How to Pick the Right Proxy for Web Scraping
How to Pick the Right Proxy
Your proxy choice affects your entire web scraping project. Pick wrong and you get blocked. Pick right and you collect data smoothly. Here's what you need to know about proxy types.
Good proxies make scraping easy. Bad proxies create headaches.
Types of Proxies
Web scrapers use three main proxy types:
- Datacenter Proxies: Fast and cheap. Easy for sites to spot and block.
- Residential Proxies: Use real home IP addresses. Look like normal users. Harder to detect.
- Mobile Proxies: Use mobile network IPs. Best for hiding your activity. Work great for mobile sites.
Proxy Comparison
Datacenter Proxies
These come from data centers. Fast speed, low cost. Sites spot them easily.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
|
|
Best for: Big scraping jobs on basic sites. Speed tests.
Residential Proxies
These use real home IP addresses. Sites trust them more.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
|
|
Best for: Geo-blocked content. Price tracking. Social media accounts.
Mobile Proxies
These use mobile network IPs. Hardest to block. Most expensive.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
|
|
Best for: Mobile app testing. Mobile site scraping. High-security projects.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Datacenter | Residential | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anonymity | Low | High | Very High |
| Speed | Very Fast | Moderate | Moderate |
| Cost | Low | Medium | High |
| Detection Risk | High | Low | Very Low |
| IP Diversity | Limited | Wide | Limited |
| Stability | High | High | Variable |
What to Consider
Pick your proxy based on these factors:
- How well does the target site block bots?
- How much data do you need to scrape?
- Do you need specific country IPs?
- What's your budget?
- Do you need fast speeds?
Quick Tip
Change your IP every 10-15 requests. This helps avoid getting blocked.
Best Practices
Follow these tips for better results:
- Rotate your proxies often
- Keep sessions consistent with residential proxies
- Add delays between requests
- Watch proxy performance and replace slow ones
Bottom Line
No single proxy works for everything. Most projects do well with a mix of residential and datacenter proxies. For sensitive work, mobile proxies are worth the extra cost. Know your needs and pick accordingly.
