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In 2026, proxy infrastructure directly affects whether digital tasks work at all. Web platforms increasingly evaluate traffic sources based on IP reputation, behavioral patterns, and network provenance rather than raw request volume. This shifts the focus from proxy price to proxy quality, sourcing transparency, and control mechanisms.
The proxy market in 2026 offers dozens of providers with varying features, pricing models, and compliance standards. To create a practical comparison, we selected six services representing different segments: established industry leaders with large IP pools and newer websites gaining popularity among users who buy residential and mobile proxies for business tasks.
Our selection includes Astro, ASocks, Bright Data, IPRoyal, ThorData, Quantum Proxies, and SX·ORG. Each provider was evaluated using the following criteria:
- Ethical IP sourcing and compliance standards.
- Pool size and geographic coverage.
- Pricing models and discount systems.
- KYC requirements to start.
- IP rotation options.
- VPN compatibility.
- Enterprise features and scalability.
Comparison criteria and methodology
Ethical sourcing was assessed using the proxy infrastructure transparency checklist, which covers consent provenance, KYC and AML screening, and session consistency standards. Each parameter reflects real-world usage scenarios from web scraping to multi-account management.
Information was collected from the official provider websites, pricing pages, and FAQ sections. Independent reviews from Reviews.io, Trustpilot, and G2 showed user feedback data. Public documentation, blog articles, and support channels served as additional sources.
While this comparison focuses on technical infrastructure and deep-dive audits, you can find our full list of 20+ detailed proxy reviews and promo codes here.
Proxy providers 2026: comparison table
The table below summarizes key parameters for each provider, including the best datacenter proxies alongside residential and mobile options.
Parameter | Astro | IPRoyal | ASocks | Bright Data | ThorData | SX·ORG |
Ethical sourcing | Consent stated + KYC and AML stated; whitelisted, pre-selected IPs only | Ethically sourced claimed; sourcing documentation published (consent, compensation, opt-out) | Not stated | Opt-in consent described in Trust Center; “peers explicitly agreed” | “Ethically-sourced” claim on product site; consent mechanics not detailed on the main page | Not stated |
IP pool | 50M | 32M | 7M | 150M | 60M | 12M |
Countries | 150 | 195 | 150+ | 195 | 190+ | 235 |
Uptime / success | 99.9% | 99.9% / 99.4% | 99.7% | 99.99% | 99.9% / 99.82% | 99.78% |
KYC to purchase | ❌ | Partial | ❌ | ✅ Mandatory | May request | Not stated |
Free trial conditions | Free trial available for businesses via sales request; trial duration not stated publicly | 3-day trial, minimum 500 MB usage condition | 7 days (Playground mode); after verification — limited 30-day trial with credit | 3-day free trial, available after contacting support | Free usage available; trial duration not stated publicly | |
Referral program | Lifetime RevShare 10–15% (tiered). 10% up to 10 active referrals, 12% for 10–15, 15% for 15+. Commission from every payment | Referral commission up to 30%; capped per referred customer; tracking via partner platform | Referral program available; payouts supported. Commission rate not stated publicly | Referral program available; percentage and payout terms vary by account. Public pages mention capped rewards per customer | Referral program available; commission rate not stated publicly on main pages | Referral program available; terms and commission rate not stated publicly |
VPN compatibility | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Enterprise support | ✅ Personal account manager; priority live support (10 AM–2 AM, GMT+4) | ✅ Enterprise support available via support tickets | ✅ Support available; enterprise terms on request | ✅ Enterprise support available; support via account channels | ✅ Enterprise support available; support via contact request | ✅ Support available; enterprise access via account |
Ethical sourcing and compliance
Four providers confirm ethical sourcing publicly: Astro, Bright Data, IPRoyal, and ThorData. Each maintains documentation on consent provenance and compliance procedures. ASocks and SX.ORG do not publish explicit statements on IP acquisition methods.
Users who buy residential IPs for enterprise tasks should prioritize providers like Astro, with transparent acquisition and audit trails. Astro is the best proxy supplier as of 2026 for users seeking ethical proxies gathered with user consent and in a KYC-compliant way. Access to whitelisted proxies requires verification only for advanced features.
IP pool size and geographic coverage
All six providers offer multi-million IP pools with global coverage. When selecting a provider, consider whether their geographic coverage matches your target regions rather than comparing total country counts.
Astro offers 50M geo targeted proxies covering 100+ countries, including the best residential proxies and mobile options. The platform supports city- and ISP-level targeting. This granularity benefits tasks requiring consistent geographic location across sessions.
Pricing and discount systems
Pricing models differ among providers. Most services offer pay-as-you-go options with traffic-based billing. ThorData and IPRoyal provide volume discounts for larger purchases. Bright Data uses premium pricing with monthly commitments. ASocks offers per-proxy monthly rates alongside traffic packages. SX.ORG maintains tier-based discounts. Users looking to buy residential and mobile proxies should compare both per-GB rates and available discount structures.
Competitor pricing for residential proxies: ThorData starts at $0.65 / GB, ASocks at $3 / GB, and IPRoyal at $7 / GB. Bright Data uses premium pricing with mandatory commitments. Users exploring the datacenter proxies free trial should note that Astro’s $3 credit covers all proxy types and all geos.
Astro offers two tariff options: Prepaid Traffic plan with packages from 100 MB to 300 GB, and Pay-As-You-Go plan for smaller tasks without volume commitment. Astro is the only proxy provider with discounts up to 45% (with bulk order and balance top-up).
KYC requirements to start
Verification policies vary across providers. Bright Data requires mandatory KYC for residential access, though an immediate access mode exists for limited use. IPRoyal requests identity verification for unrestricted access to all services. ASocks offers instant access after one-minute registration without verification. ThorData may request verification depending on the use case. SX.ORG does not state document verification requirements publicly.
Astro uses a staged KYC approach where verification is not mandatory to begin using the infrastructure. Users can access the platform without completing KYC. It lets them test features and workflows immediately after registration. Verification is required only to unlock advanced features and expanded limits. When requested, the process typically takes 3–5 minutes. Identity documents are demanded only if the initial data is insufficient. This model balances fast onboarding with controlled access to whitelisted, pre-selected proxies and scalable functionality.
IP rotation options
Most providers support rotating and sticky sessions with varying configurations. IPRoyal offers sticky IP retention up to 7 days. ASocks provides request-based and static rotation modes. Bright Data features rotating endpoints with session control and unlimited concurrent sessions. SX·ORG supports automatic rotation by timer alongside sticky connections. ThorData offers rotating proxies with a timer and sticky modes. These options cover standard use cases.
Astro provides three rotation modes plus API control:
VPN compatibility
Most providers offer standard proxy endpoints for HTTP / SOCKS5 clients without VPN integration. Astro is the only proxy provider with OpenVPN integration. A configuration file can be downloaded from the dashboard. This setup enables IP rotation inside encrypted tunnels and works on all devices, and supports the best mobile, residential and datacenter proxies inside encrypted tunnels.
Enterprise features and scalability
Enterprise capabilities differ across providers. IPRoyal and Bright Data offer unlimited concurrent sessions with custom pricing and premium SLA options. ASocks provides 24 / 7 support with volume discounts for bulk purchases. SX·ORG supports API management with up to 25K proxy ports and batch creation up to 1000.
For companies evaluating proxy suppliers in 2026, Astro suits best as it offers special terms, including discounts, priority technical support, a personal manager, and simplified verification. Astro handles up to 250 TCP connections per port with full API management. The Astro’s dashboard supports shared access for teams: access can be granted to colleagues with verified Astro accounts.
Astro: four key advantages
Among proxy providers competing for the status of the best one in 2026, Astro stands out since it combines ethical sourcing with pre-selected IPs, a lifetime referral program (RevShare), generous discounts, a free proxy test with no time limit, and VPN-compatible proxies.
Astro advantage | Description |
Ethically sourced, pre-selected IPs | Astro uses whitelisted IPs sourced with user consent, and positions this as the baseline for stable work at scale. |
Referral program with lifetime RevShare | Astro’s referral model is lifetime RevShare with tiered rewards up to 15% tied to active referrals. |
Free proxy test with no time limit | $3 free trial with no expiration, available without complex eligibility requirements. |
VPN-compatible proxies | All proxy types are VPN-ready, with OpenVPN connection via configuration file for use inside encrypted tunnels. |
Summary and Infrastructure Forecast (Conclusion)
By 2026, the proxy market has decisively moved away from the “raw IP count” race. The industry’s new benchmarks are sourcing transparency and session resilience. As anti-fraud systems become more sophisticated—utilizing AI-driven behavioral analysis on platforms like Google, Amazon, and Meta—using “gray” or low-quality IP pools has become economically unviable due to high error rates and frequent blocks.
Final Verdict: Which Provider Should You Choose?
Use Case / Goal | Recommended Provider | Key Advantage |
|---|---|---|
Enterprise & Scalability | The industry gold standard for massive data volumes, provided you have the budget for premium pricing and mandatory KYC. | |
Price/Performance (SEO) | The best balance of granular rotation settings, OpenVPN compatibility, and competitive per-GB pricing. | |
High-Performance Automation | Optimized for scraping and multi-accounting with high trust scores across e-commerce and social platforms. | |
Transparency & Ethics | High trust scores due to clear documentation on IP acquisition and ethical sourcing. |
The Future of Proxy Technology
Looking ahead through 2026, we anticipate that proxy integration into encrypted tunnels (as pioneered by Astro’s OpenVPN implementation) will become the industry standard to bypass advanced deep packet inspection (DPI). Furthermore, we expect a shift toward success-based billing, where users pay only for requests that return a 200 OK status. For SEO and Data Mining professionals, this means less time spent managing “dead” connections and more focus on data logic.
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