mobile	Highest	High	Social media
Static ISP	High	Highest	Fixed-identity accounts

How to choose

Match the proxy to how hard your target fights back. For a deeper split, read residential vs datacenter proxies, then browse all proxy products.