Our Top Free Proxy Server Providers: Make the Right Choice For You

If you are looking for a reputable free proxy server, we have an entire guide that covers everything you need to know to get started. We cover what to look for when choosing your proxy, what red flags to be aware of, and which options make our list for the best free proxy server, including their pros and cons. Let’s get started.   

Top Factors to Evaluate Before Choosing a Proxy

Here are some must-have features to look for, before you jump right in:

1. Good global coverage

If your proxy provider has servers spread across the globe, you’ll have a much better chance at overcoming geolocation blocks. This provides you with access to content that would otherwise be denied to your region, usually due to copyright restrictions. 

2. Robust security practices

Many free providers have reduced security practices or pose a security risk themselves with poor privacy practices that leave you vulnerable. Look for HTTPS support, AES 256-bit encryption, and no-logs policies. Be wary of hidden adware or data theft. 

3. Anonymity

The entire point of using a proxy is to increase your privacy and anonymity. Look for features like IP rotation, and other methods of hiding your real IP address. 

4. Performance 

Using a proxy inevitably comes with slowdown, which is particularly frustrating when trying to stream media. Free proxies can be overloaded, as there is a huge number of users taking advantage of the low-low price of nothing. That means slower performance speeds. Bandwidth limitations are another issue with free services. 

5. User-friendliness

Intuitive and easy to use user interfaces are a must for everyone. Ideally, good customer support will compliment these features and make for an overall positive experience.

Best Free Proxy Servers with Trials: Try Before You Buy

Here’s the thing, as appealing as a free proxy may seem, they come with some serious risks. As the popular adage goes – if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product! Some of the drawbacks to consider, include a lack of proper encryption, slow speeds, limited access, unethical data logging, and more. 

This is why we suggest sticking to well-know, trusted providers that offer free trials. This way, you can try out all the top-class features and add-ons for free, before making your final decision.

Smartproxy

Smartproxy is one of the most respected proxy services on the market. They are a little smaller than some, but have heavy-hitting customer support, loads of tools, and a 3-day free trial, or 14-day money-back guarantee.

They also have robust security practices, live statistics, detailed targeting capabilities, and a huge knowledge and resource base for users to learn from. Smartproxy is also very beginner-friendly and easy to use. Add to that unlimited threads and concurrent sessions, and you have a powerful proxy provider that is well worth your hard-earned money. 

Pros: 

• Over 65 million IPs
• High uptimes of 99.99%
• More than 195 global server locations 
• avg speed of <0.3s 

Cons: 

• Some other providers have more servers and locations
• Pricing tiers can be complicated and confusing

BrightData

BrightData is another well-respected name in the proxy provider industry. One of their biggest strengths is how customizable their features and controls can be for someone with a little tech-savvy, giving users a great deal of control.

This service provider also has an impressive array of features and tools, such as web scrapers and SERP APIs. BrightData is also universally compatible with all tools, BI software, and coding languages. The 7-day free trial provides you with access to tons of tools and features to try before making a financial commitment. 

Pros: 

• Success rate of 99.95%
• Response time below 0.7
• 195 global servers and 72M residential IPs
• HTTP(S) and SOCKS5

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve
• Depending on your plan, they can be a little more expensive than some 

Oxylabs

Oxylabs has over 102M IPs with 192 global locations. They have every proxy type you could need plus AI assistive tools, web scrapers, datasets, you name it. They have a developer hub, learning resources and 24/7 customer support.

With unlimited concurrent sessions and 3rd party integrations, you’ll be completely set for all things proxy and beyond. They can even handle enterprise-level needs.

Pros: 

• 7-day free trial
• HTTP, HTTPS & SOCKS5 protocols
• 99.9% uptime
• Free geo-targeting

Cons:

• Sometimes a slightly slower response times

NetNut

With fail rates close to 0%, NetNut is highly reliable. It has various scrapers and proxies of all sorts to choose from, including residential proxies, mobile, datacenter proxies, and static proxies. They also have automated web unlocking and CAPTCHA solving capabilities with 85 million IPs. One of their best strengths is no bandwidth throttling, keeping slowdowns at a minimum. 

Pros: 

• 195 global locations
• 99.9% uptimes
• Comprehensive analytics
• 7-day free trial

Cons: 

• Monthly pricing can be more expensive than other tiers

Best Proxy Providers with Free Plans Suitable for Everyone 

These providers have paid tiers, but also a basic free to use plan too. While they usually come with limitations and restrictions, they can be very handy for users who don’t have in-depth proxy needs and just want something simple and free. 

Webshare

Webshare is a well-respected proxy provider. Although it may not have as many bells, whistles, and features as others, it does have remarkably affordable prices. This includes 10 free proxies, with no credit card required.

Not only that, but the free plan provides you with access to the full features and benefits of the pay-to-use tiers, so you get to try everything. It has 99.97% uptime, HTTP/SOCKS5 protocols, and no time limit on using your free proxies. This means you have plenty of time to decide if you want to keep using Webshare in the future. 

Pros: 

• Excellent customer service
• 10 proxies completely free
• Paid tiers are still very affordable
• Beginner-friendly UI

Cons: 

• Far fewer global servers than most providers
• Only 10 free proxies

hide.me

So here’s the deal. If you use hide.me’s free proxy, you will get the very barest capabilities. However, all you have to do is go to their site and plug in the address of the website you want to visit, and BAM! You have a proxy. Yes, streaming media isn’t great. Yes, there are other limitations, but you just can’t get any easier or cheaper. Also, they keep zero user logs and offer free VPN services too, no strings attached. 

Pros: 

• VPN capabilities as well as proxy services
• Forever free plan
• No credit card or login information required
• Extremely simple to use

Cons: 

• Only a few global servers for free proxy plan
• Severe limitations in things like protocols, encryption, etc. 

ProxFree

This free proxy is a lot like hide.me. You literally just go to their site and connect to the website you’re trying to reach by plugging in the address on ProxFree.

Everything is free forever, and though the global locations are almost non-existent (a whopping one location in the UK). It works well with video-based sites, like YouTube, which is not common for free proxies. 

Pros: 

• Absurdly simple to use
• Forever free
• SSL encryption can be enabled

Cons: 

• No extra features at all

ProxySite

Here’s another free proxy where you simply plug in the URL and watch it go. ProxySite does have a handful more servers than some on our free plan list, with a decent number of servers in Europe and the United States. Super simple, yes, but also super free. 

Pros: 

• Easy to use (just enter URL)
• SSL encryption
• Works well with YouTube

Cons: 

• Could be too simplistic for many needs

Best Free Proxy Lists That Actually Work!

Some providers offer a list of free proxy servers that users can access as needed. They are often categorized by features such as proxy type (HTTPS, SOCK5, etc.), server location, IP addresses, and so on. Here are a couple of our favorite proxy list providers. 

ProxyScrape

ProxyScrape is a great option for free proxy lists. Their proxies update frequently and are ethically sourced, provided by volunteers, so they come and go constantly. Proxies that don’t work are regularly removed, meaning you’ll have more reliable options.

This provider is also beginner-friendly and easy to use, though it does have some limitations paid tiers don’t have. Still, you get a lot for nothing, and they are a reliable, well-respected provider with tons of tools for anyone who wants to upgrade later. Lastly, they have 24/7 live chat support, for those running into problems. 

Pros: 

• Proxy lists are frequently updated
• HTTP, SOCKS4 and SOCKS5 proxies
• 100 free proxies
• Tons of pay to use tiers and options for users who want more

Cons: 

• Limited proxy bandwidth
• Not great for exporting, as proxies refresh so quickly they don’t stay current

hidemyname

Hidemyname is a VPN service that also provides a free proxy list. They have a good number of global locations to choose from, as well as a thorough filter control panel, such as by proxy speed, location, or anonymity.

Also, they provide proxy use for browsers and have a wide library of common questions and troubleshooting guides. Like all free services, if you pay a little money, you definitely get more features. That said, this simple option is reliable, easy to use, and very thoroughly cataloged. They also have several useful extras, such as an anonymity checker. 

Pros: 

• 70 global locations
• Proxies regularly checked for speed, ping, anonymity, etc. 
• Can specify by proxy type
• In-depth knowledge base for beginners

Cons: 

• Exporting only available for paid tiers
• Customer support is spotty

Spys.one

When you look at Spys.one, you feel like you’ve been transported back to the 90s (at least for those of us who were alive then). Other than the somewhat old-school interface, it’s pretty simple to understand.

There are multiple IP parameters to choose from, such as location, anonymity level, etc. You can also check uptimes and when the IP was last checked. The site has also been around since 2008, so they definitely know what they’re doing by now.  

Pros: 

• Thousands of free proxies
• 182 countries
• HTTP, SSL/HTTPS, SOCKS proxies

Cons: 

• A bit laborious to use
• No real sorting or organization compared to other lists

Best Proxy Server Free Favorites

When it comes to choosing a free proxy server, there are certainly many different avenues to explore. To make it simpler for you, here’s a quick rundown of our favorites and the reasons they stand out from the crowd: 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are free proxies good for streaming?

You can certainly try, and you may even have some success. However, most free proxies have quite a few limitations, including things like speeds and bandwidth, which can make streaming a frustrating experience. 

Are proxies illegal?

Using proxies is not illegal most of the time. However, some regions may have restrictions or laws prohibiting their use. Also, they may violate certain terms and conditions of websites and apps, which could land you in hot water, too. This is especially the case if you’re using proxies for web scraping or accessing geo-blocked content that is copyright protected. 

Is it safe to use free proxies? 

While there are some reputable free proxy providers, overall, there are some risks to be aware of. Many free proxies are not as anonymous as they claim to be, defeating the whole purpose of using one in the first place. Some also have malware or poor security practices, few user protections, and subpar encryption. You really do get what you pay for, so consider how often you’ll be using a proxy and if it is worth the risk. 

Can you do web scraping with free proxies? 

Yes, you can perform web scraping with a free proxy service. However, it often won’t be as effective as using a paid proxy service. Here’s why: 

• Free proxies are usually less reliable in terms of uptime. If they get disconnected, it could interrupt the scraping, which may happen frequently.
• Often websites find free proxies to be more untrustworthy and block them more frequently, so they may be blacklisted more often than a pay-to-use type of proxy.
• Slower speeds due to being overloaded by so many users. Free tends to attract numbers, which means your scraping could be sluggish.

Because free proxies aren’t usually as secure as paid tiers, they may not keep sensitive data you scrape protected or private