The 7 Best Residential Proxy Providers of 2026

Web scraping and data collection in 2026 require more than just a list of IPs. You need high-success rates, ethical sourcing, and lightning-fast response times.

Why Residential Proxies?

Unlike datacenter IPs, residential proxies are sourced from real devices. This makes them virtually indistinguishable from organic traffic, allowing you to bypass even the most advanced anti-bot systems like Akamai or Cloudflare.

Top Picks for January 2026

1. Bright Data — The Industry Standard

Bright Data continues to lead the market with its massive 72M+ IP pool and advanced targeting features.

Key Advantage: Their “Scraping Browser” technology integrates proxies directly into a headless browser, saving your team weeks of development time.

2. Oxylabs — Performance Powerhouse

If your primary concern is response time and stability at scale, Oxylabs is the go-to choice for enterprise-level scraping.

3. Smartproxy — Best Value

Smartproxy offers an excellent balance of performance and affordability, making it ideal for mid-sized teams.

4. IPRoyal — Budget Champion

IPRoyal provides solid residential proxies at competitive prices without compromising on quality.

5. NetNut — ISP Network Specialist

NetNut’s direct ISP partnerships ensure reliable and fast residential connections.

6. SOAX — Targeting Expert

SOAX excels in precise geographic targeting with clean, well-maintained IP pools.

7. Webshare — Starter Friendly

Webshare offers an easy entry point for those new to residential proxies.

---

How to Choose the Right Provider?

When evaluating these services, look beyond the price per GB:

1. Success Rate: A cheap proxy that fails 30% of the time is more expensive than a premium one that works.
2. API Integration: Does the provider offer a robust API or a Proxy Manager?
3. Ethical Sourcing: Ensure your provider complies with GDPR and CCPA.

Looking for a more budget-friendly option? Check out our Smartproxy review or IPRoyal comparison.